Redemption Song, Bob Marley, John Legend

Bob Marley and the Wailers wrote Redemption Song, the final track on their 12th album, Uprising. Marley was already in much pain by then, having being diagnosed with the cancer that would end his life a few years later. The song is considered one of Marley's greatest works. Some key lyrics derived from a speech given by the Pan-Africanist orator Marcus Garvey entitled "The Work That Has Been Done".

John Legend performs live at 2017 Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony.

“We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind.”

— Bob Marley and the Waillers, quoting 'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; None but ourselves can free our minds.' from The Work That Has Been Done, Marcus Garvey

Redemption Song, Written by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit

But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them can stop the time

How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look
Oh! Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fulfill the book

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can…

The idea that songs can bring redemption has echoed down the centuries. The wretch that was saved in “Amazing Grace” was rescued from Hell by a song – “how sweet the sound.” The appalling crime he’d committed was the same crime that afflicted Bob Marley in his “Redemption Song”: the writer of “Amazing Grace” was a slaver; Bob Marley was a descendant of slaves. Marley’s songs set him free, made him somebody – though he was well aware of the mental slavery that can still exist even when you are said to be free.

Read more about the meaning behind the lyrics in Redemption Song