Personality of Bob Marley

 

“My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.”

Dark skin, dark brown eyes, a big smile: a gifted mimic with dreadlocks all over his head. He shared feelings with his fellow men, and was always a devoted and serious worker. Someone who accepted all men without exception. His specific nature: a socially engaged personality, deeply concerned about the state of the world, an ardent fighter against war and violence. A generous, talented man who spent his time, fortune and energy chasing his dream for a better and equal world. His secret weapon: his wonderful and special voice, combined with his unique guitar. Exactly! It’s about Nesta Robert Marley, better known as Bob Marley.

But who was Bob Marley? Let’s be honest: from young to old, from poor to rich, almost every person in the world has heard his songs, has spoken his name and has danced to the reggae rhythm even once in their lifetime. He was one of the top music personalities, and became a symbol of a country and a nation as well as a supporter of equal rights, with an unbiased personality. In other words: a wonderful person.

 

Early Years

Born on February 6th 1945, in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica, Bob Marley had no idea how much he would come to influence the music scene. Growing up in a rural Jamaican village called Nine Miles, he spent a lot of time with his dark-skinned mother. His original name was Nesta Robert Marley, but he changed it to Robert (Bob) Nesta Marley. The is because Nesta was mostly seen as a girl’s name, and Bob tried to preserve his masculinity.

In his younger years, Bob was keen on reading palms. You heard it correctly! When his mother heard about his talent, she couldn’t believe it. At this point, when his secret of palm reading became known, everyone was shocked. Some years later when he was young man, a woman asked him to tell her what’s what by reading her hand and Bob answered: “I’m not reading no more hand: I’m singing now.”

In his teenage years, Bob moved to Trench town, Kingston, Jamaica. Poverty, violence and discrimination made his childhood harder. During this time, Bob Marley discovered his love for music and sang it in church choirs. Fortunately, both his friends and his family supported him through this period.

 

Family

As a family man, Bob spent a lot of time with his mother and the children of his neighbourhood. His mother’s name was Cedella Booker and she was 18 years old when she married his father, Norval Sinclair Marley, a 50 year old English-Jamaican captain, naval officer of the Royal Marines and plant inspector. Shortly after Bob Marley’s parents got married, his father left Kingston to earn a living and he spent much of his life on trips. In 1955, at the age of 70, Norval Marley passed away after a heart attack. Bob was just 10 years old when his dad passed away.

He grew up in a poor yet well-presented family. His grandfather was not only a farmer but also a specialist in mysticism-steeped herbal healing and was respectful towards society. Despite all the difficulties, his parents loved him and wanted him to be educated. So, at the age of four, Bob began his formal education when he began attending the Stepney School. It was a basic school that provided Bob with rudimentary education both in letters and numbers.

 

“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?”

 

Childhood

As a child, Bob Marley spent a lot of time with friends, especially outdoors. His hobbies were the same as those of a normal child in similar age: playing football, chilling with friends, and listening to music. Of course, he had to go to school. With his childhood friend and classmate Neville “Bunny” O’Riley Livingston, he shared a love of music and tried to enter into the wonderful world of the music scene. Bunny inspired Bob to learn to play the guitar. He fell in love, especially with early ska, rock steady and reggae music. According to Christopher John Farley’s Before the Legend: “The Rise of Bob Marley”, Bunny and Bob, together with Livingston’s father and Marley’s mother, who also had musical skills, became a family and lived all together in Trench Town, a region near Kingston.

 

 

 

 

For whoever does not know, Trench Town is the poorest neighbourhood of Jamaica, and is also one of the worst slums in the whole world. Because of the poor living conditions, Bob Marley grew up in a neighbourhood plagued with poverty and criminality. Many such children who grow up in these living conditions get involved with criminals, with their behaviour and life being significantly affected. But not Bob. He got inspired by the American music he heard on the radio and talented people and successful performers in his town were his idols. Artists from all over the world also had an impact on Bob Marley, such as Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Drifters and the legendary Elvis Presley.

“Today they say that we are free, only to be chained in poverty.”

They had poor living conditions, no money, a lack of hope and a lack of a healthy perspective, as well as meagre earnings and work all day long, knowing that these earnings weren’t coming around again for weeks. And the reason for their modest size was that they hadn’t eaten a normal meal for a month. Marley grew up receiving numerous stimuli, knowing that all his acquisitions would last only for a moment.

Marley decided to quit school and work at a bridal shop, while he learned to play the guitar and sing.

 

“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

 

Professional Career

As time went by Bob Marley became a legend, but his path to success was not always easy. His devotion to his work was shown in the status that he gained in his life and even after his death, but he also had many controversial ideas regarding his work.

Bob Marley’s first career steps were devoted to practising every day and to the improvement of his singing abilities. Under the guidance of Joe Higgs, he tried hard to get better and to reach something that would be different to his current life.

Motivation is key. Marley, a young guy with a yearning for learning, studied the music scene like sacred texts and instruction manuals, trying to find more about himself. For him, this was education. He explained:

“I no have education. I have inspiration. If I was educated, I would be a damn fool.”

During his first steps in the music scene, Bob Marley stood out and was admired by a local record producer called Leslie Kong. Bob’s vocals were special. Because of his awareness, Leslie let him record a few singles, entitled “Judge Not” (1962) and “One Cup of Coffee” (1962). At this time his success was moderate, so he decided to join forces with his friends.

Together with them, he created the band “The Wailers”, which had great success in the music scene. As the years passed Bob Marley became not only a great Jamaican star, but also an international music idol.

In 1977, in London, Marley went to work on “Exodus”, a title track which represents the similarity between the biblical story of Moses and the Israelites leaving exile to his own situation. Released as a single, “Exodus” was a hit in Britain, as well as “Waiting in Vain” and “Jamming.” The entire album stayed in the UK charts for more than a year. Today, “Exodus” is considered to be one of the best albums ever made. It remained in the British charts for 56 weeks. By taking this step, the western world came into contact with reggae music for the first time.

Bob Marley became not only a Jamaican reggae singer, but also a wonderful songwriter. Moreover, he was a successful musician, and an international guitarist who had immense songs and vocal skills. The topics of his songs were about peace, freedom, love and political situations. Finally, he sold more than 20 million records and over 75 million reggae albums worldwide throughout his career, making himself the first international superstar from the so-called Third World.

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The Wailers

The Wailers: one band, a thousand words.

 

Bob Marley and the Wailers

How did everything begin? Bob Marley, Bunny Livingston, Peter McIntosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso and Cherry Smith created a band called “The Teenagers”, and then “The Wailing Rudeboys”. They named themselves “The Wailers” because they were ghetto sufferers who’d been born “wailing.” After a year of hard work and dedication, in 1964 they climbed Jamaican charts with their single “Simmer Down” entering in Studio One as Wailing Wailers. At that time, three other members joined the band: Junior Braithwaite, Cherry Smith and Beverly Kelso. The band became very popular in Jamaica. However, once again the economic situation blocked their dreams. Three of them pulled out of the band, while the other three made their own career.

 

Only Bob Marley stood out. He had decided to move to the United States where his mother lived and where he learned more about the Rastafarian Movement and began to work more on his spirituality, mentality and mediation, discovering more things about himself. Bob Marley once said: “Rastafari not a culture, it’s a reality.”

He knew who he was and what he was supposed to do. He was an Afro man, who lived and died with leonine dreadlocks all over his head. Red, green, and gold Rasta were his trade mark, something that accompanied him till his death.

In the United States he started working in a Chrysler factory. But something was wrong. Something was missing. He had grown apart from his true love: his music. Marley passed his days in his mother’s basement playing the guitar and singing. His stay there only lasted eight months, when Bob decided to return to Jamaica again. Whilst there he once again got in touch with Livingston and McIntosh and reunited their band, The Wailers. They started to work again as a band of six with the producer Lee “Scratch” Perry and they had their breakthrough with successful songs like “Trench Town Rock”, “Four Hundred Years”, and “Soul Rebel”.

But this was not enough for Bob. At the same time, he collaborated with the pop singer Johnny Nash, who had huge success with Marley’s song “Stir It Up”.

One year after, in 1970, the Wailers welcomed two new members in their band, the bassist Aston “Family Man” Barrett and the drummer Carlton “Carlie” Barrett. These two “brothers” came to complete the band.

Their collaboration with Perry ended when he sold their work in England without their consent. But this was their chance to cooperate with Blackwell. In 1972, as an eight-member band, they got in contact with Island Records and its founder Chris Blackwell and recorded their first album “Catch and Fire” followed by the second one called “Burnin’” with the songs “I Shot the Sheriff” and “Get Up Stand Up” which climbed to No.1 of US charts the following year.

Teamwork in the music scene and cooperation with different characters is sometimes much more difficult and demanding than you might expect. As we can see, in most bands the members follow either a solo career or disappear from the limelight. Certainly, the mood in a band of singers is not always as favourable as everyone expects. Each member wants to promote his own musical skills and wants to stand out in the band. So, there are numerous issues that cause arguments, as jealousy does. In other cases, family or other obligations may contribute to the dissolution of a band.

As in most cases, after three years of great success in 1975 two of the three Wailers decided to leave the band and to follow a solo career. We talk about McIntosh and Livingston, known now as Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Marley was on his own. The other six members of the band continued their tour together with the female band I-Tories, in which Bob’s wife was a member. At that time, the six men decided to change their band’s name to “Bob Marley & The Wailers”. They climbed aboard international tours, increasing the popularity of reggae. In the same year, they had huge success with the hit “No Woman No Cry”. Meanwhile, Bob was selling out tour dates all over the world and posed on covers of every magazine.

Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes once said: “The reservoir of music he has left behind is like an encyclopaedia. When you need to refer to a certain situation or crisis, there will always be a Bob Marley song that will relate to it. Bob was a musical prophet.”

In 2010, Thomas said about him: “Bob Marley would forever remain the unique product of parallel worlds – his poetic worldview was shaped by the countryside, his music by the tough West Kingston ghetto streets”.

 

 

 

Bob Marley’s family

Bob Marley lived independently. He was in love with more than one woman, and he usually had sex with more than one person at the same time.

The two most important women for him were his mother and his wife. They were the principal keepers of the family legacy. Both continued to carry on Bob’s work even more than 25 years after his death.

His mother Cedella Marley Booker still lives in Bob’s house in Miami and continues to be the official matriarch of the family.

Bob’s family, his children and his wife still care for her today. She also plays an important role for us, because she is the author of books describing her son’s life, entitled “Bob Marley: An Intimate Portrait by His Mother” and “Bob Marley My Son”.

 

His Greatest Love

Rita Marley: the wife behind Bob’s steps and advances as a musician and as a human. She began her music career as a member of a female band, and later she sang back-up on Bob.

Rita also released a book about her life with Bob, entitled “No Woman, No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley”, in which she explains how difficult and at the same time wonderful the life with a star could be.

Mrs. Marley said: “While I was gone Bob would clean the house and cook a meal, so we’d have something to eat when we arrived. And there he’d be when the bus pulled up, just as he always said, “Rita, you look out for me when the bus come, I’ll be standing up waiting for you.” Years later when he was called “the first Third World Superstar” and the “Negus” of reggae (meaning “the semidivine Ultimate”), I always want to remind people what led there.”

Nowadays, she lives the dream of Bob Marley and deals with organizations and foundations like “Bob Marley Foundation” and “The Rita Foundation” to help people in need.

 

Bob Marley’s Children

Throughout his lifetime, Bob pronounced his love for children. Not only for his own children, but also for all children. He once said that he wanted to have as many children as there were shells on the beach. Bob Marley had 14 children. In 1966, he got married to Rita Marley and they had four children and two other children adopted from Rita’s previous relationships. However, Bob also had eight more children with eight different women. Below you will find a list with his children’s names, their birthdays and their mothers. Although some of them were adopted, he treated them as his biological children.

NAME OF CHILD	BIRTHDAY	WOMEN
Imani Carole Marley	22.05.1963	Rita
Cheryl Murray Cedella Marley	23.08.1967	Rita
David “Ziggy” Marley	17.10.1968	Rita
Stephen Marley	20.04.1972	Rita
Robert “Robbie” Marley	16.05.1972	Pat Williams
Rohan Marley	19.05.1972	Janet Hunt
Karen Marley	16.03.1973	Janet Bowen
Julian Marley	04.06.1975	Lucy Pounder
Ky-Mani Marley	26.02.1976	Anita Belnavis
Damian Marley	21.07.1978	Cindy Breakspeare
Makeda Marley	30.05.1981	Yvette Crichton
Isaac Marley	–	Adopted (unknown mother)
Stephanie Marley	17.08.1974	Adopted (daughter of Rita)
Sharon Marley	23.11.1964	Adopted (daughter of Rita)

 

What was so special about Bob Marley?

Bob Marley was not only a singer and a musician—he was more than that. Bob was involved in all parts of the creation of his music. This meant that he had control over all aspects, from the instrumental parts and lyrics, to the editing and overdubbing of the process.

His music was special and unique, like him. Reggae rhythm had his own strategy, different from the reggae music of the past. Bob’s music sounded like a drop, so he wrote the song “One Drop” that illustrated the rhythm.

Something that was also special about Bob was that he could write emotionally powerful lyrics that sounded mushy but had a punch with deep resonant meanings. In other words, he drew the meaning and the emotion out of each word and compacted them in relaxed music sounds.

Although his success made him economically independent, he was always a low-profile and careful man. He did not waste money on himself, but was always wearing the same old clothes and running with a guitar in his hand. He spent his money on other things, like charity organizations and helping his fellowmen. When Bob Marley became a successful musician and earned lots of money, he was generous. Knowing about difficult life conditions and having lived a life like that in the past, he decided to buy houses for friends and he supported many poor Jamaican people.

 

His Most Famous Lyrics

Among the successful songs of Bob Marley, there were some that stood out. Either because of their political content or because of the hope they represented. Some lyrics became unique around the world and have remained in history having had a powerful impact on a new life. One of his most famous lyrics was the following:

 “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds…”

The lyrics belong to the “Redemption Song” from the album “Songs of Freedom” initially sang in 1980, appearing for the celebration of The Independence Day for Zimbabwe on April 17^th. This particular song had both religious and political content, typical of creative individuals like Bob. This song is about the independence of the mind, the self-liberation and the power of man to accomplish everything.

 

Bob Marley’s Faith

As a child, Bob was treated unfairly by people around him because he was biracial. This made him feel alienated, regardless of the increase in his confidence and his self-esteem.

“I don’t have prejudice against myself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don’t deh pon nobody’s side. Me don’t deh pon the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me deh pon God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.”

Because of the social discrimination during the early years of his life, Bob promised himself that he would never be prejudiced. He began to believe in a special movement.

Bob Marley’s faith was Rastafarianism. Even though his mother was a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Bob decided to belong to the “Twelve tribes of Israel” and more specifically to the “Joseph race”, because he was born in February. Bob Marley’s symbol was the Lion, because it was also the symbol of Jah, the God of Rastafarianism. Dedicated to God, he wrote the song “Iron Lion Zion”. Many Rastafarians smoke drugs and wear dreadlocks. They smoke drugs because Psalm 104:14 says “he caused herb (to be grown) for the service of man…” and their hairstyle comes from Leviticus 21:5 “they shall not make baldness upon their head”. They also believed in Pan-Africanism, what means the unity of African people worldwide. He said about God:

“God sent me on earth. He sends me to do something, and nobody can stop me. If God want to stop me, then I stop. Man, never can.”

The Pan-Africanist themes were reflected in songs like “Zimbabwe”, “Survival”, “Blackman Redemption”, “Exodus”, “Africa Unite” and “Redemption Song” with the main topic being the independence of African countries from European domination. Eight months before his death, he changed his religion and decided to join the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, with the name “Berhane Selassie”, translated as the “Light of the Trinity”, to honour his mother’s faith.

Although he was accused several times of using marijuana and other drugs, Bob Marley said:

“When you smoke herb, herb reveal yourself to you. All the wickedness you do, the herb reveal itself to yourself, your conscience, show up yourself clear, because herb make you meditate. Is only a natural thing and it grow like a tree.”

Surely, this was not the most harmless way to express his faith, but he was engrossed in his religious beliefs.

Bob Marley’s Contribution

Bob Marley had a vision for the world he lived in. He came to teach people to not treat others with hate and violence, and to express love and peace while playing his music. Bob Marley’s music grew at a time of constant economic impoverishment and political clutter. His music was connected with the current political and racial situation. In every song he wrote, Bob tried to tell a story. A real story pulled out from the poor and unfair reality. Political opinions and a cry for spiritual redemption were shown in every lyric. In the song “Get Up, Stand Up” Bob incited people to stand up and fight for their rights, in other words to revolt. Every song had its own secret meaning and a kind of self-realization.

Furthermore, Bob Marley appeared in different political concerts in Jamaica, for pacifying political struggles. One of these concerts was the “One Love Peace Concert” in 1978.

All in one he had three main goals:

• Getting justice from the power elites
• Getting the old Africa back
• Being accepted by all people and eliminating any discrimination.

 

Typical Traits

At the beginning of his career he wasn’t yet a singer, but he already looked like a star with his typical hard belly and his almost-smiling lips. His attitude concealed bashfulness, because Marley’s greatest secret was his shy personality. And of course, his one and only sharp blazer, and the white shirt rakishly open, or a tight black leather jacket over a working-class hero. Bomber jackets and big cowboy buckles were as typical as the oversized shirts and bell-bottom jeans. This is our Bob! Yes, maybe no one believes it, but he had this unique thing, this star quality. A cool guy!

When comparing Bob Marley’s traits to psychological aspects, Psychology would say that Bob Marley belonged to INFP personality type. He was a dreamer, a polite, dreamy and poetic person who was able to help others for a good purpose. He was keen on helping his fellow men by writing songs and singing, and sent his messages through this. A shy and flexible personality, a spontaneous, expressive and creative man. His significant work was the most important aspect for him. His motto: “If you light a lamp for someone, it will also brighten your path.” (Buddhist saying)

Furthermore, Marley seemed to have an unbiased personality, as someone who would not accept any kind of prepossession. A responsible young man with creative skills and strong social consciousness, who had a clear social impact. In his lifetime, he focused on his dreams, which made him happy, and sad at the same time because of the uncertainty and poor life conditions of his time. Finally, he was a person who lived human dolour, something that made him share his desire and his hopes with all of us. His vision: to create a better world.

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

Furthermore, Bob Marley while performing on stage, often fell into a trance-like state. He always kept his eyes closed and flailed his arms while swinging his long dreadlocks.

 

Humanitarian Works

Bob Marley was a powerful and determined, almost obstinate personality, something that made him a great friend for his supporters, and the worst enemy for his opponents. His social status reached a great position, and he got the power to entertain a huge social crowd. Bob struggled all the time trying to reach the top.

He was also an honest, gentle, and loyal person. As Kowalski & Western once said: “The person must encode the current situation as relevant, endow the situation with personal meaning or value, believe performing the behaviour will lead to the desired outcome, believe she/he has the ability to perform it, have the ability to carry out the behaviour, and regulate ongoing activity in a way that leads toward fulfilling the goal” (2005, p. 435). This was Bob Marley: a man who knew that he could make a change.

Favourite Occupation

Bob Marley had not only a successful career, but also a life that many people would have wanted to live. He used to smoke, and he loved playing football even as an adult. Once he told a journalist: “If you want to get to know me, you will have to play football against me and the Wailers.” But his favourite occupation was playing music. Music was more than vocals and notes. Music for him was education, an idea, a kind of therapy, a kind of expression. Music was the expression of his feelings and his thoughts.

 

Personal and Favourite Items

Bob Marley’s favourite items were a cigarette, a soccer ball, a microphone, and his guitar. These four items were everything he needed. This was the reason why Bob was buried with a soccer ball, his guitar, and a bud of marijuana.

 

His strongest mottos

“Son, money can’t buy life” were his dying words. Maybe Bob’s strongest motto, which boils down to what Bob thought about life.

Human beings always live with a sense of reward. Many people are happy just to have enough money in their pocket, to afford anything they want. Only then do they feel complete. But is it possible to talk about real happiness?

Holding money is certainly not bad; on the contrary, it’s easier for someone to live a favourable life in that way. But life is not just that. It’s something beyond money. Money can’t buy life. Money never brings true happiness. What is important about money is the value we give it and how much we let it invade our inner world.

Although Bob was favourably well-off because of his occupation and social status, he never knew how to live a pleasant and complete life. What is important for you is the purpose of your investment, not the amount you collect.

Life is not money. Life is moments. Those moments we share with people we love, those moments when we know that we are healthy, those unforgettable moments that we will remember even after many years. Moments that bring us tears and laughter.

Money is ancillary, but it does not lead to a happy life.

At this, Bob may have had a complaint—a complaint that made him sometimes manage his property in the wrong way. After all, what should you do with money when you live a lonely life? What should you do with money when you are fatally ill? What should you do with money when you do not have your friends by your side?

Some advice: life is not redeemed. It is completed with companionship, love and music.

Honours

Bob Marley had many great achievements throughout his life. One of them was being world reggae music ambassador, which gave him much more merit than he ever had. Furthermore, he became a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also the world’s first superstar who won the Grammy life time achievement award, and Time’s Album of the Century.

Shortly before his death, Marley received the Order of Merit from the Jamaican government. Furthermore, he won Time Magazine’s Album of the Century (for Exodus) and the BBC’s Song of the Millennium for “One Love”.

In 1980, he was awarded the UN Medal of Peace. Worshipped by Jamaican people, Marley received the mission of a hero. More than 30,000 people paid tribute to the musician in the National Arena in Kingston, in Jamaica. His contemporaries like Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt and the Wailers appeared at the ceremony and sang old songs of the music idol.

“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So, when you are riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!”

Below, you will find the Honors and Awards of Bob Marley:

Year	Honor/ Award
1976	Rolling Stone Band of the Year
1978	Peace Medal of the Third World
1981	Jamaican Order of Merit
1994	Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1999	Album of The century for Exodus
2001	Hollywood Walk of Fame
2001	Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
2004	Nr. 11 of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time (Rolling Stones)
2004	UK Music Hall of Fame
2004	“One Love” song of the millennium (BBC)
2006	Blue Plaque for him (BBC)
2006	Avenue named Bob Marley Boulevard (Brooklyn, NY)
2010	“Catch A Fire” (Reggae Album) Grammy Hall of Fame
2012	“Bob Marley Day in Los Angeles” (07.08.2012)
2013	GRAMMY Tribute Performance

Bob Marley and his Fight Against Cancer

In 1977, after a soccer accident and an unexpected collapse in Central Park, doctors informed him it could be a matter of time before they had to cut his toe, because of malignant melanoma. The exact diagnosis: acral lentiginous melanoma underneath the nail. There are many rumours and speculations about the beginning of his disease. Some theories said Neil Bush, the former US president George Bush Jr.’s brother, appeared as a reporter for the “Rolling Stone” magazine for a hypothetical interview. At their meeting, Neil gave him a pair of shoes, in which there was a toxic copper wire, so that his foot got infected. Was Bob a victim of murder? We might never know.

But, typically for Bob, he refused to have his toe amputated, claiming that this was against his Rastafarian beliefs and that he would never be able to dance as before. According to the Rastafarians, the body has to be in its whole constellation: “Rasta no abide amputation. I don’t allow a man to be dismantled” (Biography Catch a Fire). However, Bob refused to draw up his covenant because in his own faith, due to these steps, he would accept death by neglecting eternal life.

After patching on a skin graft, Bob seemed to be cured but, unfortunately, the devious cancer travelled to his lungs, his liver, his stomach and his brain. After that, Bob fought against cancer for three consecutive years. During this time, Bob did not reveal his health problems to his fans.

 

The death of Bob Marley

While travelling in Europe, Bob Marley underwent unusual healing in Germany and then he managed to fight against cancer for months. But soon it became clear that Marley was near death, so the musician returned to his beloved Jamaica to live out his last days. Unfortunately, he did not finish his journey, but died in Miami, Florida, on May 11th, 1981, aged 36 years old. He was buried with his guitar, a soccer ball, a cannabis branch, a ring and the bible. His funeral was attended by thousands of people, in which only 40,000 people managed to enter the state of Jamaica’s National Arena.

During his funeral, lots of his friends and his family members spoke about him with kindness. The last speaker was Prime Mister Edward Seaga, an “opponent” of Bob. Despite this, his words were touching. He said: “His message was a protest against injustice, a comfort for the oppressed. He stood there, performed there, his message reached there and everywhere. Today’s funeral service is an international right of a native son. He was born in humble cottage nine miles from Alexandria in the parish of St. Ann. He lived in the western section of Kingston as a boy where he joined in the struggle of the ghetto. He learned the message of survival in his boyhood days in Kingston’s west end. But it was his raw talent, unswerving discipline and sheer perseverance that transported him from just another victim of the ghetto to the top-ranking superstar in the entertainment industry of the third world.”

According to Bob Marley’s son (18100) Ziggy, his last words were “money can’t buy life.”

After Bob’s death, his music is still widely recognized. For decades he continued to be the one and only. His music legacy was continued both by his family and his colleagues. His wife, Rita, continues be a member of I-Threes, with the Wailers and some of Marley’s children. Some of his children also had their personal success and became talented artists, always looking like the impersonators of big papa. Bob affected many other stars like punk rockers “The Clash”, or other musicians like “Bad Brains”, “Lenny Kravitz”, “Gary Clark Jr.” and “Wyclef Jean”.

After his death, Marley’s family founded an organization named “Bob Marley Foundation” to honour his fight and commitment against oppression by helping people in developing countries.

Furthermore, every year on Bob’s birthday, February 6th, music festivals are celebrated around the world, gathering many people in honour of Bob Marley. Major reggae bands from all over the world share the stage and sing hits from the great personality, as well as displaying numerous rare pictures of his life. The money collected is for a good purpose, usually for charity organizations and foundations like Bob’s one.

 

Bob Marley’s Foundation

Bob Marley’s family continued to provide support in a charitable area through the “Bob Marley Foundation”, founded in 1986, continuing his legendary vision. To this day, the Foundation provides significant assistance to people in need, through education, healthcare, culture and sustainable development.

“Live for yourself and you will live in vain; live for others and you will live again”

 

When Bob Marley was still alive, he had a vision to fight against inequality, poverty and prejudices. The organization itself tries to inspire social openness and trust, to teach respect and sincerity and to promote teamwork. It works with social service interventions, like The Marley for Education, School Support, and Marley for Health and Marley Social Welfare projects. Bob once said:

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

Bob Marley: A Wonderful Personality

“My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.”

 

Bob Marley was a wonderful personality, not only a fighter against cancer in his life, but also against war, inequality, racial discrimination and hierarchy. In 1976, with his album “Rastaman Vibration”, and the song “War”, he tried to express his faith and his interest in political change. Inspired by a speech by Haile Selassie, an Ethiopian emperor and a spiritual leader of the Rastafarian movement, Bob Marley wrote the lyrics of this song and tried to transfer the influence of war to mental and physical incrimination. A battle cry for freedom from oppression. The song is about a new Africa, without racial hierarchy enforced by colonial rule. He was also a big supporter of the Back to Africa movement and Rastafari movement. He said:

“If you’re white and you’re wrong, then you’re wrong; if you’re black and you’re wrong, you’re wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green – God make no rules about colour; only society make rules where my people suffer, and that why we must have redemption and redemption now.”

