Starting out in 1963 with the group Bob Marley & The Wailers, he forged a distinctive song-writing and vocal style that would later resonate with audiences worldwide.
The Wailers would go on to release some of the earliest reggae records with producer Lee Scratch Perry.
After The Wailers disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career which culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977 which established his worldwide reputation and became one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million albums and singles.
Bob Marley was a member of this Rastafari movement, whose culture was a key element in the development of reggae. Bob Marley became the leading proponent of the Rastafari, taking their music out of socially deprived areas of Jamaica and onto the international music scene.
Now considered a "Rasta" prophet, Marley's adoption of the characteristic Rastafarian dreadlocks and famous use of marijuana as a sacred sacrament in the late sixties were an integral part of his persona. He is said to have entered every performance proclaiming the divinity of Jah Rastafari.
A few months before his death, Marley was baptised into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and took the name Berhane Selassie (meaning the Light of the Holy Trinity in Amharic).
His best known songs are a mixture of reggae, Roots Reggae, and rhythm and blues, which include:
I Shot the Sheriff
Exodus
Could You Be Loved
Redemption Song
No Woman, No Cry
Three Little Birds
Buffalo Soldier
Is This Love
One Love
Stir It Up
Jammin'
Get Up, Stand Up
His posthumous album Legend (1984) became the best-selling reggae album ever, with sales of more than 12 million copies.
Bob Marley was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994; in December 1999, his album “Exodus” (1977) was named Album of the Century by Time Magazine and his song “One Love” was designated Song of the Millennium by the BBC.
Awards and Honors:
1976 - Rolling Stone Magazine's "Band of the Year"
1978 - United Nations' Peace Medal of the Third World
1981 - Jamaican Order of Merit
1994 - The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
1999 - Time Magazine's Best Album of the Century
2001 - Star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2001- GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award
2004 - Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time (#11)
2006 - The United Kingdom's "Blue Plaque"
2006 - Bob Marley Boulevard named in Brooklyn, New York
2010 - GRAMMY Hall Of Fame (Catch A Fire)
2012 - August the 7th, proclamed Bob Marley Day (Los Angeles)
2013 - GRAMMY Tribute Performance
Marley tragically died of cancer at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida on May 11, 1981.
Religion:
Bob Marley was a member of the Rastafari movement, (not rastafaranism as that is seen as a derogortory term as Rasta's don't like being refered to as an ism) whose culture was a key element in the development of reggae music in Jamaica. Rastas belive they are outcast from their native Zion and looked on Ethiopia as their real home and Tafarai Makonnen, who took the title Haile Sellasie I(Power of the Holy Trinity in Amharic), after he became the emperor of Ethiopia, as their leader. Rastas belive H.I.M. is Jesus in flesh. Rastas are considered to be black Jews.
Rastas claim their root from King Solomon and Abbysinian queen of Sheba, through lineage of their son Menelik, emperor of Abbysinia. H.I.M. is said to be a direct decendant of Menelik. 'Ras' means Head and 'Tafarai" means Creator. 'Jah' is the shortened form of the Hebrew word Jehovah. Rastas belive in one truth and that is the truth of His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Sellasie I, King of kings, Lord of lords, conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah, two hundred and twenty-fifth ruler of the three thousand year old Ethiopian empire, elect of Jah, Light of the world. Jah Rastafari live out. Rastas preach a non-materialistic, egalitarian way of life. Bob Marley became a leading proponent of the Rastafari, taking their music out of the socially deprived areas of Jamaica and onto the international music scene. Bob Marley was baptized by the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church in Kingston, Jamaica on November 4, 1980.
Diet:
Marley's diet was ital; fruit, vegetables and fish; which is food approved by the Rastafari movement.
Family:
Bob Marley had 13 children: three with his wife Rita Marley, two adopted from Rita's previous relationships, and the remaining eight with separate women.
His children are, in order of birth:
Imani Carole, born May 22, 1963, to Cheryl Murray;
Sharon, born November 23, 1964, to Rita in previous relationship;
Cedella born August 23, 1967, to Rita;
David "Ziggy Marley", born October 17, 1968, to Rita;
Stephen Marley, born April 20, 1972, to Rita;
Robert "Robbie", born May 16, 1972, to Pat Williams;
Rohan, born May 19, 1972, to Janet Hunt;
Karen, born 1973 to Janet Bowen;
Stephanie, born August 17, 1974; according to Cedella Booker she was the daughter of Rita and a man called Ital with whom Rita had an affair; nonetheless she was acknowledged as Bob's daughter;
Julian Marley, born June 4, 1975, to Lucy Pounder;
Ky-Mani Marley, born February 26, 1976, to Anita Belnavis;
Damian Marley, born July 21, 1978, to Cindy Breakspeare;
Makeda, born May 30, 1981, to Yvette Crichton.
See here for comedian Bob Marley the comedian: Comedian Bob Marley
Brainwashing
Bob Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Old Mr. Joe, he build a house away
On top of some hill
Old Mr. Joe knew he had to go, so
He got right down and wrote bank will
He say now, here's to mother hen
And her chicken, Lord have mercy now
Master, will you take a roll in the mud
The old barnyard, the old barnyard
Birds and the chick, ooh-wee
Who's got to watch out for brother mongoose
With his top hap and walking-stick?
