Bob Marley

Verity Palmer

20110859

Person of Impact Assignment

Bob Marley

Bob Marley

Late Honourable Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 - 11 May 1981), affectionately known as Bob Marley, lived his life like that of an archetype. To this day he continues to have a powerful resonance embodying "political oppression, metaphysical and artistic insights, gangland warfare and various periods of mystical wilderness" (bobmarley.com). Having lived a life full of hardship and oppression, Marley always strived for wisdom, love, truth and freedom. He is an inspiration, not only for those of the Third World but also for westerners, such as myself. The impact he has made on my life through his inspirational songs and lyrics, is one that is hard to describe.

Born and raised in the beautiful countryside town of St. Ann, Jamaica, as a teenager, Marley moved to the devastating squalor of Trench Town, one of Jamaica's most desperate "government yards" or public housing projects. Like many other "Rude Boys" of Trench Town, Marley gave up the prospect of attaining a formal education for the security of street gangs; only to find that music would be the only way to liberate himself and other "sufferahs" amongst him. Music for many young Jamaicans was their only means of escape from the harshness of everyday life. Living close to the city exposed young Marley to a wide variety of music and he particularly took a liking to the Jamaican found sound of ska, which became a great influence for him. In 1963, Marley formed a band with two of his closest childhood friends, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer called "Bob Marley and The Wailers". With help from The Wailers, Marley introduced the sounds of reggae music to the world - infused with his prophetic truths of living a life of hardship and oppression.

As a result of slavery, African Diaspora lost much of their culture and identity. In search of survival, many Jamaicans turned to Rastafarianism and it "became the religion of choice for the disenfranchised and forgotten people of the shanty towns, which were, in the first flush of the island's independence, more than ready for a new Messiah, especially a black one" (Sheridan, 1999, p. 12). Bob Marley was an incredibly spiritual man and devoted his life to Rasta Fari (the Rastafarian saviour) and to Jah (the Rastafarian God). Like many other devout Rastafarians, Marley was rarely seen without a bible in his hand (the orthodox requiring Rastas to read at least one chapter a day)(Stephens, 1996, p. 315). The lyrics and music that he created were to fulfil what he called "me Faddah's business" (White, 2000, p. 306). He believed his music was given to him as gift from Jah and that it was his place on earth to call his people to work toward justice and freedom: "it is not me say these things, it's God...if God hadn't given me a song to sing, I wouldn't have a song to sing"- Bob Marley (Sheridan, 1999, p. 80). Regardless of Marley's apparently simple guise, he was an incredibly complex and mysterious man. As marijuana was a part of both his religious and philosophical life, many disregarded his genius for the ramblings of a "pothead"; however he expressed a revelatory and revolutionary truth for those who took the time to understand him.

Bob Marley had an unmistakable ability to communicate both spiritual and political messages through his music. Stephens claims that Marley, like many other Rastafarians, would use the Bible to "argue for political freedom". Marley's combination of "in your face" challenging lyrics, with relaxed, almost blissful melodies creates a hybrid space uniting his own reality and utopia; in effect, creating one of the only 'places' where the oppressed people of Jamaica could experience the true feeling of freedom and liberation. Through his music, Marley intended to engage the people to take action against all forms of oppression and injustice. One must free themselves from their own captive mind (with the help of Jah); it is then that they can make a difference externally (using politics).

In my opinion, the song that best represents Marley's diversity and commitment to change is 'Redemption Song'. The song is considered one of Marley's seminal works and happens to be the last track, on the last album recorded and released by Bob Marley. Dawes sums it up by saying, "'Redemption Song' confirms Marley's commitment to the task of teaching and leading his people out of a world marked by oppression and hopelessness and into a world of survival" (Dawes, 2002, p. 311).

Redemption song

Please use link to listen to song online- http://grooveshark.com/#/s/Redemption+Song/2qECC6?src=5

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;

Sold I to the merchant ships,

Minutes after they took I

From the bottomless pit.

But my hand was made strong

By the hand of the Almighty.

We forward in this generation

Triumphantly.

Won't you help to sing

These songs of freedom?

'Cause all I ever have:

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

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