Bob Marley was a wonderful personality, putting himself at risk because of his political views. Due to his influence as a musician, and as a supporter of the National People’s Party, Bob was a threat to his opponents. So, in 1976, two days before a concert organized by Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley to appease the spirits between two political factions, someone tried to murder him and the other members of his band. A group of opponents shot Marley and the Wailers two days before a planned Kingston concert in his house. Fortunately, everybody survived. Luckily, Bob was injured only by a ball that hit him in the chest and the biceps, while another fighter struck his wife slightly on the head. However, director Don Taylor was not so lucky. He would undergo five surgeries to survive. After that, Bob Marley said in an interview (New Zealand 1979): “Well… You say dabble in Politics? I don’t know what that is. You say stand up and talk fi my rights? I know that that is. See? And I don’t care who the guy is… because my right is my right. Like my life. You know? All I have is my life. That means that I can say I don’t want that or I don’t want this. When I check it out, the biggest man was a baby one time, so I don’t know when [they] get all these big ideas, want to be ruler, want people, and help enforce ‘devilism.’ Can’t dig it. Can’t take it. Me a rebel man. Me a revolutionist.”

Bob Marley was a wonderful personality because despite his serious assault he decided to play at the show, wanting to show that he was strong enough to overcome any problems and, on the other hand, he didn’t want to disappoint his audience.

 

“Some people are so poor all they have is money.”

 

Bob Marley was a wonderful personality, because he brought not only reggae, but also Rastafarianism and the unique culture of Jamaica, to the world. He lived his whole life between two worlds. He got in touch with the dividing line between ghetto and good-life Kingston. But he never lost his identity and never gave up because of his health problems, being an ardent supporter of social stability and freedom in the world.

Bob Marley was a wonderful personality because he became the first international music idol from the third world and gave to these countries the hope that everyone has the power to succeed in life, even if they grow up in difficult conditions. Perhaps not with their well-trained voice, but with the voice of their soul.

Bob Marley was a wonderful personality, because as a humanitarian he showed generosity, humanism, a great compassion and idealism. He sang not only for himself, but also for the oppressed people all over the world. Hazrat Inayat Khan once said: “Music raises the soul of man even higher than the so-called external form of religion…That is why in ancient times the greatest prophets were great musicians.” This quote is the mirror of Bob Marley.

 

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.”

 

Finally, Bob Marley was a wonderful personality because he made the world wonder how a dark-skinned rock star came from the Third World and could stand up with the stature of a winner, a man who was not greeted by the vicissitudes of the neighbourhood where he grew up. A man full of hope, scattering pleasure and satisfaction. So royal, so prophetic, almost like a lion, who gained our respect with the power of his soul. A man who believed in the power of love and music against violence and racism. A man who stood on the stage as the most exciting rock star with his wonderful voice, because he had something to say, something to announce, something to share with the world. He once said:

“I don’t believe in death, neither in flesh nor in spirit.”

This might be the reason why Bob Marley is not really dead, but still lives in our souls. He left his mark on all of us. Nowadays, people talk about him as one of the most recognizable personalities in the reggae music scene and we talk about him as a member of the “wonderful people’s family”. Although he doesn’t represent the happiest childhood, and he lived under poor life conditions, he found his true love—music—something that counted more than vocals. It was expression, it was all those things that he could never talk about, a real transitional stage to achieve life goals. A man only 1.63 meters tall, with a big heart!

You may buy here some of the best books refer to Bob Marley. Recommended by Motto Cosmos.

 

Below you can find the whole collection of Bob Marley’s mottos and quotes in text form.

If you want to see the greatest collection of Bob Marley’s Mottos in pictures click here.

 

Bob Marley’s Mottos and Quotes

1. My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.
2. Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for.
3. One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
4. The good times of today, are the sad thoughts of tomorrow.
5. Life is one big road with lots of signs. So, when you are riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!
6. The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
7. Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?
8. Don’t gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold.
9. Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don’t give up the fight.
10. In this bright future you can’t forget your past.
11. None but ourselves can free our minds.
12. Money can’t buy life.
13. Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny.
14. Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.
15. When one door is closed, don’t you know, another is open.
16. When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.
17. If something can corrupt you, you’re corrupted already.
18. The more people smoke herb, the more Babylon fall.
19. Rastafari not a culture, it’s a reality.
20. Live for yourself and you will live in vain; live for others and you will live again.
21. Today they say that we are free, only to be chained in poverty.
22. Some people are so poor all they have is money.
23. I no have education. I have inspiration. If I was educated, I would be a damn fool.
24. I don’t believe in death, neither in flesh nor in spirit.
25. If you’re white and you’re wrong, then you’re wrong; if you’re black and you’re wrong, you’re wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green – God make no rules about colour; only society make rules where my people suffer, and that why we must have redemption and redemption now.
26. I’ve been here before and will come again, but I’m not going this trip through.
27. As a man sow, shall he reap. and I know that talk is cheap. But the heat of the battle is as sweet as the victory.
28. I don’t know how to live good. I only know how to suffer.
29. My future is righteousness.
30. God sent me on earth. He sends me to do something, and nobody can stop me. If God want to stop me, then I stop. Man, never can.
31. As a man sow, shall he reap, and I know that talk is cheap. But the heat of the battle is as sweet as the victory.
32. I’m not reading no more hand: I’m singing now.
33. My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.
34. Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds…
35. I don’t have prejudice against myself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don’t deh pon nobody’s side. Me don’t deh pon the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me deh pon God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.
36. When you smoke herb, herb reveal yourself to you. All the wickedness you do, the herb reveal itself to yourself, your conscience, show up yourself clear, because herb make you meditate. Is only a natural thing and it grow like a tree?

 

 

Timeline of his Life

1945

• Born at 2:30 pm on February 6th, in Nine Mile, St. Ann’s Parish, Jamaica
• Grew up in his grandfather’s farm until 6 years old

1951

• Bob Marley lived with his father in Kingston, Jamaica
• His mother visited him
• She discovered that his father gave him to an elderly woman called Mrs. Grey

1952

• His mother took him back to Jamaica in St. Ann

1957

• Moving with his mother to Trench Town

1959

• Bob Marley ended his school education
• He preferred to play the guitar, soccer and hanging out with his peers

1960

• Together with his best friend Bunny, Bob began to practice singing and playing the guitar with the Jamaican recording artist Joe Higgs

1962

• Bob Marley (16 years old) first recorded “Judge Not,” “One Cup of Coffee,” and “Terror”

1963

• Together with his friends Peter, and Bunny, recorded as “The Wailing Wailers”, the single “Simmer Down”

1965

• After a lot of success, Bob differentiated himself from the others
• The group dissolved
• Bob met Rita Anderson (Alpharita Constantia Anderson)
• They married

1966

• Bob moved to Wilming-ton, Delaware for seven months
• There, he lived with his mother

1969

• Bob, Peter, and Bunny got together one more time
• They called themselves “The Wailers”

1970

• Other three members joined the group

1971

• They worked together in London until Christopher Blackwell, the director of Island Records brought them back to Jamaica
• Island Records became the most important reggae music label

1972

• Release of the album “Catch A Fire” (was universally recognized as the first genuine reggae album in history)

1973

• Release of album “Burnin’”

1974

• Sang the song “I Shot the Sheriff”
• The two first members disbanded
• Bob continued with the name “Bob Marley & The Wailers”
• They released the album “Natty Dread”
• First concert for the band called “Life!”

