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Iron Lion Zion

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B-side
  
"Smile Jamaica"

Recorded
  
April 1973

Length
  
3:21

Released
  
7 September 1992

Genre
  
Reggae

Format
  
CD single CD maxi 7" single

"Iron Lion Zion" is a song written and recorded in April 1973 or 1974 by Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley. It was first released posthumously on 7 September 1992 on the Songs of Freedom box set, reaching number 5 in the UK Singles Chart. A remixed version was released as a single and later included in 1995 on Natural Mystic: The Legend Lives On.

Contents

Lyrics

The song's lyrics are directly related to Rastafarian beliefs. Zion is "the promised land", in the song referring to Ethiopia. The lion refers to the Lion of Judah, which appeared on the old royal Ethiopian flag, and represents Haile Selassie I, the former Ethiopian emperor whom Rastafarians regard as their Messiah.

Track listings

7" single
  1. "Iron Lion Zion" – 3:21
  2. "Smile Jamaica" (by Bob Marley & the Wailers) – 3:13
CD maxi
  1. "Iron Lion Zion" (7" mix) – 3:21
  2. "Smile Jamaica" (by Bob Marley & the Wailers) – 3:12
  3. "Three Little Birds" (alternative mix) (by Bob Marley & the Wailers) – 2:55
  4. "Iron Lion Zion" (12" mix) – 7:02

Cover versions and uses

  • Santana's cover of the song was included in 2014 on the album Corazón.
  • The song is played as a post-victory song for the soccer team Real Salt Lake.

    • References

    Iron Lion Zion Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA