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.

Rastaman Vibration
Ziggy Marley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Live if you want to live(Rastaman vibration, yeah!
Positive!)
That's what we got to give!(I'n'
I vibration yeah!
Positive)
Got to have a good vibe!(Iyaman Iration, yeah!
Irie ites!)
Wo-wo-ooh!(Positive vibration, yeah!

Positive!)
If you get down and you quarrel everyday,
You're saying prayers to the devils, I say.
Wo-oh-ooh!
Why not help one another on the way?
Make it much easier. (Just a little bit easier)
Say you just can't live that negative way,
If you know what I mean;
Make way for the positive day,'
Cause it's news (new day) - news and days -New time (new time), and if it's a new feelin' (new feelin'), yeah! -Said it's a new sign (new sign):
Oh, what a new day!
Pickin' up?
Are you pickin' up now?
Jah love - Jah love (protect us);
Jah love - Jah love (protect us);
Jah love - Jah love (protect us).
Rastaman vibration, yeah! (Positive!)
I'n'
I vibration, yeah! (Positive!) Uh-huh-huh, a yeah!
Iyaman Iration, yeah! (Irie ites!) Wo-oo-oh!*
Positive vibration, yeah! (Positive!)
Pickin' up?
Are you pickin' up now?
Pickin' up?
Are you pickin' up now?
Pickin' up? (Jah love, Jah love -)
Are you pickin' (protect us!) up now?
Pickin' up? (Jah love, Jah love -)
Are you pickin' (protect us!) up now?
Pickin' up? (Jah love, Jah love -)
Are you pickin' (protect us!) up now?

Pickin' up?
Are you pickin' up now?

Overall Meaning

Ziggy Marley's "Rastaman Vibration" is a reggae song that encourages listeners to adopt a positive attitude towards life. The song opens with the declaration that as Rastafarians, they focus on the positive vibration (spiritual energy) they possess, then goes on to say that the only thing they can give to others is what they already have, which is positivity. The chorus repeats the idea of having a positive vibration over and over again, emphasizing its importance.

The second verse calls out those who continuously argue and spread negativity, saying that they are praying to the devil. Instead of this, Ziggy urges listeners to help each other and make the journey of life easier. He says it is important to have a positive mindset to make things better and prepare for a new day. The last part of the song repeats the chorus with Jah love, a reference to God's love and protection.

Overall, the song's message is to maintain a positive attitude, focus on good energy and love, help others, and keep faith in God's protection.

Line by Line Meaning

Live if you want to live
Maintain a positive outlook on life

That's what we got to give!
We must share positivity

Got to have a good vibe!
Maintain a positive attitude

Wo-wo-ooh!
Expressing the joy of positivity

If you get down and you quarrel everyday,
If you constantly argue and live negatively,

You're saying prayers to the devils, I say.
You're promoting negative energy and evil.

Why not help one another on the way?
Why not support each other on this journey?

Make it much easier. (Just a little bit easier)
We can make life easier by being positive and supportive.

Say you just can't live that negative way,
Admit that negativity is not sustainable.

If you know what I mean;
If you understand my point of view;

Make way for the positive day,
Let's prepare ourselves for a positive future,

'Cause it's news (new day) - news and days -New time (new time), and if it's a new feelin' (new feelin'), yeah! -Said it's a new sign (new sign): Oh, what a new day!
It's a new day, we should embrace change as it is indicative of positive growth

Pickin' up?
Are you understanding what I am saying?

Are you pickin' up now?
Do you understand now?

Jah love - Jah love (protect us);
God's love- God's love (protect us)

Rastaman vibration, yeah!
The positive energy of Rastafarianism

I'n' I vibration, yeah!
Our collective positive energy

Uh-huh-huh, a yeah!
Expressing agreement and positivity

Iyaman Iration, yeah! (Irie ites!)
A positive and happy state of being

Wo-oo-oh!*
Expressing the joy of positivity again.

Positive vibration, yeah!
Reinforcing the importance of positive energy.

Pickin' up?
Are you understanding what I am saying?

Are you pickin' up now?
Do you understand now?

Pickin' up?
Are you understanding what I am saying?