Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1977…
#8 – Exodus – Bob Marley & The Wailers
Four years ago, I did a deep dive of Bob Marley, covering his 13 studio albums. Though I enjoyed every one of those records, 1977’s Exodus topped my eventual ranked list.
This is a perfect album to encapsulate the political, spiritual, and romantic resonance of Marley’s music. If all you’ve ever heard is Legend, like I had before the deep dive, this is a great next step.
Of course, if all you’ve heard is Legend you’ll already be quite familiar with several of this album’s tracks. Half of the ten songs appear on that greatest hits collection: ‘Exodus,’ ‘Three Little Birds,’ ‘Waiting in Vain,’ ‘One Love/People Get Ready,’ and ‘Jamming.’
Most of those are on the second side, which is dedicated to love songs. On the album’s first side, Marley focuses on politics, inspired by debates happening in Jamaica as well as an assassination attempt that left him and his wife injured.
Despite the stark difference in subject matter across the album, the music is uniform and excellent, blending rock, funk, and soul into traditional reggae structures.
Exodus is an essential album by one of popular music’s greatest figures.
Guiltiness (Talkin’ ’bout guiltiness)
Rest on their conscience, oh, yeah, oh, yeah
And they live the life (They live the life)
Of false pretense; every day, each and every day, yeah
These are the big fish (These are the big fish)
Who always try to eat down the small fish, a just the small fish
I tell you again, they would do anything
To materialize their every wish, oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
[Chorus]
But wait: Woe to the downpressors (Woe, woe, woe), they’ll eat the bread of sorrow
Woe to the downpressor, they’ll eat the bread of sad tomorrow
Woe to the downpressor, they’ll eat the bread of sorrow
Oh, yeah-eah, oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah
[Verse 2]
Guiltiness (Talkin’ ’bout guiltiness)
Rest on their conscience, oh, yeah, oh, yeah
These are the big fish (These are the big fish)
Who always try to eat down the small fish, a just the small fish
And I tell you what, they would do (Anything) anything
To materialize their every wish, oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
[Chorus]
But woe, woe to the downpressors (Woe, woe, woe), they’ll eat the bread of sorrow
Woe to the downpressors (Woe, woe, woe), they’ll eat the bread of sad tomorrow
Woe to the downpressors (Woe, woe, woe), they’ll eat the bread of sad tomorrow
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah-eah-eah
[Outro]
Guiltiness, oh yeah, oh
They’ll eat the bread of sorrow (Every day) every day (Oh, yeah), yeah
They’ll eat the bread of sorrow (Every day) every day (Oh, yeah)
Meet Me In Montauk 