Customer Reviews

Burnin

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If there was only one wailers album (no box sets or greatest hit compilations) that I could get this one would be it. It serves as an excellent intorduction to the wailers, not just Bob Marley Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston but the entire wailers band. Of course Bob is their natural leader. He is at his best on this Burnin. He shines bright as fire on I shot the sherrif, Burnin and lootin. Peter Tosh brings his usual natural charisma and power to the table on One foundation but especially on the co-lead vocal of get up stand up.

But what makes this wailers disk so essential is the groupo effort on it. My favorite song on this Cd is the Halleluja time, I wish I knew who sang lead it simply is a beatiful song. Maybe bunny? Pass it on is another strong song about brotherhood that features neither marley or tosh on lead. Listen to the background vocals on the remake of small axe. (my favorite version) Duppy conquerer another remake and another strong song. The album ends with the spiritual Rasta Man Chant, listen to the congos' and the synthesiser, a wonderful refreshing mixture of the tribal and the electronic. Absolutey the best wailers album (compilations and box sets withstanding) and an essential reggea album

If you are a Bob Marley fan and are sick of the same songs regurgitated on the radio, check out this disk. It really has that Marley magic with his band before the commercial success and hence the tunes that are not worn out on the radio waves. Very cool.

Perhaps 'Burnin' is the Wailers' best kept secret of excellence. It majorly involves songs of revolution e.g., "Burnin' and Looting," and "Small Axe." Some of the tunes are simply soothing, and of note here is "Hallelujah Time" and "Pass it On" (in the sweet voice of Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingstone--which voice has been praised by countless others) and "Rasta Man Chant" which is a song-beat by the Wailers as a group. Given the excellence of this collection, including the music and the lyrics, and given that it was quite a united effort by a Beatles-status black African group that was later to break up or take on solo careers, this album takes the status of a collectible whose value will continue to grow with time. Two frequently mentioned titles on this album are "I Shot the Sheriff" and "Get Up, Stand Up." I have tended to compare the Burnin' album to the "Catch a Fire" album (another excellent effort by the original Wailers that included Neville "Bunny Wailer" Livingston and Peter Tosh who together with Bob became more famous than the others of the group) and the "Natty Dread" album. These are all albums I will always cherish, and they are all under Marley's Tuff Gong label which is best representative of the Wailers' music tradition.

In 1983 I joined the Peace Corps and went to the Eastern Caribbean. I did training in Kingston, Jamaica and rode a city bus into town from Spanish Town every morning. One morning Hallelujah Time played on the radio in the bus and the whole bus was swaying to the beat. The d-jay liked it so much he played it again. Again the bus was swaying. This is a wonderful song, a wonderful album and a wonderful memory from a man that everyone in Jamaica that I met, from little kids to old women referred to as Brother Bob.

Burnin' is a more "hard edged" album then "catch a fire". You could hear the difference: Burn'in is more political, more polished, and the lyrics more explicit. Also, this album seems that the group is more "together" than their debut. Both albums have their merits. I love "Catch a fire" for their jamaica sunshine, but I love this one for their great messages. "Get up stand up, stand up for your right"... great mottos ya. Raw power. Still not yet too "commercialized" (compare to later efforts), impressive and interesting. Best cuts: "Get up stand up", "I shot the sheriff" (of course).

Excellent title. Beyond that one of the best reggae albums ever. The gang was all here on this one: Bob, Peter, and Bunny, of course Bob being the nucleus of the whole irie vibe. What an impact their music had on the world! From the poverty ridden Trenchtown to the U.S. to the U.K. and beyond, they touched many lives and influenced several generations of musicians around the globe. Through all the hardship and all the oppression this group of individuals managed to surmount and shine like stars before tragedy in most cases. There is so much hope and positivity in all of Bob's wonderful life and music.

My favorites are: "Get Up, Stand Up"/"Hallelujah Time"/"I Shot the Sheriff"/"Burnin' and Lootin'"/"Duppy Conquerer".

Lite this baby up, and get cool. Let the vibes shape your spirit. One way>2BReggae< Songs of freedom...

We have the oportunity to listen to the nice voice of Junior in Hallelujah Time. And remember... here is the famous I SHOT THE SHERIFF song, which was performed by Eric Clapton. And took the Wailers to the top of reggae music.

Although not the revolutionary concept album that many suggest, the album is funky, dense, slow and steady, with nothing but strong songs and no love songs!

A delight from beginning to end. Despite working in a deceptively limited form (that is the Reggae beat and chords), the Wailers outstanding musicianship shines through. And if you are looking for socially incisive commentary, what better than 'Burning and Looting'? Rastaman Chant is a brilliant tour de force. 'Small Axe' and 'Duppy Conqueror' are definitely for hard core Reggae fans, but they are still universal songs and are also rewarding listening.

Since this is the last album that the original Wailers were together in, it's the last testament to the older, and more raw style the originals had. Of course, the newer albums were awesome, but if you want to hear what inspired those albums, get this one. My personal favorites are "Get Up, Stand Up" and "Duppy Conqueror".