THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

618-Bob Marley and the Wailers-Exodus.

1977-Number 14 single.

Best Bit-At 5.01. In no other musical genre is one single artist so well known. When you think of Reggae, the first name that springs to mind is Bob Marley.

Bob Marley was born Robert Nesta Marley, on February 6th, 1945, in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Colony of Jamaica. In July 1977, he was diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma under the nail of his right big toe. Marley rejected his doctors’ advice to have his toe amputated, citing his religious beliefs, and instead, the nail and nail bed were removed. By the autumn of 1980 his health had deteriorated further, as his cancer had spread throughout his body. Marley decided to undergo an alternative cancer treatment called ‘Issels’ treatment, partly based on avoidance of certain foods, drinks, and other substances. After eight months of this treatment having failed to effectively treat his advancing cancer, which had now spread to his lungs and brain, he succumbed to the illness, and died on May 11th, 1981, at the age of 36.

The earliest incarnation of Bob Marley and the Wailers, were formed in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1963, by Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, (1947-2021) Peter Tosh, (1944-1987) Junior Braithwaite, (1949-1999) Cherry Smith, (1943-2008) and Beverley Kelso. They originally called themselves the ‘Teenagers,’ before becoming the ‘Wailing Wailers,’ and eventually ‘The Wailers.’ By 1974 all of the original Wailers had gone their own way, and Marley set about forming a new group, with his wife Rita becoming one of his three female backing vocalists. The ‘Wailers’ who played on ‘Exodus,’ and it’s parent Album of the same name were, Junior Marvin, (guitar) Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett, (1946-2024) (bass) his brother Carlton Barrett, (1950-1987) (drums) Tyrone Downie, (1956-2022) (synthesizer) and Alvin ‘Seeco’ Patterson, (1930-2021) (percussion.) For the discography of Bob Marley and the Wailers (see also best songs 56.)

On December 3rd, 1976, two days before the ‘Smile Jamaica’ free concert, which Bob Marley and the Wailers were to play at, which was organised by the Jamaican Prime Minister, Michael Manley, (1924-1997) in an attempt to ease tension between the two warring political groups in Jamaica, an assassination attempt was made on Bob Marley. Marley, his wife Rita, and the groups manager Don Taylor, (1943-1999) were wounded in an assault by an unknown gunmen inside Marley’s home. Taylor and Rita sustained serious injuries, but later made full recoveries. Bob Marley received minor wounds in the chest and arm.The attempt on his life was thought to have been politically motivated, as many felt the concert was really a support rally for Manley. Nonetheless, the concert proceeded, and an injured Marley performed as scheduled, two days after the attempt, with members of the Jamaican Reggae group ‘Zap Pow’ performing as his backing band in front of an 80,000 crowd, because members of the Wailers had gone in to hiding. The concert was concluded peacefully. After a month recovering from his injury, Marley left Jamaica for England, where he spent the next two years in self imposed exile, writing and recording his next two Albums ‘Exodus, (1977) and ‘Kaya (1978.)

‘Exodus’ was the first of six singles released from Bob Marley and the Wailers’ ninth studio Album of the same name, from June 1977, and was written by Bob Marley, with the songs production credited to Bob Marley and the Wailers. ‘Exodus’ is Bob Marley’s most critically acclaimed Album, with five of the songs also appearing on ‘Legend,’ the 1984 posthumously released Bob Marley and the Wailers Album, which is the best selling ‘Reggae’ Album of all time, with sales in excess of 25 million copies sold worldwide.

‘Exodus’ may have been partly inspired by that assassination attempt, as the song ties in with the Biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt, in the hope that one day the Rastafarians will also be led to freedom. Although the song is probably not about any certain race or religion, as that would contradict the message Marley is sending us, the song is probably about man’s struggle with trying to find God.

‘We know where we’re going, we know where we’re from. We’re leaving Babylon, we’re going to our father land. Exodus, movement of Jah people.’