Bob Marley

One of Bob marleys most famous quotes (Google Images)

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold.” (Brainyquote.com) This inspiring quote by Bob Marley shows how he wanted people to know that life was more than money and fame. Bob Marley was a Jamaican music artist who made reggae music popular world wide. He wanted people to work together and to get along. His main goal was to foster peace through his lyrics instead of violence.

Bob Marley singing (Google Images)

Some people may think of Bob Marley as a bad influence but I look at him as a hero, and a legend. Marley is not a hero for something big like ending slavery or becoming the first black president. He is remembered for simply wanting to make peace, and for not doing it with violence. Instead, he used his skills to do it, which was making reggae music. Bob Marley was an inspiration for the lyrics in his music. He believed that you should stand up for what you believed in. For example, he sang “get up, stand up for your rights, get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight”. This quote inspires people to not quit fighting for what they believe in. This also describes that if what you’re fighting for isn’t working, to get back up and start over. But sometimes it is hard to do this yourself. That’s why in Bob Marley’s song “one love” it repeats “let’s get together and feel alright”. This quote explains that we should work together to accomplish our goals. This quote also shows that it feels good to have people working with you. Working together and standing up for what you believe in are very important heroic actions that we can all contribute too.

Bob Marleys album cover

Bob Marley did more to make a change than just making music. He also had a special bond with the youth and played an important role in politics. On Bobmarley.com it says, “Its international success cemented Marley's growing political importance in Jamaica, where his firm Rastafarian stance had found a strong resonance with the ghetto youth”.(bobmarley.com) By way of thanking the people of Jamaica, Marley decided on a free concert”. This shows that he wanted to help his community. He understood the ghetto's hardships and was doing something to help. By hosting a free concert, he explained to the slums of the city that there was a major need for peace and that the violence and murdering needed to stop. The government soon began a campaign to stop ghetto wars. Unfortunately, due to the campaign protests, Bob Marley was shot the night before the concert. But this did not stop him from following his goals, “For a day he deliberated playing the concert and then, on December 5, he came on stage and played a brief set in defiance of the gunmen.”(bobmarley.com) This heroic action shows bravery and determination to his goal. Heroes don’t give up and this proves that Marley deserves to be an inspiration to many.

Legend Album Cover (Google Images)

Bob Marley wanted to make peace with his music. Some of his messages in his lyrics such as working together, and standing up for what you believe in can really help a person in the real world. This shows Bob Marley is inspiring to me. Instead of using violence to send messages to people, he did it with his talent. That’s why he is considered a legend today. He is not like some other artists who make music for fame and money. He had a purpose, and that purpose was to make peace and inspire.

Berquist, Emily. "Marley, Bob (1945–1981)." Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Ed. Jay Kinsbruner and Erick D. Langer. 2nd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 379-380. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 May 2010.

"Marley, Bob (1945-1981)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Ed. Andrea Kovacs Henderson. Vol. 24. 2nd ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2005. Student Resource Center – Gold. Gale. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL. 5 May. 2010 .

"bob marley." bob marley, 2010. Web. 6 May 2010. .

"The house of marley." house of marley, 2010. Web. 17 May 2010. .