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
Maga Dog
Bob Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Him turn around bite you
And if you jump outta fryin pan
I know you jump inna fire yeah
See you come from country in a country chuk
Tell me say you a look a likkle wuk
Gal go weh from dey
Me no wan' fe see you 'round here
When I were with you look how you big and fat
Now you look like a real wet rat
Gal, go weh from me
Me no wan' fe see you 'round here
Chorus
Me jus' a do wha' me hafi do
Me no ha nothin' more fi do with you
And if you know wha' me know
You galang go turn poppy-show
Chorus
Your father gi' you money fi buy piece of land
You take your father money and buy obeah man
But a young nay like you
Should be cut with a filing tool
Chorus
Bob Marley's "Maga Dog," is a song that tells the story of a woman who is complaining about a former lover. The woman warns others about the man, calling him a maga dog, meaning thin and scraggly, and saying that he will turn around and bite you. She also warns others not to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire by getting involved with him. The woman describes how the man used to be big and fat, but now he looks like a rat. She tells the man to go away and never come back.
The song is about relationships and how they can change over time. The woman in the song is warning others about the man and saying that he is not worth their time. She also expresses her own frustration with the man and tells him to go away. The song uses the metaphor of the maga dog to describe the man, suggesting that he is not strong or worthy of respect.
Overall, "Maga Dog" is a cautionary tale about relationships and the dangers of getting involved with the wrong person. The woman in the song is warning others to stay away from the man and to avoid making the same mistakes she did. The song's message is clear: be careful who you get involved with, or you might end up with a maga dog.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorry fi Maga Dog
I feel bad for the poor, skinny, weak dog
Him turn around bite you
He will betray you and harm you in return
And if you jump outta fryin pan
If you escape one difficult situation
I know you jump inna fire yeah
You will quickly find yourself in another just as bad
See you come from country in a country chuk
I see that you come from the countryside without any urban sophistication
Tell me say you a look a likkle wuk
I heard you are looking for some work
Gal go weh from dey
Girl, go away from here
Me no wan' fe see you 'round here
I don't want to see you around here
Chorus
Refrain
When I were with you look how you big and fat
When we were together, you were healthy and well-fed
Now you look like a real wet rat
Now you look disheveled and unkempt like a soaked rat
Me jus' a do wha' me hafi do
I'm just doing what I have to do
Me no ha nothin' more fi do with you
I have nothing more to do with you
And if you know wha' me know
And if you knew what I know
You galang go turn poppy-show
You would make a fool of yourself (like a puppet at a carnival)
Chorus
Refrain
Your father gi' you money fi buy piece of land
Your father gave you money to buy a piece of land
You take your father money and buy obeah man
You used that money to buy a voodoo priest
But a young nay like you
But a young girl like you
Should be cut with a filing tool
Should be shaped and refined with care and attention
Chorus
Refrain
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: PETER TOSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@communityrags6048
How spine-tingling it would sound whenever they get round to digitally remastering that!
@williamharrison2528
Love the vintage sound of this. Not sure I want it remastered.
@SkinWalker-wc3sf
I love bob marleyβ€π
@SkinWalker-wc3sf
Ima make a movie tribute from him
@christisgodd
3 prophets of jah.Bob Peter and bunny
@ningunores9100
And Junior Braithwaite.
@metalsmithjewelergeorgie4769
Bring ska back πΌ
@TheZarahfussy
awesome. thank you. been looking for this version for FOREVER
@KwakuAmaniampongKyerefo
π¦π¦π¦βπΏβπΏπππβ€οΈβ€οΈ
@papagreenemusic
When this record was made, the group was called simply The Wailers, so the graphic shown is one that must have been made later, after they changed the name in the mid-1970's.
This is Peter Tosh's song, & it is he, not Marley, who sings lead on the track.