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Bob Marley & the Wailers - Could You Be Loved

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Could You Be Loved Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Uprising
Released: 1980

Could You Be Loved Lyrics

Could You Be Loved and be loved?
Could you be loved and be loved?

Don't let them fool ya
Or even try to school ya! Oh, no!
We've got a mind of our own
So go to hell if what you're thinking is not right!
Love would never leave us alone
A-yin the darkness there must come out to light

Could you be loved and be loved?
Could you be loved, wo now! and be loved?

(The road of life is rocky and you may stumble too
So while you point your fingers someone else is judging you)
Love your brotherman!
(Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?
Could you be, could you be loved?
Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?
Could you be, could you be loved?)

Don't let them change ya, oh!
Or even rearrange ya! Oh, no!
We've got a life to live
They say: only, only
Only the fittest of the fittest shall survive
Stay alive! Eh!

Could you be loved and be loved?
Could you be loved, wo now! and be loved?

(You ain't gonna miss your water until your well runs dry
No matter how you treat him, the man will never be satisfied)
Say something! (Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?
Could you be, could you be loved)
Say something! Say something! (Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something! (Could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something! Say something! (Say something!)
Say something! Say something! (Could you be loved?) Say something!
Say something! Reggae, reggae!
Say something! Rockers, rockers!
Say something! Reggae, reggae!
Say something! Rockers, rockers!
Say something! (Could you be loved?) Say something! Uh!
Say something! Come on!
Say something! (Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something! (Could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something! (Could you be, could you be, could you be loved?)
Say something! (Could you be, could you be loved?)

Writer/s: BOB MARLEY
Publisher: BLUE MOUNTAIN MUSIC LTD.
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Could You Be Loved

Written by Marley in 1979, "Could You Be Loved" starts with a spare yet distinctive guitar riff that repeats under the track's relentless beat and one of the best known opening lines in history: "Don't let them fool ya! Or even try to school ya!"

The interpretation of this opener and the other lyrics depends on what you think the song's about. Some think it's a love song. Others say Marley wrote it as a ballad to the poverty and struggle he witnessed, while still others claim he wrote it on a plane from Brazil in response to how much love he received when he performed there. Some even see it as being about a man reaffirming his faith in the face of personal struggle. Those familiar with Rastafarianism and Marley's lyrical style (in which he often referred to himself as "you" while simultaneously referring to everyone else, a concept that comes from the Rasta belief that all are one) believe Marley uses the song to convey an urgent message to himself and others: at all cost, stay mentally and spirituality fit inside Babylon's system.

The true meaning probably lies somewhere in a melange of all these theories.

Followers of Rastafarianism see capitalism, government corruption, and even the gold-backed monetary system as part of "Babylon" and live lives as divorced from it as possible.

By the time Uprising was released, Marley and the Wailers had come full circle. Originally a group of shanty dwellers from Jamaica's slums in 1963, the late '70s saw a different Wailers story - and tax bracket. The group was successful, with the trappings that come with it: money, fame, women. This, according to many, caused Marley to have a growing sense of conflict about success in the very system lambasted in his lyrics. As the Wailers began work on what would be their last album, he was also frequently ill as he had lived with the 1977 diagnosis of the cancer that would kill him a year after Uprising's release.

Lyrics to this song read like a disjointed sermon/prayer, where psalms and Bible verses encapsulated into one liners marry preeminent Rastafarian themes like righteousness and revolution. Some examples:

"Love would never leave us alone" could be a reference to Jah, or God, as "love." When combined with the next line, "darkness that must come out the light" - a reference to the Bible verse, "For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad." (Luke 8.17), the lyrics might mean, "Jah will never leave you, so don't worry about anything oppressing you because Jah will reveal and destroy it." All things done in darkness coming to light is an oft-used allegory in Rasta teachings for good overcoming evil.

"Don't let them change ya! Or even re-arrange ya!" reinforce the opening lines. Both lines could be warnings against allowing agents of Babylon to tamper with the righteousness of Jah's children. Marley's exclamations, "Only the fittest of the fittest shall survive! Stay alive! Yeah!", in light of the lyrics prior to it could certainly be another reminder that spiritual fitness is needed to survive in Babylon's system.

Toward the end of the song, the backup singers the I-Threes sing lines from Marley's first single, "Judge Not," a Ska tune about morality released in 1962: "The road of life is rocky, and you may stumble too. So while you point a finger, someone else is judging you."

