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
Burnin' And Lootin'
Bob Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This morning I woke up in a curfew
Oh God, I was a prisoner, too
Could not recognize the faces standing over me
All dressed in uniforms of brutality
How many rivers do we have to cross
Before we can talk to the boss?
We must have really paid the cost
That's why we gonna be burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
We're burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
Burnin' all pollution tonight
Oh, we're burnin' all illusion tonight
Ey!
Oh, give me the food and let me grow
Let the Roots Man take the gold
I say, 'cause all them drugs gonna make you slow, now
It's not the music from the ghetto
Eh!
Weeping and a-wailin' tonight
Weeping and a-wailin' tonight, lord, lord, lord, lord
Eh! (weeping and a-wailin' tonight)
Oh, (weeping and a-wailin' tonight) yeah!
How many rivers
How many rivers
Do we have to cross?
Talk to the boss
And one more, if all we got, we have lost
What I mean yeah, we must have really paid the cost
That's why we gonna be (burnin' and a-lootin' tonight)
Burning and a-lootin'
(Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight) lord, oh, lord, oh, lord, oh, lord
Burnin' all pollution tonight
(Burnin' all illusion tonight) eh!
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight)
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight) lord, oh, lord, oh, lord, oh, lord
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight) who can stop the tears tonight?
(Weeping and a-wailin' tonight) so, pretty no, no tears tonight, eh!
The lyrics of Bob Marley's Burnin' And Lootin' speak to the experiences of oppression, violence, and poverty in Jamaica. The first verse describes waking up in a curfew and being surrounded by people in uniforms of brutality. The second verse asks how many rivers need to be crossed before one can talk to the boss, implying the obstacles that people face to achieve justice and equity. The chorus, "burnin' and a-lootin' tonight," is a call to action against the systemic and institutionalized oppression that exists in Jamaica.
The third verse speaks to the lack of access to basic needs such as food and the use of drugs as a coping mechanism for the struggles faced by people in the ghetto. The repetition of "weepin' and a-wailin'" emphasizes the desperation felt by those who are suffering. The final verse repeats the call to "give me the food and let me grow" and emphasizes that drugs are not the solution to the problems faced by the ghetto.
The overall message of the song is a call for revolution against the oppressive systems that exist in Jamaica. It is a cry for justice, equality and freedom for all. Bob Marley's Burnin' And Lootin' is a powerful social commentary that speaks to the struggles of the poor and marginalized people in Jamaica, and is still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
This morning I woke up in a curfew
I woke up during a time of martial law, where my freedom and movements are restricted.
O God, I was a prisoner, too - yeah!
I felt trapped and helpless, just like a prisoner, with no control over my own life.
Could not recognize the faces standing over me
I did not personally know the people who were enforcing the martial law or their intentions toward me.
They were all dressed in uniforms of brutality. Eh!
The people enforcing the martial law were clearly intimidating and violent, with uniforms that suggested they would cause harm if given the chance.
How many rivers do we have to cross
Before we can talk to the boss? Eh!
How many barriers and dangers must we face just to communicate with those in power? It seems impossible to be heard without significant effort and risk.
All that we got, it seems we have lost
We must have really paid the cost
Despite our struggles and sacrifices, we seem to have lost everything in our fight for freedom and justice. The price we paid must have been incredibly high.
(That's why we gonna be)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(Say we gonna burn and loot)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(One more thing)
Burnin' all pollution tonight
(Oh, yeah, yeah)
Burnin' all illusion tonight
As a response to the oppression we face, we will resort to violence and theft as a way to fight back. We will also work to rid the world of the pollution that contributes to our struggles and the illusions that keep us from being free.
Oh, stop them!
We need to put an end to the people causing our suffering and oppression.
Give me the food and let me grow
Let the roots man take a blow
All them drugs gonna make you slow now
It's not the music of the ghetto. Eh!
We need to be given the resources to survive and thrive on our own, and we need to be able to fight back against those who try to harm us. The introduction of drugs and other vices to our community only serves to weaken us further, and we need more empowering forms of art and culture.
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(Ooh, can't stop the tears!)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(We've been suffering these long, long-a years)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(Will you say cheer?)
Weepin' and a-wailin' tonight
(But where?)
We are filled with sadness and despair because of the many years of struggle and pain we have endured. We question if there is any hope for us and if we will ever find peace or happiness.
We gonna be burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(To survive, yeah!)
Burnin' and a-lootin' tonight
(Save your babies' lives)
Burning all pollution tonight
(Pollution...)
Burning all illusion tonight
(Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord-a, Lord!)
The only choice we have left to survive and protect our loved ones is to resort to violence and theft. We also need to work to rid our world of harmful pollution and the illusions that keep us from making progress toward a better future.
Burning and a-looting tonight
Burning and a-looting tonight
Burning all pollution tonight
We must continue to fight and resort to violence and theft to make our voices heard and protect ourselves. We also need to take direct action to clean up the world we live in.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOB MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@obmello2211
“It’s about a society falling, and on its way down it keeps saying, so far so good, so far so good, so far so good”
@leroyrobinsoniii6882
Nice....
@goldenempirestudios
How you fall doesn't matter. It's how you land.
@Salah-jj2ji
men of culture
@remka2000
You made me smile hard. Thanks.
L'important c'est pas la chute. C'est l'atterrissage.
@rhodarashid6776
LA HAINE LA HAINE LA HAINE
@muscleman6968
It’s extremely sad how this song is 50 years old and it’s lyrics are still relevant in today’s world.
@Thisaintnodiscor
It’s not sad. Brother Bob was a prophet
@sexypuff3259
Marley and all de other Revolutionists also had their point s to prove as a Black, Rastafarian w/ knowledge. Our worlds will forever be the same! Not just sad but SAD REALITY.
@lekbirmohamed7993
I feel so saaaaaaaaaaaaaad