Bob Marley (February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981), born Nesta Robert Marley whic… Read Full Bio ↴Bob Marley (February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981), born Nesta Robert Marley which was later to be changed by passport officials to Robert Nesta Marley, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter, guitarist, and activist. He was the most widely known writer and performer of Reggae, and more specifically Roots Reggae. He is famous for popularising the genre outside of Jamaica and the Caribbean. Much of his music dealt with the struggles of the spiritually wealthy rasta and/or spiritually powerful Jah Rastafari.

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

Stand Alone Feat. Ally Mercedez
Bob Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There you are, cryin' again
But your loveliness won't cover your shame
There you are, you're takin' true love
And while you're takin' true love, you given the blame

(How could I) Could I be so wrong
To think that we could get along?
Days I wasted with you, child

If I count there'll be a million or two
Now I stand alone through the memories
That haunts me, that haunt
Yeah, and I walk alone through the rhapsodies
That taunts me, that taunts me, me

There you are, cryin' again
But your loveliness won't cover your shame
There you are, you're takin' true love
And while you're takin' true love, given the blame

(How could I) How could I be so wrong
To think that we could get along?
Days I wasted with you, child
If I count there'll be a million or two
Now I stand alone through the memories
That haunts me, that haunts (me)
And I walk alone through the rhapsodies
That taunts me, that taunts me

Now, there you are, cryin' again
But your loveline-ness won't cover your sham-ame, hey
There you are, you're takin' true lo-love
While you're takin' true lo-love, given the blame

(How could I) How could I

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bob Marley & Lee "Scratch" Perry's song Stand Alone convey a message of regret, frustration and disappointment in a love affair that has gone sour. The singer is addressing their former lover who is crying and feeling ashamed, but their beauty and charm cannot mask their actions of taking true love and blaming the singer for the breakup. The singer reflects on their time with the lover and realizes they were mistaken to believe they could get along, as the days and memories of wasted time add up to a million or two. The song ends with the singer standing and walking alone through the haunting memories and taunting rhapsodies of their past relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

There you are, cryin' again
Once again, there you are, cryin' your tears

But your loveliness won't cover your shame
But your beauty won't erase all your fears

There you are, you're takin' true love
There you are, taking love so pure

And while you're takin' true love, you given the blame
Yet giving the blame, so unendurable

(How could I) Could I be so wrong
(How could I) How could I have been so naive

To think that we could get along?
To think that we could find reprieve?

Days I wasted with you, child
Days wasted, oh how they flew by

If I count there'll be a million or two
Countless moments filled with your lies

Now I stand alone through the memories
Now I am left standing on my own

That haunts me, that haunt
Haunted by memories I can't disown

Yeah, and I walk alone through the rhapsodies
And I wander through life feeling alone

That taunts me, that taunts me, me
Tormented by the melodies that you've sown

Now, there you are, cryin' again
Once again, there you are, cryin' your tears

But your loveline-ness won't cover your sham-ame, hey
But your beauty won't erase all your fears

There you are, you're takin' true lo-love
There you are, taking love so pure

While you're takin' true lo-love, given the blame
Yet giving the blame, so unendurable

(How could I) How could I have been so blind
(How could I) How could I have been so naive

To not see truth in your twisted mind?
To not see truth in your twisted mind?

We shared a past that was filled with strife
We shared a past that was filled with strife

Endless battles in search of a better life
Endless battles in search of a better life

Now I'm left to brave this world on my own
Now I am left standing on my own

Haunted by memories that have quickly grown
Haunted by memories I can't disown

And I walk alone while your voice echoes on
And I wander through life feeling alone

Haunted by the melodies that you've spawned.
Tormented by the melodies that you've sown

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, GLOBAL TALENT MUSIC PUB INC
Written by: SAM HARRIS, KRISTOPHER HARRIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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