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Bob Marley: Soul Rebel: The Stories Behind Every Song 1962-1981
Bob Marley left a legacy of politically and religiously charged songs of lyrical power and social significance that has changed the history of popular music. In addition to exploring the experiences behind Marley's best work, Chris Welch reveals the significance of the superb singles and albums delivered by Bob Marley and the Wailers from the early '60s to Marley's untimely death in May 1981. Includes 90 color and black-and-white photographs, a complete discography, and a chronology.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 24, 1999
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November 22, 2014
Any Marley fan voraciously devours any and all information about Bob and there is probably enough here to justify a purchase IF one has read most or all of the other important Marley books. I did use this book along with all the others in my research for my own book. It's been a while since I studied the book but what really stands out in my mind is the virtually complete lack of understanding of what was going on in Jamaica in the 1970s and without this understanding it is impossible to paint a thorough and deep portrait of Bob and the meaning invested in many of his most important songs.
The author repeats the standard Western propaganda version of Manley vs Seaga etc with no insight at all into what was really going on with the political situation of a young country (in 1976, fourteen years since Independence) struggling against the hegemony of Big Brother to the North. In that sense, this book does a great disservice to Bob, Jamaica and the Jamaican people.
The other material gives the book some value but readers should be aware of this huge glaring caveat about the superficial, inaccurate description of the times (the 1970s in particular) and without that there can be no appreciation of Bob - the preeminent popular symbol of freedom and struggle against oppression in the 20th C.) - no appreciation of Bob as a man of and for his times.
Review by author of Stir It Up: The CIA Targets Jamaica, Bob Marley and the Progressive Manley Government, a novel.
The author repeats the standard Western propaganda version of Manley vs Seaga etc with no insight at all into what was really going on with the political situation of a young country (in 1976, fourteen years since Independence) struggling against the hegemony of Big Brother to the North. In that sense, this book does a great disservice to Bob, Jamaica and the Jamaican people.
The other material gives the book some value but readers should be aware of this huge glaring caveat about the superficial, inaccurate description of the times (the 1970s in particular) and without that there can be no appreciation of Bob - the preeminent popular symbol of freedom and struggle against oppression in the 20th C.) - no appreciation of Bob as a man of and for his times.
Review by author of Stir It Up: The CIA Targets Jamaica, Bob Marley and the Progressive Manley Government, a novel.
Displaying 1 of 1 review