Bob Marley & The Wailers, Get Up, Stand Up | Music Lifts

In the 46^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we’re uplifted by Bob Marley & The Wailers performing, “Get Up, Stand Up.”

WWelcome to Music Lifts , a column that seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 46^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we highlight “Get Up, Stand Up” as performed by Bob Marley & The Wailers.

“Get up, stand up, stand up for your right / Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight.” That’s the spirit Bob Marley & The Wailers! “Get Up, Stand Up” is one of the great hits by the iconic reggae musician and his iconic reggae collective.  Fittingly, “Get Up, Stand Up” commences 1973’s Burnin’. The legendary Bob Marley (1945 – 1981) penned this resolute, uplifting anthem alongside Peter Tosh (1944 – 1987), a member of The Wailers as well as an important Jamaican reggae solo artist in his own right.  The groove and sound are idiomatic of reggae through and through.  The lyrics truly capture the power of protest – fighting for the right cause.

“Preacher man don’t tell me heaven is under earth,” Bob Marley sings in the first verse, raising eyebrows .  So, heaven is hell ? Huh??? He adds, “It’s not all that glitter is gold and / Half the story has never been told.”  While some may question his viewpoint regarding heaven and Christianity (Marley was Rastafarian, after all), his perspective on life itself is easier to get behind – it can be tough, unfair, and requires fortitude .  God is mentioned specifically in the second verse, where Marley addresses a common misconception from Christians: “Most people think great God will come from the sky / Take away everything and make everybody feel high.” Bob suggests most people of the Christian faith believe God will make everything okay, often without them being proactive, per se.  He encourages them to fight, fight, fight. You can disagree with his religious views, but truthfully, don’t many people of faith pray without being proactive and helping out their cause? Food for thought.  Finally, in the third verse, Peter Tosh encourages fight, touting his Rastafarianism:

“We’re sick and tired of your ism and schism game

Die and go to heaven in Jesus’ name, Lord

We know and we understand

Almighty God is a living man.”

This is another instance where differences of opinion between Christianity and Rastafarianism are acceptable. Points that are valid are how religion can be divisive (facts), and again, if you want to enact change, you must F-I-G-H-T. All told,   “Get Up, Stand Up” won’t unite everyone from a religious standpoint, but, this record is uplifting and inspirational because it encourages being proactive to enact change which is powerful.

Bob Marley & The Wailers • Burnin’ • Universal Island • 1973

Bob Marley & The Wailers, Get Up, Stand Up: Music Lifts No. 46 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Universal Island; cottonbro studio, Itzel Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]