Bob Marley: The Voice of Reggae and the Spirit of a Prophet
Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, guitarist, and activist—widely recognised as the most influential reggae artist of all time. Beyond music, he became a cultural icon and spiritual figure, often seen as a prophet of both reggae and the Rastafarian faith.
His recording career began in 1965 with the debut album The Wailing Wailers, featuring an early, uptempo ska version of One Love. It bore little resemblance to the slower, meditative arrangement later heard on the Exodus album in 1977. At the time, this early release was confined to local success in Jamaica.
Marley’s second album, Soul Rebels, arrived five years later in 1970. Now rebranded as Bob Marley and the Wailers, the record included 400 Years, a standout track written by Peter Tosh.
A year later, in 1971, the band released Soul Revolution Part II—curiously, no Part I exists. This is where the quintessential Bob Marley sound truly began to emerge with tracks like Don’t Rock My Boat, Kaya, African Herbsman, and Sun Is Shining.
That same year saw the release of The Best of the Wailers—a title that misleads, as it wasn’t a compilation but a full album of new material. Though not packed with hits, it does include Go Tell It On The Mountain, a traditional spiritual that hints at Bob’s unique ability: writing original songs that feel like they’ve existed forever. His best work often carries the timeless quality of folk tradition, contributing to his mythic status in popular culture.
Bob Marley’s Global Breakthrough and Unstoppable Legacy
In 1973, Bob Marley achieved his first international success after signing with Island Records. The album Catch A Fire featured Concrete Jungle, 400 Years (again!), Stir It Up, and Kinky Reggae.
That same year saw the release of Burnin’, which included two of his most iconic tracks: I Shot The Sheriff and Get Up, Stand Up.
In 1974, Natty Dread was released—his first album without Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. It featured Lively Up Yourself and the immortal No Woman, No Cry. In many ways, it was Bob’s first true solo album.
Rastaman Vibration came in 1976. Interestingly, Bob wrote fewer of the songs himself, with many penned by his wife, Rita Marley. The standout tracks were Roots, Rock, Reggae, written by Vincent Ford, and War, which was based on a speech by Haile Selassie.
Then, in 1977, came what many critics consider Bob Marley’s masterpiece: Exodus. Often cited as one of the greatest albums ever made, it featured a string of world-class songs, including Exodus, Waiting In Vain, Jamming, Three Little Birds, One Love, Natural Mystic, So Much Things To Say, and Turn Your Lights Down Low. That’s eight landmark tracks on one album—most of them found on the B-side!
The following year, Kaya was released—yes, the same title as the 1971 album. This version included Easy Skanking, Is This Love, Satisfy My Soul, Sun Is Shining, and the title track Kaya, all placed on the A-side.
By 1979, Bob’s output began to slow slightly. Survival only had one major hit in So Much Trouble In The World.
His final studio album released during his lifetime was Uprising (1980), featuring Redemption Song and Could You Be Loved.
After his death, one more studio album was released—Confrontation—which included his final global hit, Buffalo Soldier.
A final note must be made on the 1984 compilation album Legend, which includes the legendary live version of No Woman, No Cry (complete with feedback). As of December 2022, Legend has spent an astonishing 1,059 weeks on the U.K. top 100 album chart, surpassed only by Queen and ABBA’s greatest hits.
To date, Bob Marley has sold an estimated 75 million albums worldwide—an enduring testament to his influence and timeless music.
Bob Marley Tunes | Related Pages
Could You Be Loved | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn how to play Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D | Bm | G | D |
Could you be loved, and be loved…
I Shot The Sheriff | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play I Shot The Sheriff by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Gm | Cm (Cm7) | Gm7 (Gm) | Gm7 (Gm) |
I shot the sheriff, but I didn’t shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh…
Start learning with the full lesson series: I Shot The Sheriff – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Is This Love | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Is This Love by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| F#m7 | D | A E/G# |
I wanna love you, and treat you right…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Is This Love (Bob Marley) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
No Woman, No Cry | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| C G/B | Am7 F | C F C/E Dm C | C (G A B G) |
No, woman, no cry. No, woman, no cry…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: No Woman, No Cry (Bob Marley) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
One Love | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play One Love by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Bb | F |
One love, one heart…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: One Love (Bob Marley) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Redemption Song | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Redemption Song by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| G | Em | C G/B | Am |
Old pirates yes they rob I, sold I to the merchant ships…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Redemption Song – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Three Little Birds | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Three Little Birds by Bob Marley using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| A | A | D | A |
Don’t worry, about a thing, ’cause every little thing is gonna be alright…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Three Little Birds (Bob Marley) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Bob Marley on the web
