Pat Boyle

October 29, 2006

Junior Faith ‘06

Bob Marley

            Robert Nesta Marley was born in Saint Ann, Jamaica on February 6, 1945.  He was the son of a black Jamaican woman and a white Jamaican naval captain, and his mixed race would later cause him to question his racial identity.  Growing up in the poor streets of Jamaica had a huge impact on Bob, and he and his mother eventually moved to a rural area of Kingston, called Trenchtown.  It was in Trenchtown that Bob would meet his future band members Neville “Bunny,” Livingston and Peter Tosh.  Marley, Bunny and Tosh spent all their time together, perfecting their musical abilities, yet it wasn’t until Alvin Patterson joined the band in 1963 that they group got any recording success.  Alvin Patterson was a member of the Rastafarian faith, which is thought by Rastas to be a combination of the purest forms of both Christianity and Judaism, with strict rules concerning practices, diet, and lifestyle.  The band, which was called The Wailing Wailers, increasingly gained success throughout Jamaica, and by 1964, their first single “Simmer Down,” was released.  This music reflected a sort of “rebel,” side of the band, but that would all change in 1966 when the emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I, made a state visit to Jamaica.  Haile Selassie was considered a savior to Rastafarians, and claimed to be a direct descendent of Solomon.  This visit, along with the increased popularity in Rastafarianism, would have a huge impact on Bob Marley’s music and lifestyle. 

            By 1970, the band was not only receiving international recognition, but their music was full of deep, faithful messages spreading the word of “Jah” (nickname for Rastafarianism) and love.  Bob’s public appearance, however, brought about conflicts with record labels and the media.  Bob was constantly smoking marijuana, and although it was perceived as a drug dependency, in reality it was no different than a Christian making the sign of the cross.  The herb is regarded by Rastafarians as “wisdomweed,” and is considered a religious rite by Rasta leaders. Marley didn’t only speak out on behalf or religion, however.  Marley spoke out against racism, stating, “I don't have prejudice against myself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley) This is just one example of Marley’s strong faith in God.  Bob was also a strong supporter for peace.  Growing up in the rural, run-down streets of Jamaica, Marley had experienced the wars between political factions which brought about violence.  In late 1976, attempting to help bring about peace in the slums of Jamaica, Marley announced a free concert in Kingston.  The day before the concert, however, two gunmen broke into Marley’s house and shot him, wounding his arm and chest.  The assassination attempt is thought to have been politically motivated, and despite being wounded, Marley still played a short set the next day at the concert.  Again, this is an example of his strong devotion and faith in getting his message of peace and love spread to everyone. 

            Marley spent the next eighteen years of his life away from Jamaica, where he recorded one of his most meaningful albums, “Exodus.”  This album contained songs with very meaningful messages, one of which was the famous “One Love,” which is one of Marley’s best known songs.  In “One Love,” Marley talks about his strong belief in global unity, and his message sounds very similar to that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  When Bob finally returned to Jamaica, he played the One Love Peace Concert in Jamaica, and shortly thereafter he received a Medal of Peace from the United Nations. 

            After “Exodus,” Bob and the Wailers recorded two more albums, “Survival,” and “Uprising,” which contained one of Marley’s most faithful song, “Redemption Songs.”  Shortly after the release of “Uprising,” however, Marley was announced seriously ill when he found out that a cancer that started in his foot had spread to his brain, lungs, liver, and stomach.  Bob Marley died eight months later on May 11, 1981, at the age of thirty-six.  Marley is known as many things: a prophet, a poet, a musician, a peacemaker, the list could go on forever.  With all of his achievements, honors, and writings, it would be hard to disprove the fact that Bob Marley is a man of faith. 

 

 

 

*I thought this was the perfect example of how Bob Marley gives his message of faith in his music.

“Redemption Songs”

Old pirates yes they rob

Sold I to the merchant ships

Minutes after they took I from the

Bottom less pit

But my hand was made strong

By the hand of the almighty

We forward in this generation triumphantly

All I ever had is songs of freedom

Won't you help to sing these songs of freedom

Cause all I ever had redemption songs, redemption songs

 

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

None but ourselves can free our minds

Have no fear for atomic energy

Cause none of them can stop the time

How long shall they kill our prophets

While we stand aside and look

Some say it's just a part of it

We've got to fulfill the book

 

Won't you help to sing, these songs of freedom

Cause all I ever had, redemption songs, redemption songs, redemption songs

 

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

None but ourselves can free our minds

Have no fear for atomic energy

Cause none of them can stop the time

How long shall they kill our prophets

While we stand aside and look

Yes some say it's just part of it

We've got to fulfill the book

 

Won't you help to sing, these songs of freedom

Cause all I ever had, redemption songs

All I ever had, redemption songs

These songs of freedom, songs of freedom   

 

 

 

Sources

http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/60/0a/123133-music-resized200.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley

http://www.bobmarley.com/index2.html