While it’s nearly impossible to put a cap on the number of hits reggae legend Bob Marley attained in his career, there are a few songs that universally take the cake–and no, “Three Little Birds” is not one of them.
The Reggae icon, who would have been 75 today, made some of the greatest protest music ever made, and he inspired international social justice as a result. “His artistic fearlessness and social commitment remain an inspiration to activists, musical and otherwise. His songs of freedom have become universal hymns,” wrote Rolling Stone. In honor of his birthday, here are some of Bob Marley’s biggest hits.
No Woman, No Cry (Live)
While there are plenty of live recordings of Bob Marley’s moving anthem, the Lyceum Theatre performance in London in 1975 was an iconic moment in the career of Bob Marley. The original Natty Dread version was much more upbeat, but on Live! Bob Marley slows the song down to give it a blues edge. That’s not to mention the addition of organs, gorgeous harmonies from the I-Threes, and that goosebump-inducing audience chant. It elevated the song to new heights, and even now it’s the preferred version to the original. The song itself is about England’s colonization of Jamaica, giving the moment that extra umph when you realize he’s in London.
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