Bob Marley-One Cup of Coffee

The greatest are almost never late bloomers. From modern artists like Nas, to historical greats like Mozart, the true best always seem to not want to wait for the older generation to get out of the way, but begin exploring their prodigious talents as soon as they can. And although most of his defining music came over a decade after this jamandahalf, this song is a young Bob giving a glimpse of later greatness.

"One Cup of Coffee" is not polished nor very intricate; the beat is simple and plodding, the instruments sound a little dull. But there's something about this song that has made it a clear favorite on the great Songs of Freedom collection. Only 17 when this song came out, Bob sings a story well beyond his years about breaking up with the mother of his children, but staying around for one more cup of coffee before he leaves forever. That last cup could have been drank while reminiscing about the good times, or maybe it was drank in awkward silence, Bob never tells us. Tinted with regret, and a melancholy song if there ever was one, Bob's young talent shines, grappling convincingly with such an adult topic. Before there was the Bob Marley that the entire world knows, there was a young man under the pseudonym Bobby Martell trying to make it in a big world. This song was just a sweet taste of things to come. 

Download Here

Bob Marley-Sun is Shining

In a lot of the world, my little town included, it's starting to get cold, rainy, and shitty. I wake up every morning to a day that's slightly colder than the last, and a rain that seems slightly more wet than the day before. On my morning walk to school I try and pump myself up as much as possible, almost as if I'm on the way to a big basketball game. Ahh, life after college. My perennial morning favorite is this jamandahalf by the eternal great Bob Marley. Every time I kick this track it reminds me that 1. it's definitely sunny somewhere, and 2.just because the sun is hidden, doesn't mean its not shining. Bob is more internationally loved than any artist out there, and this song keeps the sun shining for people from Helsinki to Portland. And for that, it's a jamandahalf.

Download Here

Bob Marley - Guava Jelly

Music can get popular for any number of reasons, but sometimes the sound is so good you cant help but love it.  When I think of truly transcendental musicians one man always seems to come to the front of my mind: Robert Nesta Marley. Theres something about the sound, it always sounds right, always on time. Bobby and his band created something so pure and natural that its actually impossible to not feel the vibes. I'm pretty sure it's everywhere; I've heard it in grocery stores in Mexico, bars in Canada, pool halls in Argentina.  Amsterdam or Afganistan, I dare you to find someone who cant pick up what my boy Bobby is puttin down!

Now Bobs got a lot of classics, every one of them a jam in their own right, but this ones got a special twang.  Bob carries this measured passion, rollin along smooth like guava jelly.  Now I've never had guava jelly, but from what it sounds like that must be one sweet sweet jelly. When a Bob song strikes a chord with me its never a cognitive thing. I'm never stoked on the powerful message or flawless organ play. But something grabs me on an emotional level. Listen to the easy rocksteady flavor with Bobby layin the lovin on thick, backup vocals highlighting each line. It all blends together into the vibrations of the world, the sound that makes you feel like times are gettin better. And somehow it hits everybody with a powerfully uplifting spirit. Try it for yourself, put this one on, lie back a little, and roll with it. Sounds like things are lookin up.

Download here

  Bob Marley - Guava Jelly by jamandahalf

Bob Marley-Acoustic Medley

We've been online for a couple months now, aiming to bring you a eclectic taste of our (and our buddies') favorite music. We've posted about obscure artists and some more mainstream ones across lots of genres. But one artist that we have somehow managed to not post about despite listening to almost everyday is the great Bob Marley.

With a discography as deep and rich as Bob's, everyone has a favorite song. Bob really has jams for days and days and days, and although some of them are overplayed, none of them has become cliche. Marley's timeless music will likely stand as a pinnacle of a genre. No matter how many artists try, no one will ever match the elegance of Bob.

Although I could write jamandahalfs on almost all of his songs, the Acoustic Medley found on Sounds of Freedom is a personal favorite of mine. Going through seven songs, "Guava Jelly/This Train/Cornerstone/Comma Comma/Dewdrops/Stir It Up/I'm Hurting Inside," showcasing some of his lesser known songs (other than Stir It Up), Bob gives the listener a private concert for over 12 minutes. Over a simple guitar riff Bob shows what a master he really was, whether singing about redemption (This Train) or crooning a simple love song (Guava Jelly). Bob's vision and lyrics are spotlighted without the backdrop of his normal band and shine brighter than ever. 


Download Here