Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright: The Bob Marley Reader

by Hank Bordowitz

Overview

Throughout Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and America, Bob Marley represents far more than just the musician who translated spiritual and political beliefs into hypnotic, hard-hitting songs such as "Get Up, Stand Up," "No Woman, No Cry," and "Jammin'." Marley was born in rural Jamaica and reared in the mean streets of Kingston's Trenchtown; his ascent to worldwide acclaim, first with The Wailers—Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingstone—and later as a solo artist, is a riveting story of the spiritual awakening of a uniquely talented individual.Now, for the first time, a symphony of voices has joined together to offer perspective on one of this century's most compelling figures. Dealing with Bob Marley as a man and myth, from his "rude boy" teens to international fame and his tragic death at the age of thirty-six, Every Little Thing Gonna Be Alright then explores the larger picture, examining Marley as the spokesman for Jamaica's homegrown religion of Rastafarianism, as a flash point for the pressure cooker of Jamaican politics, and his unique status as the first pop musical superstar of the so-called "Third World."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306813405
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	06/16/2004
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Hank Bordowitz is the author of the critically acclaimed Bad Moon Rising: The Unauthorized History of Creedence Clearwater Revival and editor of The U2 Reader: A Quarter Century of Commentary, Criticism, and Reviews. He lives in the exurbs of New York City.

