|
|
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marley's Legendary Career Commemorated In "One Love", June 11, 2001
This updated Bob Marley greatest hits collection was released 20 years and one day after the legendary Jamaican singer's funeral, 10 days after his untimely 1981 death from cancer at 36. It closed a 20-year career that still seemed brief, and a legacy inspiring world music and alternative rock styles, and US/Third World relations, to this day."One Love" is brighter-sounding, more generous sounding 1984's "Legend," reggae's top-selling LP and itself a model of packaging and artist respect. Marley's beloved hits are here, among the only reggae tracks most casual listeners have heard: the serene "One Love/People Get Ready," (used consistently in TV commercials), the sinewy "Jamming" and "Stir It Up" (an earlier hit for Johnny Nash), the infamous, strident "I Shot The Sheriff" and "Get Up, Stand Up." These songs slide from personal to political to spiritual to sensual casually, as slyly as Peter Tosh's legendary keyboard work cushioned Marley's guitar and trademark percussion. The first sounds of New Wave (Police, U2) is difficult to comprehend without these classic tracks. You also hear Marley's deep love for American soul in "Roots, Rock, Reggae" (sounding like James Brown in ballad mode), his clever wordplay in "Iron Lion Zion" and his compelling, hypnotic concert sound in 1975's "No Woman, No Cry." ("One Love" lacks tracks from 1978's remarkable "Babylon By Bus" live set). Despite evocative photographs and superb Ted Jensen remastering, "One Love"'s annotation lags behind "Legend." Billboard editor/Marley biographer Timothy White contributed an historical essay and song-by-song commentary to the 1984 set, acknowledging Marley bandmates Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and the I-Threes (including widow Rita Marley) for their contributions. "One Love," meanwhile, only lists Wailer members between 1972-81. But the quality of its music and packaging still makes "One Love" yet another superb collection from UTV, Universal Music's catalogue division releasing bright-sounding artist and label compilation updates ("Classic Motown," "Pure Disco," greatest hits sets from Tom Petty, Tom Jones, Ella Fitzgerald and others) and bringing revered music into the 21st century. "One Love" is a recommended, intelligent purchase for those dissatisfied with the fewer songs on "Legend," but unwilling to purchase Marley's expansive box set "Songs of Freedom."
|
~ Bob Marley and the Wailers
~ Bob Marley & the Wailers
~ The Wailers
~ Bob Marley & The Wailers
is one of Bob Marley & The Wailers' 
