Bob Marley & The Wailers released Rastaman Vibration

Rastaman Vibration Bob Marley & the Wailers

Released: April 30, 1976 Peak: 8 US, 11 RB, 15 UK, 68 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: reggae

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Positive Vibration Roots, Rock, Reggae (6/19/76, 51 US, 37 RB) Johnny Was (4/76, --) Cry to Me Want More (Want More) Crazy Baldhead Who the Cap Fit (11/76, --) Nightshift War Rat Race Total Running Time: 35:21 The Players: Bob Marley (vocals, rhythm guitar) Aston “Family Man” Barrett (bass) Carlton “Carlie” Barrett (drums, percussion) Jean Alain Roussel (Hammond organ) Tyrone Downie (keyboards) Al Anderson (guitar) Earl “Chinna” Smith (guitar, percussion) Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, Griffiths (backing vocals)

Rating: 3.666 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

About the Album: “For Bob Marley, 1975 was a triumphant year. The singer’s Natty Dread album featured one of his strongest batches of original material (the first compiled after the departure of Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer) and delivered Top 40 hit ‘No Woman No Cry.’ The follow-up Live set, a document of Marley's appearance at London's Lyceum, found the singer conquering England as well. Upon completing the tour, Marley and his band returned to Jamaica, laying down the tracks for Rastaman Vibration (1976) at legendary studios run by Harry Johnson and Joe Gibbs. At the mixing board for the sessions were Sylvan Morris and Errol Thompson, Jamaican engineers of the highest caliber.” AMG “War…remains one of the most stunning statements of the singer's career. Though it is essentially a straight reading of one of Haile Selassie’s speeches, Marley phrases the text exquisitely to fit a musical setting, a quiet intensity lying just below the surface.” AMG “Equally strong are the likes of Rat Race, Crazy Baldhead, and Want More. These songs are tempered by buoyant, lighthearted material like Cry to Me, Night Shift, and Positive Vibration. Not quite as strong as some of the love songs Marley would score hits with on subsequent albums, ‘Cry to Me’ still seems like an obvious choice for a single and remains underrated.” AMG Notes: “Cry to Me” was first recorded at Studio One in the ‘60s. “Jah Live” was added to the 2001 Japanese release. The 2002 Deluxe Edition also added “Smile Jamaica,” six alternate mixes of songs from the album, and a second disc of live material from 5/26/76.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bob Marley AMG All Music Guide review by Nathan Bush First posted 3/26/2008; last updated 5/10/2021.