Greetings,
<28 days of Bob Marley T Shirts; 1 min. 44 sec.>
- Bob baseball cap? Check!
- Bob hoodie? Check!
- Bob necklace? Check!
- Bob ID card? Check!
- Bob mask/face diaper? Check!
- Bob lighters, stash tin and grinder? Check, check, check!
Wore a Bob watch for 20 years til the face faded out. Johnny Law got my Bob pipe and I ‘n’ I have never come across a Bob bong.
Now let’s celebrate Bob Marley’s 76th birthday on Smile Jamaica on his actual birth date: Feb. 6, 2021 – Feb. 1945….carry the one, by I ‘n’ I liberal arts math: 76 years!
Last year when Rona was raging the most, since I ‘n I couldn’t go into work, I cleaned out my closets and pulled together a closet full of Bob Marley T-shirts. Feb. 1 to Feb. 28th.
It’s not Bob Marley birth day it’s Bob Marley birth month! Gwan see if I ‘n’ I have 28 T shirts. I’ll probably go up until Apr. 20th flying Bob’s visage on my person. (Never go on the Zoom camera at work. Hate Zoom. Hate. Hate. Hate it.)
<Happy 76th Birthday Tribute to Bob Marley; 2 min. 29 sec.>
The Digital Millennium Copywrong Act makes this showcase mostly cover tunes. But I ‘n’ I do get to play 4 Bob tunes and stay legal. Back in the good old days I might have done Bob from Catch a Fire to Uprising or Bob A-Z (Ambush to Zimbabwe), but the love is there from Bob’s family and contemporaries and I ‘n’ I (the Royal Rasta we)
A couple stories from three decades of Bob’s life and works. I ‘n’ I been tracking the Wailers from before their main Island albums (Catch a Fire ’73 to Uprising ’80)
The group was tired of being ripped off. Selling 80,000 copies of a hit ska single and collecting all of $25 dollars. Latest Smile Jamaica chronological album is a collection of when the group started their own label in true independent spirit: Wail ‘N Soul ‘M. It lasted a couple years yet the vicious Jamaican record industry wouldn’t let them into the record shops, radio payola and pressing plant. It lasted two years, but had some great post ska pre-rocksteady gems and a brilliant logo. And I ‘n’ I will hear more in the months to come. Rare and fresh roots!
<Wail ‘N Soul ‘M label; 84 sec.>
<Bob Marley the perfectionist aka The Skipper; 49 sec.>
Another quick story: When Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer went solo, Bob became the captain. And much like James Brown, he would fine band members if they missed a note or were late for sound check. Even the I Three (Rita, Marcia, Judy) would pay up if they missed a dance step. They all called him The Skipper.
<Marley musical tributes; 32 sec.>
Most people didn’t know Bob was terminally ill. He was on a highly (ha ha) successful tour backing Uprising. Disco mixes of “Could You Be Loved” and “Comin’ in From the Cold” were finally being played in the black dance clubs. His show was a rock experience like any stadium white act. He had crossed over.
Then he collapsed while running in New York Central Park. But May 11,. he went up to Jah’s Heavenly Choir. A whole heap of Reggae stalwarts wrote up lyrics, went into the studio and record fitting tributes which are showcased on this podcast of Smile Jamaica.
<Bob as Prophet Joseph; 18 sec.>
What greater tribute to Bob’s life could there be when Judy Mowatt composed Joseph comparing Bob to the Biblical Prophet Joseph. Leading the people out of Babylon back to Zion. Tremendous ballad.
<Redemption Song the fitting end; 1 min. 34 sec.>
The fitting end was the last song on the last album Bob recorded while alive: “RedemptionSong” from Uprising. Two of my 4 Bob selections are the 12″ band mix, uptempo but the ballad version is sublime.
Bob and his acoustic guitar singing about:
Old pirates yes them rob I, take I to the merchant ship, minutes after they took I from the bottomless pit. But my hand was made strong, by the hand of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation triumphantly.
*****
As poignant an ending as John Lennon’s “Starting Over”. Had he lived and grew his audience through 80’s and MTV, touring, success in the black market, his world wide following for revolutionaries everywhere he would have been right up there with the Michael Jackson’s, Prince’s, Madonna’s and Springsteen’s.
Selah!
bless, Bobbylon
Smile Jamaica Ark-ives: Feb. 6, 2021 – Bob Marley Birthday Tribute
Set 1:
- Bob Marley & the Wailers – Smile Jamaica; Pressure Drop (Island) ’77 UK Lee “Scratch” Perry mix
- Chalawa – Natural Mystic; Exodus Dub (Weston) Canadian dub album of the hour
- Cedella Marley Booker – He’s a Rastaman; Awake Zion (Rykodisc) ’84 Bob’s Mom
- Ijahman Levi – Bob & Friends Over There; Inside Out (Jahmani) ‘87
- Ranking Joe – Tribute to Bob Marley; Rebel DJ (Jam Rock) ’81 Miami vinyl
- Winston Reedy & Tim Hain – Reggae Man; 12” (Priority) ’85 UK
Set 2:
- Ky-Mani Marley – Dear Dad; CD Single (Gee Street) ’99 child 10 of 11
- Session feat. Azeem – Tribute to Bob Marley; Tribute to Marley (M. Al’s) ’81 Oakland, CA vinyl.
- The Abyssinians – Jah Marley; Last Days (Tabou1) ‘97
- Sue Chaloner – Missin’ Mr. Marley; 12” (CNR) ’81 Can.
Set 3: 7” Jamaican Jukebox Set
- Faith D’Aguilar – Reggae Pioneers; 7” (Gorgon)
- Lone Ranger – Tribute to Marley; 7” (Studio One)
- Prince Ital Joe – I Miss Bob Marley; 7” (Royal Safari Music) Hollywood CA
- Errol Scorcher – Sounds of Hon. Marley; 7” (Dance Hall)
Set 4:
- Bobby & Carol Kalphat – Memories of Bob; 7″ (Hit Vibes)
- Alpha Blondy – Mystic Night Move; Masada (World Enterprise) ’92 Ivory Coast
- Macka B – Bob; Everybody Loves Bob Marley (Neos) 2006 comp.
- Shaka Man – If It Wasn’t For the Rastaman (Tribute to Bob); 2030 A.D. (Majicaa) 80’s LA vinyl
- Jah Thomas – Tribute to the Reggae King; 12″ (Midnight Rock) ’81 JA
- Moods Unlimited Orchestra – Could You Be Loved; Get Up Stand Up (Image) ’95 mellow instrumentals
Set 5: Vinyl is Vital
- Culture – Psalms of Bob Marley; Good Things (RAS) ’89 DC
- Papa Finnigan & Junior Ranking – Tribute to Bob Marley; Two the Hard Way (Heartbeat) ’82 DC Cambridge, MA
- Sister Carol – Dedicated to Bob Marley; Black Cinderella (Jah Life) ’84 Brooklyn
- Horace Andy – Bob Lives On; Exclusively (Solid Groove) ’81 UK
- Jah Batta – Great Superstar; 12″ (Top Ranking) ’81 Miami; dj to Horace Andy
Set 6:
- Bob Marley & the Wailing Wailers – Freedom Time; Wail ‘N Soul ‘M Singles (JAD) ’66
- Mikey Dread – In Memory (Jacob, Marcus, Marley); S.W.A.L.K. (Heartbeat) ’82
- Bankie Banx- Remember Bob; Soothe Your Soul (Redemption)
- Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Jammin’) – Hotter Than July (Motwn) ’80
- Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (Dub); 7″ (Tamla) ’80 US
Set 7:
- Judy Mowatt – Joseph; Black Woman (Shanachie) ’76 Bob as Biblical prophet
- Toots & the Maytals – Marley’s Gone (HIs Songs Live On); Live at Reggae Sunsplash (Genes) ’82 Montego Bay JA
- Winston Groovy – Night Shift; 12″ (Sound City) ’84 UK
Set 8:
- Randeesh – Bob Marley Is a River of Love; Courage
- I-Three – He’s a Legend; Beginning (EMI America) ’86
- Everton Blender – Bob; Piece of the Blender (Heartbeat) ’96
- Bob Marley & the Wailers – Redemption Song; 12″ (Tuff Gong) ’80 JA band version
- Bob Marley & the Wailers – Redemption Song; Uprising (Tuff Gong) ’80
Smile Jamaica 