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.
My Dog Romeo
Ziggy Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's my real dog
Yo, what's up, my dog?
That's my dog Romeo
Yo yo, Romeo, why you chewing on the mic stand? Come on man
My dog Romeo, my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now to my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now, that's my dog Romeo
I have two legs, my friend he has four
He likes to stop and I like to go
I like to smell the flowers, he likes to smell the floors
He is really fat for just twelve weeks old
He wakes me in the morning, six o'clock sharp
I take him out to potty and he rolls in the grass
He loves to meet people when they come to the door
And when I play my guitar he chills on the floor
My dog Romeo, my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now to my dog Romeo
My dog Romeo, that's my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now that's my dog Romeo
He always give affection, he always get love
Sometimes he pretends that he is a wild animal
He running through the bushes with a bone in his mouth
When's he done running the bushes then he's knocking at the door
We'll take him for a walk to get his mind real clear
And sometimes he's the one who wants to take you somewhere
Hey Romeo, where you going? No this way
Yeah come on boy, good boy, good boy, good boy
My dog Romeo, my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now to my dog Romeo
My dog Romeo, my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now to my dog Romeo
My dog Romeo, that's my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now to the dogs all around
My dog Romeo, that's my dog Romeo
Send a shout out and big up now to all the dogs all around
Ziggy Marley's song "My Dog Romeo" is a joyful ode to his furry best friend. The lyrics express the strong bond between Ziggy and his dog, Romeo, highlighting their differences and similarities. Throughout the song, Ziggy portrays Romeo as a loyal and loving companion who adds joy to his life. The lines, "He always gives affection, he always gets love, sometimes he pretends that he is a wild animal," suggest that the dog's loyalty and playfulness make him more than just a simple pet. The lyrics embody the unconditional love between dog and owner, with Ziggy sending a shout-out to his dog Romeo, and to all dogs all around.
The song's message shows that the love shared between a dog and their owner transcends difference and goes beyond human capabilities. The imagery in the song represents the beautiful moments shared between Ziggy and his pet, from taking him for a walk to waking up together in the morning. Even Romeo's quirky habits, such as chewing on the mic stand or rolling in the grass, are part of his endearing personality.
Overall, "My Dog Romeo" is an uplifting song that celebrates the love between a man and his furry best friend, reminding us of the joy and companionship that dogs bring into our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, that's my dog
Hello, that animal you see over there belongs to me.
That's my real dog
I want you to know that this is not a fake dog, it's a real one.
Yo, what's up, my dog?
Hello, how are you doing, my dog?
That's my dog Romeo
I am pointing out that this specific dog is named Romeo.
Yo yo, Romeo, why you chewing on the mic stand? Come on man
I am addressing Romeo by name and asking why he is chewing on the mic stand.
My dog Romeo, my dog Romeo
I am repeating the name of my dog for emphasis.
Send a shout out and big up now to my dog Romeo
I want to publicly acknowledge and praise my dog for being a great companion.
I have two legs, my friend he has four
I am comparing myself to my dog, who has four legs, while I have only two.
He likes to stop and I like to go
My dog prefers to stop and sniff things while I am more active and like to keep moving.
I like to smell the flowers, he likes to smell the floors
I enjoy the scent of flowers while my dog prefers to smell things closer to the ground, such as floors.
He is really fat for just twelve weeks old
Despite my dog being only twelve weeks old, it is surprising how chubby he is.
He wakes me in the morning, six o'clock sharp
My dog wakes me up exactly at six in the morning.
I take him out to potty and he rolls in the grass
I take my dog outside so he can relieve himself and he takes the opportunity to roll around in the grass.
He loves to meet people when they come to the door
My dog enjoys interacting with people who come to our home.
And when I play my guitar he chills on the floor
My dog enjoys listening to me play guitar and relaxes on the floor.
He always give affection, he always get love
My dog is loving and affectionate, and he deserves to be loved in return.
Sometimes he pretends that he is a wild animal
My dog sometimes behaves as if he is a wild animal, even though he is domesticated.
He running through the bushes with a bone in his mouth
My dog enjoys running around with a bone in his mouth and exploring through bushes.
When's he done running the bushes then he's knocking at the door
After my dog is done running around outside, he comes back and scratches the door to be let back in.
We'll take him for a walk to get his mind real clear
We take my dog for walks so that he can clear his mind and get exercise.
And sometimes he's the one who wants to take you somewhere
Occasionally, my dog seems to want to lead us somewhere while out on a walk.
Hey Romeo, where you going? No this way
I am addressing Romeo by name and directing him to go in a different direction.
Yeah come on boy, good boy, good boy, good boy
I am praising and encouraging my dog as we go on our walk.
Send a shout out and big up now to the dogs all around
I want to acknowledge and praise all the dogs out there.
Send a shout out and big up now to all the dogs all around
I once again want to acknowledge and praise all the dogs that exist.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: David Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Leilani Nicole
My dog Romeo loves this song! 😎
Daniel Santos Reyes
I love My Dog!❤️❤️❤️
Brandon Singh
Gratitude & Respect Ziggy 🙏🏾
Liz Munt
Love this music x
TheLifeOfZiggy
Hahaha omg this is so cool! So friendly & happy, Jah bless your soul 😊❤️
Deonn Hurst
Yes!! Big up the dog dem 🤗🤗 love this song!
Christian Schur
Yeahh Man,my dog Arslan loves it ❤❤❤me too,Nice Track wonderful 🎉
Luz Celcilia
Fantastic!😃😃
Gato 008
My favorite dog in Ja 🇯🇲 I had was named Sanchez after the 🇯🇲 singer..... Rip Sanchez ✝️💔💔🙏😭😭😭😭🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕💞GOD BLESS ROMEO 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
Ysaehi Konrad
Good music 🎶🎼 Ziggy, Namibia 🇳🇦 approves