At the time he wrote the song, circa 1979, Bob Marley had been diagnosed with the cancer that later was to take his life. According to Rita Marley, "he was already secretly in a lot of pain and dealt with his own mortality, a feature that is clearly apparent in the album, particularly in this song".
Unlike most of Bob Marley's tracks, it is strictly a solo acoustic recording, consisting of Marley singing and playing an acoustic guitar, without accompaniment. In subsequent live performances, however, a full band was used. A full band rendition of "Redemption Song" was made available as a bonus track on the 2001 reissue of Uprising, as well as featuring on the 2001 compilation One Love: The Very Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers. However, the solo performance remains the take most familiar to listeners.
In 2004, Rolling Stone placed the song at #66 among The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2010, the New Statesman listed it as one of the Top 20 Political Songs.
Personnel
Bob Marley – vocals, acoustic guitar, production
With Bob accompanying himself on Guitar, "Redemption Song" was unlike anything he had ever recorded: an acoustic ballad, without any hint of reggae rhythm. In message and sound it recalled Bob Dylan. Biographer Timothy White called it an 'acoustic spiritual' and another biographer, Stephen Davis, pointed out the song was a 'total departure', a deeply personal verse sung to the bright-sounding acoustic strumming of Bob's Ovation Adamis guitar.
— James Henke, author of Marley Legend
Meaning and social impact
The song urges listeners to "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery," because "None but ourselves can free our minds". These lines were taken from a speech given by Marcus Garvey in Nova Scotia during October 1937 and published in his Black Man magazine:
We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is your only ruler, sovereign. The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind ...
In 2009, Jamaican poet and broadcaster Mutabaruka chose "Redemption Song" as the most influential recording in Jamaican music history.
Covers
* Michael McDonald made this song his own on his 2008 album "Soul Speak".
* Manfred Mann's Earth Band covered the song on their 1983 album Somewhere in Afrika.
* Jackson Browne performed an acoustic version at the 1995 opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that was released on the all-star album Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
* English R&B girl group Eternal covered the song on their 1995 album Power of a Woman.
* Life Of Agony included an acoustic version on limited editions of their 1995 album Ugly.
* Punk rock band No Use For A Name recorded a cover for their 1995 album Leche Con Carne.
* A rare cover recorded by Stevie Wonder was included on his 1996 compilation Stevie Wonder - Song Review: Greatest Hits.
* US-based duo Moodswings included a cover of the song on their 1997 release Psychedelicatessen.
* Sinéad O'Connor performed this song live during her 1997 tour. A recording of this was used as B-side on the This Is a Rebel Song CD single.
* Sweet Honey in the Rock performed an a capella version of it on their 1998 album Twenty-Five
* Seggae band Baster recorded a version for their album Raskok in 2001.[10]
* Irish folk music band The Chieftains recorded a cover with Bob Marley's son, Ziggy Marley, on their 2002 album The Wide World Over: A 40 Year Celebration.
* Joe Strummer, formerly of The Clash, recorded a version on his last album Streetcore not long before his death in 2002. The track featured producer Rick Rubin on melodica and piano. Rubin also produced a version with Strummer and Johnny Cash for Cash's posthumous box set, Unearthed.
* New Zealand reggae band Katchafire (initially a Bob Marley tribute band) included a cover of Redemption song on their 2003 debut album, Revival.
* A cover by Canadian artist Chantal Kreviazuk was included on the 2003 compilation Peace Songs.
* Ethiopian-American neo-soul artist Wayna recorded a version for her 2004 album 2004.
* Serbian rock band Bajaga i Instruktori recorded a Serbian language cover of the song, titled "Pesma slobode", with guest appearance by pop singer Bebi Dol, releasing it on their 2005 album Šou počinje u ponoć.[11]
* Danish band Outlandish recorded a version and included it in the deluxe version of their 2005 album Closer Than Veins.
* In 2009, Angelique Kidjo released a version of the song on the compilation album Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration.[12]
* The song was a charity cover song by singer Rihanna. It was released for the Hope For Haiti Now campaign in January 2010.
* Aly Michalka and Ben Cotten performed their version of this song on an episode of Hellcats (Season 1 Episode 15), premiered in 2010.
