Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to t… Read Full Bio ↴Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to that The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and The Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert Nesta Marley), Peter Tosh (Hubert Winston McIntosh), and Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston).

During 1970 and 1971, Wailer, Marley and Tosh worked with renowned reggae producers Leslie Kong and Lee "Scratch" Perry.

They released four albums before signing to Island Records in 1972. Two more albums were created before Tosh and Wailer left the band in 1974, citing grievances over label treatment and ideological differences. Marley carried on with a new line-up, including the I-Threes that put out seven more more albums. Marley died in 1981.

The Wailers were a groundbreaking ska and reggae group, noted for songs such as "Simmer Down", "Trenchtown Rock", "Nice Time", "War", "Stir It Up" and "Get Up, Stand Up".

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Marley_and_the_Wailers

Studio albums
The Wailing Wailers (1965)
The Best of the Wailers (1970; released 1971)
Soul Rebels (1970)
Soul Revolution Part II (1971)
Catch a Fire (1973)
Burnin' (1973)
Natty Dread (1974)
Rastaman Vibration (1976)
Exodus (1977)
Kaya (1978)
Survival (1979)
Uprising (1980)
Confrontation (1983)

Can' You See
Bob Marley & The Wailers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Told me you loved me
Right from the start
Don't play no tricks
Don't break my heart

Told me you loved me
And I said why
You think I'm gonna cry

[Chorus]
Can't you see
What you're doing to me
I am bound
You've got to set me free

You jerk on my heart
Shatter my brain
If you have conscience
Ain't that a shame

Told me you loved me
To make my cry
And I said I don't know why

[Chorus]

Then if you love me
Don't treat me so bad
I could give you something you never had

See you sitting up there
And you're looking so mad
Your imagination is making you sad

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bob Marley & The Wailers’ song “Can’t You See” explores the theme of unrequited love and broken promises. The singer is addressing a person who said they loved him/her right from the start but has since then been playing tricks and breaking his/her heart. The singer is expressing their frustrations and the hurt they’re experiencing as they plead with this person to set them free from the emotional turmoil they’ve been subjected to. At first, the singer seems to be stunned by the news of his/her heartbreak, but on the chorus, they summon the courage to confront the situation by asking the person if they can't see what they're doing to him/her.

The lyrics of “Can’t You See” are both poignant and powerful, emphasizing the pain and heartache that comes with unrequited love. The song features a reggae beat that lays a perfect foundation for Marley’s emotive vocals, which are delivered with conviction and passion. The song can be interpreted as a message of empowerment to anyone enduring similar situations, with Marley encouraging listeners to speak up and demand the respect and love they deserve.

Line by Line Meaning

Told me you loved me
You expressed your love for me

Right from the start
From the very beginning of our relationship

Don't play no tricks
Don't deceive, manipulate or fool me

Don't break my heart
Don't hurt me or cause me emotional pain

And I said why
I asked you the reason behind your love confession

You think I'm gonna cry
You believe your actions will make me emotional

Can't you see
Can't you comprehend or understand

What you're doing to me
The negative impact of your behavior on me

I am bound
I am trapped or restricted

You've got to set me free
You need to allow me to be free and independent

You jerk on my heart
You cause me emotional pain and distress

Shatter my brain
You affect my mental well-being

If you have conscience
If you possess a moral compass

Ain't that a shame
Isn't it regrettable or disappointing?

To make my cry
To purposely cause me to shed tears

Then if you love me
If your love for me is genuine

Don't treat me so bad
Don't mistreat or disrespect me

I could give you something you never had
I could offer you something new and exciting

See you sitting up there
I observe you sitting in a superior position

And you're looking so mad
You appear very angry

Your imagination is making you sad
Your own thoughts and ideas are causing you to feel unhappy

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TOY CALDWELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@natdigga3879

4y↑16

One of my fav wailers songs. Definitely under rated.

@musarerosinepoetry8882

3y↑7

PETER TOSH & BOB MARLEY GREAT VOICES💖

@greggalant7543

1y↑1

Peter was right to leave Bob, he was so talented that he would not be able to give us all those albums he produced. He and bunny were stars in there own right. Bob was Mega as everyone saw later, but they all sharpened each other. They gave us music that will NEVER be repeated or challenged. Even Ziggy and the rest have no chance of replicating such standards. Once in a life time talent

@lubabalomahlombe451

18w

Thank you for saying that brother. The man did not have such a phenomenal voice just to be a back up singer. Not to mention that he wrote a lot of those revolutionary songs that made Bob a superstar.