Rastaman Vibration

Rastaman Vibration
Studio album by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Released	April 30, 1976
Recorded	Harry J. Studios, Joe Gibbs Studio, Kingston, Jamaica, late 1975–early 1976
Genre	Reggae
Length	35:21
Label	Tuff Gong/Island
Producer	Bob Marley & The Wailers
Professional reviews
	Allmusic link; Rolling Stone (Not Rated) (1976) link; Rolling Stone (2002) link;
Bob Marley & The Wailers chronology

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Rastaman Vibration is a roots reggae album by Bob Marley & The Wailers released on April 30, 1976. While the album was a big hit in the USA, becoming the first (and only) Bob Marley release to hit the top ten on the Billboard 200 charts (peaking at #8), it did not generate a significant hit single, although "Roots, Rock, Reggae" was the only Bob Marley single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 charts, peaking at #51. Synthesizers are featured prominently on this album, adding a breezy embellishment to otherwise hard-driving songs with strong elements of rock guitar.

Vincent Ford, a childhood friend from Jamaica, was given writing credit for "No Woman, No Cry" on the 1974 album Natty Dread, as well the songs "Crazy Baldheads" (with Marley's wife Rita), "Positive Vibration" and "Roots Rock Reggae" from the 1976 album Rastaman Vibration, along with "Inna De Red" and "Jah Bless" with Marley's son, Stephen.¹²

Marley had not wanted his new songs to be associated with Cayman and it had been speculated, including in his obituary in The Independent, that he had put them in the names of his close friends and family members as a means of avoiding the contractual restrictions and as a way to provide lasting help to family and close friends.¹

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 sided with the Marley estate, which assumed full control of the songs.²

Track listing

Side one

"Positive Vibration" (Vincent Ford) - 3:33
"Roots, Rock, Reggae" (Vincent Ford) - 3:38
"Johnny Was" (Rita Marley) - 3:48
"Cry to Me" (Rita Marley) - 2:36
"Want More" (Aston Barrett) - 4:15

Side two

"Crazy Baldhead" (Rita Marley/Vincent Ford) - 3:11
"Who the Cap Fit" (Aston Barrett/Carlton Barrett) - 4:43
"Night Shift" (Bob Marley) - 3:11
"War" (Allen Cole/Carlton Barrett) - 3:36
"Rat Race" (Rita Marley) - 2:49

Bonus Track

"Jah Live" (Bob Marley)

Current CD Version

"Positive Vibration" – 3:34
"Roots, Rock, Reggae" – 3:38
"Johnny Was" – 3:48
"Cry to Me" – 2:36
"Want More" – 4:17
"Crazy Baldhead" – 3:12
"Who the Cap Fit" – 4:43
"Night Shift" – 3:11
"War" – 3:37
"Rat Race" – 2:54
"Jah Live" (Original Mix) – 4:17

2002 Deluxe edition

Disc One Remastered

"Positive Vibration" – 3:34
"Roots, Rock, Reggae" – 3:38
"Johnny Was" – 3:48
"Cry to Me" – 2:36
"Want More" – 4:17
"Crazy Baldhead" – 3:12
"Who the Cap Fit" – 4:43
"Night Shift" – 3:11
"War" – 3:37
"Rat Race" – 2:54
"Jah Live" (Original Mix) – 4:17
"Concrete" (B-side of Single) – 4:24
"Roots, Rock, Reggae" (Unreleased Single Mix) – 3:38
"Roots, Rock, Dub" (Unreleased Single Dub Mix) – 3:38
"Want More" (Unreleased Alternate Album Mix) – 5:10
"Crazy Baldhead" (Unreleased Alternate Album Mix) – 3:08
"War" (Unreleased Alternate Album Mix) – 4:03
"Johnny Was" (Unreleased Alternate Album Mix) – 3:41

Disc Two Rastaman Vibration Deluxe Live edition

"Introduction" – 0:38
"Trenchtown Rock" – 4:56
"Burnin' & Lootin'" – 4:54
"Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" – 4:13
"Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)" – 6:08
"I Shot the Sheriff" – 6:34
"Want More" – 7:02
"No Woman No Cry" – 5:19
"Lively Up Yourself" – 5:44
"Roots, Rock, Reggae" – 5:32
"Rat Race" – 7:53
"Smile Jamaica, Part One" – 3:19
"Smile Jamaica, Part Two" – 3:10

Trivia

On the inside of the original album jacket, to the right, reads a message stating "This album jacket is great for cleaning herb."
Nothern Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers covered Johnny Was on their debut album Inflammable Material, which went on to become the first record on an independent lable to enter the UK Top Twenty, entering an number 14 on Rough Trade Records.

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

References

^ ^a ^b Leigh, Spencer. "Vincent Ford: Songwriter credited with composing 'No Woman, No Cry'", The Independent, January 7, 2009. Accessed January 7, 2009.
^ ^a ^b Kenner, Rob. "Vincent Ford Dies at 68; Inspired Classic Bob Marley Songs", The New York Times, January 3, 2009. Accessed January 5, 2009.

External links

Detailed look at the original album and the deluxe edition from http://www.wailers.co.uk/.
Transcript of Haile Selassie's 1963 speech addressed to the United Nations, which was made into the song "War".
Sound recording of Selassie's speech, spoken in Amharic, but also interpreted in English.

[IndependentObit-0] Leigh, Spencer. "Vincent Ford: Songwriter credited with composing 'No Woman, No Cry'", The Independent, January 7, 2009. Accessed January 7, 2009.

[NYTObit-1] Kenner, Rob. "Vincent Ford Dies at 68; Inspired Classic Bob Marley Songs", The New York Times, January 3, 2009. Accessed January 5, 2009.

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