Black History Month: Exodus by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley, wounded and in exile, records his masterwork
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Island Records
Released 1977
The new Bob Marley: One Love movie will hit theaters on Valentine’s Day. The movie’s main focus will be the period of Marley’s life beginning with the assassination attempt in his home that led to his self-imposed exile in London and ending with his triumphant return to Jamaica for the One Love Peace Concert. During that period, Marley recorded two albums, Exodus and Kaya. Some of the tracks on Exodus were started at Harry J Studios in Kingston, Jamaica and the album was finished at Island Studios in London. The album is split between Rastafarian anthems, love songs, and uplifting songs of unity. Many of Marley’s most recognizable songs appear on Exodus. “One Love/People Get Ready” extrapolates Curtis Mayfield’s classic with Marley’s messages of peace and unity. “Three Little Birds” is best known by its chorus, “Don’t worry about a thing, for every little thing, gonna be all right.” Marley’s best love song, “Waiting In Vain,” is about being “way down the line” with someone he loves deeply and left “waiting in vain for your love.” Marley directly references the attempt on his life in “Jamming.” He sings about “jamming” or carrying on with his music through sacrifice and adversity. “No bullet can stop us now,” he sings, and invites his audience, “I wanna jam with you.” The centerpiece of the album is the title cut, “Exodus.” Marley equates the Biblical story of Moses and the Exodus with Rastafri repatriation to Africa. He visited and performed in Africa and even talked about relocating there himself. The song’s churning beat drives the chanted chorus, “Exodus! Movement of JAH people!” He paraphrases Isaiah 61:1-2. “JAH come to breakdown downpression (Marley renamed “oppression” as “downpression.”) / rule equality / wipe away transgression / and set the captives free.” Marley scholar Kwame Dawes said that the album contains “all the notes and tones that have shaped Marley’s oeuvre collected together in one place. In many ways, Exodus represents Marley at the height of his career. His political sensibility is honed and unapologetic, his commitment to the love song is secure, and his faith in Rastafari has become most assured.” Exodus reached the top 20 in five countries including the US and spawned four major international hit singles. In 1999, Time magazine named Exodus the best album of the 20th century.
Good stuff. I’ll give it a listen!