– Written by Jackson Skam –

Recently, I saw the movie Bob Marley: One Love (twice in fact) and even though as a film it wasn’t anything Oscar-worthy, I was really captivated by the music behind it. 

           Before watching this film, my thoughts about and vision of Bob Marley were mostly associated with stoner and hippie culture. After taking the time to watch Bob Marley: One Love, I really came to understand that Bob Marley is not only one of the best musicians of all time but also an activist who proved to enact actual change through arguably one of the best albums of all time, Exodus.    

           The story of Exodus, which was labelled by Time Magazine as the best album of the 20th century, begins first in Jamaica in the mid-1970s. Ever since Jamaica’s independence from the UK, it has been rife with political discourse between Jamaica’s political parties. In 1976, the Prime Minister of Jamaica invited Bob Marley to perform at the Smile Jamaica Concert on December 5th, 1976, to quell the recent political violence ahead of an election. Marley’s political views were publicly neutral, but he almost certainly supported the Prime Minister. With his position as the most popular artist in Jamaica, his support of any political party ultimately decided the winner of an election. On December 3, 1976, a group of gunmen, allegedly supported by the opposition leader and the CIA, entered Bob Marley’s home, and shot the star, his wife, and two band employees, attempting to send a message and scare him into not performing. But this attempt on his life did not stop Marley as he went to perform at the Smile Jamaica Concert only two days later, for a full 90-minute set! 

           However, Marley’s attempted assassination caused the singer to fear for his life in Jamaica and he fled to London, England to begin working on a new album; an album that would serve as a response to political strife and as a call for unity among all: Exodus. 

Exodus is an album split into two halves. Its A-side takes on a political and religious perspective, Marley’s way of addressing the political unrest in Jamaica and other places across the globe in the turbulent 1970s. However, Exodus’ B-side is a much more joyous listen, as Marley takes a more optimistic mood, preaching unity of love, as well as the unity of all humanity together. From a religious perspective, the duality of Exodus can be seen as an existential warning on the A-side, and a reflection of paradise or heaven on the B-side where everyone comes together with no hostility or anger but with peace and joy. From a political perspective, the A-side can be interpreted as the state of the world in which Marley lived during the 70s; a world where there is much fighting and division among people. From this view, the B-side can be seen as Marley’s solution to the conflicts in the world. That if we can find unity among people or “one love”, we can “get together and feel alright”. 

The first song off of Exodus’ a-side, “Natural Mystic”, perfectly sets the mood of the album with Marley playing an almost prophetic role as a righteous messenger. This opening track takes heavy inspiration from his Rastafarian beliefs, describing the current state of the world as the beginning of the end times before Judgement Day. Marley describes the world as filled with suffering and hatred, and that our world is only getting worse. Marley provides a spiritual solution to this bleak reality, which is a belief in an omnipresent “natural mystic” or God-like figure, who will save those who believe when Judgement Day arrives. This song also serves as Marley commenting on the assassination attempt against his life. This event was incredibly traumatic for Marley, having to relocate to London and send his children to live in the US. But he was able to get through it with unwavering faith, suggesting that this is how others can get through their pain.    

Natural Mystic is followed up by “So Much Things To Say” and “Guiltiness”, which is Marley’s way of criticizing the Jamaican government and the political strife in his homeland. “So Much Things To Say” is Bob Marley’s jab at politicians and the government of Jamaica by saying that they ramble on and have so many things to say but remain ignorant of the issues that afflict the country. “Guiltiness” discusses the issues of class struggle, illustrating that those on the top of the “downpressors” will try to “eat down on the small fish” or take advantage of the less powerful. But Marley makes it clear that in an instant, the “downpressors” can find themselves at the bottom, and they will regret and feel guilty for their behaviour while on top.  

To finish Exodus’ a-side are two very similar tracks of “The Heathen” and the title track, “Exodus.” “The Heathen” is a track heavily inspired by the English Rock scene that Marley experienced while recording Exodus in London. This can be seen with the very present electric guitar riffs and an incredible solo that serves as a strong background for Marley’s strong lyrics rallying fallen fighters and the oppressed to rise up against their oppressors or “Heathens” who will be pushed back upon the wall. This flows thematically into “Exodus” where Marley tells the story of Exodus from the Bible adding a perspective of leading African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans out of slavery towards their promised land or utopia. This title track also carries a second meaning, that of Marley’s personal exodus to London that he took after the assassination attempt which prompted him to create the titular album.  

