# When is enough Bob Marley enough? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2013, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950 "2013-02-11T06:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/21 "2013-02-11T17:23:30Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > The difference is that Bob Marley really was a pioneer in reggae. He didn’t invent it, and he’s certainly not the only crucial exponent of the form–but he _was_ there at the beginning. A band that had Marley, Bunny and Tosh in, produced in part by Lee Perry, deserves respect. It seems sometimes that they were just a bit too popular, for the kind of person who doesn’t have a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/22 "2013-02-11T17:26:52Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Bob Marley was in the right place at the right time. > So was Ravi Shankar, but we rarely have to hear Indian music tributes. > So were the early Beatles, but I don’t think anyone is clambering for any new “Liverpool” sound. The point is, reggae generally, and Bob Marley specifically, _were_ enormously influential, on a global scale. Indian music and Ravi Shankar, not so much. Beatles tributes of one sort or another have been perennial as long as I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/23 "2013-02-11T17:38:26Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I sort of feel bad for the kids in Jamaica. I saw a documentary awhile back that showed lots and lots of kids, all wanting to be the “new Bob Marley”. I guess no one has informed them that the rest of the world has a sort of “been there, done that” attitude and it is probably not something you should strive to achieve for world wide fame. Jamaican music has moved along loads from wanting to be the new Marley, surely? Dub and dancehall and the cross-fertilisations with London and other cities with drum’n’bass, ragga, dubstep etc It’s not like Jamaica has stood still here. I’m no expert mind you, probably too old. Is there a young funky person in the house? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/24 "2013-02-12T00:15:03Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Did the OP not watch the Grammys? They played exactly one Bob Marley song during that tribute. But, hey, let’s stop mentioning his name cuz he’s dead and he gets mentioned a lot. While we’re at it let’s kill all that Beatle noise. And Beethoven? Get over his long dead ass already! As much as I love the Beatles I would have been just as put off by a tribute to them as well. But comparing Bob to the Beatles is a bit of a stretch. Regardless of how talented he might have been most people on the street could probably only name two of his songs. The tributes and lavish praise seem to be disproportionate to his actual contributions, IMO. But I’ll admit that maybe that says more about me that him. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/25 "2013-02-12T00:24:21Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > As much as I love the Beatles I would have been just as put off by a tribute to them as well. But comparing Bob to the Beatles is a bit of a stretch. I disagree strongly. > [@](#): > > Regardless of how talented he might have been most people on the street could probably only name two of his songs. The tributes and lavish praise seem to be disproportionate to his actual contributions, IMO. But I’ll admit that maybe that says more about me that him. Have you looked at the playlist of Legend? How old are you? And how white? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/26 "2013-02-12T00:33:42Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > And how white? Oh, brother. Maybe too white, do I have turn in all my Marvin Gaye records now? ---
**Author:** ![Condescending\_Robot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Condescending\_Robot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Condescending_Robot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/27 "2013-02-12T00:42:44Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Have you looked at the playlist of Legend? How old are you? And how white? And here we see the appeal of Bob Marley…a cheap, no-fuss, universally accessible shorthand for “look how in touch I am with other cultures,” not coincidentally adopted by people coming from their suburbs and farm towns to more diverse academic or urban environments when they begin to define themselves as adults. He’s easier to get along with than most other reggae singers (none of the constant drum-beating about killing the white devil and bashing the gays that permeates every inch of non-Marley reggae culture), he’s a good symbol of the idea that listening to popular music and smoking weed counts as an act of political subversion, and if anyone points out that most of his music is no great shakes, just get all up in a huff about what a great man he was and how the person not praising him effusively is probably some sort of racist by implication. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/28 "2013-02-12T00:45:59Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Oh, brother. Maybe too white, do I have turn in all my Marvin Gaye records now? No. It just takes a very Eurocentric way of thinking to say that Bob Marley does not compare to the Beatles. Especially if you wander into the more darker side of town you’d be hard pressed to find one person who can sing you a Beatles tune but will know Bob Marley minutia. This is not to say that The Beatles aren’t great. They are one of the greatest rock bands ever. Bob Marley is one of the greatest reggae artists ever. To say he doesn’t compare is to be very, very white. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/29 "2013-02-12T00:47:12Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > And here we see the appeal of Bob Marley…a cheap, no-fuss, universally accessible shorthand for “look how in touch I am with other cultures,” not coincidentally adopted by people coming from their suburbs and farm towns to more diverse academic or urban environments when they begin to define themselves as adults. He’s easier to get along with than most other reggae singers (none of the constant drum-beating about killing the white devil and bashing the gays that permeates every inch of non-Marley reggae culture), he’s a good symbol of the idea that listening to popular music and smoking weed counts as an act of political subversion, and if anyone points out that most of his music is no great shakes, just get all up in a huff about what a great man he was and how the person not praising him effusively is probably some sort of racist by implication. That’s funny because one of the ways white people know I’m one of the good ones is because I know all of the Beatles stuff. It swings both ways. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/30 "2013-02-12T01:21:33Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > No. It just takes a very Eurocentric way of thinking to say that Bob Marley does not compare to the Beatles. Especially if you wander into the more darker side of town you’d be hard pressed to find one person who can sing you a Beatles tune but will know Bob Marley minutia. > > This is not to say that The Beatles aren’t great. They are one of the greatest rock bands ever. Bob Marley is one of the greatest reggae artists ever. To say he doesn’t compare is to be very, very white. That’s ridiculous. I suppose the point was lost on you that many of my favorite artists are black. My skin color has no bearing on my ability to appreciate music. Take your racist bullshit elsewhere please. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/31 "2013-02-12T01:54:35Z")
The problem with Bob Marley is that there is no #2. Reaggae (for 95%) is Bob Marley (and a few songs: Sheriff, No Woman, Redemption, Buffalo, Jammin) and maybe a local band. For every 100 people who know marley maybe one knows that Tosh. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/32 "2013-02-12T02:17:08Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > That’s ridiculous. I suppose the point was lost on you that many of my favorite artists are black. My skin color has no bearing on my ability to appreciate music. Take your racist bullshit elsewhere please. Then your taste is all in your mouth, child. That’s the only explanation I can think of for your insistance that Bob Marley is over-praised and doesn’t compare to The Beatles. So far your criteria for this observation is that more people know Beatles songs than Bob Marley songs. The fact that it was the music industry paying tribute to Bob Marley that set you off in the first place is telling. The music industry vs your interpretation of how many people know Beatles songs as compared to Bob Marley songs. Your _biased_ interpretation, I may add. And I do not mean racist when I say biased. Bob Marley is a musical pioneer and has influenced many of the artist that have come after him. He was on the ground floor of a musical movement which has grown to include ska, dancehall, reggeaton. He is a legend. When he ceases being a legend is when there is enough of Bob Marley. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/33 "2013-02-12T02:23:02Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > The problem with Bob Marley is that there is no #2. Reaggae (for 95%) is Bob Marley (and a few songs: Sheriff, No Woman, Redemption, Buffalo, Jammin) and maybe a local band. For every 100 people who know marley maybe one knows that Tosh. I’d say Jimmy Cliff or Shabba Ranks could be #2? (to a layman audience, that is) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/34 "2013-02-12T02:33:24Z")
Also, my first post in this thread mentioned that there wasn’t a whole lot of Bob Marley on the show. The point of the tribute was to show how he has influenced music even after all this time. So we get Bruno Mars singing a very recent song and Sting singing a song a few decades old. There could have been Gwen Stefani, UB40, Pitbull --any number of current and not-so-current artist. And what did the OP take away from this? Gah! Not more Bob Marley! When are they gonna stop with him? Geez, it’s not like he’s The Beatles or anything! And then calls me racist. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/35 "2013-02-12T02:44:46Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > And here we see the appeal of Bob Marley…a cheap, no-fuss, universally accessible shorthand for “look how in touch I am with other cultures,” not coincidentally adopted by people coming from their suburbs and farm towns to more diverse academic or urban environments when they begin to define themselves as adults.. And all this time I thought it was the universally accessible shorthand for, “Ya got any weed?” ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/36 "2013-02-12T02:49:20Z")
> [@LC\_Strawhouse](#): > > I’d say Jimmy Cliff or Shabba Ranks could be #2? (to a layman audience, that is) No idea who those guys are. I’d say UB40 is #2 for laymen, but they far away from Bob Marley. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/37 "2013-02-12T03:04:08Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > No idea who those guys are. Jimmy Cliff was the star of _The Harder They Come_ - if you weren’t exposed to Bob Marley, the other way you first experienced reggae was watching that movie and listening to its soundtrack. The third most famous reggae singer is, of course, Sting. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/38 "2013-02-12T03:16:26Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Also, my first post in this thread mentioned that there wasn’t a whole lot of Bob Marley on the show. The point of the tribute was to show how he has influenced music even after all this time. So we get Bruno Mars singing a very recent song and Sting singing a song a few decades old. There could have been Gwen Stefani, UB40, Pitbull --any number of current and not-so-current artist. And what did the OP take away from this? Gah! Not more Bob Marley! When are they gonna stop with him? Geez, it’s not like he’s The Beatles or anything! > > And then calls me racist. Jeez, honey, let it go already. I didn’t bring up the Beatles - you did. I didn’t say anything about him being dead. Your sole contribution to this thread has been putting words in my mouth and telling me I couldn’t possibly understand because I’m too white. And I did not call you a racist. I said you posts that insist my skin color has anything to do with liking Bob Marley were racist. If you want to make a case for Marley, make it on merit and stop attacking me personally. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/39 "2013-02-12T03:27:42Z")
If you’ve had enough Bob Marley, then I would caution you against visiting a Thai beach hangout. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2013, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950/40 "2013-02-12T10:39:06Z")
> [@Condescending\_Robot](#): > > He’s easier to get along with than most other reggae singers (none of the constant drum-beating about **killing the white devil and bashing the gays that permeates every inch of non-Marley reggae culture** )… :rolleyes: I have dozens of reggae artists in my collection, and not one track with these themes. Are you thinking of dancehall? That’s a much smaller realm than all of reggae–and even there it’s not universal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-enough-bob-marley-enough/649950.md?page=3)