"Legend the best of Bob Marley" is a compilation album released in 1978. The liner notes describe the history of Bob Marley's recordings during the period 1964 until 1981. This web-page has a complete transcript pf the line botes, hi-res photos of the album covers, record label and a detailed description.
| Album Summary: | The Wailers 1972-1981 |
Music Genre: |
Reggae Music |
| Collector's info: | Note 1: Bob Marley and the Wailers largely printed on the left half of the record's label Note 2: Album back cover does NOT have a bar-code. Note 3: Blue color Island Records label Gatefold (FOC) cover design, This album includes the original black custom inner sleeve. |
| Album: | Producers: Bob Marley, Steve Smith, Chris Blackwell |
| Record Label: | Island Records BMW 1 |
| Record Format | 12" LP Vinyl Gramophone Record |
Year & Country: |
1984 Made in England |
A Transcript of the orginal album cover liner notes, with the history of Bob Marley's recordings during the period 1964 until 1981.
"I love the development of our music. How we've tried to develop, y'know? It grows. That's why every day people come forward with new songs. Music goes on forever" -- Bob Marley.
We remember the brilliant and evocative music Bob Marley gave the world; music that stretched back over nearly two decades and yet still remains timeless and universal. Bob Marley & The Wailers worked their way into the very fabric of our lives. The superlatives, perhaps, come easy when speaking of Bob Marley & The Wailers and their music. Marley himself had been called 'the first Third World superstar', 'Rasta prophet', visionary, revolutionary artist. They were not, however, mere hyperbole. He was one of the most charismatic and challenging performers of our time. Bob Marley's career, astonishingly, stretched back over 20 years. During that time Marley's growing style encompassed every aspect in the rise of Jamaican music, from ska through to contemporary reggae. That growth, of course, was well reflected in the maturity of the Wailers' music.
Bob's first recording attempts came at the beginning of the Sixties. His first two tunes, cut as a solo artist, meant nothing in commercial terms and it wasn't until 1964 — as a founder member of a group called the Wailing Wailers — that Bob first hit the Jamaican charts.
The record was Simmer Down, and over the next few years the Wailing Wailers — the nucleus of which was Bob, Peter Mackinitosh and Bunny Livingston —put out some 30 sides that properly established them as one of the hottest groups in Jamaica. Mackintosh, of course, later shortened his surname to Tosh while Livingston is now called Bunny Wailer. Despite their popularity the economics of keeping the group together proved too much and the two other members — Junior Braithwaite and Beverley Kelso —quit. At the same time Bob joined his mother in the United States. End of the Wailing Wailers, Chapter One.
Marley's stay in America was short-lived, however, and he returned to Jamaica to join up again with Peter and Bunny. By the end of the Sixties, with the legendary reggae producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry at the mixing desk, The Wailers were again back at the top in Jamaica. The combination of Wailers and Perry resulted in some of the finest music the band ever made. Such tracks as Soul Rebel, Duppy Conquerer, 400 Years and Small Axe were not only classics, but they defined the future direction of reggae. It's difficult, of course, to properly understand Bob Marley's music without considering Rastafari. His spiritual beliefs, by now, are too well known to necessitate further explanation. It must be stated, however, that Rastafari is at the very core of the Wailers' music.
In 1970 Aston Familyman Barrett and his brother Carlton (bass and drums respectively) joined the Wailers. They came to the band unchallenged as Jamaica's HAAARDEST rhythm section; a reputation that was to remain undiminished during the following decade. Meanwhile, the band's own reputation was, at the start of the Seventies, an extraordinary one throughout the Caribbean. But internationally the band was still unknown.
That was to change however in 1972 when the Wailers signed to Island Records. It was a revolutionary move for an international record company and a reggae band. For the first time a reggae band had access to the best recording facilities and were treated in each the same way as, say, a rock group. Before the Wailers signed to Island it was considered that reggae sold only on singles and cheap compilation albums. The Wailers' first album "Catch A Fire" broke all the rules: it was beautifully packaged and heavily promoted. And it was the start of a long climb to international fame and recognition.
The "Catch A Fire" album was followed, a year later, by "Burnin'"" , an LP that included some of the band's older songs, such as Duppy Conquerer, Small Axe and Put It On, together with tracks like Get Up Stand Up and I Shot The Sheriff. The latter, of course, was also recorded by Eric Clapton, whose version hit number one in the U.S. singles chart. In 1975 Bob Marley & The Wailers released the extraordinary "Natty Dread" album and, in the summer of that year, toured Europe. Among the concerts were two shows at the Lyceum Ballroom in London which, even now, are remembered as highlights of the decade. The shows were recorded and the subsequent live album, together with the single "No Woman No Cry"", both made the charts. By that time Bunny and Peter had officially left the band to pursue their own solo careers.
Rastaman Vibration , the follow-up album in 1976, cracked the American charts. It was, for many, the clearest exposition yet of Marley's music and beliefs, including such tracks as Crazy Baldhead, Johnny Was, Who The Cap Fit and, perhaps most significantly of all, War, the lyrics of which were taken from a speech by Emperor Haile Selassie.
The following year brought fresh achievements by the band. They released the Exodus album which properly established Marley's international superstar status. It remained in the British charts for 56 straight weeks, and the three singles from the album — Exodus, Waiting In Vain and Jamming - were all massive sellers (Jamming was the band's first-ever Top 10 hit in Britain). They played a week of concerts at London's Rainbow Theatre — in fact, they were to be the Wailers' last London shows of the Seventies.
