Ziggy learned Rastafari faith from his parents and had access to some of the world's best reggae musicians in the comp band of his father – the legendary reggae Wailers. Ziggy Marley first sat in on recording sessions with Bob Marley and the Wailers when he was around 10 years old. Joining with his three siblings to become The Melody Makers, Ziggy crafted his own soulful sound blending blues, RnB, hip-hop and roots reggae.
After their first two albums, Play The Game Right (1985) and Hey World! (1986), The Melody Makers earned their first Grammy (Best Reggae Recording) for Conscious Party (1988), an album produced by Talking Heads Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth which included the hit songs "Tomorrow People" and "Tumbling Down."
Subsequent albums included the Grammy-winning One Bright Day (1989), Jamekya (1991), Joy and Blues (1993), Free Like We Want 2 B (1995), their third Grammy winner Fallen is Babylon (1997), Spirit of Music (1999) and Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers Live, Vol 1 (2000), which featured some of their biggest hits as well as a cover of Bob Marley's "Could You Be Loved."
While selling records by the millions and selling out countless concerts with the Melody Makers, including a recent European tour, Ziggy Marley has never lost sight of his foundation of faith, fellowship and family.
After two decades as the driving creative force behind The Melody Makers, Ziggy stepped out on his own with his first solo album, Dragonfly (2003). Never content to rehash the success of his past, Ziggy uses Dragonfly to explore new ground and create his own distinctive musical identity as a solo artist.
"Working on my own gave me a chance to take my time and experiment a lot," Ziggy says of the material on Dragonfly." It took one year to finish this record. It's the longest I've ever worked on a album. It's different when you on your own. At some point it's scary and then at another it's a drive that makes you focus more."
Although the members of the most close-knit musical families often yearn to step out on their own, for Ziggy, a solo debut was not a long-awaited goal. "It's not something that I wished for since I began doing music," he says. "It was just the circumstances, and I wanted to be true to myself and what I feel. The record has strong messages and it feels good."
In addition to being Ziggy's first album of solo material, for Dragonfly he felt it was time for a change of scene. "Usually we record in Kingston. These songs were written in Jamaica and recorded in America. I did the first set of recordings in a house in Miami and then went to L.A. rented a house, set up my equipment and basically did the rest there. I left Jamaica for a while, because as an artist I need to experience different things, to see the world and have different energies. Living in one place is not good for me and I was tired of making music in a studio setting. I wanted it to be more like everyday life a part of me.
"As an individual, I've opened up more by traveling outside Jamaica, and I've been more able to be open to people and ideas. It helps me to grow as a person to be outside of my element; to be on my own in a strange place meeting people. That's good for me not to be in my secure domain."
The evidence of that growth is everywhere on Dragonfly.
On July 2nd, 2006, Ziggy released his second album, Love is My Religion. He states "This album is from my heart," and he feels that he embraces his spiritual and emotional side of life. This album show Ziggy coming into his own as an artist, as he wrote all of the songs for the album and played nearly all of the instruments.
Love is My Religion is a testament to Ziggy Marley's talent as he follows in the footsteps of his father, the Legend.
True To Myself
Ziggy Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And its not the same old thing over again, I say
Just do what you feel and don't you fool yourself, I say
'Cause I can't make you happy unless, I am I say I say I
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Day in day out I've asked many questions, I say
Only to find the truth it never changes, I say
If you don't deal with it it keeps killing you a little by little, I say
Call me selfish if you will my life I alone can live, I say I say I
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself (in a way all)
Got to be true to myself
I don't care if it hurts
I'm tired of lies and all these games
I've reached a point in life no longer can I be this way
Don't come crying to me I too have shed my share of tears
I'm moving on yes I'm grooving on well I'm finally free I've
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true to myself
Got to be true
Got to be true
Got to be true to myself (in a way all)
Got to be true
Got to be true
Got to be true to myself
The song 'True to Myself' is about the importance of being true to oneself and not compromising on one's own values and beliefs. Ziggy Marley talks about how life has come a long way since yesterday and how it's not the same old thing over again. He sends a message to the listeners to do what they feel and not to fool themselves because nobody else can make them happy unless they are true to themselves. The phrase "I say" is repeated several times in the song to emphasize the importance of the message being conveyed.
The second verse talks about how the truth never changes and how it's important to deal with it, or it will keep killing a person a little by little. Ziggy Marley mentions that he is not selfish, but he believes that he alone can live his life, and nobody else can dictate him. He says that he doesn't care if it hurts, and he's tired of lies and all the games. Ziggy emphasizes the point of moving on and grooving on, and how he's finally free.
The chorus emphasizes the fact that one has to be true to oneself and not compromise one's values and beliefs. Ziggy emphasizes this point several times in the song and repeats the phrase "in a way all" towards the end of the song, indicating that everyone must be true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Life has come a long way since yesterday, I say
Life has moved on from the past and it's not the same old routine.
And its not the same old thing over again, I say
Things have changed and it's not repetitive anymore.
Just do what you feel and don't you fool yourself, I say
Do what you believe is right and be honest with yourself.
'Cause I can't make you happy unless, I am I say I say I
To make others happy, one must first be happy with themselves.
Got to be true to myself
I must be true to myself.
Day in day out I've asked many questions, I say
Every day I have questions that need answers.
Only to find the truth it never changes, I say
I always find that the truth stays the same regardless of how I feel.
If you don't deal with it it keeps killing you a little by little, I say
Unresolved issues can slowly take a toll on one's well-being.
Call me selfish if you will my life I alone can live, I say I say I
If one must be selfish to live their life, then so be it. It's theirs alone to live.
I don't care if it hurts
I don't mind the pain.
I'm tired of lies and all these games
I'm done with the deceit and manipulative actions.
I've reached a point in life no longer can I be this way
I've come to a place where I can no longer continue like this.
Don't come crying to me I too have shed my share of tears
Don't expect empathy from me because I've also gone through my own struggles.
I'm moving on yes I'm grooving on well I'm finally free I've
I'm moving forward in my life and feeling liberated.
Got to be true to myself
I must be true to myself.
Got to be true
I need to stay genuine.
Got to be true to myself (in a way all)
I need to be authentic no matter what.
Lyrics © Regard Music, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID MARLEY, ZIGGY MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Aldi Septian
steady.
Metin Karamanoğlu
seni hep dinliyorum.
Sigrid Pauline
���
James Bryan C Quipanes
nice cool music Jah rastafarai :)
James Bryan C Quipanes
yes man .
Laura Terry
yes
Juliana Michaels
some of the best music since his father Bob Marley....legends
Jose Elias Da Silva Elias
muito masssa
Caleb J Barnes
you stand for of the humans in this, world!!!! thank you!!!
Hassan Husaen
good