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.

Is This Love
Ziggy Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wanna love you and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night:
We'll be together with a roof right over our heads;
We'll share the shelter of my single bed;
We'll share the same room, yeah! – for Jah provide the bread.
Is this love – is this love – is this love -
Is this love that I'm feelin'?
Is this love – is this love – is this love -

Is this love that I'm feelin'?
I wanna know – wanna know – wanna know now!
I got to know – got to know – got to know now!

I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I – I'm willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!
I wanna love you – I wanna love and treat – love and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night:
We'll be together, yeah! – with a roof right over our heads;
We'll share the shelter, yeah, oh now! – of my single bed;
We'll share the same room, yeah! – for Jah provide the bread.

Is this love – is this love – is this love -
Is this love that I'm feelin'?
Is this love – is this love – is this love -
Is this love that I'm feelin'?
Wo-o-o-oah! Oh yes, I know; yes, I know – yes, I know now!
Yes, I know; yes, I know – yes, I know now!

I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I – I'm willing and able,
So I throw my cards on your table!
See: I wanna love ya, I wanna love and treat ya -
Love and treat ya right.
I wanna love you every day and every night:
We'll be together, with a roof right over our heads!
We'll share the shelter of my single bed;

We'll share the same room, yeah! Jah provide the bread.
We'll share the shelter of my single bed.

Overall Meaning

"Is This Love" by Ziggy Marley is a beautiful reggae song and an excellent love song. The singer expresses his deep love and affection for his partner in this song. He tells his partner that he wants to love and treat them well, every day and every night. He wants to have a home together, with a roof over their heads, where they can live and love each other. The singer is sure of his feelings but is also curious, constantly questioning "Is this love that I'm feeling?".

The lyrics emphasize the need for unity in a relationship. We notice how they will share everything, including a single bed and a room, and Jah will provide for their basic needs. The notion of spirituality in the line "Jah provide the bread" refers to the Jamaican Rastafarian belief that God (Jah) provides sustenance for the faithful. The lyrics show that love is purely unconditional and that it's a feeling of joy that should not be taken lightly.

Overall, "Is This Love" is an excellent representation of how love should be. It's constantly being questioned and analyzed, with the hope that it is pure and true. Ziggy Marley has managed to deliver an incredibly pure and intimate song that is filled with passion and devotion.

Line by Line Meaning

I wanna love you and treat you right;
I desire to love and treat you in the best possible way.

I wanna love you every day and every night:
I want to love you consistently day and night.

We'll be together with a roof right over our heads;
We will be together with a roof over our heads, indicating that he wants to settle down and create a stable life with this person.

We'll share the shelter of my single bed;
We will share the same room indicating an intimate relationship and shares the shelter of his single bed suggests that he has prepared a space for his partner.

We'll share the same room, yeah! – for Jah provide the bread.
We will share the same room, and Jah will provide whatever we need in life.

Is this love – is this love – is this love - Is this love that I'm feelin'?
Is this feeling I have for you love? Ziggy is questioning his feelings for this person to ensure that what he is feeling is genuine.

I got to know – got to know – got to know now!
He must know now if this feeling is indeed love.

I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I – I'm willing and able, So I throw my cards on your table!
He is ready and willing to pursue a relationship, and in throwing his cards on the table, he is all-in and honest.

We'll share the shelter, yeah, oh now! – of my single bed;
The couple will share a space together in his home showing his affection and hospitality.

Wo-o-o-oah! Oh yes, I know; yes, I know – yes, I know now!
Ziggy now realizes the feeling he has towards this person is indeed love.

See: I wanna love ya, I wanna love and treat ya - Love and treat ya right.
He desires to love and treat her right in every way possible.

We'll be together, with a roof right over our heads! We'll share the shelter of my single bed;
Referencing previously described lines about sharing a space together, it indicates a strong desire to be together and create a home for them.

We'll share the same room, yeah! Jah provide the bread.
Reiterating previous words, he believes that Jah will provide for them and their future.

We'll share the shelter of my single bed.
Again, he desires to share the same bed, and making space for his partner in his life.

Contributed by Adeline Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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