So Much Things to Say

Comments (0) By Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik Thursday, Jun 8 2006

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Bob Marley’s Exodus is Time magazine’s Album of the Century. That’s a weighty title for an album of earnest reggae ditties, but it is a well-deserved one; almost every song has become a timeless classic. “Natural Mystic,” “Three Little Birds,” “Jammin’,” and “One Love” are all on Exodus. Ask renowned writer Vivien Goldman which of Marley’s tunes is her favorite, and the answer comes quickly.

“I’m particularly fond of ‘Guiltiness,’ but I’m not sure if that’s because I was actually with him when he was composing it. That song turned out to be rather prophetic,” she muses. Goldman first met Marley in 1975, when this now-iconic figure was a virtual unknown. Thanks to her stellar music journalism, fans around the world came to know a more intimate side of a musical legend.

In Goldman’s latest work, The Book of Exodus: The Making and Meaning of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Album of the Century, she analyzes his songwriting while revealing the motivation for his music. Exodus was inspired by a politically motivated attempted assassination and painful treachery by people Marley considered friends. It is a profound musical journey that leads listeners from devastating betrayal to uplifting anthems of hope. “The lesson of Exodus is that however tough times are, there is a joy in being alive,” says Goldman. Tonight at 7:00 at Books & Books, celebrate Marley’s legacy with one of the people who knew him well. Call 305-442-4408, or visit www.booksandbooks.com.
Sat., June 10