Bob Marley
by Franmi Paulino
ENG 1430
In the 1960’s reggae music was not well known by many people nor was it a music that everyone wanted to hear. Bob Marley was a music star that was growing and changed everything that was happening in regards to reggae. With his charismatic, inspirational performances and meaningful lyrics, he soon became one of the best third world superstars. We can still remember the brilliant music that he gave to the people that followed him and his audience (niceup.com).
Bob Marley’s original name was Robert Nesta Marley. He was born in a small rural village in Jamaica called Nine Miles. He was his parent’s only child. Although his birthday was listed on his passport as April 6th of 1945, his mother was sure that he was born two months earlier at the nearest end of World War II. This would make his birth date February 6th of 1945 (Rolling Stones Magazine).
Bob Marley’s father was a white British Naval executive named Norval Marley. Bob’s mother was a young black woman named Cedella. She was a slave that descended from the Cromantee tribe. Bob’s mother was really young when she met Norval, and he soon asked her to marry him. When she got pregnant, he continued with his promise of marriage. However, like many men, the next day he turned around and left, leaving Bob’s mother by herself waiting her upcoming child.
As a result Norval left Marley’s mother with nothing but a child; she had to find a place to live. Cedella moved with her child to a new town called Kingston. Kingston was a town where any future could be built, but it could be also easily destroyed. Cedella and Marley made their home in a government yard, a crowded ghetto area for poor black people. As we all know, the ghetto is not the best place to live. There are a lot of gangs, drugs, pride and children living and growing up without a father.
Bob Marley’s mother worried that he would grow too comfortable with the ghetto life and accustomed to bad manners. Yet, he proved differently. Living in the ghetto helped him to explain ghetto life and his feelings through music, which also helped him to become the best of the best in his genre. He wrote lyrics originating from what he really felt deep inside. This is what made him unique.
Marley started to do music at a very early age. He first did one record by himself and later on formed a group with two others called “The Waling Wailers”, which means someone who called from the ghetto-a sufferer and witness. Later, the group disassembled; however, Marley continued to perform by himself with other people leaving only the name of “The Wailers.”
One of Marley’s first songs was “Simmer Down”, in which he addressed the local gangs to back off from violence before the police stepped into the situation. That song was an immediate sensation, because it was the first time that a voice from the ghetto was speaking to another in the ghetto. Some other songs he wrote were: “No Woman no cry”, “Get up Stand up” (which talks not to give up, to stand up for their rights), “One love/People get ready” (which tells the people to get together and work together, and everything will be better, alright), and “I shot the Sheriff.”
Bob Marley’s performances were incredible. The sound of his music and the meaning of his lyrics together with the guitar and vivid personality is what make his performances so exclusive. One of his charismatic performances was in 1975 when The Wailer played the Roxy in Los Angeles. A large amount of people were inspired by his music, to the point where they started to dance on top of tables. After this concert, when he went back to Jamaica, he earned the name of the mystic and prophet.
Bob Marley brought the reggae genre into the music industry and gave it fame. This is the reason why he also gained the name of the King of Reggae. But his music did not sound like the modern reggae that we are used to hearing. His music was more like a mix of rock and Jamaican music.
Bob Marley was the creator of reggae and still is the greatest reggae singer and performer of the third world. Through his music, he was trying to convey a message. The message of what it was like to live in the ghetto and being black. This message within his reggae songs made him the best reggae artist and performer of the third world. Currently, he still sells records as if he were alive. He will be remembered forever.