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.
abc
Ziggy Marley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me tell you what I know
A is for Africa
B is for Brother
C is for Caring
D is for Da Da
E is for Everyone
G is for my Guitar
H is for Here we go
Bend down low
Let me tell you what I know
Bend down low
Let me tell you what I know
I is for Incredible
J is for the Jammin'
K is for a Kiss
L is for Lovin'
M is for Mommy
N is for Nice
O is for Oh my
P is for People time
Q is for Quick
R is for Ready
Bend down low,
Let me tell you what I know
S is for my Sister
T is for Today
U is for Unity
V gives me Variety
W is for the World
X is for my Xylophone
Y is for You
Z is for Ziggy
Bend down low
Let me tell you what I know
Bend down low
Let me tell you what I know
Doo doo doo da doo doo
Doo doop doo da doo doo
Doo doo doo da doo doo
Doo doop doo da doo doo
In the song "ABC," Ziggy Marley takes listeners on a journey through the alphabet, but infuses it with messages of unity, love, and compassion. The opening lines, "Bend down low, let me tell you what I know" suggest that there is wisdom to be shared, and it is important to pause and listen to the knowledge that is being passed down. The first set of letters, A through H, are all focused on positive values and characteristics, such as caring, love, and guitar-playing. This hints at the idea that we should all strive to embody these things in our lives and interactions with others.
The song continues with the remaining letters, each being assigned a unique message. "I" is for "Incredible", "J" is for "Jammin'", "K" is for "Kiss," "L" is for "Lovin'," and so on. As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the message being conveyed is one of acceptance and inclusivity. The letter "U" is for "Unity," and "V gives me Variety" suggests that diversity should be embraced rather than feared.
Line by Line Meaning
Bend down low,
Listen closely and pay attention to what I am about to say
Let me tell you what I know
I have important knowledge and insights to share with you
A is for Africa
Africa is a fundamental part of our identity and culture
B is for Brother
The bond between siblings is important and valuable
C is for Caring
Showing compassion and empathy towards others is essential
D is for Da Da
Father figures play a significant role in our lives
E is for Everyone
Inclusivity and equality are important values to uphold
F is for Forever
Certain things, like love or memories, can last a lifetime
G is for my Guitar
Music brings people together and can be a powerful tool for self-expression
H is for Here we go
We are embarking on a journey or adventure together
I is for Incredible
It's important to recognize and celebrate the amazing things in life
J is for the Jammin'
Enjoying music and having fun together is important
K is for a Kiss
Physical affection can be a meaningful expression of love and connection
L is for Lovin'
Love is a central part of our lives and relationships
M is for Mommy
Mother figures play a significant role in our lives
N is for Nice
Being kind and respectful towards others is important
O is for Oh my
Expressing surprise or awe at something
P is for People time
Spending time with loved ones and building relationships is valuable and worthwhile
Q is for Quick
Sometimes we need to act fast or make decisions quickly
R is for Ready
Being prepared and willing to take on challenges is important
S is for my Sister
The bond between siblings is important and valuable
T is for Today
Living in the present moment and making the most of each day
U is for Unity
Coming together and working towards a common goal is important
V gives me Variety
Embracing diversity and variety in life can be enriching
W is for the World
We are citizens of the world, and have a responsibility to care for it
X is for my Xylophone
Music is a valuable and enriching part of life
Y is for You
The individual, unique person listening to the song and receiving its message
Z is for Ziggy
The artist and performer behind the song
Lyrics © ISHTI MUSIC INC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ZIGGY MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philippine Beaujanot
Love this song
Kyle Martin
Keeping positive family vibes rollin down I-94
Michael Borden
love this
Neat Technologiestz
Respect from Tanzania 🇹🇿
GROCH
piękny kawałek:) belss
Kimberlie McClain
Who doesn't love them some Marley!!!??
Carla Bernardo
Love!!!
Marie
I just asked my grandson JUDAH what he favorite song was and this is it!!! Ziggy I met you before in CININCITTA😂❤😅😊
Marie
and your dreds were bad then (thirty years ago haha🎉
Marie
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