Introduction
Released on June 3rd, 1977, Bob Marley and The Wailers’ tenth album since their debut hit the public’s ears. Exodus, highly regarded as one of the most influential and greatest collection of tracks ever produced, was met with high appraisal. Being birthed from high tensions in Marley’s homeland and situations arising amongst his life, Exodus was seen as a way of him demonstrating his frustrations with society at the time. Although a very heavy project, it provides the listen with a fantastic listen from beginning to end. From a diverse sounding production line to fantastic vocals by both Marley and the Wailers, Exodus is a phenomenal album. Let’s take a deeper look into this classic reggae project.
Rising Tensions and Relocations
Bob Marley, who initially resided in his birth nation of Jamaica, was thriving. Alongside the Wailers, he continued to make a splash in the reggae scene, bringing with him a platform of much needed resistance to the tension greatening in the country. With the platform he created, opposition began to form to Marley’s music. This division reached its greatest point on December 3rd, 1976. It was then an assassination attempt was devised, leaving his wife, Rita, seriously injured. Facing no choice, Marley fled to London in an attempt to reach safety. Although neither him nor his wife were killed, Marley saw this as an opportunity to reach safe haven and granted him the opportunity to continue to spread his message through music.
London & The Birth of Exodus
Following his flee from Jamaica, Marley found himself in London. With a new meaning to life, Marley intended to craft this pivotal life event into music. With the concept of “Exodus,” Marley thrived to indulge his music in biblical and spiritual meaning. Although many speculate the album to be an angry recollection of the way the world was, his daughter, Cedella, reiterates that: “Exodus is not really an angry record, it’s really a cry about every kind of situation he’s gone through.” Regardless of the true intended meaning, Exodus was an instant hit. It has since received gold certifications in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. It was remastered in 2017, and it was re-released for its 40th anniversary that same year.
Two Sides
Exodus is broken into two sides. The first five tracks touch on themes of change and religious politics. The last five tracks touch on sexuality, keeping faith, and making love. While the album was heavily influenced by current events, Marley continued to add personal touches of his love life, especially in regard to his relations with Cindy Breakspeare. This meaning-packed album was stuffed with messages of its time, whether political or social.
“Exodus”
The title track is arguably the greatest song in Marley’s entire discography, and it is quite easy to see why. The guitar opening, leading into the introduction of a plethora of other instruments all of which come together and lead into one of the most iconic instrumentals of its time. Apart from the catchiness of the song, the lines are packed with clear-cut messages throughout. “Exodus” is a nod to the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. He ties this story to the hope of Rastafarians being led to freedom. A common tie is also that of Marley’s flight to London amid the ever-evolving tension due to Jamaica’s upcoming election.
“Three Little Birds” and “Natural Mystic”
Rounding out the “big three” of songs on this album, both “Three Little Birds” and “Natural Mystic” hold individual meanings and weight to this project. The first of the two is a song promoting positivity in the face of adversity, with very catchy and flowy sounds. Partnered with the sharp and short lyrics of Marley, as well as background vocals by the Wailers, and the song is a hit. “Natural Mystic” describes a world creeping towards Judgement Day. Marley reflects on his disbelief of being alive amidst everything going on around him:
“‘Natural Mystic’ was very current, because he [Bob] couldn’t believe he was still alive, getting protection from the spiritual vibration.” – Wailers guitarist, Junior Marvin
Conclusion
Since the release of the new biopic describing the events of this album, Bob Marley has been back on the rise. Apart from his increase in popularity, Marley’s music has continued to leave an impact on society since its 1977 release. Exodus has been seen as a consensus top album to be released in music history. Furthermore, the impact the album had on society and its dividing nature was seen in everyday life. Marley certainly proved himself a musical genius through the sounds here, but more so on its cultural impact he brought.
Song Rankings
These song rankings are dependent upon the weight the song had on the overall meaning of the album. Again, take these rankings as sheer opinion based.
- “Exodus”
- “Natural Mystic”
- “Three Little Birds”
- “So Much Things to Say”
- “Waiting in Vain”
- “Jamming”
- “One Love/People Get Ready”
- “Turn Your Lights Down Low”
- “The Heathen”
- “Guiltiness”
Final Thoughts
As always, take the reviews as opinion pieces. Not everyone will share the same views. As for these opinions, leave them below to share your thoughts. We also suggest subscribing to our emails to keep up to date with posts. To do so, go to the home page and scroll down. This will allow you to receive weekly emails of recaps. Finally, go give Exodus a listen for yourself.