There is not an iota of doubt that Bob Marley is and will remain one of the most influential musicians of all time. And even after all these years without him, his presence still remains strong all around us – in every artist that has been influenced by his style and in every sentiment of Reggae music that was furthered by him. Because, Bob Marley still remains the great father of Reggae, one of the pioneers, and the proof of it remains in the millions of records sold.
But, that is the difference between good musicians and legendary musicians. The legends are hardly driven by the numbers and the dollars in their bank account. All that comes as just an added bonus because they are indispensible to the world! For Bob Marley, the power of his music remained in his honest intentions of making music – his driving force was music and his ideologies.
Just like Reggae is much more than just a genre that can be defined by the technicalities and theories – it is a sentiment; Marley’s philosophies themselves are more than just black and white that can be defined by words. Instead they were brought to life through his music. His views on life, freedom and rebellion – were etched in his preferred choice of expression, and even though that might have not included protests and direct retaliation, each time he was on stage singing “Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight”, those sentiments resonated through the massive throngs of followers he had garnered. His voice was no less than a war cry on the system – the one that binds us humans in our mundane lives.
Similar thoughts and traces of philosophies can be found in most songs he made throughout his career. In “One Love” he talks about breaking barriers within people and looking beyond differences. While in “Redemption Song” he says,
“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery,
None but ourselves can free our mind.”
That is why the music has lasted this long because there is so much to dig into. One can go beyond just the chords, and the rhythms… and look into the ideologies, the ideas, the teachings, to imbibe what it takes to create something with so much soul. There is a lifetime of learning right there, hidden in those songs.
Even then Bob Marley was much more than just the rebel’s musician. He was the face of free thinking. Someone who fought for the freedom of mind and soul through his own unique ways of protest! Through his music and his life-changing philosophies which remain strong even till this day!
