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
Put Your Hand In The Hand
Rita Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
My momma taught me how to pray
Before I reached the age of seven
When I'm down on my knees
That's when I'm closest to heaven
Daddy lived his life, two kids and a wife
Well you do what you must do
But he showed me enough of what it takes
To get me through, oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
Oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
Oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the man
Who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself
And you can look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the man
From Galilee
Oh yeh!
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee, Oh yeh!
The lyrics of "Put Your Hand In The Hand" by Rita Marley and Ernie Smith are an expression of devotion to Jesus Christ. The first verse refers to Jesus as the one who "stilled the water" and "calmed the sea," which are references to miracles attributed to Jesus in the New Testament. The second verse describes the influence of the singer's parents in teaching them how to pray and live a good life. The repeated refrain encourages the listener to put their trust in Jesus and view others with compassion.
The song has a simple but powerful message about the importance of faith and treating others with empathy. The repeated refrain and simple melody create a sense of unity and connection, encouraging the listener to join in the expression of praise for Jesus.
Overall, "Put Your Hand In The Hand" is a testament to the enduring popularity and message of Christian hymns, with its timeless lyrics and infectious melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Put your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water
Place your trust in the man who has the power to calm turbulent waters and bring about stillness.
Put your hand in the hand of the man who calmed the sea
Have faith in the man who has the ability to subdue even the most violent and uncontrollable forces of nature.
Take a look at yourself
Reflect on your own thoughts, feelings and actions.
And you can look at others differently
By understanding yourself, you can learn to empathize and view others in a new light.
Put your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee
Trust in Jesus, who hails from the region of Galilee.
My momma taught me how to pray
Years ago, my mother taught me how to converse with God through prayer.
Before I reached the age of seven
This lesson was instilled in me before I reached the tender age of seven.
When I'm down on my knees
When I humbly kneel before the Lord in prayer.
That's when I'm closest to heaven
I feel most connected to God and the divine when I am in that state of devotion.
Daddy lived his life, two kids and a wife
My father carried on with the responsibilities of raising a family, working and living a blessed life.
Well you do what you must do
In the face of challenges and adversity, you must do what is necessary to survive and thrive.
But he showed me enough of what it takes to get me through, oh yeh!
My father's example and guidance have taught me what it means to overcome hardships and persevere.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GENE MAC LELLAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind