The Rise And Fall Of Bob Marley

Robert Nesta Marley was born of 6^th February 1945 in Saint Ann to Noral Marley (a white man from the British navy) and Cedella Booker (a black woman). Robert was raised by his mother in Trenchtown, Kingston, as his father never bothered about him.

He went through poverty and racial prejudice because he was biracial. Marley was physically strong, a trait that gave him the name “Tuff Gong” this name shaped his character and also gave guide to his lifelong energy.

In his venture with youth groups, Marley met a fellow street youth Neville O’Riley Livinstone and both became interested in music. For this reason, Robert Marley dropped out of school at the age of 14 and took up an apprenticeship with a welder, but his passion was in music.

With music dancing in his blood, Marley decided to realize his dream and began practicing and attending formal sessions run by a famous Jamaican singer Joe Higgs. After impressing a local entrepreneur names Leslie Kong with his vocal ability, Robert Marley wrote and recorded his first songs, ‘Judge not,’ and ‘One cup of coffee.’

The songs received little airplay on Jamaican radio so the upcoming legend decided to link up with Leslie and one Peter McIntosh whom Marley met during Higgs jam sessions plus other backup singers. The group’s first single was, ‘Simmer Down,’ climbed to number 1 on the Jamaican charts in 1964.

Music

All this happened when has mother was in Delaware, she had now saved up enough money for her son to join her. The group fell out and Marley moved to Delaware along with his wife Rita Anderson.

In the US Marley gathered enough money to continue his music passion and returned to Jamaican October 1966. When he arrived, he found out that the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie had visited while he was gone and inspired this religious development. Rita Marley saw Selassie and converted, which Bob would soon adopt and brought conflict in his recording company and moved to reggae producer Lee “Scratch”Perry.

After short tours throughout Europe and the United States, The Wailers went back to the studio to release Burnin’, an LP that included re-recordings of older songs in addition to new hits like “Get Up, Stand Up” and “I Shot The Sheriff.” Epic rock guitarist Eric Clapton’s version of the latter made it to the top of U.S. singles charts and increased Marley’s widespread fame.

In early 1977, Marley departed to England to record two of his most highly-praised albums, Exodus and Kaya.  The former stayed on U.K. charts for over a year and peaked at #20 on U.S. pop charts on the strength of top-selling hits in “Jamming,” “One Love / People Get Ready,” and “Waiting In Vain”.

TIME magazine referred to Exodus as the best album of the 20^th century in 1998, and many critics believe it to be the climax of Marley’s career.

Marley’s final two albums, Survival and Uprising, contrasted in meaning but proved that international achievements were never more important than his message behind the music.  1979’s Survival was fierce and political while 1980’s Uprising was intensely spiritual.  Inspired by a visit to Africa, Survival begged the continent to unify on “Zimbabwe,” “So Much Trouble In The World,” and “Africa Unite.”

A stop in Ethiopia led to Uprising, a very personal and religious album where Marley’s lyrics reflected his spiritual journey on the worldwide hit “Could You Be Loved” and the acoustic masterpiece “Redemption Song.”  The album appeared on international music charts, acted as motivation for a major European tour, and also led to plans for an American tour with Stevie Wonder.  Marley started the American tour at Madison Square Garden, but fell seriously ill after only two performances.

A toe injury suffered three years earlier in England caused his illness.  Due to his Rastafarian beliefs, Marley refused to have his toe amputated when it became infected and, soon thereafter, cancerous.  As the cancer spread throughout his body, Marley struggled to survive using non-toxic medication but the disease would prove to be overwhelming.  On his way back to Jamaica, Marley passed away in Miami on May 11, 1981 at the age of 36.  His final words were simply, “Money can’t buy life.”

He was inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in 1994 and posthumously received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

-Adapted from Rutgers University, Daily Targum