U2 frontman Bono’s impromptu, a cappella rendition of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song at the Sarajevo Film Festival in Bosnia a few weeks ago, has sparked much discussion after the singer appeared to have forgotten some of the lyrics.
Cedella Marley, on Wednesday, posted a brief clip of the Irish rocker’s performance, a song Bono had previously included in his 2020 fan letters to his musical heroes, titled “60 Songs That Saved My Life.”
Yet, when Bono reached the line “We forward in this generation, triumphantly,” he hesitated, murmuring “forever after…” and then trailed off before adding “triumphantly.”
While many commenters cheered the singer, who, incidentally, was tasked with inducting Bob Marley into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, others sought to mock the 63-year-old for the blunder in his rendition.
“Oh Bono…here’s the lyric you forgot. We forward in this generation,” one man quipped, while another rebuked: “He didn’t even know all the words – shame on Bono.”
A particular comment questioned the appropriateness of Bono, a white man, covering a song deeply rooted in the black experience.
“Bob music is eternal , but I really don’t think any white man should cover redemption song them words don’t “Relate” to them….plus him na know all de lyrics,” the commenter complained, before being silenced by another who countered: “Bob Marley wouldn’t have cared. He was good friends with Bono. Bono was the opening act a few times at Bob Marley concerts. I am Jamaican, who knew Bob, so I know what I am talking about. For Bob, who was extremely proud of his African roots, it was always One Love One Heart . Don’t get it twisted”.
Redemption Song, the poignant final track on Uprising, Marley’s final studio album, was released in 1980. It was also the last song Gong recorded before his untimely death from cancer in May 1981, and it is currently certified Gold in the United Kingdom and Italy.
The song, which ranked 66th on Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2014, drew inspiration from Jamaica’s first Jamaica’s1938 speech, “The Work That Has Been Done,” contained the lines, “We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind.” These words were beautifully adapted in Marley’s song as: “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.”
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