Bars Could Not Hold Me

I will be the first to admit that I have completely dropped the ball on the Bob Marley project. I wanted it to be an exhaustive, reflective overview of every aspect of the book Catch a Fire, but what ended up happening was the book ran away from me.

Every night, I would read fifty pages or more and the reflections took a back seat. I have always been hyperbolic, so what I am about to say is nothing new, but I will say it anyway:

Catch A Fire is one of the most important books of the twentieth century. It is a must read not only for music connoisseur, while the extensive exploration of reggae is second to none, it is how this book contextualizes the socio-political/economic and historic events that gave birth to yet another music genre rooted in the ghetto and suffering and oppression that make this book mandatory reading. A hybrid history text, biography, and blueprint of the music industry, Catch a Fire demands to be read by anyone with an interest in humanity.

I am only sorry I did not write the posts, in which I compare the similarities between Bob Marley and Tupac Shakur:

But stay tuned, I am not done with my investigation yet. I hope to write more posts under the Bob Marley tag in the coming weeks. I feel saddened that this book is finished. I am excited with the bonds I have made with Marley's story.

I will leave you with my favorite song. I have written about Babylon System before, but this song more than any other epitomizes the power and influence Bob Marley has had on the world. His message cannot be anymore obvious:

Tell the children the truth and REBEL, REBEL, REBEL!

We refuse to be
What you wanted us to be;
We are what we are:
That's the way it's going to be. If you don't know!
You can't educate I
For no equal opportunity:
Talkin' 'bout my freedom,
People freedom and liberty!
Yeah, we've been trodding on the winepress much too long:
Rebel, rebel!
Yes, we've been trodding on the winepress much too long:
Rebel, rebel!

Babylon system is the vampire, yea!
Suckin' the children day by day, yeah!
Me say: de Babylon system is the vampire, falling empire,
Suckin' the blood of the sufferers, yea-ea-ea-ea-e-ah!
Building church and university, wo-o-ooh, yeah! -
Deceiving the people continually, yea-ea!
Me say them graduatin' thieves and murderers;
Look out now: they suckin' the blood of the sufferers
Yea-ea-ea!

Tell the children the truth;
Tell the children the truth;
Tell the children the truth right now!
Come on and tell the children the truth;
Tell the children the truth;
Tell the children the truth;
Tell the children the truth;
Come on and tell the children the truth.

'Cause - 'cause we've been trodding on ya winepress much too long:
Rebel, rebel!
And we've been taken for granted much too long:
Rebel, rebel now!

Trodding on the winepress
got to rebel, y'all!
We've been trodding on the winepress much too long - ye-e-ah!
Yea-e-ah! Yeah! Yeah!

From the very day we left the shores
Of our Father's land
We've been trampled on,
Oh now! (we've been oppressed, yeah!) Lord, Lord, go to ..

Next book in my cue is Sam Harris’ Letter to a Christian Nation; perhaps I will be better at documenting my thoughts on that book.