1992 box set by Bob Marley and the Wailers
| Songs of Freedom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Box set by Bob Marley and the Wailers | ||||
| Released | 6 October 1992 | |||
| Recorded | 1961–1980 | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 4:59:11 | |||
| Label | Tuff Gong | |||
| Bob Marley and the Wailers chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Baltimore Sun | |
Songs of Freedom is a four-disc box set containing music by Bob Marley and the Wailers, from Marley's first song "Judge Not", recorded in 1961, to a live version of "Redemption Song", recorded in 1980 at his last concert.
The song "Iron Lion Zion" was first released on this compilation, in what is often considered the original mix (although the original is said to not have included the harmony vocals from the I-Threes). The single releases (and subsequent compilation releases) use a remix which was created for the single using modern production, which sounds very different.
"Why Should I" was remixed for this compilation and released as a single. The original wasn't released until the JAD/Universal box set Man To Man in 2004. The original was recorded in 1971 and features Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer's backing vocals, which were replaced by The I-Threes on the remix.
It is said to be complementary to the greatest hits compilation Legend, in the sense that any of the tracks with the same names are presented in different versions from the normal single mixes on Legend - as an example see the number of 12" mixes in the track listing below. The exceptions are the original versions of "Get Up, Stand Up" and "Easy Skanking", the latter appearing on the 2002 Deluxe Edition remaster.
Track listing
Disc one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Judge Not" | Bob Marley | non-album single (1962) | 2:26 |
| 2. | "One Cup of Coffee" | Brooke Benton, arr. B. Marley | non-album single (1962) | 2:34 |
| 3. | "Simmer Down" | B. Marley | The Wailing Wailers (1965) | 2:50 |
| 4. | "I'm Still Waiting" | B. Marley | The Wailing Wailers (1965) | 3:07 |
| 5. | "One Love/People Get Ready" | B. Marley, Curtis Mayfield | The Wailing Wailers (1965) | 3:21 |
| 6. | "Put It On" | B. Marley | The Wailing Wailers (1965) | 3:08 |
| 7. | "Bus Dem Shut (Pyaka)" | B. Marley | single (1967) | 2:47 |
| 8. | "Mellow Mood" (original) | B. Marley | single (1967) | 3:31 |
| 9. | "Bend Down Low" | B. Marley | single (1967) | 2:30 |
| 10. | "Hypocrites" | B. Marley | single (1967) | 2:36 |
| 11. | "Stir It Up" (original) | B. Marley | single (1967) | 3:13 |
| 12. | "Nice Time" | B. Marley | single (1967) | 2:44 |
| 13. | "Thank You Lord" (original) | B. Marley | single (1967) | 3:41 |
| 14. | "Hammer" | B. Marley | previously unreleased demo (1968) | 2:57 |
| 15. | "Caution" | B. Marley | The Best of The Wailers (1970) | 2:45 |
| 16. | "Back Out" | B. Marley | The Best of The Wailers (1970) | 2:18 |
| 17. | "Soul Shake Down Party" | B. Marley | The Best of The Wailers (1970) | 3:06 |
| 18. | "Do It Twice" | B. Marley | The Best of The Wailers (1970) | 2:49 |
| 19. | "Soul Rebel" | B. Marley | Soul Rebels (1970) | 3:19 |
| 20. | "Sun Is Shining" | B. Marley | Soul Revolution Part II (1971) | 2:11 |
| 21. | "Don't Rock My Boat" | B. Marley | Soul Revolution Part II (1971) | 4:32 |
| 22. | "Small Axe" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 3:57 |
| 23. | "Duppy Conqueror" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 3:39 |
| 24. | "Mr. Brown" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 3:32 |
Disc two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Screwface" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 2:23 |
| 2. | "Lick Samba" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 2:33 |
| 3. | "Trenchtown Rock" (alternative mix) | B. Marley | single (1971) | 3:28 |
| 4. | "Craven Choke Puppy" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 2:52 |
| 5. | "Guava Jelly" | B. Marley | single (1971) | 2:18 |
| 6. | "Acoustic Medley" (medley of "Guava Jelly", "This Train", "Cornerstone", "Comma Comma", "Dew Drops", "Stir It Up" and "I'm Hurting Inside") | B. Marley | previously unreleased JAD audition (1971) | 12:09 |
| 7. | "I'm Hurting Inside" (alternative mix) | B. Marley | previously unreleased, from an unfinished JAD album (1971) | 3:29 |
| 8. | "High Tide or Low Tide" | B. Marley | previously unreleased outtake from Catch a Fire (1972) | 4:09 |
| 9. | "Slave Driver" | B. Marley | Catch a Fire (1972) | 2:51 |
| 10. | "No More Trouble" | B. Marley | Catch a Fire (1972) | 3:59 |
| 11. | "Concrete Jungle" | B. Marley | Catch a Fire (1972) | 4:11 |
| 12. | "Get Up, Stand Up" | B. Marley, Peter Tosh | Burnin' (1973) | 3:14 |
| 13. | "Rastaman Chant" | Traditional, arr. The Wailers | Burnin (1973) | 3:51 |
| 14. | "Burnin' and Lootin'" | B. Marley | Burnin (1973) | 4:13 |
| 15. | "Iron Lion Zion" (original) | B. Marley | previously unreleased recording for this release. (1973) | 2:55 |
| 16. | "Lively Up Yourself" | B. Marley | Natty Dread (1973) | 5:11 |
| 17. | "Natty Dread" | B. Marley | Natty Dread (1973) | 3:34 |
| 18. | "I Shot the Sheriff" (live) | B. Marley | Live! (1975) | 5:26 |
Disc three
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "No Woman No Cry" (live at The Roxy) | Vincent Ford | previously unreleased at the time, though later appears on the live release Live at the Roxy (1976) | 5:22 |
| 2. | "Who the Cap Fit" | Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett | Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 4:41 |
| 3. | "Jah Live" | B. Marley, Lee Perry | single (1975); later added to the remastered edition of Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 4:15 |
| 4. | "Crazy Baldheads" | R. Marley, Ford | Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 3:10 |
| 5. | "War" | Cole, C. Barrett | Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 3:36 |
| 6. | "Johnny Was" | R. Marley | Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 3:46 |
| 7. | "Rat Race" | R. Marley | Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 2:49 |
| 8. | "Jamming" (12-inch mix) | B. Marley | remix of track from Exodus (1977) | 5:45 |
| 9. | "Waiting in Vain" (advert mix) | B. Marley | previously unreleased remix of track from Exodus (1977) | 3:59 |
| 10. | "Exodus" (12-inch mix) | B. Marley | remix of track from Exodus (1977) | 7:25 |
| 11. | "Natural Mystic" | B. Marley | Exodus (1977) | 3:26 |
| 12. | "Three Little Birds" (alternate mix) | B. Marley | alternate version of track from Exodus (1977) | 2:56 |
| 13. | "Running Away" | B. Marley | Kaya (1978) | 4:14 |
| 14. | "Keep on Moving" (London version) | C. Mayfield | outtake from an unreleased Lee Perry album (1978), first released on the "One Love/People Get Ready" 12-inch single (1984) | 5:44 |
| 15. | "Easy Skanking" | B. Marley | Kaya (1978) | 2:55 |
| 16. | "Is This Love" (horns mix) | B. Marley | alternate mix of track from Kaya (1978) | 4:00 |
| 17. | "Smile Jamaica" | B. Marley, Perry | non-album single (1976); later added to deluxe edition of Rastaman Vibration (1976) | 3:13 |
| 18. | "Time Will Tell" | B. Marley | Kaya (1978) | 3:32 |
Disc four
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Africa Unite" | B. Marley | Survival (1979) | 2:54 |
| 2. | "Survival" | B. Marley | Survival (1979) | 3:52 |
| 3. | "One Drop" | B. Marley | Survival (1979) | 3:51 |
| 4. | "One Dub" | B. Marley | Survival (One Drop" b-side) (1979) | 3:53 |
| 5. | "Zimbabwe" | B. Marley | Survival (1979) | 3:47 |
| 6. | "So Much Trouble in the World" | B. Marley | Survival (1979) | 3:57 |
| 7. | "Ride Natty Ride" (12-inch mix) | B. Marley | remix of the track from Survival (1979) | 6:22 |
| 8. | "Babylon System" | B. Marley | Survival (1979) | 4:18 |
| 9. | "Coming in from the Cold" (12-inch mix) | B. Marley | remix of the track from Uprising (1980) | 6:04 |
| 10. | "Real Situation" | B. Marley | Uprising (1980) | 3:08 |
| 11. | "Bad Card" | B. Marley | Uprising (1980) | 2:48 |
| 12. | "Could You Be Loved" (12-inch mix) | B. Marley | remix of the track from Uprising (1980) | 5:26 |
| 13. | "Forever Loving Jah" | B. Marley | Uprising (1980) | 3:50 |
| 14. | "Rastaman Live Up" | B. Marley | Confrontation (1983) | 5:21 |
| 15. | "Give Thanks and Praises" | B. Marley | Confrontation (1983) | 3:14 |
| 16. | "One Love/People Get Ready" (12-inch mix) | B. Marley, Mayfield | remix of track from Exodus (1977) | 7:08 |
| 17. | "Why Should I" | B. Marley | previously unreleased recording, which The I-Threes were on the remix for this release. (1992) | 3:33 |
| 18. | "Redemption Song" (live in Pittsburgh) | B. Marley | previously unreleased at the time, though later appears on the live release Live in Pittsburgh (1980) | 4:08 |
Charts
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) | 87 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) | 44 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 10 |
| US Billboard 200 | 86 |
References
- Erlewine Thomas, Stephen. "Bob Marley: Songs of Freedom". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
- Bob Marley Rolling Stone Album Guide
- Considine J.D. (29 November 1992). "Compact Collections". baltimoresun.com. Baltimore Sun.
- Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 176.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Bob Marley – Songs of Freedom" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
- "Bob Marley Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