Similarly to A-side’s “Natural Mystic,” Exodus’ B-side’s beginning track “Jamming” perfectly sets up the themes of peace and unity that define the album’s latter half. The title of this track comes from the Jamaican Patois word for a get-together or celebration which, along with a rhythmic reggae beat mixed with an ear-catching guitar riff conveys to the listener the feeling of just letting loose and rocking out with those around you. By jamming, Marley explains that we can take a break from fighting with each other and be united in peace through music. “Jamming” is a self-conscious track, with Marley being aware of how music affects listeners and can act as an instrument of activism. “Jamming” shows that through his music, Marley wants to inspire change through peace, which can be attained by jamming with one another.       

B-side’s next two tracks, “Waiting In Vain” and “Turn Your Lights Down Low”, are love songs, written about Marley’s lover during the final years of his life, Cindy Breakspeare. In “Waiting In Vain,” Marley speaks of his unrequited love for Cindy Breakspeare as he is waiting for her love back and is unsure if their love will work out. “Turn Your Lights Down Low” is a romantic song written for Cindy, with Marley proclaiming his love for her and how he wants to “give [her] some good, good loving”. These two tracks written for Marley’s lover help in conveying to the listener another one of Marley’s solutions for all of the bad in the world: “good, good loving”.  

To finish off Exodus, “Three Little Birds” and “One Love / People Get Ready,” serve as Marley’s solutions for the suffering and hatred depicted on the A-side. “Three Little Birds” presents an optimistic view of life, with Marley singing that you shouldn’t worry, because, in the end, everything will be alright. Marley uses this track to tell the listener that they should not worry about everything in life, because if one puts generosity and empathy into the world and does not let hatred corrupt this care for the world, everything will be fine. Marley says that if you choose to look at the good, the bad will not come your way.    

“One Love / People Get Ready” is a remake of Marley’s original track “One Love” from 1965 interpolated with Curtis Mayfield’s hit song “People Get Ready”. As the final song on Exodus, it gives a perfect grand finale to this triumphant album. Marley calls back to the pain and suffering mentioned in “Natural Mystic”, but he leaves listeners with a more optimistic message, preaching that instead of looking at the bad in the world and feeling hopeless, we should “get together” as “One Heart” and we will “feel alright”. If we all come together in harmony with one another, think of humans as one unit rather than divisions and be selfless rather than selfish, all of the world’s issues can be solved.  

From a musical perspective, Exodus is a revolutionary album through its genius infusion of Jamaican Reggae with elements of English Rock through electrifying guitar riffs as well as influences from various other genres like soul and R&B. But it is also an album rooted in political and social activism, inspiring listeners to act against injustice and hatred through peace and unity with one another.

This is what Marley would come to achieve through Exodus. After its release and international acclaim, Marley would travel back to his homeland of Jamaica and play another concert to spread the messages of peace and unity. When the band started playing the track “Jamming”, Marley brought the two rival political leaders of Jamaica on stage, bringing their hands together in unity in an act that symbolized a step towards peace in an ongoing struggle that previously scarred Marley from the attempt on his life. Exodus was such a powerful album that its message transcended the music, resulting in Marley’s desired change toward harmony.    

But for me, the most important part of Exodus is that the album is not dated. While it was inspired by the events surrounding Jamaica’s turbulent political crisis during the 1970s, the messages that Bob Marley presents through songs like “Three Little Birds” and “One Love / People Get Ready” remain relevant to this day. In many ways, the world of 2024 contains many similarities with Marley’s 1970s, as hatred and suffering continue to spread. Nevertheless, Bob Marley and his masterpiece, Exodus, speak from the past, guiding us through bearing witness to pain and suffering with the teachings of optimism, peace, unity, and love.  

Sources:

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-story-of-bob-marley-assassination-attempt

https://genius.com/albums/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers/Exodus https://www.udiscovermusic.com/bob-marley/bob-marley-exodus/