#BobMarleyAndTheWailers – Tom MacInnes, Writer

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Honourable Mention Song #15: Johnny Was by Bob Marley and the Wailers (+) covered by Stiff Little Fingers (as Nominated by John Barr) (KTOM)

This list of songs is inspired by lists published by radio station KEXP-FM from Seattle in 2010, as well as the latest poll taken in 2021 by Rolling Stone Magazine. For the most part I will faithfully countdown from their lists, starting at Song #500 and going until I reach Song #1. When you see the song title listed as something like: Song #XXX (KEXP)….it means that I am working off of the official KEXP list. Song XXX (RS) means the song is coming from the Rolling Stone list. If I post the song title as being: Song #xxx (KTOM), it means I have gone rogue and am inserting a song choice from my own personal list of tunes I really like. In any case, you are going to get to hear a great song and learn the story behind it. Finally, just so everyone is aware, I am not a music critic nor a musician. I am a music fan and an armchair storyteller. Here is the story behind today’s song. Enjoy.

KTOM: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Honourable Mention Song #15: Johnny Was by Bob Marley and the Wailers (+) covered by Stiff Little Fingers (as Nominated by John Barr).

To make a bit of an editorial comment: I have always felt that those artists and bands who first had a hit with a particular song should be the ones given credit for it. This was the case just recently with the song, “Hound Dog” *(which you can read here), that many people associate with Elvis but, in fact, was first sung by “Big Mama” Thornton. So, when I published that post, I did so as “Hound Dog” by “Big Mama Thornton. I certainly gave Elvis his due in the body of the post but, I felt it was best to attribute the song where all began and, that was with “Big Mama” Thornton. So, a similar situation has arisen today with our nominated song, “Johnny Was”. My buddy, John Barr, put this song forward as being a Bob Marley cover that gained fame when performed by Stiff Little Fingers. The SLF cover is a very inspired choice. Their version is a searing rendition that I will speak more to below. But, truth be told, it was the great Bob Marley who wrote this song…..there are some who say it was actually written by Marley’s wife, Rita. Regardless of which Marley spouse penned the song, I will give them their credit. I just wanted to be clear; especially to John, that I actually like the Stiff Little Fingers version a lot and that I recognize that this is the version John wanted me to showcase…..which I am happy to oblige……but, Bob Marley first because, after all, it is his song.

As noted in a previous post about the song, “No Woman, No Cry”, *(which you can read here), Bob Marley was raised in a part of Kingston, Jamaica, known as Trenchtown. This area was home to a public housing development in which the various homes were built in the shape of a “U”, with all three or four homes facing inward toward a shared communal space where all of the cooking was done, children could safely play and the bathrooms were housed. When young boys grew too big for the inner compound, they would head out into the streets. In many cases, gang members patrolled those areas and many a young boy found himself swept up in the embrace of these gangs. A life of crime awaited most who joined. Not surprisingly, there were turf wars between gangs and violence was not uncommon. What was, also, not uncommon was for young boys and men to be killed as a result of this violence and then, for their mothers to mourn their child’s senseless death. It was against this backdrop of violence and criminal activity that Bob Marley spoke out in the form of a song called, “Johnny Was”. This song title is short for “Johnny Was A Good Man”, which is the line uttered by weeping mothers for their sons and by neighbours who shook their head at it all and remained thankful that their own family was spared.

“Johnny Was” appeared on an album called, “Rastaman Vibrations” from 1976. It credits the song to Rita Marley on its cover. The first verse of the song was used as a sample by Rapper The Notorious B.I.G. in his song, “Hold Ya Head” and gained a new amount of fame in Hip Hop circles. As you are all, no doubt, well aware, many Hip Hop songs have dealt with the subject of gang violence, drug dealing and the epidemic of street violence which remains so prevalent among Black men, in particular. Thus, it is not surprising that there would be a sort of universal appeal to the subject matter contained within “Johnny Was”.

Furthermore, it should also, not be surprising that, arguably, the most intense and respected cover of “Johnny Was” came from a punk band from Northern Ireland called Stiff Little Fingers. Stiff Little Fingers formed during the late 1970s and shared the same music era as did The Clash and The Sex Pistols. However, unlike their English punk counterparts, Stiff Little Fingers found themselves caught in the middle of the violence that plagued Northern Ireland that became known as “The Troubles”. While English punk bands, like the Sex Pistols, railed against high unemployment and a host of social issues, Stiff Little Fingers felt that they had much more urgent issues to speak out against. Sectarian violence was killing scores of people in cities like Belfast. Whether the dead were British soldiers, I.R.A. sympathizers or, as was often the case, innocent civilians who were caught in the crossfire, Stiff Little Fingers channeled their anger into music and, as such, they came to be known for the intensity of their live sets. One of the songs that seemed to fit their situation like a glove was Bob Marley’s, “Johnny Was”. They took a song that in Marley’s hands read almost like a lament and infused those same words with a sense of anger and frustration. The result was easily one of the most fervent anti-Troubles song to come out of the Irish punk scene.

Sadly, the universal appeal of a song about sadness and anger at the loss of life due to senseless violence allows a song like “Johnny Was” to fit far too many situations all around the world. But, just the same, I am thankful that such words do exist and are at the ready when need be. I just wish that need didn’t happen for often as it does.

Thank you, Johnny Barr, for presenting “Johnny Was” as your song choice. It was a perfect song for me to discuss in this forum of ours. And, just so everyone knows who John is……he and I (and my wife, Keri) were teachers on the same staff at a school in Bowmanville. We have stayed in touch over the last two decades; with education, music and many of the same friends all helping to maintain our personal connection. Johnny used to host his own radio show here in Cobourg a few years ago, too. I am thankful to John for his many comments, questions and song ideas throughout the course of this countdown journey. For example, John was directly responsible for suggesting I cover “All The Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers because of the interesting back story to that song *(which you can all read here). As always, John, it is a hoot and a holler swapping music tales with you. Thanks for helping to make the process of completing these 500 song posts so interesting for me. I appreciate your input, interest and support along the way.

So, without further delay, here is “Johnny Was” by Bob Marley and as well, by Stiff Little Fingers. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “Johnny Was” by Bob Marley and the Wailers, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Bob Marley and the Wailers, can be found here.

The link to the video for the song, “Johnny Was”, as covered by Stiff Little Fingers, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Stiff Little Fingers, can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #189: Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley and the Wailers (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #189: Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Education matters. As does Wisdom. Empathy and tolerance and kindness and a whole host of other positive qualities emanate from a personal belief system grounded on a foundation of Wisdom and Education. Conversely, it is ignorance and self-absorption that lead us toward feelings of exclusion, intolerance and abuse toward those we deem different from ourselves.

The battle for control of our society between those who revel in the darkness versus those who believe in the light is ongoing. It is not surprising that the latest battleground appears to be schools and, in particular, control of School Boards. Whether the specific details of raging disputes against School Boards revolves around mask mandates, Critical Race Theory (or, here in Canada, Indigenous initiatives) or Sex Education, the bigger picture issue is the battle for control over whether our children will grow up with the knowledge necessary to make their own decisions accurately or will they grow up believing the seductive songs of salesmen with agendas.

Unfortunately, this battle for control of the minds of our children is not a recent phenomenon. It has occurred at all stages of History. As I have always maintained, one of the most consistent aspects of those who resist is that resistance is almost always steeped in The Arts. For many generations now, it has been singers and poets and actors and authors who have shined the light that illuminated the way forward, out of the darkness. Therefore, it is, also, to no one’s surprise that when controlling factions gain power, one of their first areas of budget cuts in schools is in the area of The Arts.

The Arts represent danger to those who seek control because the Arts are, so often, a source of inspiration to others. If you feel a stirring in your soul it is often because you have heard a song or looked at a painting or watched a play that speaks to an issue of importance to you. When souls begin to stir, citizens tend to be more willing to rally around a cause. Therefore, The Arts and an educated, wise populace are a fundamental component of any society if it is to flourish for all of its citizens. Therefore, understanding the History of the land you call home, should be a source of enlightenment and an opportunity for personal and collective growth. This is what I believe and, as his career so ably demonstrated, this is what Bob Marley believed, too. His song, Buffalo Soldier” arose from the premise that it was an important part of the history of an entire race of people and, for a myriad of reasons, the story of the Buffalo Soldiers was being ignored and forgotten and, conversely, that it was a story that needed to be told. So, in the true spirit of The Arts, Marley wrote this song. As he wished, let’s take a closer look and grow wiser as a result of his words.

The song, “Buffalo Soldier” comes from an album called, “Confrontation” which ws released in 1983, after Marley had died. The term, “Buffalo Soldier” was a name given to US Army units made up entirely of people of colour who were tasked with fighting the various Indigenous Nations that stood in the way of western expansion across America by white settlers. The irony of the situation was not lost on Marley while he was alive. In this conflict for control over America, the white man enlisted former slaves and the descendants of slaves to do his fighting for him against a similarly oppressed and vilified group, the American Indians. Marley wrote the song, “Buffalo Soldier” as a call to his brothers to resist the urgings of white colonizers to inflict pain and suffering on another marginalized group. The song was also a shot across the bow of white society that said that your motives are clear for all to see and we, as people of colour, no longer wish to participate in your wars against the weak. FYI, the term, “Buffalo Soldier” came from the Indians of the Plains who likened the curly hair of these soldiers to that possesed by the mighty buffalo who, at one time, so freely roamed those very same Plains.

The song, “Buffalo Soldier” is a song that celebrates the cultural origins of these soldiers (Rastafarians, Caribbean roots, etc.) and helps to paint them as real, three-dimensional people. It is a History lesson that we, as a society, ignore at our peril. I don’t know about you but, I can’t believe that a truly just and honourable society can be built upon a foundation of oppression. So, as Bob Marley sings his words of wisdom from beyond the grave, let us all pay attention to the lessons being taught. Our world will be the better for it.

Here is “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Enjoy….and learn….and grow.

The link to the video for the song, “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley and the Wailers, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Bob Markey and the Wailers, can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for playing the most informative music in the world. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.

The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History…Song #58: No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley and the Wailers (KEXP)

KEXP: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.

Song #58: No Woman, No Cry by Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Jamaica is a small island situated in the Caribbean Sea. You can be anywhere on the island and still be close to the water. In fact, the journey by car from Montego Bay in the north to Kingston, in the south, tops out at only two and a half hours. But, on that tiny island nation there is much beauty and history. People have travelled there for centuries to trade or to seek shelter from stormy seas. Some have stayed and put down roots. In fact, Jamaica has strong, historic ties to England who, for many years, viewed Jamaica as a colony of Great Britain. British colonial architecture is not hard to find almost anywhere on the island. It is also the key to understanding why Reggae, when it was ready to be shared with the world, was first shared with the English in England by Bob Marley and the Wailers. His great hit song, “No Woman, No Cry” is more than just a song. It is a history lesson about the island he called Home, as well as, being a loving tribute to those he was surrounded by as a boy. But, in order to fully appreciate Marley’s words, we must, first, go back in time, to the mid-1800s because, without the following story, “No Woman, No Cry” really could be, “just another song”. But, it really is so much more. Here we go!

As part of the process of colonization by the British, much of the island was sold to rich landowners from the UK. One such man was named William Power Trench. He purchased several hundred acres of land that comprised, what is now, the western half of the city of Kingston. His land stretched from the edge of the Caribbean, all the way back through a lush valley. On this land, Mr. Trench raised cattle, along with owning/trading in slaves. A century later, the Trench Family transferred a large portion of their land over to the Jamaican Government. This plot of land was dubbed, “Trench Pen” and was used mainly for grazing purposes. Then, in the 1950s, the Jamaican Government opted to utilize Trench Pen for affordable housing. Consequently, a series of small housing communes were erected and the entire area became known as “Trench Town”.

