David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born October 17, 1968 in Saint Ann Parish, ghet… Read Full Bio ↴David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born October 17, 1968 in Saint Ann Parish, ghetto of Trenchtown, Jamaica), composer, singer and guitarist, is a multiple Grammy-winning (reggae) Jamaican musician. He is known for songs like "Tomorrow People", "Love Is My Religion" and "A Lifetime", He is the oldest son in the marriage between the singer Rita Anderson (Marley) and late legendary reggae Bob Marley. David's father Bob nicknamed him "Ziggy". A ziggy is a big marijuana spliff on Jamaiaca.

Ziggy learned Rastafari faith from his parents and had access to some of the world's best reggae musicians in the comp band of his father – the legendary reggae Wailers. Ziggy Marley first sat in on recording sessions with Bob Marley and the Wailers when he was around 10 years old. Joining with his three siblings to become The Melody Makers, Ziggy crafted his own soulful sound blending blues, RnB, hip-hop and roots reggae.

After their first two albums, Play The Game Right (1985) and Hey World! (1986), The Melody Makers earned their first Grammy (Best Reggae Recording) for Conscious Party (1988), an album produced by Talking Heads Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth which included the hit songs "Tomorrow People" and "Tumbling Down."

Subsequent albums included the Grammy-winning One Bright Day (1989), Jamekya (1991), Joy and Blues (1993), Free Like We Want 2 B (1995), their third Grammy winner Fallen is Babylon (1997), Spirit of Music (1999) and Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers Live, Vol 1 (2000), which featured some of their biggest hits as well as a cover of Bob Marley's "Could You Be Loved."

While selling records by the millions and selling out countless concerts with the Melody Makers, including a recent European tour, Ziggy Marley has never lost sight of his foundation of faith, fellowship and family.

After two decades as the driving creative force behind The Melody Makers, Ziggy stepped out on his own with his first solo album, Dragonfly (2003). Never content to rehash the success of his past, Ziggy uses Dragonfly to explore new ground and create his own distinctive musical identity as a solo artist.

"Working on my own gave me a chance to take my time and experiment a lot," Ziggy says of the material on Dragonfly." It took one year to finish this record. It's the longest I've ever worked on a album. It's different when you on your own. At some point it's scary and then at another it's a drive that makes you focus more."

Although the members of the most close-knit musical families often yearn to step out on their own, for Ziggy, a solo debut was not a long-awaited goal. "It's not something that I wished for since I began doing music," he says. "It was just the circumstances, and I wanted to be true to myself and what I feel. The record has strong messages and it feels good."

In addition to being Ziggy's first album of solo material, for Dragonfly he felt it was time for a change of scene. "Usually we record in Kingston. These songs were written in Jamaica and recorded in America. I did the first set of recordings in a house in Miami and then went to L.A. rented a house, set up my equipment and basically did the rest there. I left Jamaica for a while, because as an artist I need to experience different things, to see the world and have different energies. Living in one place is not good for me and I was tired of making music in a studio setting. I wanted it to be more like everyday life a part of me.

"As an individual, I've opened up more by traveling outside Jamaica, and I've been more able to be open to people and ideas. It helps me to grow as a person to be outside of my element; to be on my own in a strange place meeting people. That's good for me not to be in my secure domain."

The evidence of that growth is everywhere on Dragonfly.

On July 2nd, 2006, Ziggy released his second album, Love is My Religion. He states "This album is from my heart," and he feels that he embraces his spiritual and emotional side of life. This album show Ziggy coming into his own as an artist, as he wrote all of the songs for the album and played nearly all of the instruments.

Love is My Religion is a testament to Ziggy Marley's talent as he follows in the footsteps of his father, the Legend.

Elizabeth
Ziggy Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Uncle Sam is a naughty old man
He says he wants you but he only wants to use you
He has a woman named Elizabeth she walk the streets selling her body for
Glory, immorality
They get drunk from the blood of saints not the kind that are made into
Statues
Her brother john drinks wine all day he and his friends trying to take our
Souls away

Oh it's sad to say but uncle sam is gonna have his day
They will weep for Elizabeth

Uncle Sam is a naughty old man
He says he wants you but he only wants to use you
He has a woman named Elizabeth she walk the streets selling her body for
Glory, immorality
They get drunk from the blood of saints not the kind that are made into
Statues
Her brother john drinks wine all day he and his friends trying to take our
Souls away
Oh it's sad to say but uncle sam is gonna have his day

They will weep for Elizabeth, they will weep for Elizabeth
I will weep for Elizabeth

Overall Meaning

Ziggy Marley's song Elizabeth delves into the corrupt nature of Uncle Sam and the destructive greed that led him to exploit the vulnerable populace. The first verse opens with the revelation that despite Uncle Sam expressing his need for help, it is merely a facade for his selfish motives. Instead, he has a woman named Elizabeth wandering the streets, selling herself for "glory, immorality." The choice of words carries a nuanced implication, signaling that Elizabeth's actions may have been coerced or induced by a desperate situation. The second verse describes Elizabeth’s brother, John, who spends the entire day drinking wine and scheming with his friends to take away their souls. They "get drunk from the blood of saints," implying they are consuming the power and hope of those they exploit.

Despite the dark imagery and subject matter, the tone of the song is ultimately sorrowful, not wrathful. Ziggy Marley's lyrics show that Elizabeth's ultimate fate is not in her hands, nor the hands of her ruthless tormentors. Eventually, their actions will catch up with them, and they will "weep for Elizabeth." The repetition of the final line heralds the inevitability of her fate, but it also indicates that her loss will not go unnoticed. The lyrics express a deep sense of compassion for Elizabeth, whose life is curtailed and doubly exploited, both by Uncle Sam's greed and her own desperate circumstances.

Line by Line Meaning

Uncle Sam is a naughty old man
The United States government is corrupt and deceitful.

He says he wants you but he only wants to use you
The government claims to care about the people, but only seeks to exploit them for its own gain.

He has a woman named Elizabeth she walk the streets selling her body for Glory, immorality
The government is represented by a woman named Elizabeth who engages in immoral activities for personal gain.

They get drunk from the blood of saints not the kind that are made into Statues
The government and its followers revel in the destruction of virtuous and righteous individuals rather than honoring them as heroes.

Her brother john drinks wine all day he and his friends trying to take our Souls away
The government's allies are morally corrupt and seek to lead others astray.

Oh it's sad to say but uncle sam is gonna have his day
The government's corruption and exploitation will eventually come to an end.

They will weep for Elizabeth
The consequences of Elizabeth's actions will catch up to her and those who supported her.

I will weep for Elizabeth
The artist empathizes with Elizabeth and recognizes the tragic consequences of her choices.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVID NESTA MARLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS