Bob Marley's Redemption

In songs such as “Exodus,” “One Love/People Get Ready,” and “Blackman Redemption,” Bob Marley showcased Rastafarian principles while still appealing to a larger audience with his calls of redemption and freedom. Blackman Redemption is clearly a song inspired directly from Marley’s African heritage, but it carries an undertone that all nationalities can relate to. Bob Marley sings, “Coming from the root of King David/Through to the line of Solomon/His Imperial Majesty is the Power of Authority: spread out, spread out/Spread out, spread out.” He is referencing the Rasta doctrine when he mentions King David and the line of Solomon, as they believe they have descended directly from the early Israelites. Along with specifically mentioning Africans, …show more content…
“Exodus,” sung by Bob Marley and the Wailers, could be interpreted as a type of response to “Blackman Redemption.” “Exodus” is about Africans leaving wider society they call “Babylon.” This song is a call for them to return to their spiritual home- “walk - all right! - through de roads of creation: we the generation (Tell me why!) (Trod through great tribulation)/Trod through great tribulation.” Marley sings, “Are you satisfied (with the life you're living)?/Uh! We know where we're going, uh!/We know where we're from.” On a primal level, everyone wants a place they can call home. “Exodus” brings to mind the suffering that Africans have experienced and the pride and rejoicing they would experience when returning home. Also, when Marley asks “Are you satisfied (with the life you're living)?”, it causes one to take a look at their life and decide if they are content. According to Sharon Gunton, “[Exodus is the Wailers'] most unified U.S. album.” The album Exodus was (and still is) extremely popular in the United States. This goes to show that even in America, where there are so many different nationalities, people still relate to Bob Marley’s