It is very important to discuss how these new homes were constructed. The homes were attached together, usually in units of two, and shaped into a square or a big “U”. Thus, in most cases, you had eight homes that were all connected in a square, all facing inward toward a common courtyard. In this common courtyard were shared washroom and cooking facilities. Thus, each set of eight houses formed its own little community. In most cases, the women and children remained in the inner courtyard areas, cooking and washing and playing. The men would usually leave the common grounds and head out into the streets to find work or to become involved in criminal activities or, like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, to polish their musical skills. These communal housing projects became known as “Government Yards” because the Government made sure that each housing group had running water and proper sanitation, in exchange for a small tax/fee. So, when Bob Marley sings of spending time “in the Government Yards in Trench Town”, he is speaking of where he grew up as a boy. He is singing of Home.

It should come as no surprise that the rich did not live in Trench Town. Poverty was always a factor for everyone there. It coloured every aspect of life. One example of this involves one of the most well known characters in Trench Town (outside of the reggae stars) and that was a man named Tata Ford. Tata Ford was a writer and musician but, more importantly, he ran a food kitchen within Trench Town that helped feed those in need. He was, by no means, a wealthy man but, he cared for his community and funnelled every last penny he had into ensuring that his people were cared for as well as he could. Needless to say, Tata Ford was a popular figure among the children of Trench Town, whose bellies seemingly always growled. One such boy who always followed Tata Ford around was Bob Marley. To Bob, Tata Ford took on the role of a mentor and father figure. In fact, when Bob had grown into a randy teenage boy, it was Tata Ford who made a small bedroom available to him. It was in that small bedroom off of Tata Ford’s kitchen that Bob Marley fell in love with his future wife, Rita. It was, also, where his son, Ziggy Marley was conceived. Furthermore, in present-day, Kingston, you can tour a Museum dedicated to the history of Trench Town. One of the exhibits in this museum is the small bedroom Tata Ford set aside for Bob Marley.

As for the story of “No Woman, No Cry”, it is said to have been inspired by Tata Ford overhearing the crying of mothers in the government housing communes. Their tears flowed because they were watching their sons being slowly drawn into the gang lifestyle that promised easy money and personal power. The mothers all knew the real story of what the future held for their sons but still, when the dealers came by, whispering sweet promises into the ears of the children, who had nothing, their siren song was hard to resist. So, quite often, these mothers would lose their children to the streets. Needless to say, it was heartbreaking to watch that happen and so, the mothers would cry. Tata Ford did what he could to assuage their sorrows but, the best thing he did was to write down some of his feelings into lyrics. These lyrics were passed on to Bob Marley and his friends, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. As these young men started off on their career as Reggae singers, “No Woman, No Cry” became one of their biggest hits. One interesting note about this is that, although we know the final version of this song was written by Bob Marley, the songwriting credit for “No Woman, No Cry” reads as written by “Tata Ford”. In this way, Bob Marley was able to ensure that Tata Ford and, by extension, the people of Trench Town, would have a steady source of external income, in the form of royalties from sales of the song.

So, as you listen to this song with wiser ears, picture a young Bob Marley, sitting in his shared courtyard, eating cornmeal porridge that was prepared by his mother or one of the other mothers in his housing group or by Tata Ford, himself.

“I remember when-a we used to sit

in the government yard, in Trench Town.

And then Georgie would make the fire lights, I seh,

A log wood burnin’ through the night.

Then we would cook cornmeal porridge,

Of which I shared with you.

My feet were my only carriage

And so, I’ve got to push on through….”

There may have been little in the way of privacy in those communal government housing projects but, with the right mix of people, there was a great sense of community. It was this love for each other that prompted Bob Marley to travel to England, spreading the Gospel of Reggae to the great masses, helping boost album sales and thus, income levels for his people back home. As he promised, “Everything’s gonna be alright! Everything’s gonna be alright! No, no woman, no woman, no cry.”

So, without further delay, here is the gorgeous live version of Bob Marley’s ode to his homeland and the people of Trench Town, “No Woman, No Cry”. Enjoy.

The link to the video for the song, “No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley and the Wailers, can be found here.

The link to the official website for Bob Marley and the Wailers, can be found here.

The link to the official website for the Trench Town Cultural Museum can be found here.

Thanks, as always, to KEXP, for supporting the east music from all over the world. The link to their wonderful website can be found here.