* Chris Cornell has covered "Redemption Song" acoustically.
Originally from the Album Uprising - Album Year: 1980
Uprising would be the final studio album featuring Bob Marley & the Wailers to be released during Marley’s lifetime. Prophetically, it also contains some of the band’s finest crafted material, as if they were cogent that this would be their final outing. The album’s blend of religious and secular themes likewise creates a very powerful and singular quest for spirituality in a material world.
Album Tracks:
01 Coming In From The Cold
02 Real Situation
03 Bad Card
04 We And Dem
05 Work
06 Zion Train
07 Pimper’s Paradise
08 Could You Be Loved
09 Forever Loving Jah
10 Redemption Song
11 Redemption Song (Band Version)
12 Could You Be Loved (12” Mix)
Redemption Song
Bob Marley & The Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our mind
Whoa, have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them-ah can-ah stop-ah the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever had
Redemption songs
All I ever have
Redemption songs
These songs of freedom
Songs of freedom
The lyrics to "Redemption Song" address the themes of slavery, oppression, and the struggle for freedom, both physical and mental. The song begins by referencing the historical reality of pirate ships which would capture and sell people into slavery. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been forcibly taken from their homeland and separated from their community. However, the singer's "hand was made strong" by God, which enabled them to overcome their oppression and continue on. The chorus calls for collective action to sing "songs of freedom" as a means of achieving redemption.
The second verse of the song calls for a similar collective effort, but focuses on the need to "emancipate ourselves from mental slavery." This suggests that while physical freedom may be important, it is also necessary to free oneself from the mental chains of fear, self-doubt, and other internal struggles. The song also alludes to political struggles, referencing nuclear energy and "killing prophets." The final chorus returns to the idea of collective action, calling for the singing of "songs of freedom."
Overall, "Redemption Song" is a powerful and inspiring call to action, urging listeners to work together towards achieving freedom and redemption, both for themselves and for others.
Line by Line Meaning
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
I have been robbed by old pirates
Sold I to the merchant ships
I have been sold to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
I was taken minutes ago
From the bottomless pit
I was taken from a pit with no end
But my hand was made strong
My hand was strengthened
By the hand of the Almighty
By the hand of God
We forward in this generation
We move forward in this current time
Triumphantly
With great victory
Won't you help to sing
Won't you please join me in singing
These songs of freedom?
These songs that represent freedom
'Cause all I ever have
Because all I have
Redemption songs
Songs of redemption
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
Free yourself from mental enslavement
None but ourselves can free our minds
Only we can free our own minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
Don't fear nuclear power
'Cause none of them can stop the time
Because no one can stop time
How long shall they kill our prophets
How long must our prophets be killed
While we stand aside and look?
While we stand idly by
Some say it's just a part of it
Some say it's just the way things are
We've got to fulfill the book
We must do what needs to be done
All I ever have
All I have
Redemption songs
Songs of redemption
These songs of freedom
These songs that represent freedom
Songs of freedom
Songs that represent freedom
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robi Andi
Bob Marley , mantap..!
Akbar Sulaeman
good bob marley ??
Jill Gildart
My heart is heavy
@ommanipadmehum4975
Go ahead
No matter what
Love, be kind, take the suffer give the joy give the smile be the heroes as hard it is, as worth it is
And be inspired by great men and women, by nature and animals, by great creations and arts and music
Make your way
Make your way through life
And at the end of your last breath,
Pay tribute to the steps
All my blessings
And all my power
All my strength and faith
I give you
All your suffering and grief and sorrow
I remove from you
I am arrived i am home
I am solid i am free
In the ultimate i dwell
@al-mazerhussien3992
Dear person who may be reading this I wish you a beautiful life abundance and health
@garyjones9910
Why thank you
@agansley
Thx
@paradigmshift3879
Love, peace, health, happiness to you and your family Al-mazer thank you for your warm heart, kind words and presence.
@martamoreira1706
That’s so beautiful! Wishing you the same ✨
@karenyoudenvengeruk2897
Much love sweet person, may your life always shine bright with much joy and abundance.
@jackbetter7
“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds” thank you Bob!