National Library of Jamaica 31 � ports a d.readlock hairstyle, 'I met Johnny Nash in Jamaica plaiting his locks in a long-flo,,._ about five yea1;s ago. He was on ing style that retains the woven vacation. \Ve had some records appearance of corn rows. 'Haile on the radio, a1�d him listen to it. Selassie is stronger than any,' the Him kind of get interested in tho Rasta man affirmed the day type of lyric and type of melody. after his second sold-out per­ Johnny did Stir It Up and later fonnance at tho Lyceum in finished I Can See Oleady Now London in July. 'He is Imperial there.' Maje ty the Abnighty, the Crea­ ash's Stir It Up was sweeter tor. Rim can "do whatever him and more refined than Marley's want. He is earth's rightful own version, which appeared on ruler.' Suggesting that Selassie Gatch a Fire, the first "Vlailer·s had been deposed as Emperor or release in Engand. Yet Stir It Up trying to do anything but take was a mall hit compared ,,·ith notes in the face of such faith is, .r ash' own I Can See Clearly a Robin Denselow noted in the }..'ow, an American number one Guardian, 'like talking to a genial which helped give him a hit creature f1·om outer space'. follow-up with Marley's Guava Jelly. Streisand's hairdresser/pro­ The universal sentiment ducer Jon Peters had her record Yet popular as he may be at the ong, ·which she released as a home for these aspects of his single shortly after Clapton had persona, Marley has been cham­ gone to number one in tho States pioned by pop celebrities and with I Shot the Sheriff. That tw1e critics alike for his words and had originally appeared on tho music. The plight of the Wailers' second albwn, Burnin', Jamaican slum-dweller is an as a plea for mercy from the exper·ience of suffering and re­ accused, ,,·ho admitted that 'I pression v.rith which rebellious hot the she1·iffjBut I did not pop fans can ompathise. 'Why shoot the deputy.' can't we roam this open cow1try/ 'Someone told me Clapton was Oh why can't we be what we doing the recording. I said, want to be/We want to be free', great!' Marley enthused at Ham­ is a universal sentiment. mersmith. '\''hen I heard it, in Marley rccogni es the duality of sounded good. Eric Clapton did his appeal. 'People are people, all right to it. I feel we haYe too pooplo think good, people think much musical break. Eric-.Clsp­ bad,' he said in the Hammer­ ust went in, "I shot the smith offices of Island Records, riff," wham, right into the where he had just conferred with erse. "·ham, "I shot the sheriff," his mentor, label chief Chri other verse. Meanwhile, we Blackwell. 'In Jamaica, there is shot the sheriff, hit some music, not just for Jamaica. I thin!· then the ver·se. Pcnple can dig it universal. I talk Jamaica. To be on an LP, but for a 45 it can't tmi ver al, I still have to talk work. vVhen you do an original Jamaica. People m.ight have a song, someone can listen and try hard time w1cler. tanding what and improYe on what you did.' I'm really saying, but some songs I leave J·amaica and deal with Explosive lines uni vor al people.' Marley's genial personal mmuwr It is these that are hi most belies the re,·olutionary tono of famou numbers, song that non­ his lyrics. His albums sound like­ Jamaicans can relate to without the work of a man dedicated to embarrassment. Sti1· It Up is a perhaps violent social change. sexy number taken to the BBC Burnin' took its title from the Top Twenty by Johnny ash in track Burnin' and Lootin'. Revo­ 1971, Guava Jelly a Nash follow­ lution from Natty Dread, the up later recorded by Barbra most recent album, affirmed that Streisand on B1ttterjly, and I 'It takes a revolution to make a Shot the She1·ijj, a worldwide hit solution.' Talkin' Blues included for Eric Clapton. the literally explosive lines 'I fef'l It was the Nash connection that lilm bombing a church/Now you first won Marley a white audi­ lrnow that the preacher is lying.' ence. He had been active in tho The composer grinned when Jamaican recording industry asked about the latter lyric. sinco 1962, and the \Vailers, 'Some people might not appre­ fonnccl in 196+, had done much ciate that, because them love to puptLl>wise tho infant reggae God and feel the church is a holy form, a refuwmout of thl:) ska placo. The Man himself isn't in bt,at that briefly received British nne church. People. talk about notice in the mid-Sixties. Liko one church and another church, most musical pioneers, Marley who preach. That isn't the real had to be plagiarised before his thing. Anyone can read dem own work was accepted. Bible and get dem education .... 36 THIE �.SitDEAS 34 <Ill from the Bible.' Marley also vVailers an accomplished in tru­ diluted his reference to ro,·olu­ mental groufl., and others of tion. 'There's a revolution going whom see the group as an im­ on, a secret revolution that won't portant part of their life style. be televi ed. People want right­ Writmg a Marley cover stoq' for· eousness. The revolution is Time Out shortly before the b1·ingi.ng children back to God. Lyceum concerts, Myles Palmer "So Jah seh,/Not one of my concluded that the more people seeds,JShall sit in the side­ who realised the W ailcrs were walk/ and beg- bread./ And verily, music and not just reggae, the verily,JI'm saying tmto thee/ better. An irate Rastafarian Inite on self and loYe Imanity." replied in print that the more 'I don't know if big people can people who realised the W ailers get together, but the youth were reggae and not just music, could. When the youth unite, the better. maybe the big people will follow. The group goes on, oblivious to Youth have to get a chance to the split in their wake. Natty nm tho earth. Only the youth can Dread, named after the hairstyl do tho right thing right now. '¥e was their fu·st LP to enter the need youth, youth have more American charts, giYing them love inside in this time than the personal success. Demand for live big man, who get lost in the performances increase in both material type of thing. The big America and Britain, altho11gh man did a great job in getting all it is difficult to pry the act away these material things, but tho from home. When they last came youth can rule it.' to England they interpreted n Marley roared at his own audac­ snow-fall as a divine omen and ity. He realised his lyrics were to fled the co1.mtry. be taken in the spirit, not to the letter·, for he is a warm man as Not for the kids well as a rebel. His No WomanNo That gesture, humorous to many C1·y, which Island have tried to people in the record industry. capture live for single release, is was consistent for the '¥ailers. a tno,ring admonition to a lover Being faithful to their roots Ita� not to weep when her man leaves delayed their acceptance in other her to seek the future. If anyone ways. Their refusal to embellislt weeps, it may well be the their records means t=:P-t t.h� ir· listener: 'My feet is my only radio e:--.-posure, outside speciali�;­ carriage/and o I've go to push programmes such as appear on thru,/Oh, while I'm gone,/ weeldy on Radio London and Everything's gonna be alright/ Capital, is virtually nil. Child­ Everything's gonna be alright./ ren's programmes like Top of the o woman no cry JNo wo1nan no Pops are out of the question. The cry, I seh littl darlin'jdon't shed Wailers e:�>.-pand their white fan no tears,JNo \YOman no cry.' following only thr01.1gh word-of­ Jnouth and the rave notices of Appeal to the heart the popular music press. The Nwnbers like Lively Up Yourself, recent visit earned Marley not an ode to the physical pleasures only the cover of Time O·ut but of dancing to reggae, and Get Up, the front of .Melody JI,Jaker and Stand Up, a call to tand up for the New Jl.:'lusical Express. one's rights, al o have humani. tic The group gets another boost lyrics, and it is this appeal which from its celebrity follo>�"ing. Paul has won such a di\·erse audience. McCartney names the 'V ailers as His London Lyceum crowds were one of his three favourite acts. composed of almost equal ele­ and George Harrison and Ringo ments of black and white, the Starr turned out to sec them in whites swaying to the rhythms Los Angeles. Marley is enjoying of the Wailers and some blacks the 'musician's musician' sobri­ also appreciating the occasional quet Stevie V\'onder held before cries of 'Rasta!' coming from the breaking through to the mass stage. At times the music would market in 1973. A tour "·ith stop and a single spotlight shone any major pop act could break on the Selassie portrait hung on the Wailers open at any time.