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
Duppy Conqueror
Bob Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dem set me free again
Yes, me friend, me friend
Me deh 'pon street again
The bars could not hold me
Force could not control me now
They try to keep me down
Yes, I've been accused
Wrongly abused now
But through the powers of the Most High
They've got to turn me loose
Don't try to cold me up on this bridge, now
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The highest region
If you a bull-bucka
Let me tell you that
I'm a duppy conqueror, conqueror
Yes, me friend, me good friend
Dem set me free again, mm
Yes, me friend
Dem turn me loose again
Don't try to cold me up on this bridge, now
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The highest region
If you a bull-bucka
Let me tell you
I'm a duppy conqueror, conqueror
Yes, me friend, me friend, me friend, me friend
We deh a street again
Yes, me friend, me friend, me friend
Dem set me free again
Don't try to show off
Fi make you friend dem laugh, what a la-la!
For i will cut you off
And i will take the last straw
I'm crying, yes me friend
We deh a street again
Yes me friend, me friend, me friend
Dem set me free again
The bars could not hold me
Force could not control me now
Bob Marley's song Duppy Conqueror speaks to the essence of triumph, having been falsely accused and charged, imprisoned, and subsequently released, he tells the story of strength, perseverance, and resilience. The lyrics reveal how he overcomes the odds against him using the higher powers of the Most High as his guiding force. Despite having been accused and wrongfully abused, Bob Marley is undeterred and ready to take on the world once again, defying anyone who dares stand in his way. Marley speaks to the idea of overcoming the barriers that have been engineered to hold one down and relentlessly fighting until they are free.
In the song, Bob Marley uses his Jamaican dialect called patois, to convey his story and the message of the song. The song employs a lot of imagery that is typical of Bob Marley's music, mainly symbols of Rastafarianism, a religion that Marley converted to. The song also employs a lot of wordplay and puns typical of Jamaican patois. Bob Marley also uses this song to encourage and motivate his listeners to keep pushing, fighting for their freedom or liberation, despite any barriers they may face along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, me friend, me friend
The singer is rejoicing that he has been set free and has his friends back with him.
Dem set me free again
The singer has been released from captivity once again.
Me deh 'pon street again
The singer is back on the street, enjoying his freedom.
The bars could not hold me
Although imprisoned, the artist's willpower was stronger than the physical barriers of the jail cell.
Force could not control me now
The authorities attempted to overpower the artist with physical force, but they failed.
They try to keep me down
The authorities attempted to keep the singer imprisoned and oppressed.
But God put me around. Yeah!
The singer attributes his liberation to divine intervention.
Yes, I've been accused
The artist has been falsely accused of wrongdoing.
Wrongly abused now
The artist has been mistreated and oppressed unfairly.
But through the powers of the Most High
The artist's strength and liberation came from a higher power.
They've got to turn me loose
Regardless of the authorities' attempts to keep him imprisoned, the singer will eventually be liberated.
Don't try to cold me up on this bridge, now
The artist warns others not to impede his journey to the spiritual realm.
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The singer is determined to reach the ultimate spiritual destination.
The highest region
The singer's ultimate goal is to reach the highest point of spiritual enlightenment.
If you a bull-bucka
The singer is addressing those who try to bring him down or block his path.
Let me tell you that
The artist is warning those who attempt to impede him that he is unbreakable.
I'm a duppy conqueror, conqueror
The artist is a warrior who has triumphed over the spirits of the dead.
We deh a street again
The singer is back out on the street with his friends.
Don't try to show off
The singer cautions others not to try to impress or mock him.
Fi make you friend dem laugh, what a la-la!
The artist warns others not to make fun of him and his situation.
For i will cut you off
The artist will cut ties with anyone who tries to bring him down.
And i will take the last straw
The artist will not tolerate any further disrespect or mistreatment.
I'm crying, yes me friend
The singer is emotionally overwhelmed by the support of his friends.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOB MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rachelcosgrove2048
Oh, oh, op-bo, bo, bo-bo-bo
Oh, oh, op-bo, bo, bo-bo-bo
Yes, mi friend, mi friend
Them set me free again
Yes, mi friend, mi friend
Me deh 'pon street again
The bars could not hold me
Force could not control me now
They try to keep me down
But God put me around
Yes, I've been accused
Wrongly abused, now
But through the powers of the most-high
They got to turn me loose, mm
Don't try to cold me up
On this bridge now
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The highest region
If you a bull-bucker
Let me tell you that
I'm a duppy conqueror, conqueror
Yes, mi friend, mi good friend
Them set me free again, mm
Yes, mi friend
Them turn me loose again
Don't try to cold me up
On this bridge now
I've got to reach Mount Zion
The highest region
If you a bull-bucker
Let me tell you
I'm a duppy conqueror
Hit it (conqueror)
Yes, mi friend, mi friend, mi friend, mi friend
We deh a street again
Yes, mi friend, mi friend, mi friend
Dem set me free again
Don't try to show off
Fi make you friend dem laugh, what a la-la
For I will cut you off
And I will take the last straw
I'm cryin'
Yes, mi friend
We deh a street again, yea-eah
Yes, mi friend, mi friend, mi friend
@lew8431
Most people do not know of this side of his music, but without a doubt its the best
@deanwalker6262
Yup. All the old stuff he did with dub versions, like Hypocrites and mr. brown. The best
@anthonyakatonysmiff2461
yeah, isnt that something? the worst music is what is known, and the best remains an undiscovered great mystery!
@monicacristina5956
Gimme shelter n giuliano manfrdini?
Anyone?
@JackNapier420
I'm pretty sure most people know this music 😂 it's Bob
@LGaff1974
The best Bob is whatever is on. That’s how good he was. But Duppy Conqueror — this version or the one on Burnin’— are beyond special.
@AAIdjkeino
I listen this masterpiece on repeat until it soak through me like water soaking a sponge. Leaving me with watery eyes and a irie feeling. Bob Marley live forever.
@lanaranger9770
So eloquently put. Sounds like you could have written some songs for him.
@TonyWud
I hear Bob Marley in your writing. A blessing!
@100datbitch4
Do you feel irie??? Steel pulse now in my head