As one of the most
recognizable popular
music icons and the
first superstar from
the third world, there
are certain things that
virtually every informed
music fan knows about
Bob Marley. We
celebrate him as the
rare individual who could
represent the
disadvantaged and
downtrodden while still
communicating a
message of
empowerment and
positivity, wrapped in
art that is both
accessible and
transcendent. That
said, I thought it’d be
interesting to share ten
things that you may
not have known, things
that help to put his
career into perspective
and help us understand
the impact of his work
on the music we listen
to and the world we live
in.
“My music will go
on forever. Maybe
it’s a fool say that,
but when me
know facts me
can say facts. My
music will go on
forever.” – Bob
Marley
1. Everybody knows
Marley was a
champion for African
culture and identity ,
but did you know that
his father was a white
British naval captain? He
passed away when Bob
was 10, but Norval
Marley did support Bob
and his mother
financially. Regrettably,
he may have also given
a gift that was not so
welcome (see #10).
2. The name Bob
Marley has become
iconic and
synonymous with
reggae music , but did
you know this was not
his given name?
Apparently, Norval
Marley insisted on the
first name of “Nesta”,
but the origin of this
moniker remains
unknown. His original
middle name Robert,
was adopted as his
first name when a
Jamaican immigration
official suggested that
“Nesta” sounded too
much like a girl’s name.
3. Everybody knows
that Marley was a
much honored and
beloved the world
over , but did you know
that despite sellout
world tours and multi-
platinum albums, he
never won a Grammy
while alive? Of course,
this was rectified with
a posthumous lifetime
achievement award in
2001. Even more
impressive, Time
magazine named
Exodus the album of
the century
. In life, Marley was
bestowed with the UN
Peace Medal of The
Third World and
Jamaica’s third highest
honor, the Jamaican
Order of Merit.
Marley - A Most
Honored Citizen of the
World
4. Everybody knows
Bob was a man of
integrity and honor ,
but did you know he
performed a free
concert for 80,000
attendees in Jamaica
days after a politically
motivated attempt on
his life? In December
1976, Marley survived
an armed assassination
in his own home,
bearing minor injuries in
his chest and arm, and
leaving others in the
attack (his wife Rita
and manager Don
Taylor) with serious
injuries. While the rest
of The Wailers
remained in hiding, Bob
took the stage with an
apolitical backup band
and proclaimed: “the
people who are trying
to make this world
worse aren’t taking a
day off. How can I?”
5. Everybody
understands Bob as a
cultural ambassador
for Jamaica , but did
you know he spent
some time in the US
before his music career
took off? At the age of
21 he lived with his
mother in Delaware for
seven months. The
song “Night Shift” was
based on his experience
working at a Chrysler
plant, and he was even
employed as a
laboratory assistant for
DuPont Chemical. I’m
sure his infamous work
ethic was much
appreciated at these
jobs – in later years, he
often led his band
through rehearsals in
marathon sessions that
lasted all night and into
the next day.
“America is pure
deviltry, dem t’ings
dat go on there.
Dem just work
with force and
brutality. Dem lock
out the punk thing
because they see
something
happening. So the
oppressors bring
another man to
blind the youth to
the truth, and dem
call him-John Tra-
vol-ta.” – Bob
Marley
6. Everybody knows
that Bob was a
devoted Rastafarian,
but did you know that
the roots of the religion
are based on devotion
to the Old Testament,
and its most prominent
features are taken
from its text? The
distinctive dreadlocked
look of Rastas is a
reference to Leviticus
21:5: “They shall not
make baldness upon
their head.” Their
notorious celebration
and promotion of ganja
is sourced from Psalm
104:14, that says: “He
causeth . . . herb [to be
grown] for the service
of man . . . .”
Rastafarians even keep
kosher.
7. Everybody knows
that Bob was no
nonsense and tough,
but did you know
exactly how he backed
up his image in action?
Pity his manager Don
Taylor, who found out
for himself… the hard
way. Never one for the
material rewards of
success (Marley claimed
the only reason he
owned a BMW was that
the acronym also
doubled for Bob Marley
and the Wailers), it was
a while before it was
revealed that Taylor
had entered into some
unsavory deals and had
embezzled a good sum
of tour revenues.
Legend has it that,
despite taking a bullet
for Bob (see #4), Taylor
suffered quite a beating
as retribution and even
“renegotiated” the
terms of their
arrangement at
gunpoint, before
actually being fired.
8. Everybody knows
that Marley was an
electric performer ,
but did you know the
type of jealousy his
dynamic stage show
incited in his fellow
artists? In July 1973,
the band opened a
week of gigs for Bruce
Springsteen. A legend in
his own right, Sly Stone
invited the band along
with them on a 17 city
tour as a follow up later
that year.
Unfortunately, four
shows into the tour, Sly
dismissed them. The
reason: they were too
good and crowds went
away talking too much
about the opening act.
9 Everybody knows
Bob had exceptional
talents as a
musician, but did you
know that music was
only a part of his elite
talent? Bob was so
good at soccer he
probably could have
played professionally.
Rumor has it that his
table tennis skill was
world class, as well.
10. Everybody knows
Bob was taken from
this world way
before his time , but
did you know the
circumstance of his
death and burial? He
suffered from a form
of skin cancer called
“acral lentiginous
melanoma”, a form of
cancer that is very
uncommon within black
people — but
remember, Marley was
of mixed race.
Diagnosed in 1977, he
continued to write,
record and perform until
his death on May 11,
1981. In one day, 40,000
people filed past his
coffin as his body lay in
state in Jamaica’s
National Arena. Marley
was buried in a crypt
with a guitar, a soccer
ball, a cannabis bud, and
a Bible.
Happy birthday, Bob!
Thanks for an incredible
life and legacy. The Barn
is proud to be hosting a
celebration on Saturday,
February 6th featuring
The Ark Band; we’ll be
toasting to Bob with
reggae and positivity.
Hope to see those that
love and respect Bob
Marley, his music and
his message on hand
for the celebration.