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.
See Dem Fake Leaders
Ziggy Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the place of power they sit
From religion to politics
Riding a wave of fear
Starting fires, they don't care
Making enemies out of friends
Killing thousands, hundreds and tens
If only they could lead
See dem fake leaders
Now let me explain it real quick
'Cause the system full of dem tricks
And there is something you just can't miss
No matter what you think you're fighting for
To make rich those who profit from war
Look what they're doing to us people
If only they could lead
The world to love and unity
Now I have seen where we will be
And what's good for all of humanity
Not ruled by bastions of supremacy
Or ideologies of bigotry
Some people live in their bubbles
Some people live behind their walls
Some people taken for granted
Some people taken advantage of
Now we will have to lead
The world to peace and prosperity
Yeah we will have to lead
The world to love and unity
'Cause dem fake leaders
In the place of power they sit
From religion to politics
Riding a wave of fear
Starting fires, they don't care
Making enemies out of friends
Killing thousands, hundreds and tens
Now only we can lead
The world to peace and prosperity
Ziggy Marley's song "See Dem Fake Leaders" is a powerful commentary on the corruption and greed that often plagues those in positions of power. The lyrics speak to the way these individuals manipulate and exploit others through religion and politics, all the while perpetuating a cycle of fear and violence.
The song emphasizes the need for true leaders, individuals who are committed to creating a better world. The lyrics make it clear that these leaders cannot be found within the current system, they must come from the people themselves. The song challenges listeners to step up and take action in order to create a world that is based on unity, love, and prosperity rather than fear and violence.
One of the key messages in "See Dem Fake Leaders" is that the world is in desperate need of change. In order to bring about this change, individuals must work together to create a new system that is based on equality, justice, and compassion. The song inspires listeners to take action and work towards this goal, rather than simply accepting the status quo.
Line by Line Meaning
See dem fake leaders
Ziggy Marley brings attention to the presence of inauthentic leaders.
In the place of power they sit
These fake leaders hold positions of power.
From religion to politics
Fake leaders can be found across various domains of influence.
Riding a wave of fear
These leaders capitalize on people's fears to gain or maintain power.
Starting fires, they don't care
These leaders are reckless and indifferent to the consequences of their actions.
Making enemies out of friends
Their actions turn allies against each other.
Killing thousands, hundreds and tens
Their actions result in the deaths of many, regardless of the number.
If only they could lead
The world to peace and prosperity
If only these people were true leaders who were capable of guiding the world towards a peaceful, prosperous future.
Now let me explain it real quick
'Cause the system full of dem tricks
Marley clarifies that fake leaders are symptomatic of systemic problems and one needs to be attentive to identify them.
And there is something you just can't miss
Fake leaders exist everywhere and cannot be overlooked.
No matter what you think you're fighting for
To make rich those who profit from war
Some people fight for causes that end up benefiting those who profit from wars.
Look what they're doing to us people
Their selfish actions harm the general public.
Now I have seen where we will be
And what's good for all of humanity
Marley knows where we must go and what is best for humanity.
Not ruled by bastions of supremacy
Or ideologies of bigotry
True leadership ought not to be defined by bigoted values or powerful groups.
Some people live in their bubbles
Some people live behind their walls
Some people taken for granted
Some people taken advantage of
Marley acknowledges the various situations different people face due to fake leaders.
Now we will have to lead
The world to peace and prosperity
Yeah we will have to lead
The world to love and unity
It is time that we take charge of guiding the world towards harmony.
'Cause dem fake leaders
In the place of power they sit
From religion to politics
Riding a wave of fear
Starting fires, they don't care
Making enemies out of friends
Killing thousands, hundreds and tens
Now only we can lead
The world to peace and prosperity
Marley concludes his song, reiterating the need to lead the world towards a peaceful and prosperous future, highlighting the failures of fake leaders and what they represent.
Lyrics © Regard Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: David Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimboslice3358
Very appropriate song for our current situation.
@tina-sr9in
So true
@perezryanp
Same as now.
@michellebeckstrom6110
Thank you Ziggy and all of your family and fellow musicians. The music and message you and yours bring to the world are so powerful!! Thanks to the uploader and YT also.
@haronmwashumbe5896
Hi Michelle beckstorm, reggae musicians is true fr soul searching and peace. Of mind
@Flatsumaki
Thank you Ziggy we need tunes like this to wake up all the normies..im so happy that there are a lot of artists like yourself, ps ive seen you performing live when i was very young in the late 80"s @ a place called Lorelei in the south of germany and it was the best time ive ever had back then and i will never forget thank you so much Ziggy for bringing so much Joy in our Lives..you are awesome man! : )
@estherberujeau8037
Merci David...💛
Merci à ton Papa...💚
Merci pour le reggae...🖤
Avec ma soeur on espère te revoir en France...❣
Love is my religion...🌈
@alcodelange1975
2023 the Year of Honesty Truth Freedom and the knowledge that We are the People of Love and understanding letting go in Flow Brothers and Sisters of God Allmighty Amen
@d-204
Ziggy, love the road to rebellion series. Have you ever thought of doing a “ziggys rarity’s” type thing? Demos, unreleased songs, acoustic versions, rare covers or songs played rarely live? Your music heals and reveals. It’s even more needed in times like these! Give us something to look forward to. Ya dig?
@jahsondavid8976
Courage bro on the Rocky way of the Truth 🌈 Jah guide 🙏🏻 Blessed Love ⛩