1976

• Released the album “Rastaman Vibration”
• Bob, his wife Rita and his manager were shot in his house
• Everyone survived
• Bob went to London in fear for his life

1977

• Album “Exodus” was released

1978

• Album “Kaya” was released
• Bob played in the Jamaican Peace Concert

1979

• Bob & The Wailers released the album “Survival”

1980

• The band released the album “Uprising”
• Tours followed in the United States and Western Europe
• Bob collapsed while jogging in New York’s Central Park
• Their last live show was on September 23rd, at Pittsburgh’s Stanley Theatre
• Bob was diagnosed with cancer in stomach, brain and lungs

1981

• At 11:45 on Monday, May 11th, Bob Marley passed away
• He was awarded Jamaica’s National Order of Merit

1983

• After his death, the “Confrontation” album released

1984

• The album “Legend” was released

 

 

Bob Marley’s Discography

Bob Marley Songs

Year	Title	Album	Directors of Music Videos
1962	“Judge Not” / “Do You Still Love Me” (as Robert Marley & Beverley’s Allstars)	Non-album singles
1962	“One Cup of Coffee” / “Snowboy” / “Terror” (as Bobby Martell & Beverley’s Allstars) / (as Bobby Martin)	Non-album singles
1964	“Simmer Down” / “I Don’t Need Your Love”	The Wailing Wailers
1964	“Mr. Talkative” / “It Hurts to Be Alone”	The Wailing Wailers
1964	“I Am Going Home” / “Destiny”	Non-album singles
1964	“Climb Up the Ladder” / “Straight and Narrow”	Non-album singles
1964	“Donna” / “Don’t Ever Leave Me”	Non-album singles
1964	“Tell Them Lord” / “Christmas Is Here”	Non-album singles
1964	“Do You Remember” / “Hoot Nanny Hoot”	Non-album singles
1964	“There She Goes” / “Lonesome Feelings”	The Wailing Wailers
1965	“Hooligans” / “Maga Dog”	Non-album singles
1965	“Hooligan Ska” / “Jerico Skank”	Non-album singles
1965	“Habits” / “Amen”	Non-album singles
1965	“Jumbie Jamboree” / “I Should Have Known Better”	Non-album singles
1965	“I Made a Mistake” / “The Vow”	Non-album singles
1965	“Diamond Baby” / “Where’s the Girl for Me”	Non-album singles
1965	“Playboy” / “Your Love”	Non-album singles
1965	“Love and Affection” / “Teenager in Love”	The Wailing Wailers
1965	“And I Love Her” / “Do It Right”	Non-album single
1965	“One Love” / “Do You Feel the Same Way Too”	The Wailing Wailers
1965	“Shame & Scandal” / “Sca Balena”	Non-album single
1965	“What’s New Pussycat” / “Where Will I Find”	The Wailing Wailers
1965	“I’m Still Waiting” / “Ska Jerk”	The Wailing Wailers
1965	“White Christmas” / “Let the Lord Be Seen in You”	Non-album singles
1965	“Another Dance” / “Somewhere to Lay My Head”	Non-album singles
1965	“Rude Boy” / “Ringo’s Theme”	The Wailing Wailers
1966	“I Left My Sins” / “Just in Time”	Non-album single
1966	“(I’m Gonna) Put It On” / “Love Won’t Be Mine This Way”	The Wailing Wailers
1966	“Good Good Rudie”	Non-album singles
1966	“Cry to Me” / “Wages of Love”	Non-album singles
1966	“Lonesome Track” / “Sinner Man”	Non-album singles
1966	“Let Him Go” / “Sinner Man”	Non-album singles
1966	“Rasta Shook Them Up” / “Ringo’s Ska”	Non-album singles
1966	“Sunday Morning” / “He Who Feels It Knows It”	Non-album singles
1966	“Rock Sweet Rock” / “Jerking Time”	Non-album singles
1966	“Dancing Shoes” / “Don’t Look Back”	Non-album singles
1967	“Bend Down Low” / “Freedom Time”	Non-album singles
1967	“Hypocrite” / “Nice Time”	Non-album singles
1967	“Mellow Mood” / “Thank You Lord”	Non-album singles
1967	“Stir It Up” / “The Train”	Non-album singles
1967	“Bus Dem Shut” / “Lyrical Satirical I”	Non-album singles
1968	“Funeral” / “Pound Get a Blow”	Non-album singles
1968	“Stepping Razor” / “I’m Hurting Inside”	Non-album singles
1968	“Play Play Play” / “Don’t Rock My Boat”	Non-album singles
1968	“Mus’ Get a Beatin'” / “Fire Fire”	Non-album singles
1968	“Chances Are” / “The Lord Will Make a Way”	Non-album singles
1969	“Tread-O”	Non-album singles
1969	“Black Progress”	Non-album singles
1969	“Trouble On the Road Again” / “Comma Comma”	Non-album singles
1969	“Give Me a Ticket”	Non-album singles
1969	“Give Her Love”	Non-album singles
1969	“Feel Alright” / “Rhythm”	Non-album singles
1970	“Oppressor Man”	Non-album singles
1970	“Hold on to this Feeling”	Non-album singles
1970	“Run for Cover” / “Sun Is Shining”	Non-album singles
1970	“Adam and Eve” / “Wisdom”	Non-album singles
1970	“Soul Shake Down Party”	The Best of The Wailers
1970	“Stop the Train” / “Caution”	The Best of The Wailers
1970	“Soon Come”	The Best of The Wailers
1970	“Rightful Ruler”	Non-album single
1970	“My Cup”	Soul Rebels
1970	“Small Axe”	Soul Rebels
1970	“More Axe”	Non-album singles
1970	“Man to Man”	Non-album singles
1970	“Duppy Conqueror”	Soul Revolution
1970	“Soul Rebel”	Soul Rebels
1971	“Kaya”	Soul Revolution
1971	“All in One”	Non-album singles
1971	“Secondhand”	Non-album singles
1971	“Downpressor”	Non-album singles
1971	“Who Is Mr. Brown”	Non-album singles
1971	“African Herbsman” / “Keep on Moving”	Soul Revolution
1971	“Dreamland”	Non-album single
1971	“Send Me That Love” / “Love Light”	Non-album singles
1971	“Let the Sun Shine on Me” / “I Like It Like This”	Non-album singles
1971	“Don’t Rock My Boat”	Soul Revolution
1971	“Trenchtown Rock”	Non-album singles
1971	“Screw Face”	Non-album singles
1971	“Lively Up Yourself”	Non-album singles
1971	“Redder than Red”	Non-album singles
1971	“Concrete Jungle”	Non-album singles
1971	“Lick Samba”	Non-album singles
1971	“Guava Jelly”	Non-album singles
1971	“Craven Choke Puppy”	Non-album singles
1971	“Back Biter”	Non-album singles
1971	“Satisfy My Soul Babe”	Non-album singles
1971	“Once Bitten”	Non-album singles
1971	“Lion”	Non-album singles
1971	“Here Comes the Sun”	Non-album singles
1971	“Satisfy My Soul Jah Jah”	Non-album singles
1972	“Distant Drums”	Non-album singles
1972	“Dub Feeling”	Non-album singles
1972	“Dog Teeth”	Non-album singles
1973	“Stir It Up”	Catch a Fire
1973	“Concrete Jungle”	Catch a Fire	Don Letts & Rick Elgood
1973	“Get Up, Stand Up”	Burnin’
1973	“I Shot the Sheriff”	Burnin’
1974	“So Jah Seh”	Natty Dread
1975	“No Woman, No Cry”	Live!
1976	“Jah Live”	Non-album single
1976	“Johnny Was”	Rastaman Vibration
1976	“Roots, Rock, Reggae”	Rastaman Vibration
1976	“Positive Vibration”	Rastaman Vibration
1977	“Exodus”	Exodus	Don Letts & Rick Elgood
1977	“Waiting in Vain”	Exodus	Don Letts & Rick Elgood
1977	“Jamming” / “Punky Reggae Party”	Exodus/Non-album single
1977	“One Love/People Get Ready”	Exodus
1978	“Rastaman Live Up”	Non-album single
1978	“Is This Love”	Kaya	Don Letts & Rick Elgood
1978	“Blackman Redemption”	Non-album single
1978	“Satisfy My Soul”	Kaya	Don Letts & Rick Elgood
1979	“So Much Trouble in the World”	Survival
1979	“Survival”	Survival
1979	“Zimbabwe”	Survival
1980	“Could You Be Loved”	Uprising	John Mills
1980	“Three Little Birds”	Exodus
1980	“Redemption Song”	Uprising	Mark Robinson
1981	“Reggae on Broadway”	Chances Are
1981	“I Know”	Confrontation
1982	“Trench Town”	Confrontation
1983	“Buffalo Soldier”	Confrontation	Bruno Tilley
1984	“One Love / People Get Ready” (Medley) (Re-Release)	Exodus	Bruno Tilley
1992	“Iron Lion Zion”	Songs of Freedom	Bruno Tilley
1992	“Why Should I” / “Exodus”	Songs of Freedom
1995	“Keep on Moving”	Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On	Simon Maxwell
1995	“Easy Skanking”	Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On
1996	“What Goes Around Comes Around”	Non-album singles	Cedella Marley
1999	“Sun Is Shining” (vs. Funkstar Deluxe)	Non-album singles	Niels Birkemos
1999	“Turn Your Lights Down Low” (feat. Lauryn Hill)	Chant Down Babylon	Francis Lawrence
1999	“Kinky Reggae” (feat. The Marley Brothers & The Ghetto Youths Crew)[citation needed]	Chant Down Babylon
2000	“Rainbow Country” (vs. Funkstar Deluxe)	Non-album single	Andreas Tibblin
2000	“Jammin'” (with MC Lyte)	Chant Down Babylon	Frank Sacramento
2001	“I Know a Place”	One Love: The Very Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers	Martin Smith
2005	“Slogans”	Africa Unite: The Singles Collection	Adrian Moat
2005	“Africa Unite” (will.i.am remix)	Africa Unite: The Singles Collection
2005	“Stand Up Jamrock” (Ashley Beedle remix)	Africa Unite: The Singles Collection

