Rastaman Vibration

I posted my first exerpt on the best CD's of the last ten years recently and will continue next Friday. However, if I was to talk about the best albums of the last 30 years, Bob Marley and the Wailers Rastaman Vibration would be at the top. From the first track--Rastaman Vibration--the album just grooves. Roots, Rock, Reggae expands on the religious concept of the album.

Johnny Was,written by Rita Marley, describes a mother's grief when her son was shot down "because of the system" that existed in Jamaica in 1976. Crazy Baldhead is a view of the oppression felt in the Rasta community by non-Rasta's. Who the Cap Fits has an excellent beat and this:

Man to man is so unjust, children
You don't know who to trust
Your worst enemy could be your best friend
And your best friend your worst enemy
Some will eat and drink with you
Then behind them su-su 'pon you
Only your friend know your secrets
So only he could reveal it
And who the cap fit, let them wear it.

The last two tracks are favorites. First; War, taken directly from Haile Selasie's speech to the UN in 1963. Unlike Yassir Arafat he didn't wear a holster and unlike Nikita Krushchev he didn't bang his shoe. The song is phenomenal and conveys the futility and ultimate taking up of arms against oppressive regimes. Unfortunately Selasie was overthrown by the vile Mengistu.

Rat Race is quintessential Marley, political and catchy:

A song ringing with strong political statements while proclaiming the Rasta stance of remaining righteous and politically ambivalent - "Don't involve Rasta in your say say / Rasta don't work for no C.I.A." "Political violence fill ya city" particularly true in the streets of Jamaica during the 1976 elections, the year in which "Rat Race" was recorded and released. In the name of political parties, the human race sadly becomes the rat race.

I highly recommend this album that even after nearly thirty years is as fresh as any of the garbage that passes for pop nowadays.