Timothy Whites “Catch a Fire: the Life of Bob Marley Essay Example

history are “who the cap fit” which stood so meaningful to the Jamaican men. This song was more a proverb which silently portrayed the image of a farmer who is scattering feed. The message bob passed in the song was that a person was not to be taken for what he seemed to be rather than who he was in reality.

Bob Marley was seen as a completely different musician in the Jamaican history because of the use of proverbs in his songs because they were only believed to be used by teachers and parents towards their children. Bob recorded a song “duppy conqueror” In the 1960`s which was immediately after his release from Kingstone police for a small offence of involving himself with ganja. In this song, he criticized the Jamaican traditional street as one that could defy a bully. Wailer`s music is said to have used the language of lore and idioms for the humble citizens of Jamaica by explaining the duties of Rastafarians on earth (White 45)

In the year 1981 on April, Bob Marley got an award as Jamaica`s order of merit which was one of the highest honors one could ever receive. He got this price because of his contributions towards preserving the culture of Jamaica. After this award, it was a month when he was reported dead from a problem of the brain, lung cancer and liver. Marley had paid a visit to Africa in Zimbabwe for a concert.

He was received with honor in this African country where thousands of people turned up with smiles and appreciated the communion which existed between Rastafarians and their concern and involvement with Africa. During

his burial, actions of honor were done as the passages from scriptures were read by the governor general of Jamaica and also the opposition party leader. His eulogy was read by an honorable man, Edward seaga.

The well-known wailers played some of the best bob Marley songs. Other people who sang Marley’s songs to impress his hero life include his own wife Rita Marley, bob`s children, his mother Cedella who performed bob Marley’s last song “coming in from the cold”. Bob Marley is said to have had a very close relationship with the wailers and that he was the source of its good run. The wailer team faced a lot of problems after Marley’s death with some instances of temporarily closing down their shows. The wailers, under the leadership of bob Marley made trips and organized shows around the world as they were to change people`s view about the existence of reggae music (White 75)

They explained reggae as music that could explain, interpret and change the morals of the world. Bob Marley was the only man in the history of reggae music who could have an impact on the popular music mainstream. Marley had a close relationship with Alan. They both won the hearts of the people of Jamaica as they took over the clubs of the town and those night clubs located in Kingstone.

Bob Marley and Taylor were said to be the first in Jamaican history to willingly display their dreads socially instead of hiding them deep to convince the corps of their innocence. Bob Marley’s life with Taylor in 1973 turned out one of the most incidences talked of by the citizens. Bob had

a deal with Taylor which he accepted because of his moxie about renegotiating a contract by bob Marley with the island.

Bob once met a guitarist who was named al Anderson and was working upon a project for an album with Chris woods, they agreed that he would join the wailers and after this he followed bob Marley to Kingstone where he was to help him in producing an album named natty dread (White 105) The album was later picked up with a lot of criticism by the JLP as they interpreted one of the songs on it that it addressed the kind of treatment received by peter tosh.

After the recovery of peter tosh, he released three single songs that were released immediately after one another. The wailers embarked on tours across Europe in 1975. The issue of batman was taken differently by the people of Jamaica and around the world with some of them questioning the real intention of batman. It was said that batman might have been in the intention of sparing the poor and in turn saving the youths against a mandatory sentence of life which was imposed for possession in Gun Court.

According to White (134) Shantytown was heading towards an election year but the problem was that many gunmen in the town were ready to use their guns in the campaigns. In dungle, things were bad in a way that even landlords had to question your political standing before you moved in. in 1976; we are informed of how bob Marley was left with the responsibility of taking care of Ciddy and the other children, this was after the death of Edward

Booker.

Bob Marley had to rent a house next to Ciddy`s and this meant that he could pay more visits than he did before. Political issues trended then with tosh involved in some dangerous action where he was a victim of harassment by the law enforcement officers of Jamaica. After a tragic incidence in an hotel faced by tosh, we are introduced to a word that he produced out of fear “Bumbaclot”. Tosh produced another album in 1983 “mama Africa which included an address of his peace treaty. Ongala is said to be a man who developed pride and love for his locks after he saw that the hair by bob Marley was the same as his after he released his records.

During the Zimbabwe show on independence, Thomas Mapfumo who was a gifted man in the playing of mbira thumb piano and the pioneer of the struggle music dance was invited to a moment of fame with bob Marley. This man was made famous by a single night just because of his involved with bob Marley.

He is said to copy Marley’s moves in the stage and manners. Lucky Dube, a South African singer, had successfully done music for four gold albums that were loved by his fans. Problem arose in 1986 when lucky Dube showed interest in changing his music to reggae circa which was to show influence by bob Marley. The initial record by lucky Dube “Rasta’s Never Die” was banned by the local radio stations. Reggae music in Nigeria adopted bob Marley as their apostle (White 234)

Generally, the book catch a fire which in the real sense means to catch hell. It talks of

the fact of faith and other hard facts like redemption and damnation. It gives us a history of music in Jamaica. It gives us the real kind of environment that bob Marley grew up in, the kind of love he received from people around the world and also the kind of influence his music made in other people’s life. This book has also introduced to us the life after bob Marley and how his legend lives for the kind of influence he had during his time.