Legend

This is an excellent CD. If you want to start somewhere, this is a good start.

I received this CD in good condition, as described and fairly quickly. I would buy from this vendor again. Bob Marley ROCKS for ever.

Bob Marley & The Wailers-Legend *****


Well when Bob Marley & The Wailers' albums are placed up against other albums from their time, or genre, or period for that matter, they seem to be better, this greatest hits collection is the same but only up against other hit collections.

It shows all the things that The Wailers did in their short time with Marley to bring Reggae to the masses. This really instilled reggae in America. The English always knew about it but it wasn't until songs like 'I Shot The Sheriff' 'Waiting In Vain' and the epic 'Exodus' that reggae became recognized as a true musical form.

Singing songs of Praise, songs of change, of acceptance, of the downtrodden, of love and friendship, and of faith, Marley was true, honest, and more importantly rare, and this collection is a sad reminder of what we lost far too soon, and far too fast.

It's kind of sad that Bob Marley, one of the greatest artists ever, is best known for a compilation, but hey, it's a well-made one. With a couple exceptions, that is. A few of Bob's classic songs were left off - there's no "Concrete Jungle", no "Lively Up Yourself", no "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)", no "Roots, Rock, Reggae", no "Sun is Shining", no "Coming in from the Cold". It's a shame that the recent two-disc "expanded edition" missed a chance to rectify most of those omissions (though it does include "Lovely Up Yourself"), instead offering a pile of remixes.
By the same token, most the rest offers you the REST of his best-known material, though it does sadly deemphasize Bob's influential early years - one track comes from Catch a Fire ("Stir It Up"), two from Burnin' ("I Shot the Sheriff"; "Get Up, Stand Up"), zero from Natty Dread. Other albums that get totally shafted are Rastaman Vibration and Survival.
However, those looking for all of Bob's best-known hits, from "I Shot the Sheriff" to "No Woman, No Cry" to "Jammin'" to "Exodus" to "Redemption Song". And there isn't a single bad track out of these fourteen. Nothing I'd like to toss out. So if you're new to Marley, start with it, but don't stop there!

I will never grow tired of "Legend." This compilation is absolutely perfect, providing an accurate insight into the musical genius that was Bob Marley. This isn't just reggae at its finest, but it's music at its finest. The songs on "Legend" can be inspiring, uplifting, entertaining, thought-provoking, but most of all just purely enjoyable. The simple songwriting and talented musicianship provide a sunny, lighthearted musical setting, the laidback Caribbean style that would inspire a generation of reggae followers. But it's Bob's messages and lyrics that set him apart from the other great Jamaican musicians who were his contemporaries. Bob's music is at times politically and religiously charged, and sometimes just for fun. But everything he advocates in his muic is positive. He wants the world to be a better, friendlier place, and he advocates human treatment and equality, civil rights, and freedom. He portrays his ideas in a simple manner that makes them all the more effective. This compilation covers the most audience-friendly and appealing of his extensive discography. This is a smart purchase, because Bob's discography is huge, especially because there are so many various releases that have surfaced between different distributors in different countries. "Legend" is an album everyone should own, it's the one that every new Bob Marley listener should not even think twice about purchasing, and everyone should be able to appreciate the music here.

The compilation begins with "Is This Love," one of the most purely roots songs here, a lyrically simple, musically catchy tune. "No Woman No Cry" is my favorite song of Bob's music, and this seven minute live recording is beautiful. The lyricism of this song is simple but really moving, from his talk of growing up poor in Jamaica to his philosophies on life, and the break for the guitar solo and background vocals complete the beautiful arrangement. I absolutely love "Could You Be Loved," a clever production that's immediately catchy, with a great chorus and standard Bob Marley performance. "Three Little Birds," one of his most well-known tunes, is fun, light, and fairly uplifting. "Buffalo Soldier" is an ingenious look at the movement of peoples from Africa to the Caribbean, and Bob praises his ancestors. The politically-fueled "Get Up, Stand Up" is a very effective rallying cry for civil rights. Another of my favorites is the winding "Stir It Up," a laidback, enjoyable and fun song. "One Love/People Get Ready" is a happy call to equal treatment and some light philosophy, one of his most definitive songs. If you haven't, you must hear his ingenious cover of Eric Clapton's "I Shot the Sheriff," which is followed here by the easy "Waiting in Vain" and the very inspired "Redemption Song." "Satisfy My Soul" and the incredible "Exodus" follow, with another of my favorites, the unforgettable "Jamming."

Bottom line, this album is a must have for anyone. People of all ages and backgrounds can love "Legend," even if they're not a reggae fan. This music is clever, catchy, and fun, and Bob Marley is really a genius. Make this purchase if you haven't already, you will not be disappointed by "Legend."