For Julian Marley, music is life, life is music, and both are blessings from above. "From a small age music has been there in my life. It's just natural. And it is with the inspiration of the Most High that I create my songs," he explains. Julian's development as a singer/songwriter began when, at age five, he recorded his first demo tape, a version of his father's classic composition, "Slave Driver," at the Marley family's Tuff Gong studio in Kingston. Since that auspicious beginning, Julian has devoted himself to a life in music, mastering a variety of instruments and writing songs that reflects his dedication to spiritual boost and social change.
The 90s were a watershed period for the young artist. During these years, Julian formed his own band (the Uprising band), released a critically acclaimed album (1996's Lion in the Morning, on which he wrote or co-wrote all the songs) and toured the world, both as a solo performer backed by Uprising and as a member of Ghetto Youths International, a musical collective whose core members are Julian and his brothers, Stephen and Damian Marley. Together, Julian and Damian were the opening act for Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers' 1995 US tour and featured artists in 1997 on the rock-oriented Lollapalooza festival tour. Julian also assisted his brother Stephen with production on 1999's platinum selling Chant Down Babylon and, along with Spragga Benz and Marley siblings Stephen, Cedella, Damian and Ky-Mani Marley , contributed an inspired version of "Master Blaster" to the 2003 Stevie Wonder tribute album, Conception.
Julian's newest offering, A Time and Place, is an organic fusion of rootical reggae and breezy jazz sounds that represent the next milestone in his artistic path. "Coming from Lion in the Morning," Julian explains, "I have more knowledge and I'm growing. And this is a very personal album. A lot of it came from reasoning with bredren. We would converse about a situation and just start writing from there." The thirteen tracks are, as the artist himself says, "very much of the time. If you check it out right now, most of the music out there is about bling blings and crazy things. My songs are to be taken as wake up calls." Each is built on a solid foundation of traditional reggae but contain a wide range of influences, showcasing Julian's natural love of music
Systems
Julian Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were made to rule
Working for the system
You can't earn no living and unemployment
A sky scrapers keep rising
What's the use you wait no more
Rastafari the law
Don't you know?
Systems were made to rule
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were made to rule
Don't waste your time or your energy
Working for babylon over night crimes
You pay your penalty
To die for exaltation
But now they are running out of luck
It's a pleasant on her gloves
Don't you know?
Systems were made to rule
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were made to rule
Say they war every single day
They build nuclear weapons
[Mass destruction]
Ohh no no... for what we don't know?
It's not a world conflict
For what we don't know
It's not a world conflict
Systems were made to rule
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were made to rule
[Oh Systems]
Law law law enforcement
General penitentiaries
What they do
They ride in the people continually
Systems were made to rule
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were made to rule
Systems were made...
[Systems were made]
To divide and conquer
[Systems were made]
To divide and abuse you
Julian Marley's song "Systems" is a social commentary on the oppressive systems implemented by different governments and societies that are designed to control, manipulate and exploit the masses. The song offers a message of resistance and calls for a change in the current oppressive systems. The first two lines of the chorus, "Systems were made to rule, Systems were made to divide and abuse you," succinctly summarize the message of the song.
The first verse highlights the exploitation of the working class by the systems in place. The lyrics mention that working for the system results in no earning and unemployment, while skyscrapers keep rising. The second verse mentions Rastafari, which is an important aspect of Marley's music and highlights the importance of faith and spirituality in resisting oppressive systems. It encourages people to not waste their time and energy working for Babylon, the Biblical name used to refer to oppressive systems.
The bridge of the song talks about the weapons being built by different countries and how these weapons of mass destruction are a pointless expenditure of resources. The verse after the bridge highlights the impact of the current oppressive systems on law enforcement and penitentiaries.
In summary, Julian Marley's "Systems" speaks to the exploitation, manipulation and control of the masses by the current systems in place, and calls for a change towards a fairer and more just society.
Line by Line Meaning
Systems were made to rule
The purpose of systems is to have power and control over people
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were designed to split people apart and mistreat them
Working for the system
Being employed by the system
You can't earn no living and unemployment
One cannot make a living and there is high unemployment
A sky scrapers keep rising
Towers and buildings keep growing larger and higher
What's the use you wait no more
There is no point in waiting any longer
Rastafari the law
Following the beliefs of Rastafarianism
Don't you know?
Do you not understand?
Don't waste your time or your energy
Do not put your effort into something that is futile
Working for babylon over night crimes
Working for the government that carries out crimes at night
You pay your penalty
Suffering the consequences of one's actions
To die for exaltation
To sacrifice oneself for a glorious end
But now they are running out of luck
Things are not turning out well for them anymore
It's a pleasant on her gloves
It is a comfort for them as they suffer the consequences
Say they war every single day
Fighting every day
They build nuclear weapons
Creating weapons of mass destruction
For what we don't know?
The reason behind creating these weapons is unknown
It's not a world conflict
This is not a conflict for the world
Law law law enforcement
Adhering strictly to the law
General penitentiaries
Prisons for punishment and rehabilitation
What they do
What the system does
They ride in the people continually
They continue to oppress the people
Systems were made to divide and conquer
Systems were built to split people apart and gain control over them
Systems were made to divide and abuse you
Systems were designed to split people apart and mistreat them
Systems were made to rule
The purpose of systems is to have power and control over people
Contributed by Luke G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.