Table of Contents

	Give Thanks and Praises: Acknowledgments	xi
	Marley: Cultural Icon	xiii
	Foreword	xvii
I	Wake Up and Live: The Life and Times of Robert Nesta Marley	1
1	Waiting in Vain: Oral History/Past Tense, 1962-1972	2
	Remembering Bob Marley (Rita Marley, Essence, February 1995)	3
	Bob Marley at Studio One (Hank Bordowitz, previously unpublished)	6
	Bob Marley: The Story Behind Chances Are (Atlantic Records Biography, October 1981)	12
2	Stir It Up: International Attention, 1972-1976	18
	I Was a Wailers (Lee Jaffe, excerpt from One Love, Life with Bob Marley and the Wailers)	19
	Bob Marley Is the Jagger of Reggae (Patrick Carr, The Village Voice, June 30, 1975)	36
	Musicmakers: Bob Marley and the Wailers (Vernon Gibbs, Essence, January 1976)	43
	Innocents in Babylon: A Search for Jamaica Featuring Bob Marley and a Cast of Thousands (Lester Bangs, Creem Magazine, June and July 1976)	46
3	Top Rankin': The First Great "Third World" Star, 1976-1981	89
	The Rasta Prophet of Reggae Music Speaks (Tom Terrell, MCY.com, January 2001)	90
	The Reggae Way to "Salvation" (J. Bradshaw, New York Times Magazine, August 14, 1977)	96
	Bob Marley: Movement of Jah People (Vivien Goldman, Sounds, May 28, 1977)	110
	Tuff Gong: Bob Marley's Unsung Story (Carol Cooper, The Village Voice, September 10, 1980)	123
4	Blackman Redemption: The Death of Bob Marley and His "Second Coming," 1981-2002	136
	The Chapel of Love: Bob Marley's Last Resting Place (Chris Salewicz, The Face, June 1983)	137
	So Much Things to Say: The Journey of Bob Marley (Isaac Fergusson, The Village Voice, May 18, 1982)	144
	One Love (Robert Palmer, Rolling Stone, February 24, 1994)	160
	Chanting Down Babylon: The CIA & the Death of Bob Marley (Alex Constantine, High Times, February 2002)	171
	Bob Marley's Star Finally Rises in Jamaica (Howard Campell, The Michigan Citizen, February 27-March 4, 2000)	176
5	Judge Not: The Marley Estate and Other Legalities, 1982-2004	180
	Marley's Ghost in Babylon: A $30 Million Wrangle over a Tangled Estate (Jerry Adler with Howard Manly, Newsweek, April 8, 1991)	181
	Talkin' Over: Marley Estate Case Ends; Island Logic, Family Can Purchase Assets (Maureen Sheridan, Billboard, December 21, 1991)	184
	Let's Get Together and Deal All Right (Kirk Semple, Miami New Times (Florida), March 18, 1992)	187
	Early Wailers: Fussing & Fighting; Ska Compilation Generates Intrigue (Don Jeffrey, Billboard, June 18, 1994)	193
	Marley Deal Prompts Lawsuit; Producer Sues Family, Universal (Eileen Fitzpatrick, Billboard, June 28, 1997)	197
II	Music Gonna Teach Them a Lesson: The Meaning of Bob Marley	199
1	Zion Train: Religion, Rasta, and Revelation	200
	Bob Marley--Rastaman, Reggae Musician (Rose Blount, Black Book Bulletin)	201
	Bob Marley Live: Reggae, Rasta, and Jamaica Fourteen Years after Marley's Death (Mark Jacobson, Natural History, November 1995)	205
2	Babylon System: Politics in Jamaica and Beyond	216
	Reggae and the Revolutionary Faith ... The Role of Bob Marley (Michael Manley, The Rising Sun (People's National Party newspaper), May 1982)	217
	Bob Marley in Zimbabwe: The Untold Story (Adapted by Ree Ngwenya from Bob Marley: Songs of Freedom by Adrian Boot and Chris Salewicz, Zimbabwe Standard/African News Service, June 12, 2001)	225
3	Children Playing in the Street: Bob Marley, Family Man	231
	Marley Boys Set to Popularize Reggae (Anya McCoy, Variety, June 8, 1998)	232
	Only Natural: The Marleys Carry on Their Father's Mission--As They See It (Celeste Fraser Delgado, Miami New Times (Florida), May 2, 2002)	234
	Cedella Marley Launches a Distinctive Line of Customized Denim and Leather Reminiscent of Her Father's Rude Boy Style (Tuff Gong press release, 2001)	236
4	So Much Trouble in the World Today: "Third World" Hero	239
	Redemption Day (Alice Walker, Mother Jones, December 1986)	240
	Marley: Tale of the Tuff Gong (excerpt) (Written by Charles Hall (from a treatment by Mort Todd); Art: pencils by Gene Colan, painted by Tennyson Smith, lettering by John Costanza; Marvel Comics, September 1994)	245
5	Work: Recording Bob Marley	254
	Bob Marley: In the Studio with the Wailers (Richard Williams, Melody Maker, June 23, 1973)	255
	Chris Blackwell: An Interview with the Founding Father of the Reggae Music Industry (Timothy White, Billboard, July 13, 1991)	259
6	Wailing: The Musicians He Left Behind	271
	A Good Smoke with Peter Tosh (Stephen Davis, Oui, 1979)	272
	Bunny Wailer, Reggae Survivor: Last of Wailers Returns to Reggae Road (Mitch Potter, The Toronto Star, August 24, 1990)	279
	Still Wailing; Aston "Family Man" Barrett of the Wailers Is Keeping a Reggae Tradition Alive (Joshua Green, Denver Westword, February 19, 1998)	285
	The Wailers' Al Anderson (Klaus Ludes, Classical Reggae Interviews, May 29, 1998)	291
	The Wailers' Earl "Wia" Lindo (Klaus Ludes, Classical Reggae Interviews, May 29, 1998)	294
	Wailers Keep Spreading Marley's Message (Craig MacInnes, Toronto Star, February 20, 1987)	296
	Credits	299
	Index	303

Editorial Reviews

Bob Marley remains the most famous and influential reggae star, 23 years after his death. While he has been the subject of many traditional biographies, he hasn't inspired an anthology like this before. Bordowitz (Bad Moon Rising: The Unauthorized History of Creedence Clearwater Revival) collects essays by music critics published during Marley's life and after, as well as contributions from writers (Alice Walker) and political figures (former Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley). The articles cover Marley's early life, rise to stardom, impact on Jamaican and world music, death, wrangling over his estate, children, and Rastafarianism, concluding with articles about musicians with whom he played and who are carrying on the tradition. Generally well written and offering many viewpoints, this collection is a great read for casual readers and longtime fans. One caveat: the proofs were rife with typos, which one hopes will be fixed in the final book. Those looking for a straightforward biography should turn to Timothy White's Catch a Fire. For all collections where reggae or Bob Marley material is in demand. Bill Walker, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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