These lines are likely based on the Biblical admonishment, "Judge not lest ye be judged." Marley's repetition of this lyric from a previous song may have been done to drive home his point about the importance of morality.

This was the first reggae song to get prominent airplay on major American radio stations. It was first played by Frankie Crocker at the New York radio station WBLS. Thanks to this airplay, the song became one of the Wailers' most successful hits and was later used in several films, including I Love You to Death, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Blue Crush, 50 First Dates and Fool's Gold.

While it's hard to be sure exactly what this song is about, use of the cuica in the beginning of the song - the other instrument in the intro that's not the guitar - lends credibility to the theory that the song has something to do with Brazil. The cuica, or "friction drum" is a Brazilian instrument.

Marley wrote this song with hit potential in mind. He wanted to break into the American market ahead of a big tour that took him into the States (this Uprising tour was his last). He figured that his Reggae music would not be easily accepted among mainstream black audiences, so he wrote this song with a faster, almost Disco beat.

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Buffalo Soldier

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Buffalo Soldier Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Confrontation
Released: 1983

Buffalo Soldier Lyrics

Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta
There was a Buffalo Soldier
In the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

I mean it, when I analyze the stench
To me, it makes a lot of sense
How the Dreadlock Rasta was the Buffalo Soldier
And he was taken from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

Said he was a Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta
Buffalo Soldier, in the heart of America

If you know your history
Then you would know where you coming from
Then you wouldn't have to ask me
Who the heck do I think I am

I'm just a Buffalo Soldier
In the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Said he was fighting on arrival
Fighting for survival
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier
Win the war for America

Dreadie, woe yoe yoe, woe woe yoe yoe
Woe yoe yoe yo, yo yo woe yo, woe yoe yoe

Woe yoe yoe, woe woe yoe yoe
Woe yoe yoe yo, yo yo woe yo woe yo yoe

Buffalo Soldier, trodding through the land
Said he wanna ran, then you wanna hand
Trodding through the land, yea, yea

Said he was a Buffalo Soldier
Win the war for America
Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Driven from the mainland
To the heart of the caribbean

Singing, woe yoe yoe, woe woe yoe yoe
Woe yoe yoe yo, yo yo woe yo woe yo yoe

Woe yoe yoe, woe woe yoe yoe
Woe yoe yoe yo, yo yo woe yo woe yo yoe

Trodding through San Juan
In the arms of America
Trodding through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta

Woe yoe yoe, woe woe yoe yoe
Woe yoe yeo yo, yo yo woe yo woe yo yoe

Writer/s: WILLIAMS, NOEL / MARLEY, BOB
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Buffalo Soldier

The Buffalo Soldiers were a segregated regiment of black cavalry fighters during the American campaign to rid the West of "Indians" so that "civilized" white people could gain the lands used by Native Americans. Ironically, many of the soldiers were slaves taken from Africa. Bob Marley gives a small history lesson as a protest song about the black man's role in building the country that continues to oppress him. (thanks, James - Rochester, NY)

Released two years after Marley's death, this song was one of the last that he recorded. Issued as a single, it reached #4 on the UK charts, where Marley had as much success posthumously as he did when he was alive: seven more released charted after this one.

The song was included on Confrontation (1983), which was the first Bob Marley album released after his death, and also on the hits collection Legend (1984), which became the best-selling Reggae album of all time.

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Trenchtown Rock

Bob Marley & the Wailers - Trenchtown Rock Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Songs Of Freedom
Released: 1975

Trenchtown Rock Lyrics

One good thing about music, when it hits you fell no pain
One good thing about music, when it hits you fell no pain
So hit me with music, hit me with music
Hit me with music, hit me with music now
I got to say trench town rock
I say don't watch that
Trench town rock, big fish or sprat
Trench town rock, you reap what you sow
Trench town rock, and everyone know now
Trench town rock, don't turn your back
Trench town rock, give the slum a try
Trench town rock, never let the children cry
Trench town rock, cause you got to tell JAH, JAH

You grooving Kingston 12, grooving, Kingston 12
Grooving woe, woe, it's Kingston 12
Grooving it's Kingston 12
No want you fe galang so,
No want you fe galang so
You want come cold I up
But you can't come cold I up
Cause I'm grooving, yes I'm grooving

