Legend - The Best Of Bob Marley And The Wailers (New Packaging)

The music is mellow and breezy ... the lyrics are simple, but profound. This CD encompasses the *best* and most celebrated songs of this world-famous group from the years 1973 to 1980. Bob Marley & the Wailers catapulted reggae music onto the world charts and there it remains for all time. We are richer for this experience. "No woman no cry" and "Three little birds" were played in Nov. 2002 by a Carribean band on the cruise I took to the Western Carribean. They are classics that I have enjoyed from the past and now, *even* more so with the additional memories of my vacation. "Buffalo Soldier" and "I Shot the Sheriff" are classics forever etched in my mind from frequent air-time, when played on the radio during their hey days ... Other favorites are "Get Up Stand Up", "One Love/People Get Ready" and "Stir It Up". If you want to feel relaxed, care-free, and mellow buy this CD. "Eiree mon" as they say in Jamaica! Go buy it and enjoy!!! Erika Borsos (erikab93)


Great selection of hits by Bob Marley and the Wailers   February 3, 2008
Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL))
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

"Legend" features some of the very greatest hits of Bob Marley and the Wailers--and what a compilation it is! As always, one could have hoped that other items be included (for example, only one cut from "Natty Dread"?). Nonetheless, this is a dazzling collection.

Some of the hits are compelling to include, such as "No Woman No Cry," "Buffalo Soldier," "Get Up Stand Up," "Stir it Up," "I Shot the Sheriff," "Redemption Song," "Jamming," and a nice bonus cut, "Funky Reggae Party." One thought: Quite a few of these songs appear to be love songs or whatever, but--in fact--have political content to them.

Let's consider a few of the pieces in more detail:

"No Woman No Cry":

"In this great future
You can't forget your past
So dry your tears, I say."

This song has a softer sound to it. The band plays well and Marley is in peak form. Since this is a live version (over seven minutes long), it is fun to hear the audience's responses throughout. The upbeat line, repeated several times, "Everything's gonna be alright," sets a tone for the song.

"Stir It Up": This song was a hit for Johnny Nash, representing one of the first reggae songs to break out to a wider audience (but not the first). Marley's version is great! The I-Threes provide strong backing vocals; the band plays well. This is an infectious version of the song and genuinely rates as one of Bob Marley and the Wailers' greatest hits.

"I Shot the Sheriff": This was a worldwide hit for Eric Clapton (it seems weird that others had great hits with Marley's work, without him having the same success). Marley's version is very different from Clapton's (although both work). As liner notes point out, there is more of a political edge to Marley's version. Band, backing vocals, and Marley are all in fine form on this work.

The bonus track--"Punky Reggae Party": The song is about getting ready for a punky reggae party, but there are all manner of observations scattered throughout this song, some with political overtones. One interesting set of lyrics that caught my attention:

"Rejected by society
Treated with impunity
Protected by my dignity
I search for reality."

The musical line from the band is almost hypnotic and the I-Threes, as typically done, provide fine backing vocals. Marley sings with pizzazz and spills out through after thought at a quick pace. What a nice bonus track!

In short, a truly wonderful greatest hits CD. If interested in the range of Marley's work, this is a good place to start.



Sure, It's Great for Beginners...   October 20, 2003
10 out of 30 found this review helpful

...But if LEGEND is the only Bob Marley album you own, GET A LIFE! Sure, LEGEND is great, but a MUCH BETTER posthumous compilation of Bob's stuff is REBEL MUSIC. Much less mainstream and commercial! LEGEND is played out; if you're a true Marley fan, you'll buy the original albums (nine studio albums, and three live albums are readily available). If you don't have the patience to listen to all of Bob's stuff, and you want a REALLY GOOD compilation, get the SONGS OF FREEDOM BOX SET. But please, please, PLEASE don't buy yourself a copy of LEGEND, memorize all the lyrics to all the songs, and then go around calling yourself a Bob Marley fan, or a reggae fan. People like that are a disgrace to us TRUE reggae believers - ONE HEART! ONE SOUL!


Must have for any true fan   July 1, 2002
R. Harris (Buffalo, NY United States)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

Anyone with taste is going to love this album. Has classic Marley tunes that even the most cursery reggae fan will know. While I don't consider myself by any stretch a true reggae afficinado, this is the one album I own on vinyl, tape and now CD. One Love, which frankly I skip over becuase all I can think of are the commercials now when I hear it, is still a great didity. For Eric Clapton fans, here the orginal version of I Shot the Sheriff. Buffalo Soldier and others are just truly classic songs. From begining to end this CD is wonderful. The two bonus tracks are OK and don't take anything away, but also don't add much to this wonderful collection. VH1, for those who care, has this listed as one of the Ultimate Albums. If you've never listened to reggae before, there is no better place to start than with this artist and this album.


Amazed   September 3, 2003
Wendi (Orlando, FL)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I must say, I've prided myself on being only 22 and having an appreciation for music of my parent's generation. Among my favorite artists are the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix just to name a few. I was rather bothered to not know one song by Bob Marley, so I snagged my dad's Bob Marley "Legend" cd to take to work and I listened to this impressive collection all the way through 3 times in a row! I had been sitting on such a treasure for quite sometime and didn't even know. This music is inspiring, funky, eclectic, thought-compelling and classic, unlike the dry, monotonous music of today. You will truely enjoy this cd. How could you not?!