Rastaman Vibration | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 30 April 1976 | |||
Recorded | late 1975–early 1976 | |||
Studio | Harry J. Studios, Joe Gibbs Studio, Kingston, Jamaica Mixed at Criteria Studios, Miami, Florida | |||
Genre | Reggae, roots reggae | |||
Length | 35:21 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Bob Marley and the Wailers | |||
Bob Marley and the Wailers chronology | ||||
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Singles from Rastaman Vibration | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B+[2] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
Rastaman Vibration is the eighth studio album by Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers, released in April 1976.
Reviewing for Rolling Stone in 1976, Robert Palmer said that on the album Marley consummately performs "a dual role as spokesman for the Third World's disadvantaged and avatar of a highly commercial brand of popular music". While lacking the forceful, intricate quality of the Wailers' past line-up, "the sensitive, careful listener will learn from Rastaman Vibration something of the pain, rage and determination of Shantytown, Jamaica, and perhaps something of the community's political and cultural fragmentation as well", Palmer concluded.[4]
Village Voice critic Robert Christgau said if the record's first side "makes it seem that reggae has turned into the rasta word for boogie—even to a Trenchtown tragedy recited with all the toughness of an imprecation against litter—the unimpassioned sweetness of most of side two sounds like a function of reflective distance, assured in its hard-won calm. Some of it's even better."[2]
Rastaman Vibration was a great success in the US, becoming the first Bob Marley release to reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart (peaking at number eight), in addition to releasing Marley's most popular US single "Roots, Rock, Reggae", the only Marley single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 51. Synthesizers are featured prominently on Rastaman Vibration, adding a breezy embellishment to otherwise hard-driving songs with strong elements of rock guitar. This is one of the three Wailers solo albums released in 1976, along with Blackheart Man by Bunny Wailer and Legalize It by Peter Tosh.
Although the album's liner notes list multiple songwriters, including family friends and band members, all songs were written by Marley. Marley was involved in a contractual dispute at the time with his former publishing company, Cayman Music. Marley had not wanted his new songs to be associated with Cayman and it was speculated, including in his obituary in The Independent, that he had put them in the names of his friends and family members as a means of avoiding the contractual restrictions and to provide lasting help to family and close friends.[5]
Vincent Ford, a childhood friend from Jamaica, is credited as the songwriter for "No Woman, No Cry" on the 1974 album Natty Dread, as well as the songs "Crazy Baldheads" (with Marley's wife Rita), "Positive Vibration" and "Roots Rock Reggae" from Rastaman Vibration, along with "Inna De Red" and "Jah Bless" with Marley's son, Stephen.[5][6]
Marley's widow and his former manager Danny Sims sued to obtain royalty and ownership rights to the songs, claiming that Marley had actually written the songs but had assigned the credit to Ford to avoid meeting commitments made in prior contracts. A 1987 court decision favored the Marley estate, which assumed full control of the songs.[6]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Positive Vibration" | Vincent Ford | 3:34 |
2. | "Roots, Rock, Reggae" | Vincent Ford | 3:38 |
3. | "Johnny Was" | Rita Marley | 3:48 |
4. | "Cry to Me" | Rita Marley | 2:36 |
5. | "Want More" | Aston Barrett | 4:14 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Crazy Baldhead" | Rita Marley, Vincent Ford | 3:12 |
2. | "Who the Cap Fit" | Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett | 4:43 |
3. | "Night Shift" | Bob Marley | 3:10 |
4. | "War" | Allen Cole, Carlton Barrett | 3:36 |
5. | "Rat Race" | Rita Marley | 2:50 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Positive Vibration" | Vincent Ford | 3:34 |
2. | "Roots, Rock, Reggae" | Vincent Ford | 3:38 |
3. | "Johnny Was" | Rita Marley | 3:48 |
4. | "Cry to Me" | Rita Marley | 2:36 |
5. | "Want More" | Aston Barrett | 4:14 |
6. | "Crazy Baldhead" | Rita Marley, Vincent Ford | 3:12 |
7. | "Who the Cap Fit" | Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett | 4:43 |
8. | "Night Shift" | Bob Marley | 3:10 |
9. | "War" | Allen Cole, Carlton Barrett | 3:36 |
10. | "Rat Race" | Rita Marley | 2:50 |
11. | "Jah Live" | Bob Marley, Lee Perry | 4:16 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Positive Vibration" | Vincent Ford | 3:34 |
2. | "Roots, Rock, Reggae" | Vincent Ford | 3:38 |
3. | "Johnny Was" | Rita Marley | 3:48 |
4. | "Cry to Me" | Rita Marley | 2:36 |
5. | "Want More" | Aston Barrett | 4:14 |
6. | "Crazy Baldhead" | Rita Marley, Vincent Ford | 3:12 |
7. | "Who the Cap Fit" | Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett | 4:43 |
8. | "Night Shift" | Bob Marley | 3:10 |
9. | "War" | Allen Cole, Carlton Barrett | 3:36 |
10. | "Rat Race" | Rita Marley | 2:50 |
11. | "Jah Live" (original mix) | Bob Marley, Lee Perry | 4:16 |
12. | "Concrete" (b-side of "Jah Live") | Bob Marley, Lee Perry | 4:24 |
13. | "Roots, Rock, Reggae" (unreleased single mix) | Vincent Ford | 3:38 |
14. | "Roots, Rock, Dub" (unreleased single dub mix) | Vincent Ford | 3:38 |
15. | "Want More" (unreleased alternate album mix) | Aston Barrett | 5:10 |
16. | "Crazy Baldhead" (unreleased alternate album mix) | Rita Marley, Vincent Ford | 3:08 |
17. | "War" (unreleased alternate album mix) | Allen Cole, Carlton Barrett | 4:03 |
18. | "Johnny Was" (unreleased alternate album mix) | Rita Marley | 3:41 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Introduction" | Bob Marley | 0:38 |
2. | "Trenchtown Rock" | Bob Marley | 4:55 |
3. | "Burnin' and Lootin'" | Bob Marley | 4:53 |
4. | "Them Belly Full (but We Hungry)" | Leon Cogill, Carlton Barrett | 4:12 |
5. | "Rebel Music (3 o'Clock Road Block)" | Aston Barrett, Hugh Peart | 5:54 |
6. | "I Shot the Sheriff" | Bob Marley | 6:27 |
7. | "Want More" | Aston Barrett | 6:55 |
8. | "No Woman, No Cry" | Vincent Ford | 5:18 |
9. | "Lively Up Yourself" | Bob Marley | 5:44 |
10. | "Roots, Rock, Reggae" | Vincent Ford | 5:32 |
11. | "Rat Race" | Rita Marley | 7:46 |
12. | "Smile Jamaica" (part one, a-side) | Bob Marley, Lee Perry | 3:18 |
13. | "Smile Jamaica" (part two, b-side) | Bob Marley, Lee Perry | 3:07 |
with:
Source: The Jamaica Observer[7][8]
Chart (1976) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[9] | 68 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] | 32 |
France (IFOP)[11] | 12 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12] | 20 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[13] | 26 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[14] | 14 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 45 |
UK Albums (OCC)[16] | 15 |
US Billboard 200[17] | 8 |
US R&B Albums[17] | 11 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[19] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |