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.
Welcome To The World
Ziggy Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welcome to the world I cant promise it's a cool place
I could tell you stories I tell you the truth
I could sugar coat it try to make you the fool
And soon you'll see anyway that this is life
And soon you'll see anyway that you got to fight
But this bed of roses is only in your head
'Cause every rose has its thorn
And every ego has its wants
I don't know when innocence is lost
And I don't know when you pay the cost
Well if your back is against the wall
You've got to stand for who you are
Cho, people are suffering children have no food
Keep your eyes wide open check the golden rule
The love inside will make you cry
The fight inside will make you try, Cho
In Ziggy Marley's song "Welcome to the World," the chorus presents a somewhat cynical outlook on life, warning the listener that the world is not necessarily good or cool, and that the singer cannot promise an easy ride. Despite the honesty, however, the singer assures the listener that he will be truthful, even if it means glossing over the difficult parts of life. The song goes on to explore the idea that life is a struggle and that everyone has to fight their own battles. The metaphorical "bed of roses" that one might dream of is not as perfect as it may seem, as every rose has its thorn, and every ego has its wants.
The second verse continues this theme, musing about the nature of innocence and the cost of standing up for oneself. The final chorus encourages the listener to keep their eyes open, to value love over personal gain, and to never stop fighting for what they believe in. Overall, the song presents a somewhat solemn view of life, but also emphasizes the importance of perseverance and standing up for one's beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Cho, welcome to the world I cant promise it's a good place
I'm welcoming you to the world, but I can't guarantee that it's a kind and caring place.
Welcome to the world I cant promise it's a cool place
The world might not be a fun and exciting place all the time, and I can't guarantee that it will always be cool.
I could tell you stories I tell you the truth
I could share stories with you, but I promise to always tell you the truth.
I could sugar coat it try to make you the fool
I could lie or try to make things seem better than they are, but that wouldn't be fair to you.
And soon you'll see anyway that this is life
Eventually, you will realize that this is just the way life is.
And soon you'll see anyway that you got to fight
You will also realize that you have to fight for what you believe in.
Cho, I could give you roses for you to make your bed
I could offer you beautiful things, but that won't necessarily make your life perfect.
But this bed of roses is only in your head
The idea of a perfect life exists only in your mind.
'Cause every rose has its thorn
Even beautiful things have their flaws and challenges.
And every ego has its wants
People will always have desires and needs, and their ego can drive them to act upon them.
I don't know when innocence is lost
I can't predict when someone will lose their innocence.
And I don't know when you pay the cost
I also don't know when someone will have to pay the price for their actions.
Well if your back is against the wall
If you're in a difficult situation with limited options,
You've got to stand for who you are
You should always stand firm in your beliefs and who you are as a person.
Cho, people are suffering children have no food
Sadly, many people are experiencing hardships like hunger and poverty.
Keep your eyes wide open check the golden rule
You should always be aware of your surroundings and treat others the way you would like to be treated.
The love inside will make you cry
Love can be both beautiful and heartbreaking.
The fight inside will make you try, Cho
The strength and determination you have inside of you can motivate you to keep fighting for what you believe in.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVID NESTA MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@genomitchalinni8106
One of my favorite songs.
@EyesLikeBlues1
This is why I love Ziggy Marley! Listen to these sweet lyrics! <3
@marijavidovic3370
I will play it to my kidys ❤
@GMan-wd9hr
2 of my girls were born to this song
@lunarme9831
Great Album, One of best from start to finish, only the recording lets it down my Naim stereo picks up every fault. Re-record it a must..
@playgroundofsound7683
🎉🎉🎉
@Rastamon9481
Can't wait to see you at UCLA tomorrow jah bless
@playgroundofsound7683
Praise jah brothern