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)

Tell them Lord
Bob Marley & The Wailers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tell them (tell them, Lord)
Where you got those socks, you steal them (ahh)
You couldn′t get them, so you sell them (ahh)
That's the way you make your living

I said, "I can′t get no work, and I can get no food
Can find no resting place
My bed is made of wood"

So, tell them Lord (tell them Lord)
That my body is stir up strife here (tell them, Lord)
Ah, tell them-a Lord (tell them Lord)
That my body is stir up strife here (tell them)

Tell them (tell them, Lord)
Where you got those socks, you steal them (ahh)
You couldn't get them, so you sell them (ahh)
That's the way you make your living

I said that, "I can′t get no work, and I can get no food
Can find no resting place
My bed is made of wood"

So, tell them Lord (tell them Lord)
Mama ma mama ma ma ma ma (tell them Lord)
Mama ma, tell them Lord (tell them Lord)
That my body is stir up strife here (tell them, Lord)

Eh, every man (tell them, Lord)

Show your good job, obey (tell them)
You gonna hear this-

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Tell them Lord" by Bob Marley & The Wailers are a commentary on the struggles faced by poor and disenfranchised individuals in the face of systemic inequality and injustice. The first half of the song addresses those who engage in theft and opportunism as a means of survival, questioning the morality of their actions but also acknowledging the desperation that drives them. The second half of the song shifts to a plea for help and recognition from a higher power, with the singer expressing their own suffering and inability to find security and comfort in life.

The repeated refrain of "tell them Lord" serves as both a prayer and a call to action, asking for divine intervention and also urging listeners to speak out against the societal structures that contribute to poverty and hardship. Through vivid imagery of deprivation and struggle, the song speaks to the broader human experience of facing injustice and searching for hope and redemption.

Overall, "Tell them Lord" is a powerful and poignant reflection on the complexities of poverty and social inequality, and a testament to the enduring relevance of Bob Marley's music in addressing important social issues.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell them (tell them, Lord)
Addressing the Lord, asking to relay a message

Where you got those socks, you steal them (ahh)
Questioning the morality of the person's actions

You couldn't get them, so you sell them (ahh)
Justifying the action with a supposed reason

That's the way you make your living
Explaining the motive behind the action

I said, "I can′t get no work, and I can get no food
Expressing personal struggles and frustrations

Can find no resting place
Unable to find a place to rest or call home

My bed is made of wood"
Living and sleeping in poor conditions

So, tell them Lord (tell them Lord)
Reiterating the message to the Lord

That my body is stir up strife here (tell them, Lord)
Describing the unrest and turmoil in one's life

Mama ma mama ma ma ma ma (tell them Lord)
Adding a emotional plea for help

Eh, every man (tell them, Lord)
Addressing all individuals