Hero, Bob Marley: 'Dance 'Cause We Are Free'

Feel like dancin'
Dance 'cause we are free
Feel like dancin'
Come dance with me
Roots rock reggae
--Bob Marley

Jamaica is considering Bob Marley for 'National Hero' recognition...I was surprised when I read this...I mean, isn't he already?

Marley estate wants singer proclaimed a national hero
Associated Press

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- He's received countless musical accolades,
inspired millions with his message of "one love" and is even hailed as a prophet
by some.

Now, members of Bob Marley's estate are lobbying the government
to proclaim the dreadlocked reggae singer a national hero, Jamaica's highest
honor. Marley died of cancer in Miami in 1981 at 36, and some of his family
members have lived in South Florida.

"Anywhere you go in the world the first thing people think of when they
hear Jamaica is Bob Marley," said Jacqueline Knight-Campbell, who is organizing
the campaign for the Bob Marley Foundation. "He has inspired so many people with his songs so it's time for us to step up and take Bob's recognition to a higher
level."

Um, yeah, 'higher level'.

The BBC recently named his One Love song the anthem of the century, and Time
magazine called 1977's Exodus the album of the century.

Not that I think the beeb knows what it is talking about, but Exodus is probably one of the top five albums I am happy to own. The best part thing about Bob was that he was able to mix political messages into party songs. If you ever sat down and read the lyrics to 'Roots Rock Reggae', 'One Love', or 'Get up, Stand up', these are rebel songs packaged with a party feel: Celebrate freedom, stand up for your rights, realize that your life is your own. Bob is king, that much is for sure. He inspired Rage ('specially Zach's 'do), the Clash, U2, Sublime and a host of others. You thought it was just a good time to listen to someone proclaiming 'So now you see da light/(whatcha gonna do?) Stand up for your right'? It was rebel music. Ya, rasta.