STAR WALKER OF THE MONTH
March, 2008
www.thestarwalkers.com
Robert ‘Bob’ Nesta Marley
February
6th, 1945 – May 11th, 1981
by – G. K. Holland
"I love the development of
our music, that's what I
really dig about the whole thing. How we've tried
to develop, y'know? It grows. That's why every day
people come forward with new songs.”--Bob Marley, August 1979
Bob Marley: musical Prophet & Visionary
For years I have prided myself on being what I would consider very knowledgably about music. In fact when asked about my personal musical taste in music I would always refer to it as eclectic, diverse if anything. So you can imagine how surprised I was when I heard Bob Marley’s Exodus song for the first time recently, (a song originally recorded in 1977). There I was standing in the middle of a crowded upscale Hollywood music bar and lounge with my most beautiful and classy date right by my side. I don’t know which was more odd, the total look of astonishment on my face or the look of curiosity on her face as she wondered why I seemed to be frozen in place so deep in thought. I had heard of Bob Marley and thought I was familiar with his music. So I was not prepared for the incredible rhythm, precision and cohesiveness of Marley’s band. It was, is, nothing short of incredible. The synchronicity of their music play reminds me of the tight horn sections of Chicago, or Tower of Power, the kind of musical integrity and performance brilliance that to this day, to my knowledge has not been duplicated. Hearing such great music just makes you just smile, but on the inside.
Music, especially timeless music, has a way of echoing specific memories of the times they were originally recorded in, or your personal memories involved when you first experienced it. It is amazing how timeless music seems to carry things forward in time. Bob Marley’s music does just that. He felt he was fighting a war against all things which oppressed the people and that the music of his band was the weapon. He knew that he and the Wailers would leave a legacy which would stand for all time. Indeed they have left a weapon of sorts, always available to encourage and inspire the listener upon the release of the first note.
When you listen to the music of Bob Marley there is a lot that he prophesied and envisioned is within the lyrical content, including his own death. From one of his song lyrics he wrote: ”One bright morning when my work is over I will fly away home.” In an odd way he would become a kind of Frodo Baggins (from Lord of the Ring) on the international music landscape with a mission to inspire millions. He received a special ring from an Ethiopian Emperor towards the end of his career. But unlike Frodo he never considered his mission a burden. But he knew he had a message he was meant to deliver and he never wavered from that.
THE BURN’N BUSH MaHn
“Send
us another brotha Moses, from across the
–
Exodus Lyric – Bob Marley
Chapter
3, verse 2, from the Book of Exodus from the Old Testament tells us about Moses
that: “…..he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was
not consumed.” I don’t feel it is going too far to say that Bob Marley’s flame
(his music) burnt people in a healing way. And certainly we know that fire
purifies. His music has the affect of having a healing kind of fire. A burning
flame that does not consume one in any negative way. After all, the fact that
the first album by Bob Marley and the Wailers being called ‘Catch Fire’ is no
mere coincidence. Those who hear Marley’s music are always the better for it in
some thought provoking way. Some seed of self improvement towards the greater
good is planted into the mind and heart of those who take in the lyrics as well
as the great music. If he was a messenger as he would often say he was, then by
the fruits of his labor and certainly the content of his lyrics, I would have
to agree with that. What an eloquent musical legacy he has left the world. His
music continues to shine as an undying and positive celestial beacon of hope.
Imagine
with me for a moment if you would. It is 1944, and somewhere in the vastness of
heaven Jah (God) is fashioning a modern day prophet,
a visionary who would be sent to deliver a message of setting the captives
free. He would be a messenger who would be gifted with a most powerful weapon,
music! Imagine God implanting within this soul a ‘flame’ set to burn brightly throughout
the world signifying his mission, yet pre-determined to extinguish once his
mission was completed. And imagine further if you would, this prophet having a
mission of catering to the ‘movement of the people’. Further imagine this
musical prophet himself envisioning a great exodus of the people from all kinds
of bondage, human slavery, mental slavery, oppression and hatred through his
music. And imagine lastly that this musical prophet being sent forth from the least
of all places one might expect, the third world.
Well
you need not imagine any further because in
Music
to many young Jamaicans was an escape from the harshness of everyday life. Bob
Marley was one of those kids who was destined to find himself in the studio
recording his first single "Judge Not". Jimmy Cliff who at the age of
14 had already recorded a couple of hits, introduced him to Leslie Kong, a
local record producer. Bob followed his advice and auditioned for Leslie Kong.
Bob's musical talents showed much more brightly then anyone else. Bobs music
lives on.
Undeniable Talent
“Music goes on forever." - Bob Marley
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Circa 1973
Bob Marley seems to have had the undeniable talent of creating music which reverberated the social conditions of the time. With the release of each new album his music gradually grew to international recognition. Marley’s music became revolutionary for all of reggae. It can be said that Marley and his band set the tune for reggae. From his first record release in 1964 up to 1981 at the time of his death, Bob Marley blazed a trail of music that will last. Not only does his music reflect what he stood for but it strikes a timeless cord of a deep love for humanity, the struggle for maintaining human rights, and an acknowledgement of something much bigger than oneself, God.
