Natty Dread [LP]

by Bob Marley & the Wailers, Bob Marley

Overview

Natty Dread is Bob Marley's finest album, the ultimate reggae recording of all time. This was Marley's first album without former bandmates Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston, and the first released as Bob Marley & the Wailers. The Wailers' rhythm section of bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett and drummer Carlton "Carlie" Barrett remained in place and even contributed to the songwriting, while Marley added a female vocal trio, the I-Threes (which included his wife Rita Marley), and additional instrumentation to flesh out the sound. The material presented here defines what reggae was originally all about, with political and social commentary mixed with religious paeans to Jah. The celebratory "Lively Up Yourself" falls in the same vein as "Get Up, Stand Up" from Burnin'. "No Woman, No Cry" is one of the band's best-known ballads. "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" is a powerful warning that "a hungry mob is an angry mob." "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Road Block)" and "Revolution" continue in that spirit, as Marley assumes the mantle of prophet abandoned by '60s forebears like Bob Dylan. In addition to the lyrical strengths, the music itself is full of emotion and playfulness, with the players locked into a solid groove on each number. Considering that popular rock music was entering the somnambulant disco era as Natty Dread was released, the lyrical and musical potency is especially striking. Marley was taking on discrimination, greed, poverty, and hopelessness while simultaneously rallying the troops as no other musical performer was attempting to do in the mid-'70s. ~ Jim Newsom

Product Details

Release Date:	09/25/2015
Label:	Island / Tuff Gong
UPC:	0600753600665
Rank:	21287

Tracks

1. Lively Up Yourself
2. No Woman, No Cry 0
3. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
4. Rebel Music (3 O'clock Road Block)
5. So Jah Seh
6. Natty Dread
7. Bend Down Low
8. Talkin' Blues
9. Revolution

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Bob Marley & the Wailers   Primary Artist
Bob Marley   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Lead Vocals,Guitar (Rhythm)
Judy Mowatt   Guest Artist,Vocals
Rita Marley   Guest Artist,Vocals
Bernard "Touter" Harvey   Organ,Piano
I-Threes   Vocals (Background)
Carlton "Carly" Barrett   Drums,Percussion
Marcia Griffiths   Vocals
Aston Barrett   Bass,Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Earl Lindo   Keyboards
Junior Hanson   Guitar
Alvin Patterson   Percussion
Al Anderson   Guitar,Lead Guitar

Technical Credits

Allen Cole   Composer
Sylvan Morris   Engineer
Bob Marley & the Wailers   Producer,Performer
Bob Marley   Composer
Lecon Cogill   Composer
Rita Marley   Composer
Carlton "Carly" Barrett   Composer,Executive Producer
Vincent Ford   Composer
W. San Francisco   Composer
Rita Marley Anderson   Composer
Phil Ault   Engineer
Aston Barrett   Composer
Syd Bucknor   Mixing
Chris Blackwell   Producer
Rob Fraboni   Remastering
The Wailers   Producer
Phil Hult   Engineer
Dennis Morris   Photography
Tony Wright   Artwork
Barry Diament   Remastering
Lynise Walters   Composer
Henk Horden   Mastering
Willy Francisco   Composer
Hugh Peart   Composer
Allan Cole   Composer