Genre Reggae Years active 1976, 2008 | Dates December 5, 1976 | |
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Location(s) National Heroes Park, Kingston, Jamaica | ||
The Smile Jamaica Concert was a concert held on December 5, 1976, at the National Heroes Park, Kingston, Jamaica, performed by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Only two days after Marley had almost been killed by gunmen in his house, Marley agreed to perform one song for the 80,000 people in attendance, but it turned into a whole 90-minute performance despite his injuries. All Wailers performed except bassist Aston "Familyman" Barrett, who was replaced by Cat Coore of Third World.
Contents
Overview
The performance included a horn section. The set list for the show was as follows 1. War/ No More Trouble/ Get Up Stand Up 2. Crazy Baldhead/ Positive Vibration 3. Smile Jamaica 4. Rat Race 5. TrenchTown Rock 6. Keep on Moving 7. Want More 8. Them Belly Full 9. Jah Live 10. Rastaman Chant 11. Rebel Music 12. So Jah Seh
After the concert Marley left Jamaica for Nassau and later London where he stayed for 16 months until he returned in 1978 for the One Love Peace Concert.
The second Smile Jamaica Concert was held February 10, 2008
In popular culture
Jamaican Television has a morning show named Smile Jamaica, an obvious nod to the popularity of the concert series.
Stir It Up: The CIA Targets Jamaica, Bob Marley and the Progressive Manley Government, an alternative historical novel by David Dusty Couples, weaves fact and fiction to dramatize the concert.
The novel A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James dramatizes the attempt on Marley's life, including other events leading up to the Smile Jamaica concert.