Rastaman Vibration

Updated on Jan 20, 2024

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Released 30 April 1976 Rastaman Vibration (1976) Exodus (1977) Label Island Records		Length 35:21 Release date 30 April 1976 Genre Reggae

Recorded Harry J. Studios, Joe Gibbs Studio, Kingston, Jamaica, late 1975–early 1976 Producer Bob Marley & The Wailers Artist Bob Marley and the Wailers Similar Bob Marley and the Wailers albums, Reggae albums

Rastaman Vibration is a reggae album by Bob Marley and the Wailers released on 30 April 1976. The album was a great success in the US, becoming the first Bob Marley release to reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart (peaking at number 8), in addition to releasing Marley's most popular US single "Roots, Rock, Reggae", the only Marley single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at no. 51. Synthesizers are featured prominently on this album, adding a breezy embellishment to otherwise hard-driving songs with strong elements of rock guitar. This is one of the three Wailers solo albums released in 1976, along with Blackheart Man by Bunny Wailer and Legalize It by Peter Tosh.

Song writing credits

Although the album's liner notes list multiple songwriters, including family friends and bandmembers, all songs were written by Marley. Marley was involved in a contractual dispute at the time with his former publishing company, Cayman music. Marley had not wanted his new songs to be associated with Cayman and it was speculated, including in his obituary in The Independent, that he had put them in the names of his friends and family members as a means of avoiding the contractual restrictions and to provide lasting help to family and close friends.

Vincent Ford, a childhood friend from Jamaica, is the songwriter for "No Woman, No Cry" on the 1974 album Natty Dread, as well as the songs "Crazy Baldheads" (with Marley's wife Rita), "Positive Vibration" and "Roots Rock Reggae" from Rastaman Vibration, along with "Inna De Red" and "Jah Bless" with Marley's son, Stephen.

Marley's widow and his former manager Danny Sims sued to obtain royalty and ownership rights to the songs, claiming that Marley had actually written the songs but had assigned the credit to Ford to avoid meeting commitments made in prior contracts. A 1987 court decision favored the Marley estate, which assumed full control of the songs.

Personnel

Bob Marley – vocals

Earl "Chinna" Smith – guitar, percussion

Al Anderson – guitar

Carlton Barrett – drums

Aston Barrett – bass guitar

Tyrone Downie – keyboards

I Threes – backing vocals

Tommy McCook – saxophone ("Roots, Rock, Reggae")

Donald Kinsey – guitar overdubs ("Johnny Was", "Roots, Rock, Reggae")

Source: The Jamaica Observer

Trivia

On the inside of the original album jacket, to the right, is a message stating "This album jacket is great for cleaning herb." The original jacket had divots in it which made its texture bumpy.

Belfast punk rock band Stiff Little Fingers covered "Johnny Was" on their debut album Inflammable Material, which became the first record on an independent label (Rough Trade Records) to enter the UK top twenty, entering at number 14. This cover version, though not released as a single, entered John Peel's Festive Fifty at number 15 in 1979 and continued to feature through to 1982.

Boxer Lennox Lewis used the song "Crazy Baldhead" as his entrance song in a number of his fights.

Quote

"It's not music right now, we're dealing with a message. Right now the music not important, we're dealing with a message. Rastaman Vibration is more like a dub kinda album and it's come without tampering y'know. Like 'War' or 'Rat Race', the music don't take you away, it's more to listen to." –Bob Marley, June 1976

Songs

1Positive Vibration3:34
2Roots - Rock - Reggae3:38
3Johnny Was3:48

References

Rastaman Vibration Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA