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 βExodusβ (1977) was named Album of the Century by Time Magazine and his song βOne Loveβ 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
Jamming [Original US
Bob Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're jammin'
I want to jam it with you
We're jammin', jammin'
And I hope you like jammin' too
Ain't no rules, ain't no vow
We can do it anyhow
I and I will see you through
With a little sacrifice
Jammin' till the jam is through
We're jammin'
To think that jammin' was a thing of the past
We're jammin'
And I hope this jam is gonna last
No bullet can stop us now
We neither beg nor we won't bow
Neither can be bought nor sold
We all defend the right
Jah Jah children must unite
For life is worth much more than gold
We're jammin', jammin', jammin', jammin'
And we're jammin' in the name of the Lord
We're jammin', jammin', jammin', jammin'
We're jammin' right straight from yard
Singing Holy Mount Zion, Holy Mount Zion
Jah sitteth in Mount Zion and rules all creation
Yeah, we're jammin'
Bop-chu-wa-wa-wa
We're jammin'
I want to jam it with you
We're jammin', jammin', jammin', jammin'
And Jamdown hope you're jammin', too
Jah knows how much I 'ave tried
The truth cannot hide
To keep you satisfied
True love that now exists
Is the love I can't resist
So jam by my side
We're jammin', jammin', jammin', jammin'
I want to jam it with you
We're jammin', we're jammin'
We're jammin', we're jammin'
We're jammin', we're jammin'
We're jammin', we're jammin'
Hope you like jammin', too
We're jammin', we're jammin'
We're jammin', we're jammin'
I want, I want, I want to jam with you now
We're jammin', we're jammin'
I hope you like jammin'
I hope you like jammin'
'Cause I want to jam it with you
I like I hope, I hope you like jammin' too
I wanna jam it, wanna jam it
"Jamming" is a classic reggae song by Bob Marley that conveys a message of unity, love, and positivity through its lyrics. The song starts with Bob Marley telling his audience that he wants to jam it with them, and encourages them to join him in the act of "jamming." The term "jamming" refers to the act of playing music together, but it also carries a deeper meaning of coming together and enjoying each other's company without any rules or restrictions.
Bob Marley also touches upon the idea of paying the price every day, which implies that life is not easy, and sometimes we need to make sacrifices in order to achieve our goals. However, the act of jamming helps us forget our troubles and enjoy the moment.
The song also talks about the power of unity, as "no bullet can stop us now" and "Jah Jah children must unite." Bob Marley highlights the importance of defending the right and coming together as one to fight for what is right. He also emphasizes that life is worth much more than gold, and we should treasure the moments we spend with each other.
Overall, "Jamming" is a positive and uplifting song that encourages its listeners to come together and enjoy each other's company. It is a reflection of Bob Marley's commitment to spreading love and unity through his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, yeah, well, alright
Starting things off with a positive attitude and excitement for whatβs to come.
We're jammin'
Weβre playing music together and having a good time doing it.
I want to jam it with you
Iβm not just enjoying this experience by myself, I want to share it with you.
We're jammin', jammin'
Emphasizing how much we are enjoying playing music together.
And I hope you like jammin' too
Iβm hoping that you are enjoying this experience just as much as I am.
Ain't no rules, ain't no vow
We donβt have to follow any specific guidelines or traditions - we can just do whatever we want and have fun.
We can do it anyhow
We are free to express ourselves through music in any way that we choose without limitations or restrictions.
I and I will see you through
We will support each other and help each other succeed in this musical journey.
'Cause every day we pay the price
Life is full of challenges and struggles that we must face, so we need to find ways to enjoy the good moments and make them count.
With a little sacrifice
Sometimes we need to put in a little extra effort or time to make things work, but it will be worth it in the end.
Jammin' till the jam is through
We will keep playing and enjoying music together until we canβt play or enjoy it anymore.
To think that jammin' was a thing of the past
Itβs amazing to think that people used to enjoy playing music together more often, but now it has become less common.
No bullet can stop us now
We are not afraid of any danger or threat because we are united through music and nothing can break that bond.
We neither beg nor we won't bow
We donβt need to beg for acceptance or approval because we are proud of who we are and what we represent.
Neither can be bought nor sold
Our love for music and our unity cannot be bought or sold, it comes from the heart and cannot be taken away.
We all defend the right
We stand up for what is right and just, and we will not let anyone or anything stop us from doing so.
Jah Jah children must unite
We must come together as a community and stand up for ourselves and each other, especially in the face of oppression or injustice.
For life is worth much more than gold
Our lives are valuable and precious, and we must make the most of them by living in harmony with each other and enjoying the good things in life.
And we're jammin' in the name of the Lord
We are playing music as a form of worship and as a way to connect with a higher power.
We're jammin' right straight from yard
We are playing music straight from our hearts and from our homes, without any formal training or rules.
Singing Holy Mount Zion, Holy Mount Zion
We are singing about a sacred place that represents peace, unity, and freedom for all.
Jah sitteth in Mount Zion and rules all creation
We believe in a higher power that is all-knowing, all-powerful, and governs the universe with love and compassion.
Jah knows how much I 'ave tried
We acknowledge that life is not always easy, but we keep trying and pushing forward through love and faith.
The truth cannot hide
We believe that honesty and integrity are important values that should guide our lives and decisions.
To keep you satisfied
We want to make sure that you are happy and content with the music that we are playing together.
True love that now exists
We have a deep love and respect for each other that is genuine and authentic.
Is the love I can't resist
We are drawn to each other through our mutual love and passion for music.
So jam by my side
We want you to join us in playing music and experiencing the joy and beauty of it together.
I like I hope, I hope you like jammin' too
I really enjoy what weβre doing, and I hope you are enjoying it just as much as I am.
I wanna jam it, wanna jam it
I really want to keep playing and enjoying music with you for as long as possible.
Lyrics Β© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BOB MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pablotheoren7962
This man was born 1945 which was the end of ww2. He was a symbol of peace freedom and a rebel in his own way. He had a purpose and it was significant. Long live BOB MARLEY
@dude7838
Pablo Theoren Well said!
@angeliquebernadettechasse8329
Bunie sper
@time5447
Dont mean nufin jesus is king
@rachelashker7868
My Dad was born in 1940 and loved him!!!
@sam-wm2dd
I bet some awful people were also born in 1945
@loualbino5536
"Life is worth much more than gold." Love this song.
@edwinestrella5965
Whenever Iβm feeling down, scared, alone, stressed, happy, sad. I feel like I can move past it all when I listen to Bob Marley. I hope everyone is doing okay. God is with us ππ½
@KristinaTeplin
all souls unite!
@benrounds297
A men bro