Robert Nesta Marley was born February 6, 1945, in the rural town of Nine Miles located in St. Ann, Jamaica. He grew up and attended school in Nine Miles during his early childhood and preadolescent years. This is also where he developed a friendship with Neville "Bunny" Livingston as they both shared a passion for music. Bunny was also the one to inspire Marley to learn to play the guitar (Biography).
Trench Town
Marley moved to Kingston as a teenager where he lived in Trench Town, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods, and served as a pivotal moment in his music career. Marley struggled with poverty but was able to serve in an apprenticeship as a welder. It was at this apprenticeship where the unique sound of Bob Marley was cultivated and developed. He was exposed to different music genres that would go on to influence his sound. The first notable genre was Ska, a combination of Caribbean mento and calypso with jazz, rhythm, and blues influences coming from the U.S. Artists that Marley looked up to included Fats Domino and Elvis Presley. Along the streets of Trench Town, Bob Marley formed a group with his two friends, Bunny Wailer (Livington) and Peter Tosh. They named themselves The Wailing Wailers, which was later shortened to The Wailers. The trio was taken under the wing of Joe Higgs, a notable singer who was popular among the locals. Higgs provided the three vocal coaching and helped to guide them through the initial stages of a music career (White).
"Simmer Down"
In December of 1963, the band released their first single, "Simmer Down" which was produced by Clement "Coxsone" Dodd. The Wailers at that point consisted of three new members, Junior Braithwaite, Cherry Smith, and Beverley Kelso. The song was a hit and was the catalyst for Marley's career as a songwriter and performer.
A Path to Stardom
Following the success of "Simmer Down," The Wailers dissolved due to the lack of financial stability. Marley went to the United States to visit his mother and find temporary work. During his absence, Marley began to develop an interest in the growing Rastafarian movement which will play a major role in his life and music. Upon his return, Marley got back together with Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh. After discovering that they shared the same devotion to Rastafarianism, the group committed to their beliefs which served as a common theme throughout their careers. However, Bunny and Peter left the Wailers in 1974 to pursue solo careers after a falling out among the band members (Biography). In the same year, Eric Clapton released a version of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff," which gained a larger audience reaching the U.K. and the U.S.
Bob Marley was viewed as an outspoken political figure in support of the People's National Party. This association allegedly played a role in an assassination attempt on Marley's life in 1976, a couple days before his iconic "One Love" concert and a few weeks before a major election. Marley was shot in the arm and in his chest while his wife, Rita, was hit in the head, but both were not severely wounded. Howver, Marley's manager Don Taylor was shot five times and had to go under life-saving surgery but made a full recovery. Marley still played the show, despite the attack, and facilitated the two rival politicians up for election to come on stage and shake hands. Of course one of the featured songs was "One Love" which was originally recorded in 1965 and written by Bob Marley and Curtis Mayfield. The day after the show, Marley fled Jamaica because it was no longer safe for him. He lived in England as he continued to work on his music (White).
Conclusion
Bob Marley's influential music and career unfortunately was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer. Due to his religious beliefs, he rejected traditional medical treatment. This lead to the cancer spreading and becoming terminal. Marley wanted to go back to Jamaica and to die in his home, but unfortunately, his condition deteriorated rapidly one his way home. He passed away in Florida on May 11, 1981 at 36 years of age. He left behind a legacy as a pioneer of reggae and a global symbol of Jamaican music, culture, and identity (Wikipedia).
This is a great analysis. I liked hearing some of Marley's background. I, unfortunately, have never been able to get into reggae. It is weird because I like most island music but for some reason actual reggae hasn't stuck with me. I do love "Red Red Wine" oddly. You can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej1Kpv0WScw
I didn't know that Bob Marley was actually part of a band before he became a solo act. I almost wish The Wailers had stuck together and created more music, because I think the potential there would have been great, but I also think that Marley definitely sounds better when he does his own thing. I personally love reggae music, and Bob Marley is definitely the king of reggae if there had to be one. Great work !
"Lovely" Billie Eilish and Khalid Listen Here Some Background "Lovely" was written by Billie Eilish and Khalid. Billie's brother, Finneas O'Connell produced the song as well as assisted in writing the piece. "Lovely" was initially released in the U.S. on April 19, 2018, as a lead single for the second season of the Netflix series, "13 Reasons Why" (Wikipedia). My feelings From the beginning, the song exudes a dramatic and emotional tone which is expressed through soft accompaniment, hushed vocals, and pensive lyrics. This song addresses the struggle of overcoming depression and attempting to make the best out of a bad situation. I relate to this journey and this song elicits reflection from when I hit my perceived rock bottom. Around the time this song was released, I was trying to learn how to cope with my mother's terminal diagnosis, I was struggling with my own mental and physical health, and I was dropped from the degree
Burlesque is a musical movie that was released in 2010 and was directed by Steve Antin. The film stars Christina Aquilera, Cher, and several other notable actors/singers. The movie follows the cliché storyline where Ali (Aguilera), a small-town girl from Iowa moves to Los Angeles to make it big as a performer. Cher plays Tess who is the owner of the Burlesque Lounge which is facing foreclosure by the bank. The music for the film is the result of a huge conglomerate of writers with each song having its own set of composers. However, the majority of the songs are performed by either Christina Aguilera or Cher ( IMDb ). The piece I want to delve into further is called "Bound To You" which was one of the three original songs which Christina Aguilera contributed to the film. It was written by Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler, and Samuel Dixon who also produced the piece ( Wikipedia ). "Bound To You" serves as the part of the story where the main character, Ali, b
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This is a great analysis. I liked hearing some of Marley's background. I, unfortunately, have never been able to get into reggae. It is weird because I like most island music but for some reason actual reggae hasn't stuck with me. I do love "Red Red Wine" oddly. You can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej1Kpv0WScw
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Bob Marley was actually part of a band before he became a solo act. I almost wish The Wailers had stuck together and created more music, because I think the potential there would have been great, but I also think that Marley definitely sounds better when he does his own thing. I personally love reggae music, and Bob Marley is definitely the king of reggae if there had to be one. Great work !
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