Listening Journals: - Essay Example

The album Uprising included both Marley’s acoustic performance and an accompaniment version in which the Wailers band is included in the performance. The song is a departure from Marley’s traditional reggae style since the acoustic guitar is the only instrument used. The first live performance of the Redemption Song was in Deeside Leisure Centre in 1980 in which the song was almost similar to the original version, the difference being for the incorporation of the drum. Redemption Song has a limited instrument use since Marley chose to use only his acoustic guitar.

Because of this, the song has a soulful rendition to it as opposed to the reggae rhythm evident in most of his songs. The sound of the guitar reinforces Marley’s voice quality in the song, which is rough in the song representing the tumultuous period of his life during the time. Marley had been diagnosed with cancer and had escaped an assassination attempt in the period before he released the song. Therefore, the melancholic feeling that the song elicits reflects his mood at the time. Through the passion that Marley sings, one gets the sense of urgency that he is trying to pass an important message to his audience.

In the bridge part of the song, the singer increases its tempo of the song, while his voice becomes glorious and forceful reflecting a triumphant feeling that is accompanied by hope for the future.  The song has an intro that is composed of a four bar phrase which is repeated twice in the song and is not heard again for the remainder of the song. As the song nears its final part, Marley’s tone and the melody of his acoustic guitar becomes even more aggressive. The lyrics of the second verse and the third verse have similar lyrics but there is an eight bar rhythmic cord after the second chorus and before third verse.

The stressed rhythms of the song make its declarations emotional and the lyrics scan freely. The song became a hit due to the political and social undertone that Marley uses as he tells the journey of slaves from Africa across the Atlantic Ocean. Even as the song opens with a story about slave trade, what makes it a great song is that it speaks to a wider group of people. Its interpretation relates to people of all religions, ages, genres and which makes it an anthem for all those who are oppressed.

Marley wrote the song as a way of overcoming his personal woes. The song became a motivational song that empowers people, which makes it resonate with many people the world over. In Redemption song, Marley borrows into the words of Marcus Garvey calling for all those that are suffering from mental slavery to emancipate themselves. Although Garvey had spoken to the blacks that were still enslaved during the time, the song can also be applied to people who face other forms of slavery and addictions that make them not be able to exercise their free will in society.

It calls for them to find ways of releasing themselves emotionally from this enslavement by being able to make their own choices in life and not to depend on others to decide what is best for them. The song calls for people to be courageous and speak out freely about what they feel is not justice in the society. Through Redemption Song, Marley calls on people to rise up and claim their rights. Due to the call feel disadvantaged in society to demand for their rights, the song transcends history and its relevance cannot be limited to a given period.

This has made many people to come up with