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

Waiting In Vain Dub
Bob Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

One, two, three

I don't wanna wait in vain for your love;
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love.
From the very first time I blessed my eyes on you, girl,
My heart says follow t'rough.
But I know, now, that I'm way down on your line,
But the waitin' feel is fine,

So don't treat me like a puppet on a string,
'Cause I know I have to do my thing.
Don't talk to me as if you think I'm dumb,
I wanna know when you're gonna come, soon.
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love
'Cause if summer is here,
I'm still waiting there,
Winter is here,
And I'm still waiting there.

Like I said,
It's been three years since I'm knockin' on your door,
And I still can knock some more,
Oh girl, ooh girl, is it feasible?
I wanna know now, for I to knock some more.
Ya see, in life I know there's lots of grief,
But your love is my relief,
Tears in my eyes burn, tears in my eyes burn
While I'm waiting, while I'm waiting for my turn,
See!

I don't wanna wait in vain for your love [Repeat: x4]
I don't wanna wait in vain for your love, oh!
I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna,
I don't wanna wait in vain.
I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna,
I don't wanna wait in vain.
No, I don't wanna (I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna,
I don't wanna, I don't wanna wait in vain)
No I, no I (I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't
Wanna, I don't wanna wait in vain)
No, no-no, I, no, I (I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna,
I don't wanna, I don't wanna wait in vain)
It's your love that I'm waiting on (I don't wanna, I don't wanna,
I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna wait in vain)
It's me love that you're running from.
It's Jah love that I'm waiting on (I don't wanna, I don't wanna,

I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna wait in vain)
It's me love that you're running from.

Overall Meaning

In "Waiting In Vain," Bob Marley sings about waiting for the love of a girl who does not reciprocate his feelings. The opening of the song expresses his reluctance to wait for her love with the repetition of the line, "I don't wanna wait in vain for your love." He speaks about his infatuation with the girl and how he wants to pursue her, even though she does not seem interested in him. Bob Marley emphasizes his desire to be seen as an individual, rather than a puppet on a string, implying that he wants her to acknowledge his feelings as an equal partner, not just as someone to control or manipulate.

Furthermore, he expresses his impatience and frustration with the situation in the line, "It's been three years since I'm knockin' on your door, and I still can knock some more." The repetition of "I don't wanna wait in vain for your love" emphasizes his longing for her love and his reluctance to keep waiting for it without any signs of it being reciprocated. In the end, he sings about how he is waiting for her love even when the seasons change, but also acknowledges that it is not just his love that he is waiting for, but Jah's (God's) love.

Overall, "Waiting In Vain" is a heartfelt and emotional song portraying the longing for unrequited love. The lyrics, as with many of Bob Marley's compositions, are both personal and universal, touching on themes and emotions that many people can relate to.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't wanna wait in vain for your love;
The singer does not want to continually wait for the love of the recipient.

From the very first time I blessed my eyes on you, girl, My heart says follow t'rough.
The singer has been drawn to the recipient since their first encounter and felt compelled to pursue them.

But I know, now, that I'm way down on your line, But the waitin' feel is fine,
Although the singer recognizes they are not a priority for the recipient, they are willing to wait for them.

So don't treat me like a puppet on a string, 'Cause I know I have to do my thing.
The artist does not want to be controlled by the recipient and still wants to pursue their own goals and desires.

Don't talk to me as if you think I'm dumb, I wanna know when you're gonna come, soon.
The artist is not foolish and wants an exact timeline of when the recipient will be ready to reciprocate their feelings.

'Cause if summer is here, I'm still waiting there, Winter is here, And I'm still waiting there.
Regardless of the time of year, the singer is always waiting for the recipient's love and has been waiting for a long time.

It's been three years since I'm knockin' on your door, And I still can knock some more,
The singer has been pursuing the recipient for an extended period of time and is still willing to continue trying.

Oh girl, ooh girl, is it feasible? I wanna know now, for I to knock some more.
The artist wants to know if it is even possible for them to have a chance with the recipient before continuing to pursue them.

Ya see, in life I know there's lots of grief, But your love is my relief,
Although life can be difficult, the artist believes that reciprocated love from the recipient would bring them happiness and comfort.

Tears in my eyes burn, tears in my eyes burn While I'm waiting, while I'm waiting for my turn, See!
The artist is emotional and in pain from waiting for the recipient's love and wants to be seen and heard by them.

It's your love that I'm waiting on It's me love that you're running from. It's Jah love that I'm waiting on It's me love that you're running from.
The singer is waiting for the recipient to reciprocate their love, but the recipient is running away from them and their love for a higher spiritual power.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BOB MARLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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