So much of Marley’s life seems
to have been driven by destiny. In describing his life as a burning bush, is it
no wonder that The Wailer's (formed in 1963) first album would be called, Catch A Fire (released in 1973 following a
three month tour of
The following year Burnin' was released. This was an LP
that included some of the band's older songs, such as "Duppy
Conquerer," "Small Axe," and "Put In On," together
with tracks like "Get Up Stand Up" and "I Shot The Sheriff"
(also recorded by Eric Clapton, who had a #1 hit with it in America). Natty
Dread (1975), Rastaman Vibration (1976), Exodus (1977) is one of my personal
favorites because of it colorful depiction of people (any and all people)
gaining their freedom from every kind of oppression, thus creating a mass
exodus to a higher level of freedom. With lyrics like: “Send us another Moses!” the songs key sentiment and message is achieved, Kaya (1978, and other works.).
Get Up & Stand Up
"If you get down and quarrel everyday, you're saying
prayers to the devil, I say." – Bob Marley
“I don't stand for the black man's side, I don' t stand for the white man's side. I stand for God's side”. – Bob
Marley
Through having to change record labels, to fighting financial hardship, to even threats on his life (a shooting occurred in 1976 that nearly cost him his life), there seems to have been an unquenchable inner fire or flame that refused to be put out. Even now (in 2008) after twenty-seven years since he passed, the flame of his musical legacy continues to burn brightly.
In April of 1978 Bob Marley returned to Jamaica to perform at the One Love Peace Concert. At this particular concert he would perform in front of the Prime Minister Michael Manley, and also the Leader of the Opposition at that time Edward Seaga. Always a man of action, it was Bob who got the two leaders to shake hands. On June 15th he was awarded the ‘Peace Medal of the Third World’ from the United Nations. The power of music is quite an amazing thing. His life experience inevitably shaped his music and vice-versa. Like his music he stood for some great ideals and truths. During this same year he would also visit Africa for the first time, beginning with Kenya and then moving on to Ethiopia which is considered the spiritual home of Rastafari.
In
1979 the Survival LP was released. Marley returned to
All of this would be followed by an
incredibly successful European tour the following year. In fact the band broke
festival records all over the continent, including a 100,000 capacity show in
Lord of the rasta ring
"Facts an' facts, an' t'ings an t'ings: dem's all a lotta fockin’
bullshit. Hear me! Dere is no truth but de one!" – Bob Marley
It was
at the start of the tour when Bob injured his toe playing his beloved sport of football
(soccer). It was later diagnosed as cancerous. Also during this tour Bob
received a very important ring, whose previous owner was the Ethiopian Emperor.
In May Bob was informed that his cancer had spread. Doctors said that his
cancer would most certainly have been taken care of by amputating the toe but
Bob refused to allow it due to his Rastafarian beliefs.
On the
morning of Sept. 21 while jogging through
A different online article reveals to us: “It would be the last show he ever
performed. Treatment prolonged his life somewhat but the inevitable was soon to
happening. Bob was transported to a
After his death he was awarded
With His Death A Musical Legend Was Born
"Me only have one ambition, y'know. I only have one thing I
really like
to see happen. I like to see mankind live together - black, white, Chinese,
everyone - that's all." – Bob Marley
So the
man who began to follow his dream of becoming a musician at the age of sixteen,
who had been influenced by the works of Ray Charles, Fats Domino and other
musical greats, became a musical legend himself. in a very big way.
“As it was in the beginning So shall it be in the end!” - One Love Lyrics – Bob Marley
Bob marley AWARDED AN HONORARY KEN JU KAI RANKING
Bob Marley you embrace so much of what Star Walker is about and what it represents. We acknowledge your great and inspiring story of standing up to stand for something. And even more importantly we recognize your strong faith and belief in a living and all powerful God. We acknowledge you, your band The Wailers and your wife and sons. Your music continues to influence minds and change hearts.
Besides Star Walker being about invisible spiritual warfare and the warriors who have been sent to fight it, both human and supernatural emissaries of good, it is also about ‘getting up and standing up for things right’, as Bob Marley would say. Within the ranks of the elite warriors known as the Ken Ju Kai (from the world of Star Walker), we extend to you the honorary 7th Rank Ken Ju Kai..
Commenteors – What other people have to say about this Star Walker of the Month, these commentaries (or quotes) are like comets and meteors, brief but prolific and enlightening – sure to leave a trail of insightfulness across your heart and in your mind - what we call Commenteors.
To Star Walk – Click here and find the star of Bob Marley (and
each member of his band The Wailers) as they are forever remembered in the
galaxy of the stars within the Star Walker Universe. View and watch the skies
slowly fill in the coming months and years as the light of Star Walker, after
Star Walker, after Star Walker fills the heavens. We do this as an interactive
tribute to those who have through fate, destiny, and even under divine purpose,
left the rest of us behind, as well as to those who are still with us.
Star
Past
Star Walkers of the Month:
January 2008 – Seal & Heidi Klum
December 2007 – Star Walker of the Year - Chuck Norris
September 2007 – Vince LombardiH
Vince Lombardi
December 2006 - Paul Allen Knopf
November 2006 - Princess Diana