BOB MARLEY

BOB MARLEY 

 1) Presentation.  
a/ Bob Marley.

Nesta Marley was born in February 6th, 1945, in St Ann Parish in Jamaica.

His mother was a young black woman and he doesn't know his father, who was a white man.

In his early years, he lived alone in Trench Town, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods of Kingston.  

At this moment, Marley starts music ( playing  guitar, songwriting... ).

With his reggae group The Wailling Wailers, Nesta becomes Bob.

After a trip in the United States, Bob developps a growing interest in the Rastafarian mouvement.

In 1975, the band, now called Bob Marley and the Wailers scor their first Top 40 hit with "No woman, No cry" , in Britain.

But a group of gunmen attacks Marley and The Wailers, on the night of december 3th, 1976, one bullet struck the singer in the sternum and in the biceps, and another hit his wife, Rita. Fortunately the Marelys are not severly injured.

In 1977, a doctor discovers cancer cells, but Marley refuses to have a surgery because his religion
prohibited  the amputation.
In 1988, he isn't able to fight the cancer, so he set out to return in Jamaica. He dies in Miami on may 11th, 1988.
Before his death he had received a Order of Merit of the Jamaican gouvernement and a Medal of Peace.

The Wailers
b/ Rastafarian Mouvement. 
This mouvement take place in 1930 in Jamaica. It's sometimes considereted as a religion , but many of adherent describe it like a way of life. The leader of this is Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia ( 1930/ 1974 ). Rastas believe in Jah ( Jahweh or Jehova ) found in the King James Version of the Bible.

Haile Selassie I

2 )Buffalo Soldiers.
a/ Lyrics and video . 

Lyrics: Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta: There was a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America, Stolen from Africa, brought to America, Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival. I mean it, when I analyze the stenche To me it makes a lot of sence How the Dreadlock Rasta Was the Buffalo Soldier And he was taken from Africa, brought to America Fighting on arival, fighting for survival Said he was a Bffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America If you know your history, Then you would know where you coming from, Then you wouldn't have to ask me, Who the 'eck do I think I am. I'm just a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America, Stolen from Africa, brought to America, Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival; Said he was a Buffalo Soldier win the war for America. Dreadie, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy, Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy, Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Buffalo Soldier troddin' through the land, wo-ho-ooh! Said he wanna ran, then you wanna hand, Troddin' through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea. Said he was a Buffalo Soldier win the war for America; Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta, Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival; Driven from the mainland to the heart of the Caribbean. Singing, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy, Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy, Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Troddin' through San Juan in the arms of America; Troddin' through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta. Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy, Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy, Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! In the video, we can see, the Buffalo Soldiers's regiment fighting in the Native Americain Conflict, and trying to stay alive.

b/ Analysis of the song.

The song Buffalo Soldier was written by Bob Marley and Noel Williams in 1980. It was released on the "Legend" album in 1984.
The Buffalo Soldiers was the name of the Amercain soldiers taken from Africa during the Native Amercain Conflict in 1866 against the Indians. They had this nickname because of their curly long dark hair and their black skin, which can be assosieted with the buffalo.
The third stanza explain how African people have been taken from their countries against their will, and how they had to fight for surviving.
In the first time, they were here just for stay alive but, later on,  they had to fight, "win the war for America" and kill the Native Amercain people.
The verse : " Said he was a Buffalo Soldier win the war for America."  reminds us that the Africain Americain soldiers were just instrumental building America. 

3)Why I releated this with the "Heroes and Myths" Notion :

In my opinion, Bob Marley can be considereted as a myth since his peace message, and his positive way of life despite his hard childhood. He can be an example because he had become succesfull in spite of this.
During his life, he was a artist commited ( Get Up, Stand Up, War, ect... ) 
Moreover, today he's still one of the more famours singers in the world, for every generations.

4) More things.   

Get Up, Stand Up :

 Rita and Bob :