In 1978 the band capitalised on their chart success with the release of Kaya , an album which hit number four in the UK chart the week of release. That album saw Marley in a different mood, an album of love songs and, of course, homages to the power of ganja. The album also provided two chart singles, Satisfy My Soul and the beautiful Is This Love.
There were two more events in 1978, both of which were of extraordinary significance to Marley. In April that year he returned to Jamaica (he had left in 1976, following the shooting that had almost cost his life) to play the One Love Peace Concert in front of the Prime Minister Michael Manley and the then Leader of the Opposition Edward Seaga. And at the end of the year he visited Africa for the first time, going initially to Kenya and then on to Ethiopia, spiritual home of Rastafari. He was to return to Africa in 1980, this time at the official invitation of the Government of Zimbabwe to play at the country's Independence Ceremony. It was the greatest honour afforded the band, and one which underlined the Wailers' importance in the Third World. Bob Marley & The Wailers released the strident Survival album in 1979. A European tour came the following year: the band broke festival records throughout the continent, including a 100,000-capacity show in Milan. Bob Marley & The Wailers, quite simply, were the most important band on the road that year and the new Uprising album hit every chart in Europe. It was a period of maximum optimism and plans were already being made for an American tour, in company with Stevie Wonder, that winter.
At the end of the European tour Bob Marley & The Wailers went to America. Bob played two shows at Madison Square Garden but, immediately afterwards, he was taken seriously ill. Cancer was diagnosed.
Bob Marley fought the disease for eight months.The battle however proved too much. He died in a Miami Hospital on May 11, 1981. A month before the end Bob was awarded Jamaica's Order Of Merit, the nation's third highest honour, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the country's culture.
On Thursday May 21, 1981, the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley O.M. was given an official funeral by the people of Jamaica. Following the funeral - attended by both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition — Bob's body was taken to his birthplace where it now rests in a mausoleum. Bob Marley was 36 years old.
His legend lives on.
Band Members and Musicians on: Bob Marley & The Wailers Legend the best of Bob Marley |
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Track Listing of: Bob Marley & The Wailers Legend the best of Bob Marley |
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Note: The photos on this page are taken from albums in my personal collection. Slight differences in color may exist due to the use of the camera's flash. Images can be zoomed in/out ( eg pinch with your fingers on a tablet or smartphone ).
"Legend The Best Of Bob Marley" Record Label Details: Blue Colour ISLAND BMW 1 , This Compilation ℗ 1984 Island Records Ltd Sound Copyright
Bob Marley and The Wailers are one of the most influential and revered reggae bands in the history of popular music. Bob Marley, the lead singer and songwriter, used his music to spread a message of love, peace, and unity, and became a global ambassador for reggae music and Rastafarianism. The Wailers, a band of talented musicians and vocalists, accompanied Marley and helped to shape the sound and style of reggae music.
Bob Marley was born in Jamaica in 1945, and began his musical career in the early 1960s. He formed The Wailers in 1963 with Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh, and the band quickly became one of the most popular reggae groups in Jamaica. Marley’s songwriting was heavily influenced by his Rastafarian beliefs, which emphasized the need for unity and equality, and rejected the materialism and oppression of Western society. His lyrics often dealt with social and political issues, such as poverty, inequality, and oppression, and were infused with a message of hope and positivity.
In the 1970s, Bob Marley and The Wailers began to gain international recognition, and they went on to tour the world, spreading the message of reggae music and Rastafarianism. Marley’s concerts were known for their energy and passion, and he became known for his charismatic stage presence and powerful voice. The Wailers were also a vital part of this success, with their tight harmonies, intricate instrumentals, and powerful drumming.
Bob Marley’s music continues to have a profound impact on popular culture, and his songs have been covered by countless artists from all genres of music. He was also a symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice, and his music continues to be an inspiration to people around the world who are fighting for freedom and equality. In 1980, Marley passed away at the age of 36, but his legacy continues to live on through his music and his message of peace, love, and unity.
Rita Marley OJ OD (Full-name: Althea Rita Anderson ) t a Jamaican singer and musician who was the lead singer of the group I Threes, which served as the backing vocalists for her husband, Bob Marley, and his band The Wailers. She is also known for her solo work and her activism in support of various causes, including the promotion of Rastafarianism and the rights of women and children.
Rita Marley was born in Cuba in 1946 and grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. She began her musical career in the 1960s, performing with various reggae and ska groups before joining The Wailers in the 1970s. As a member of I Threes, she contributed to the success of The Wailers, singing on several of their most famous albums, including "Catch a Fire" and "Burnin’."
In addition to her work with The Wailers, Rita Marley has also released several solo albums, including "Who Feels It Knows It" and "Harambe." She has been honored for her contributions to reggae music, and in 2003, she was awarded the Jamaican Order of Distinction for her service to the music industry and her promotion of Rastafarianism.
Rita Marley is also known for her humanitarian work and her activism on behalf of various causes. She established the Bob Marley Foundation, which supports educational and health initiatives in Jamaica and other countries, and she is also an advocate for the rights of women and children. Through her music and her activism, Rita Marley continues to carry on the legacy of Bob Marley and The Wailers, and her impact on popular culture and the world at large will continue to be felt for generations to come.