It's just the poor's brain washing
(Poor's) They told me a long time ago
It's just the poor's brain washing, ooh-wee
(Poor's brain washing) Now look at a thing like this
Cinderella and her long lost fellow
In the midnight hour, she lost her silver slipper
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
While Jack and Jill had themselves a fall
It's just the poor's (brain washing)
And I don't need it no longer (washing)
It's just the poor's brain washing
Coming through to a poor man's child, ooh-wee, look at this
Little Miss Muffet she sat on a tuffet
While Little Red Riding Hood delivered her grandmom's food
Ooh-wee ooh-wee
Ooh-wee, look at one more thing like this
The cow jumping over the moon
While the dish got jealous, he grabbed the handy spoon
It's just the poor's brain washing
And I don't need it no longer, I don't want it no longer
I don't need it no longer (washing)
And I don't care for no more brain washing (washing)
The lyrics to Bob Marley's song "Brainwashing" employ a collection of nursery rhymes and fairy tales as a metaphor for the societal and cultural influences that perpetuate the cycle of poverty, oppression, and injustice. The song addresses the idea that poor individuals have been socialized to accept and even perpetuate their own oppression. The song begins by introducing "Old Mr. Joe," who has built a house on a hill and writes a bank will, perhaps implying the privileges of the wealthy, and continues to reference nursery rhymes and fairy tales such as Cinderella, Humpty Dumpty, and Little Miss Muffet to illustrate how these stories are used to manipulate and control the poor.
Marley critiques the idea of "brainwashing" and highlights how it functions as a means of undermining one's own agency, claiming that the poor have been convinced that they are helpless and must adopt certain attitudes and behaviors to survive. He questions the legitimacy of fairy tales and stories that are used to pacify and lull the poor into a sense of complacency. Marley also emphasizes his own rejection of this way of thinking and encourages others to resist this type of manipulation and break free from the cycle of poverty and oppression.
Overall, the lyrics of "Brainwashing" convey a message of social and political awareness, encouraging the listener to be vigilant against the socialization that perpetuates oppressive systems and to reject the notion that their fate is predetermined by their upbringing or socioeconomic status.
Line by Line Meaning
Old Mr. Joe, he build a house away
Old Mr. Joe built a secluded house on a hill away from the rest of society
On top of some hill
The hill represented a way to distance himself from the world he wants to protect himself from
Old Mr. Joe knew he had to go, so
Old Mr. Joe has accepted that his time has come and must leave this world behind
He got right down and wrote bank will
He made sure to leave his belongings and assets to his family in the event of his death
He say now, here's to mother hen
He gives gratitude to the mother hen and her chickens, a metaphor for his family
And her chicken, Lord have mercy now
His family is very important to him and he asks for protection over them
Master, will you take a roll in the mud
He questions the master's (people in power) desire to lower themselves to the level of the common person
Like you know you should?
He suggests that people in power should be more humbled and in tune with the people they are trying to control
The old barnyard, the old barnyard
Refers to the familiar and comfortable, trusted sources of knowledge and community
Birds and the chick, ooh-wee
Reference to the natural world and its simple and pure beauty
Who's got to watch out for brother mongoose
Warns about those who may take advantage of the innocent and try to harm them
With his top hap and walking-stick?
Brother mongoose is personified as a character with a personality and weapons that make him dangerous
It's just the poor's brain washing
Suggests that people in power use propaganda to manipulate and control the poor
(Poor's) They told me a long time ago
He is aware that this form of brainwashing has persisted over time
Now look at a thing like this
Critically examines the events and issues that have resulted from this brainwashing
Cinderella and her long lost fellow
Reference to fairytale characters who have been romanticised over time
In the midnight hour, she lost her silver slipper
Even in the most romantic stories, things can go wrong that threaten to ruin them
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Another reference to a popular nursery rhyme character whose story has been construed and shaped over time
While Jack and Jill had themselves a fall
Even when working together, failure is unavoidable if the fundamentals aren't in place
And I don't need it no longer (washing)
He has seen through the deception and no longer needs to be under this form of brainwashing
Coming through to a poor man's child, ooh-wee, look at this
The effects of this manipulation have trickled down to affect even the poorest and most vulnerable of society
Little Miss Muffet she sat on a tuffet
Another reference to a popular nursery rhyme character whose story has been romanticised and shaped over time
While Little Red Riding Hood delivered her grandmom's food
Another reference to classic tales that hold societal weight and meaning, yet can obscure the truth and manipulate people's views on the world
The cow jumping over the moon
Reference to the fantastical and surreal, the impossible and unattainable
While the dish got jealous, he grabbed the handy spoon
Even in such surreal stories, conflicts can arise and cause chaos even in the most unlikely of events
And I don't care for no more brain washing (washing)
He is done with being manipulated and can see through the false narratives that have been pushed to him and society
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NEVILLE LIVINGSTON, BOB MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nazım Yılmaz
on No Woman No Cry
el hombre de mundo
JANGLA WISE
on Three Little Birds
Give thanks and Praise's
Juan Carlos Garcia
on Stir It Up
muy buena musica
Shaft Abdou
on One Love
on love
Felix CM
on Ganjah Gun
:)
Felix CM
on Stir It Up
ganjah gan
Assamoi Junior
on One Love
One love Bob marley
Assamoi Junior
on Waiting In Vain
Cool man
Faisal Alowais
on Stir It Up
best song owwwwwwwwwwwwwwww owy
Ca Sperez
on Stir It Up
muy buena rola