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.
I Get Out
Ziggy Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I get up
Everyday
Got to take a lift
For still we must endure
The trials that we face
Oh the wars that we know
For The seeds we must sow
I get up
I get up
Everyday
I get up
I get up
Anyway
See the light today
Hey you know we got to find a way
We been through a lot of shit
Baby the race isn't for the swift
So smile with the sunrise
There's a lot of life to live
I get up
I get up
Everyday
I get up
I get up
Anyway
Been to the dark place
Surviving the hate
It tries to bring you down
Oh the world is just that way
And through the noise a whisper
Arise and awake
I get up now
I get up now
Everyday
I get up
I get up
Anyway
When all the doors are closed
There's only one thing to do
It always makes it hard
Sometimes you've got to break the rules
And no one else can walk
In your shoes
I get up
I get up
Everyday
I get up
I get up
Anyway
Yes I get up
I get up
Everyday
I get up
I get up
Anyway
I get up
I get up
Everyday
I get up
I get up
Anyway
The lyrics to Ziggy Marley's song "I Get Out" are a powerful message of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. The first verse sets the tone, acknowledging that we all face trials and wars in life, but patience can give us the strength to endure and sow the seeds for a better future. The repetition of "I get up" emphasizes the determination to keep going every day, no matter what challenges come our way. The second verse encourages us to "see the light" and find a way forward, even when we've been through difficult times. The line "the race isn't for the swift" reminds us that success often comes with time and hard work, not just speed. The third verse acknowledges that sometimes we have to navigate "the dark place" and "survive the hate" that the world throws at us. The line "arise and awake" is a call to action, urging us to rise above our struggles and keep moving forward. The final verse is a reminder that sometimes we have to take risks and break the rules to achieve our goals. The song overall is an uplifting message of hope and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
I get up
It's time to wake up and face the day.
I get up
Again, time to wake up and face the day.
Everyday
This is a daily occurrence, we can't avoid it.
Got to take a lift
We need a lift or a boost to get going.
For still we must endure
We have no choice but to go through whatever we're facing.
The trials that we face
We are facing challenges that are tough to overcome.
Oh the wars that we know
We're well aware of the battles we have to fight.
Patience give us virtue
Having patience teaches us a valuable lesson.
For The seeds we must sow
We have to plant the seeds to reap the rewards.
Anyway
Regardless of how hard it may seem, we're going to keep moving forward.
See the light today
We have to find the good in each day.
Hey you know we got to find a way
We must keep searching for a way to overcome the struggle.
We've been through a lot of shit
We've gone through a lot of tough times.
Baby the race isn't for the swift
It's not a matter of speed, it's a matter of endurance.
So smile with the sunrise
Start the day on a positive note.
There's a lot of life to live
We have to embrace life and live it to the fullest.
Been to the dark place
We've been in a really bad place mentally or emotionally.
Surviving the hate
We've experienced hate and tried to overcome it.
It tries to bring you down
Hate can bring us down if we let it.
Oh the world is just that way
The world can be a dark and cruel place.
And through the noise a whisper
Amidst all the chaos, there's hope.
Arise and awake
Wake up and take action.
When all the doors are closed
When all options are exhausted.
There's only one thing to do
We have to find a way to get out of this situation.
It always makes it hard
Breaking the rules is hard and risky.
Sometimes you've got to break the rules
Taking unconventional steps may be necessary to succeed.
And no one else can walk
No one else knows the journey we're on.
In your shoes
We must face the hardships on our own and overcome them.
Lyrics © Regard Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVID NESTA MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
NautralHairBeauty
this is the truth i had to listen to his song after i had lauryn hill get out
Naturally Fit NOW LLC
NautralHairBeauty me too sista!
Asher
Same here. Both very good songs :)
Barry Robinson
this song makes me feel good..well all of ziggy's stuff dose.
p.m.t.tv
Does* ily
DayBreak
I can see Lenny Kravitz singing this with Ziggy Marley. Crazy about this song.
kebiwoni
Awesome jam!
Luda Warren
I can remember going to a concert in St.Louis up and feelin er thang!
Darius Deekny
Realization of the real "time does not"
Darius Deekny
*Time Does Not Exist