 

 

 

Bob Marley’s Most Played Tracks

MOST PLAYED TRACKS	ARTIST	ALBUM	TIME
Could you be loved	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	03.57
Natural Mystic	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	03.28
One Love/ People get ready	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	02.52
Is This Love	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	03.49
No Woman, No Cry	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	07.08
Three Little Birds	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	03.00
Buffalo Soldier	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	04.17
Africa Unite (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Survival	02.55
Exodus	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	07.29
Kaya (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Kaya-Deluxe Edition	03.15
Turn Your Lights Down Low	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	03.39
Jamming	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	03.35
Natural Mystic (Exodus 40 Mix)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 40	03.23
Guiltiness	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	03.19
One Love/ People get ready (Exodus 40)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 40	02.58
Easy Skanking	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Kaya-Deluxe Edition	02.56
Waiting in Vain	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	04.09
The Heathen	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 30th Anniversary Edition	02.32
Satisfy My Soul	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Kaya-Deluxe Edition	04.30
Acoustic Medley	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Songs of Freedom	12.05
Positive Vibration	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Rastaman Vibration	03.33
I Shot the Sherrif (Alboum Version)	The Wailers	Burnin’ (The Definitive Remasters)	04.41
Stir It Up (Original Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Catch A Fire (Deluxe Edition)	05.34
So Much Trouble In The World (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Surivival	04.00
Coming In From The Cold (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Uprising	04.31
Is This Love	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Kaya-Deluxe Edition	03.51
Get Up, Stand Up	The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	03.17
Redemption Song	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	03.47
Punky Reggae Party	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Legend (The Definitive Remasters)	06.52
Soul Rebels	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Africa Unite: The Singles College	03.16
Lively Up Yourself	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Natty Dread (Remastered)	05.11
Sun In Shining (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Kaya-Deluxe Edition	04.57
Kaya	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Small Axe	02.41
Concrete Jungle	Bob Marley & The Wailers	The Complete Upsetter College	03.08
Who The Cap Fit	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Natural Mystic	04.16
Ambush In The Night (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Survival	03.12
Running Away (Album Version)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Kaya-Deluxe Edition	04.15
All In One	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Small Axe	03.38
Three Little Birds (Exodus 40 Mix)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 40	03.11
Waiting in Vain (Exodus 40 Mix)	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Exodus 40	04.38

 

 

Top 100 Bob Marley’s Greatest Hits

1. Redemption Song
2. Is This Love
3. No Woman No Cry
4. Three Little Birds
5. One Love
6. Could You Be Love
7. Jamming
8. Buffalo Soldier
9. Natural Mystic
10. I Shot the Sheriff
11. Waiting in Vain
12. Concrete Jungle
13. Stir It Up
14. Get Up Stand Up
15. Satisfy My Soul
16. Turn Your Lights Down Low
17. War
18. Africa Unite
19. One Drop
20. Roots, Rock, Reggae
21. Pimper’s Paradise
22. Bad Boys
23. Who the Cap Fit
24. Zimbabwe
25. Positive Vibration
26. Soul Rebel
27. Easy Skanking
28. Acoustic Medley
29. Sun is Shining
30. Forever loving Ja
31. High Tide or Low Tide
32. Coming in From the Cold
33. Exodus
34. Burnin’ and Lootin
35. Them Belly Full
36. Hotel California
37. No More Trouble
38. Top Rankin’
39. Crazy Baldhead
40. 400 Years
41. Zion Train
42. Natty Dread
43. Kinky Reggae
44. So Much Trouble in the World
45. Iron Lion Zion
46. Rat Race
47. Small Axe
48. Rebel Music
49. Roots
50. Bad Card
51. Ambush in the Night
52. Kaya
53. Revolution
54. Lively Up Yourself
55. Trenchtown Rock
56. Jah Live
57. Slave Driver
58. Misty Morning
59. Baby I Love Your Way
60. How Many Times
61. Punky Reggae Party
62. African Herbsman
63. Time Will Tell
64. She’s Gone
65. I Know a Place
66. Guiltiness
67. Babylon System
68. Talkin’ Blues
69. Running Away
70. Stop That Train
71. Work
72. So Much Things to Say
73. Give Thanks and Praise
74. Chant Down Babylon
75. Rivers of Babylon
76. All Day All Night
77. Legalize It
78. Mellow Mood
79. Blackman Redemption
80. Ride Natty Ride
81. Baby We’ve Got a Date (Rock It Baby)
82. Babylon by Bus
83. Rastaman Live Up
84. Real Situation
85. Ganja Gun
86. The Heathen
87. Rock It Baby
88. Caution
89. We and Dem
90. Crisis
91. Duppy Conqueror
92. Johnny Was
93. Chances Are
94. Want More
95. Keep On Moving
96. Am-A-Do
97. One Love / People Get Ready (Medley)
98. Rastaman Chant
99. Bend Down Low
100. How Many Times