I say one good thing, one good thing
When it hits you feel no pain
One good thing about music
When it hits you feel no pain
So hit me with music
Hit me with music now
Hit me with music, hit me with music
Look at that, Trench Town rock
I say don't watch that, Trench Town rock
If you big fish or sprat, Trench Town rock
You reap what you sow, Trench Town rock
And everyone know now, Trench Town rock
Don't turn your back, Trench Town rock
Give the slum a try, Trench Town rock
Never let the children cry, Trench Town rock
Cause you got to tell JAH, JAH why
Grooving, grooving, grooving, grooving

Writer/s: Beckford, Euwart / Robinson, Tony
Publisher: EMI Music Publishing
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Trenchtown Rock

Trenchtown is a poor area in Kingston, Jamaica where Marley grew up. After a hurricane destroyed many of the homes there in 1951, a new settlement formed around a dump site. It was a difficult way of life, and Marley wrote this about how music was an escape from the poverty and desperation of Trenchtown.

Sublime covered this on their 1997 album Second Hand Smoke. Lead singer Bradley Nowell was a huge fan of Marley and referenced him in many of Sublime's songs. (thanks, Megan - Saratoga, NY, for above 2)

Bob Marley & the Wailers - No Woman No Cry

Bob Marley & the Wailers - No Woman No Cry Youtube Music Videos and Lyrics

Album: Natty Dread
Released: 1975

No Woman No Cry Lyrics

No, woman, no cry,
No, woman, no cry,
No, woman, no cry,
No, woman, no cry.

Said, said, said, I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown,
Oba - obaserving the 'ypocrites
As they would mingle with the good people we meet.
Good friends we have, oh, good friends we've lost
Along the way.
In this great future, you can't forget your past,
So dry your tears, I seh.

No, woman, no cry,
No, woman, no cry.
'Ere, little darlin', don't shed no tears,
No, woman, no cry.

Said, said, said, I remember when-a we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown.
And then Georgie would make the fire lights,
As it was logwood burnin' through the nights.
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge,
Of which I'll share with you,
My feet is my only carriage,
So I've got to push on through.
But while I'm gone, I mean,

Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right!
I said, everything's gonna be all right-a!
Everything's gonna be all right!
Everything's gonna be all right, now!
Everything's gonna be all right!

So, woman, no cry,
No, no, woman, woman, no cry.
Woman, little sister, don't shed no tears,
No, woman, no cry.

I remember when we used to sit
In the government yard in Trenchtown.
And then Georgie would make the fire lights,
As it was logwood burnin' through the nights.
Then we would cook cornmeal porridge,
Of which I'll share with you,
My feet is my only carriage,
So I've got to push on through.
But while I'm gone,

No, woman, no cry,
No, woman, no cry.
Woman, little darlin', say don't shed no tears,
No, woman, no cry.
Eh! (Little darlin', don't shed no tears!
No, woman, no cry.
Little sister, don't shed no tears!
No, woman, no cry.)

Writer/s: KIM, BYOUNG HOON / SKUL1, / FORD, VINCENT
Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

No Woman No Cry Song Chart

This became Marley's first hit when it was released as a single from his album, Live!, which was recorded at the Lyceum in London in 1975. It was a hot July night, and they gave a rousing performance. This tour was a breakthrough for Marley and The Wailers. Their previous tour went horribly, as audiences outside of Jamaica did not appreciate his pure Reggae. He polished and tightened his sound for this tour in order to compete with the slick arena acts that were popular at the time, and got a great response. Glowing reviews led to sold out shows in the US, and by the time the tour hit London, they were a huge success.

Marley developed a powerful stage presence on this tour, and added musicians like Family Man Barrett and Al Anderson to sweeten the sound. The audiences on the tour where the live version was recorded were evenly mixed between black and white people. Marley was one of the few artists to have mass appeal that transcended race. The song became a highlight of Marley's concerts as the crowd always joined in. It is very easy to sing along to.

The original line of the song is "No, Woman, Nuh cry." Nuh is Jamacian for "don't," so what is meant by the lyric is No, Woman, Don't cry... He's leaving and reassuring her that the slum they live in won't get her down, that everything will be alright and "don't shed no tear." (thanks, Thom - Plymouth, United Kingdom)

The original version on Natty Dread was nothing like the live performances. It was shorter and sped-up, with little of the energy Marley brought to it in concert.

According to Rolling Stone magazine, the "Government yard in Trench Town" refers to the Jamaican public-housing project where Marley lived in the late '50s.

Marley wrote this, but gave a composer credit to Vincent "Tartar" Ford, one of his friends from Jamaica who helped him out when he was very poor and ran a soup kitchen in Kingston. By giving Ford the credit, Marley was helping out an old friend by trying to divert royalty checks his way. This was common practice on Marley's later output, as he listed friends and band members as composers, since murky contracts would have made it very hard for him to collect his own royalties (it's unclear how much money ever made it to his proxies). Ford is also listed as the songwriter of "Rastman Vibration."

The female vocals were by backing group the I-Threes, made up of Judy Mowatt, Marcia Griffiths, and Bob's wife, Rita Marley. Griffiths went on to sing "Electric Boogie," which became a line dance favorite in America.

Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left the group the year before this was released. They were upset at the way Marley was given top billing.

This was included on Legend, a compilation album released three years after Marley's death. It was a #1 album in the UK.

Dakota Moon's lead singer and guitarist, Ty Taylor, appeared on the reality TV series Rockstar INXS and did a cover of this song. (thanks, Annabelle - Eugene, OR)

The Brazilian Tropicalia singer Gilberto Gil recorded this for his 1979 album Realce, putting a Bossa Nova twist on it. Gil later became Brazil's Minister of Culture. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

Aston "Family Man" Barrett, bass player of the Wailers, told NME June 30, 2012: "The song is about the strength in the mama of course, strength in the ladies. And we love a woman with a backbone. Something like a wishbone! They have to be like a she lion! Woman strong, you know, not depending on the man. Of course the man is there to help you, then for every successful man, there is a good woman."

In his book Lyrics By Sting, the singer admitted he borrowed the chords to this song for The Police's debut album track "So Lonely."

Bob Marley & the Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff

Bob Marley & the Wailers - I Shot the Sheriff Youtube Music Videos and Lyrics

Album: Burnin'
Released: 1973

I Shot the Sheriff Lyrics

(I Shot the Sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh!
I shot the sheriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy, ooh, ooh, ooh)

Yeah! All around in my home town,
They're tryin' to track me down,
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy,
For the life of a deputy, but I say

Oh, now, now, oh!
(I shot the sheriff) the sheriff
(But I swear it was in self defense) Oh, no! (Oh, oh, ooh)
Yeah, I say, I shot the sheriff oh, Lord! (And they say it is a capital offense)
Yeah! (oh, oh, ooh) Yeah!

Sheriff John Brown always hated me,
For what, I don't know,
Every time I plant a seed,
He said kill it before it grow,
He said kill them before they grow, and so

Read it in the news! (I shot the sheriff) Oh, Lord!
(But I swear it was in self-defense)
Where was the deputy? (Oh, oh, ooh)
I say, I shot the sheriff,
But I swear it was in self defense, yeah! (Ooh)

Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town, yeah!
All of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown
Aiming to shoot me down,
So I shot, I shot, I shot him down and I say,
If I am guilty I will pay!

(I shot the sheriff) But I say (But I didn't shoot no deputy),
I didn't shoot no deputy (oh, no-oh) oh no!
(I shot the sheriff) I did!
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh (Oh, oh, ooh)

Reflexes had got the better of me
And what is to be must be,
Every day the bucket a-go a well,
One day the bottom a-go drop out,
One day the bottom a-go drop out, I say

I, I, I, I, shot the sheriff.
Lord, I didn't shot the deputy, no
I, I (shot the sheriff)
But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah
So, yeah

Writer/s: ROBERT MARLEY
Publisher: BLUE MOUNTAIN MUSIC LTD.
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

I Shot the Sheriff Song Chart

This song tells the story of a man who shoots a sheriff who is harassing him, but is wrongly accused of killing the deputy. Marley said that some of the song is true, but would not say what parts.

This was the last single Marley released with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, who left to go solo.

Eric Clapton recorded this in 1974. His version was a #1 hit in the US, the only #1 of his career. Clapton's recording gave Marley a big boost, as it exposed him to a rock audience.

On the 2001 documentary The Life Of Bob Marley, Esther Anderson, who was Marley's girlfriend, claims she helped write this and that it is about birth control.

The sheriff's name in the song is John Brown. In 1963, Bob Dylan wrote a song called "John Brown" about a boy who goes to war and comes back badly wounded.

Bruce Springsteen used the name "John Brown" as the name of a judge in his 1981 song "Johnny 99."

Marley later wrote a song called "Mr. Brown," which was probably about the same character. (thanks, Brad Nash - Rochester Hills, MI)