mjp
Founding member
He had some protest songs, but I didn't perceive him as being anywhere near as radical as the Wailers. He was more of an entertainer to me, but what can I say. I didn't dig too deeply into his music.
They're just songs, but the Wailers seemed pretty intent on tearing down everything that supported a worldwide system which they saw as corrupt all the way through. They wanted to replace it with the same kinds of things the hippies did though, which never would have worked even if they could have created a movement to burn down Babylon. Powerful shit though, even if you know it's unrealistic and flaky, and largely based on a book of fiction (oh, and worshiping a dictator).
Every fiber of my being thinks they are nuts, but when Marley sings and that fucking band plays - I don't know. He convinces me for those three or four minutes that he's right, and maybe all we really do need is peace and love. And to burn down Babylon, of course. Can't forget that peaceful and loving part.
Lennon could do the same thing. Make you buy his pie in the sky hippie bullshit when he sang. Just really make you believe it. Now that's genius. Let's see Michael Jackson do that.
