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

Who Feels It
Bob Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Can't run away from yourself
Can't run away from yourself
Can't run away from yourself
Can't run away from yourself
Can't run away from yourself

Ya must have done (must have done),
Somet'in' wrong (something wrong)
Said ya must have done (must have done),
Wo! Somet'in' wrong (something wrong)
Why you can't find the
Place where you belong?
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away)
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away)
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away)
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away)
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do (running away)

Every man thinketh his
Burden is the heaviest (heaviest)
Every man thinketh his
Burden is the heaviest (heaviest)
Ya still mean it: Who feels it knows it, Lord
Who feels it knows it, Lord
Who feels it knows it, Lord
Who feels it knows it, Lord

Ya running and ya running
And ya running away
Ya running and ya running
And ya running away
Ya running and ya running
And ya running away
Ya running and ya running
But ya can't run away from yourself
Could ya run away from yourself?
Can you run away from yourself?
Can't run away from yourself
Can't run away from yourself
Yeah-eah-eah-eah from yourself

You must have done somet'in'
Somet'in' somet'in' somet'in'
Somet'in' ya don't want nobody to know about
Ya must have, Lord somet'in' wrong
What ya must have done ya must have done somet'in' wrong
Why you can't find where you belong?

Well, well, well, well, ya running away, heh, no
Ya running away, ooh, no, no, no
I'm not (running away) no, don't say that don't say that,
'Cause (running away) I'm not running away, oh! (running away)
I've got to protect my life, (running away)
And I don't want to live with no strife (running away)
It is better to live on the housetop (running away)
Than to live in a house full of confusion (running away)
So, I made my decision and I left ya (running away)
Now you comin' to tell me (running away)
That I'm runnin' away (running away)

But it's not true, (running away)
I am not runnin' away (running away)

Overall Meaning

The song "Who Feels It" by Bob Marley is about the idea that you can't run away from yourself. The repetition of the phrase "Ya running and ya running" emphasizes the idea that no matter how much you try to run away from your problems, your true self and your past always catch up with you. The chorus "Can't run away from yourself" reinforces this message. The lines "Every man thinketh his burden is the heaviest" means that everyone has their own struggles and problems to deal with, but ultimately it is up to them to face them. The line "Who feels it knows it, Lord" is a Jamaican saying that means only those who have experienced a particular thing truly understand it.

The song also touches on the theme of guilt and the idea that everyone has done something wrong in their life. The lines "Ya must have done somet'in' wrong" and "Ya must have done somet'in' ya don't want nobody to know about" suggest that the singer is aware of his mistakes and is trying to come to terms with them. The line "Why you can't find where you belong?" suggests that the singer is struggling to fit in and find his place in the world.

In the final verse, the singer addresses accusations that he is running away. He explains that he is not running away, but rather trying to protect himself and avoid unnecessary conflict. He ends the song by stating that he has made his decision and left, and that he is not running away.

Overall, "Who Feels It" is a powerful and introspective song that encourages the listener to face their problems head-on and not try to run away from them.

Line by Line Meaning

Ya running and ya running And ya running away Ya running and ya running And ya running away Ya running and ya running And ya running away Ya running and ya running, But ya can't run away from yourself Can't run away from yourself Can't run away from yourself Can't run away from yourself Can't run away from yourself Can't run away from yourself
Trying to escape from your problems isn't a solution, because ultimately, you can't escape from yourself.

Ya must have done (must have done), Somet'in' wrong (something wrong) Said ya must have done (must have done), Wo! Somet'in' wrong (something wrong) Why you can't find the Place where you belong?
If you're feeling lost and like you don't belong, it may be because you've done something wrong or made a bad decision. It's important to confront those mistakes and make amends.

Every man thinketh his Burden is the heaviest (heaviest) Every man thinketh his Burden is the heaviest (heaviest) Ya still mean it: Who feels it knows it, Lord Who feels it knows it, Lord Who feels it knows it, Lord Who feels it knows it, Lord
Everyone carries their own burdens and struggles in life, and it's easy to feel like yours are the heaviest. However, someone who's truly experienced those struggles knows what it's like and can empathize with others who are going through a difficult time.

You must have done somet'in' Somet'in' somet'in' somet'in' Somet'in' ya don't want nobody to know about Ya must have, Lord somet'in' wrong What ya must have done ya must have done somet'in' wrong Why you can't find where you belong?
If you're feeling lost and like you don't belong, it may be because you've done something you're not proud of and are trying to hide. It's important to be honest with yourself and others in order to find a sense of belonging and inner peace.

Well, well, well, well, ya running away, heh, no Ya running away, ooh, no, no, no I'm not (running away) no, don't say that don't say that, 'Cause (running away) I'm not running away, oh! (running away) I've got to protect my life, (running away) And I don't want to live with no strife (running away) It is better to live on the housetop (running away) Than to live in a house full of confusion (running away) So, I made my decision and I left ya (running away) Now you comin' to tell me (running away) That I'm runnin' away (running away) But it's not true, (running away) I am not runnin' away (running away)
Sometimes, leaving a toxic situation or relationship is necessary in order to protect yourself and live a happier life. It's not running away from your problems, but rather making a choice to remove yourself from a situation that's causing you harm or stress.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: NEVILLE LIVINGSTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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