Essay About Bob Marley And New Style

Bob Marley: His Music, His Words, His Legacy
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“Bob Marley: His Music, His Words, His Legacy.”
The 70s – musically, culturally, and politically – was a transitional phase, and a
emotional link between two very infamous periods. This decade was also the recess from
reality, in which people used music to escape from the real world leaving behind all their
worries. People were consumed by appetites, addicted to their guilty pleasures, and soon
there would be a price to pay.
During the late 60s and early 70s, reggae music was created by combining the
characteristics of the North American rock and African Jamaican music. This new style
had a lot of influence from rhythm, the blues, and some jazz. Though the textbook
“Americas Musical Landscape” the author Jean Ferris states that, “the polyrhythms are
more complex, the bass lines are stronger, and the tempos more relaxed” (Ferris p.
207). Reggae music gives a very soulful and religious feel to its listeners because of the
close relation it has to the religious movement known as Rastafarianism, and because so
much of this genre has religious connotations explaining the singers beliefs and views on
situations from a Rastafarian perspective.
The Rastafarian religion, the heart of reggae music, based itself in belief of “Jah”
which was a metaphor for a god of goodness and love. Jah was the force fighting against
the oppression from “Babylon” which meant the destructive force. Metaphors of
oppression and freedom, explain the social problems and ways of liberation. Many of Bob
Marleys lyrics delivered this kind of message and as a result his music was accepted by
many people that shared or at least agreed with his point of view. It is said that when
Marley spoke of things that were accepted by his audience, his words impacted the
listeners incredibly.
Bob Marley worked hard to increase awareness among people around the world.
His music spread through the hearts of Europeans, Africans, and Americans. He made
lyrics and music work together to offer messages comprised of both theoretical and
emotional content through the constructs of virtual experience (lyrics) and virtual time
(music). Both virtual experience and virtual time must exist for music to function.
However it can sometimes work out otherwise. It was the unique style of Bob
Marleys reggae that allowed him to connect with the people. He abandoned the classic
style of “ska” and adopted a new style of a rhythm known as “rock steady”.
A lot of emotional content can be taken from just the rhythm of music. Much like
classical music, reggae gave all people a vision. Smooth rhythm, thick bass lines and light
percussion is what makes this rhythm stand out and me enjoyable. Instrumental pieces
may not have carried with them a deep and intense message as songs with lyrics did, but
it was another way for Marley to reach his audience. He gained respect for his unique
ways of creating music, and you could still feel his message even when he was not
singing.
Today we sit in Tuff Gong Recording studios in Kingston, Jamaica with “Mr.
Music” himself Robert Nesta Marley. Right here is where Bob has recorded all
his music throughout his career. We are here to talk a little bit about his life, his
inspirations, his beliefs and most of all his music.
RC: How did your life as a musician/performer begin?
BM: We didnt have any money for records so we listened to the radio, and everything
the radio played is what we heard. I was not really into these things the radio played, I
was more intolets say, spiritual music. So here we were living in Trenchtown, Jamaica
and sometimes I would just pick up my guitar and take it to the yard or where everyone
was at the moment and we just started playing music, everyones influences come into it
u know what I am saying? We first came together at around 1960 and rehearsed for about
3 years before recording our first album in 1963. At the time we used to have Beverly
Kelso, Cherry, Bunny, Junior, Peter and I. It was the first time I ever experienced music
and it was with very good musicians those where good times it was great. People started
leaving the band till it was only Peter, Bunny, and Me. Then I added new sounds that
were created by new instruments which gave the band its unique sound, always inspired