Bob Marley Albums

Bob Marley Albums	Year of release	Label	Prize
Exodus	1977	Island-Tuff Gong	8x Platinum, US: Gold, UK: Gold
Uprising	1980	Island-Tuff Gong	US: Gold
Ganja Gun	1975
Kaya	1978	Island-Tuff Gong	UK: Gold, US: Gold
Rastaman Vibration	1976	Island-Tuff Gong	UK: Gold, US: Gold
Catch a Fire	1973	Island-Tuff Gong	UK: Silver
Babylon by Bus	1978	Island-Tuff Gong
Natty Dread	1974	Island-Tuff Gong	UK: Gold
Survival	1979	Island-Tuff Gong	CAN: 2x Platinum
Live!	1975	Island-Tuff Gong	US: Gold UK: Silver
Burnin’	1973	Island-Tuff Gong	US: Gold, UK:Silver
The Wailing Wailers	1965	Studio One
Soul Rebels	1970	Upsetter/Trojan
African Herbsman	1973	Trojan
Soul Revolution	1971	Upsetter/Trojan
The Best of the Wailers	1971	Beverley’s
Confrontation	1983	Island-Tuff Gong	US: Gold
Talkin’ Blues	1991	Island-Tuff Gong
Live at the Roxy	2003	Island-Tuff Gong
Live Forever	2011	Island-Tuff Gong
Easy Skanking in Boston 78	2015	Island-Tuff Gong
Rasta Revolution	1974	Trojan
The Never Ending Wailers	1993	RAS, Tuff Gong
Dreams of Freedom	1997	Axiom
Chant Down Babylon	1999	Island	US: Gold
Roots, Rock, Remixed	2007	Tuff Gong
B Is for Bob	2009	Tuff Gong
In Dub, Vol. 1	2012	Tuff Gong
Legend: Remixed	2013	Tuff Gong
Songs of Freedom	1992	Island/ Tuff Gong
The Complete Bob Marley & The Wailers 1967-1972, Part I	1997	JAD
Exodus 40 – The Movement Continues	2017	–
Interviews	1982	Island-Tuff Gong
Marley OST	2012	Island-Tuff Gong

 

Bob Marley’s Songs in the Charts

Songs

Date	Title	Artist	Label	Position	Weeks on chart
27.09.1975	No Woman No Cry	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	22	09
25.06.1977	Exodus	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	14	09
10.09.1977	Waiting in Vain	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	27	06
10.12.1977	Jamming/Punky Reggae Party	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	09	12
25.02.1978	Is this Love	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	09	09
10.06.1978	Satisfy my Soul	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	21	10
20.10.1979	So much trouble in the World	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	56	04
21.06.1980	Could you be Loved	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	05	12
13.09.1980	Three Little Birds	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	17	09
13.06.1981	No Woman No Cry	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	08	11
07.05.1983	Buffalo Soldier	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island/Tuff Gong	04	13
21.04.1984	One Love/People get ready	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	05	11
23.06.1984	Waiting in Vain	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	31	07
01.12.1984	Could you be Loved	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	71	04
13.07.1985	Three Little Birds	Bob Marley & The Wailers	No-Label	76	03
18.05.1991	One Love	Bob Marley	Tuff Gong	42	03
19.09.1992	Iron Lion Zion	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	05	09
28.11.1992	Why should I	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	42	04
20.05.1995	Keep on moving	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	17	04
08.06.1996	What goes around comes around	Bob Marley	Anansi	42	02
25.09.1999	Sun is shining	Bob Marley	Club Tools	03	14
11.12.1999	Turn Your Lights Down Low	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Columbia	15	07
22.01.2000	Rainbow Country	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Club Tools	11	08
24.06.2000	Jammin’	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	42	02
03.11.2001	I know A Place	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	77	01
19.11.2005	I Shot the Sheriff	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	67	01
26.11.2005	Sun is Shining	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	54	01
03.12.2005	Slogans	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	45	02
10.12.2005	Africa Unite	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	49	01
17.12.2005	Stand Up Jamrock	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gon	56	01
21.07.2016	Is This Love (Remix)	Bob Marley ft. LVNDScape/Bolier	Island	16	17

 

Bob Marley’s Albums

Date	Title	Artist	Label	Position	Weeks on chart
04.10.1975	Natty Dread	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	43	05
20.12.1975	Life at The Lyceum	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	38	11
08.05.1976	Rastaman Vibration	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	15	13
11.06.1977	Exodus	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	08	58
01.04.1978	Kaya	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	04	24
16.12.1978	Babilon By Bus	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	40	11
13.10.1979	Survival	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	20	06
28.06.1980	Uprising	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	06	17
28.05.1983	Confrontation	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	05	19
19.05.1984	Legend	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	01	09
28.06.1986	Rebel Music	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island	54	03
03.10.1992	Songs of Freedom	Bob Marley	Tuff Gong	10	05
03.06.1995	Natural Mystic	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	05	10
22.06.1996	Soul Almighty-Formative years-Vol 1	Bob Marley	Anansi	93	02
04.09.1999	The Sun is Shining	Bob Marley	Club Tools	40	03
27.11.1999	Chant Down Babylon	Bob Marley	Tuff Gong	95	01
02.06.2001	One Love-The very best of	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	05	17
07.07.2001	Lively Up Yourself	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Music Collection	75	02
10.11.2001	One Love	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	24	09
05.06.2004	Roots of a Legend	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Trojan	51	02
19.11.2005	Africa Unite-The singles collection	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	26	11
28.04.2012	Marley-Ost	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Island/ Tuff Gong	81	01
11.05.2017	Legend	Bob Marley & The Wailers	Tuff Gong	31	01

 

Bob Marley’s Tours

Time	Title	Country
April-July 1973	Catch A Fire	England, USA
October-November 1973	Burnin’	USA, England
June- July 1975	Natty Dread	USA, Canada, England
April-July 1976	Rastaman Vibration	USA, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Holland, France, England
May-June 1977	Exodus	France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Sweden, England
May-August 1978	Kaya	USA, Canada, England, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Belgium
April-May 1979	Babylon By Bus	Japan, New, Zealand, Australia, Hawaii
October-December 1979	Survival	USA, Canada, Bahamas
May-September 1980	Uprising	Zurich, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain, England, Scotland, USA

 

 

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