She grew up in Jamaica, and was singing with a trio named The Soulettes in the mid sixties recording for Studio One when she met Bob Marley. She married him in 1966, and then became a singer in his backing vocals group, the I Threes. She had three children with him and two outside of the marriage. She converted to the Rastafari movement after witnessing Haile Selassie on his visit to Kingston, Jamaica on 21 April 1966. She convinced Bob Marley to convert as well. She wrote many of the songs recorded by Bob while backing him.[citation needed] After Marley's death, she recorded few albums under her name with some success in the United Kingdom. She took care of Marley's estate and mentored her son, Ziggy Marley.
In January 2005 it was claimed that she wished Bob Marley's body be reburied in Ethiopia, but she denied that there were any such plans. Rita currently lives in Ghana and spends a lot of time in Florida, and sometimes her home in Jamaica. Some of her family reside in Canada.
Rita appears on Fergie's new album The Dutchess
One Draw
Rita Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to get high, so high
One draw, one draw
One draw, one draw
Hey rastaman, hey what you say
Give mi some of yu sense
Hey iyah man, hey whatta say
So long I have been
Searching for a taste
Looking all over the place
Not a thing could I find
To satisfy my mind
So I came to search for the I
To see what the I could do
And just like I said
You send it straight to my head
I want to feel high, so high
Yes I'm high, so high
One draw, one draw
One draw, one draw
Hey rastaman, hey what you say
Give me some of your sense
Give me some of your sense
Give mi some riddim mek mi dance
A long long time mi no feel so nice
Now I'm really feeling good
And I am in a dancing mood
Won't you come and rock with me
A feeling so irie
And just like you said
it's gone straight to my head
Now I'm feeling high
Yes I'm high, high, high, so high
One draw, one draw
One draw, one draw.
The song One Draw by Rita Marley seems to revolve around the desire of the singer to get high, and the search for a substance that can help her reach this state. Throughout the song, the singer talks about how she has been searching for a way to satisfy her mind, and nothing seems to work. This is until she meets a rastaman who offers her some of his sense, which seems to do the trick.
The song starts with the singer repeatedly saying that she wants to get high. She then addresses a rastaman and asks him for some of his sense, which seems to imply marijuana. The singer then talks about how she has been searching for a taste to satisfy her mind, but has found nothing until the rastaman offers her some of his sense. The singer then talks about how good it feels to be high, and how it has put her in a dancing mood. The song seems to be about the search for something that can help us feel good, and the joy that it can bring when we find it.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to get high, so high
Expressing a desire to experience the euphoric effect of marijuana.
I want to get high, so high
Reiterating a strong desire to feel the effects of marijuana.
One draw, one draw
Asking for a small amount of marijuana to smoke.
One draw, one draw
Repeating the request for a small amount of marijuana to smoke.
Hey rastaman, hey what you say
Addressing a Rastafarian individual to request marijuana.
Give mi some of yu sense
Requesting a share of the Rastafarian's marijuana.
Hey iyah man, hey whatta say
Addressing another Rastafarian individual to request marijuana.
Give mi some of yu sense
Repeating the request for a share of someone's marijuana.
So long I have been
Having looked for marijuana for a significant length of time.
Searching for a taste
Looking for an opportunity to smoke marijuana.
Looking all over the place
Searching in a wide variety of locations for marijuana.
Not a thing could I find
Failing to locate any marijuana.
To satisfy my mind
Desiring to feel the effects of marijuana to improve one's state of mind.
So I came to search for the I
Looking for a Rastafarian individual to obtain some marijuana.
To see what the I could do
Wondering if the Rastafarian individual could offer some marijuana.
And just like I said
Confirming that the Rastafarian individual provided marijuana.
You send it straight to my head
Experiencing the euphoric effects of marijuana.
I want to feel high, so high
Desiring an intense high from marijuana.
Yes I'm high, so high
Confirming that one currently feels the effects of marijuana.
One draw, one draw
Requesting another small amount of marijuana to smoke.
One draw, one draw
Repeating the request for more marijuana.
Hey rastaman, hey what you say
Addressing a Rastafarian individual again to request another hit of marijuana.
Give me some of your sense
Requesting another share of the Rastafarian individual's marijuana.
Give me some of your sense
Repeating the request for another hit of marijuana.
Give mi some riddim mek mi dance
Requesting some music to accompany the high from marijuana.
A long long time mi no feel so nice
Having not felt so good for an extended period of time.
Now I'm really feeling good
Currently feeling the euphoric effects of marijuana strongly.
And I am in a dancing mood
Feeling increased energy and desire to dance as a result of the euphoric effects of marijuana.
Won't you come and rock with me
Inviting someone to join in the dance.
A feeling so irie
Describing the overall positive sensation experienced from the combination of marijuana and music.
And just like you said
Confirming that the Rastafarian individual's previous actions resulted in a pleasant high from marijuana.
It's gone straight to my head
Feeling a strong and direct effect from the marijuana.
Now I'm feeling high
Confirming that the effects of the marijuana are still strong.
Yes I'm high, high, high, so high
Emphasizing the intensity of the current high from marijuana.
One draw, one draw
Requesting yet another small amount of marijuana to smoke.
One draw, one draw
Repeating the request for more marijuana.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@billbailey1511
Rita marley is unbelievably underrated. She had a femine but gravelly soulful voice as a young lady, can't really hear it in this but her voice in a couple of early Bob and rita songs was equally unique and beautiful. Criminally underrated.
@mikecoffin9236
No matter what mood you're in, this song will make you happy.
@chinnchoppa8844
Mike Coffin for real driving in traffic and bumping this like I'm there
@Anguyen1201
Yeah
@samuelpichette1191
ong nigga
@aishabowers8559
I remember my mom playing this song when I was young..Blessing to Rita!
@zorabrown3402
I always remember my cousin playing this song and got me out of of my autisusm will never forget him playing this in the car.
@rasgato2005
As a musician, this song is a lot of fun to cover because it does not just dwell on a riddim like so much of reggae music is perceived to do! Plus, as a contribution from one of the Godmothers of Reggae, this song is truly timeless! "Hey Rasta Man, hear what I say! Give I some of your, sensi", is now an immediately recognizable Rita Marley chant the whole world over!
@djplaymusic
This track still gets people to dance!
@RichardNitB
This song never gets old. Just love it. I still have the LP record in perfect condition