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
Johnny Was
Bob Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
From a stray bullet
Woman hold her head and cry
Explaining to her was a passerby
Who saw the woman cry (cry)
Wondering
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!
Gift of Jah is life (life)
She cried
Ah-um, I, I know!
Johnny was a good man
I, I know! (never did a thing wrong)
Johnny was a good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good man
(Johnny was good man) He cried, he cried
Wo-ooh! Woman hold her head and cry
As her son had been shot down in the street and died
Just because of the system (system)
Woman hold her head and cry
Comforting her I was passing by
She complained, then she cry
Oh-whoah
yeah, I know now, I know, I know now (Johnny was a good man)
Said I know, hmm (Never did a thing wrong)
(Johnny was a good man)
Can a woman tender care, she cried, (Never did a thing wrong)
Cease towards the child she bear? (Johnny was a good man)
Wo-ho-ho-ooh! Woman cry, woman (Never did a thing wrong)
She cried, wo-oh! She cried, yeah! (Johnny was a good man)
Can a woman tender care
Cease towards the child she bear? (Never did a thing wrong)
Wo-now, cry! (Johnny was a good man)
The lyrics of Bob Marley's song "Johnny Was" tell a story of a woman who is grieving the death of her son who was shot and killed by a stray bullet. As she cries, a passerby tries to comfort and console her, but she is inconsolable, unable to comprehend why this tragedy had to happen to her. The woman expresses her anger and frustration with the system that allowed her son to be killed like this. The lyrics also suggest that the wages of sin is death, while the gift of Jah is life.
The song conveys a powerful message about the consequences of violence and the importance of standing up against injustice. It speaks directly to the heart of the struggle that many people face in Jamaica and other parts of the world, where violence and poverty are a daily reality. The woman’s grief is a reflection of the larger social and political issues that are plaguing her community.
Bob Marley uses his signature reggae sound to create a haunting and reflective mood for the song. The combination of the music and the powerful lyrics creates an emotional impact that is hard to forget.
Line by Line Meaning
Woman hold her head and cry
A woman is weeping and holding her head in sadness
'Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
Her son was killed in the street by a stray bullet
From a stray bullet
The cause of death was a random bullet
Explaining to her was a passerby
A person passing by tried to comfort her
Who saw the woman cry (cry)
The passerby witnessed her emotional pain
Wondering
The passerby is pondering what can console her
How can she work it out
The passerby ponders how the woman can cope
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!
The woman is realizing the tragic cost of wrongdoing
Gift of Jah is life (life)
Life is a precious gift from God
She cried Ah-um, I, I know!
The woman sobs in agreement with the passerby's reassurance
Johnny was a good man
The victim Johnny was a kind-hearted person
Wo-ooh!
An expression of lament
Woman hold her head and cry
The woman continues to grieve
Just because of the system (system)
The root of the problem was systemic oppression
Comforting her I was passing by
The passerby tries to comfort her again
She complained, then she cry
The woman vents her frustrations and continues to sob
Said I know, hmm (Never did a thing wrong)
The passerby reiterates that Johnny did not deserve to die
Can a woman tender care, she cried, (Never did a thing wrong)
The woman points out Johnny's innocence and questions the cruel twist of fate
Cease towards the child she bear? (Johnny was a good man)
Is a mother's care any less for her son? (Johnny deserved better)
Wo-ho-ho-ooh! Woman cry, woman (Never did a thing wrong)
The woman continues to cry and grieve for her son and society's injustice
She cried, wo-oh! She cried, yeah! (Johnny was a good man)
The woman sobs, lamenting the loss of her son's goodness
Wo-now, cry! (Johnny was a good man)
The woman's tears flow as she mourns the loss of a good man, Johnny
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Rita Anderson Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melissa Dewey
Haay!
@XAMQSL
Lyrics:
Woman hold her head and cry,
Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
From a stray bullet.
Woman hold her head and cry;
Explaining to her was a passerby
Who saw the woman cry (cry)
Wondering how can she work it out,
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!
Gift of jah is life. (life)
She cried: ah-um, I - I know!
"Johnny was a good man, " I - I know! (never did a thing wrong)
"Johnny was a good, good, good, good, good, good, good, good,
Good, good, good man", (Johnny was good man)
She cried - she crie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ied!
Wo-ooh! woman hold her head and cry,
As her son had been shot down in the street and died
Just because of the system. (system)
Woman hold her head and cry;
Comforting her I was passing by.
She complained, then she cry:
Oh-ooh-wo-ah, cry (ah-ah), yeah, I know now (ah-ah),
No I know, I know now: (Johnny was a good man)
Said I know, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm. (never did a thing wrong)
Ah! ah! (Johnny was a good man)
Can a woman tender care, she cried, (never did a thing wrong)
Cease towards the child she bear? (Johnny was a good man)
Wo-ho-ho-ooh! woman cry, woman - (never did a thing wrong)
She cried, wo-oh! she cried, yeah! (Johnny was a good man)
Can a woman tender care
Cease towards the child she bear? (never did a thing wrong)
Wo-now, cry! (Johnny was a good man)
@harrywilliams1344
Of all the Bob Marley songs, this is possibly his very best , most poignant and soulful renditions.✊
@GhostnisanArt
Harry Williams Redemption Song
@amandaknopp4255
Harry Williams absolutely agree, it’s very moving
@brianlevine2108
This song is about an event Rita Marley came upon.I think she the writing credit for this.
@clumsiii
@Deb Ride Natty Ride https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGmSWOkL8eQ ...and Bus Dem Shut bc there is no ONE <3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eugQ3vfQOK8
@de9tem
I agree with you
@judynomore1
Música da minha infância hj adulta continuo amando e mais ciente q nunca ❤
@MariaAntonia-og4yw
Meus filhos também amam. Sempre tocava pra eles
@NazarethSandoArt
This song was written by Rita Marley... and delivered beautifully by Bob and the band. One of their best.