Analysis Of Bob Marley's Redemption Song

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Music has always been a big part of my life. Music is not just a bunch of melodies, rhythms, and vibrant sounds. It is a comfort to me. The lyrics of a song challenge my intellect and the rhythms and beats affect my emotions. Music understands me when people don’t. At times it takes me back to an event in my life or even in history. Both consciously and subconsciously my mind remembers the emotions that are attached to a certain song. It can make me feel on top of the world or the complete opposite; music can change the atmosphere and also set the mood. Music has power over my human soul. It soothes it. I cannot imagine not having music to listen to. It is a powerful force and my love for it is incredible.
I can remember listening to music …show more content…

Will it teach a lesson about slavery in the New World? Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” was released in 1980. It was the last song he released on his album ‘Uprising’ with The Wailers, before he died from cancer. This song summarizes his life and the two main things he stood for: freedom and redemption (Beviglia 1). “Redemption Song” focuses on the idea of oppression of enslaved Africans who were brought to Jamaica by Europeans. Marley sings and derives the most eminent lyrics “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery / None but ourselves can free our minds!” (lines 13-14) from a speech given by Marcus Garvey, a Civil Rights Activist (Beviglia 1). Marley is conveying the message that in order to truly be free, one cannot be mentally conditioned by society. One must have the determination to not allow others to dictate how one thinks, speaks, or feels because people are told things and then they accept that as the truth. Learn to know yourself and not be influenced by the people around you, only you can liberate …show more content…

Marley is illustrating the obliteration of Africans by slavery. These words describe how Africans were taken from their homeland that was filled with great resources and wealth to be brought to the Caribbean to work for Europeans on plantations. However, they remained strong because of God. Now the descendants of the slaves are given the chance of having the right to life that their ancestors never had. The next lines “Won 't you help to sing / These songs of freedom? / Because all I ever have / Redemption songs” (9-12). Marley is urging the Black community to sing songs of redemption. He is expressing that all he ever had was

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