Bob Marley vs. Maroon 5 | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 28^th edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2022), Bob Marley & The Wailers and Maroon 5 contend for the best rendition of “Three Little Birds.” 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 28^th edition of head 🗣️2 head 🗣️ (2022), 🎙 Bob Marley & The Wailers and 🎙 Maroon 5 contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “Three Little Birds”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Three Little Birds”

💿 Exodus • 🏷 UMG Recordings Inc. • 📅 1977

“Don’t worry about a thing / ‘Cause every little thing is gonna be alright.” Ah, such positivity! Furthermore, such VIBE! Reggae, particularly in the hands of the late, great 🎙 Bob Marley, is all about positivity and musically, a surefire vibe. Perhaps no other reggae classic by 🎙 Bob Marley & The Wailers shines brighter, or is more popular, than 🎵 “Three Little Birds.”  This is quintessential Bob Marley, as well as quintessential reggae. It’s a shame that Marley didn’t receive the notoriety he deserved during his lifetime.  He wasn’t nominated for a Grammy, and he didn’t ignite the Billboard Hot 100.  Regardless, Marley has gone on to have massive success posthumously, including the diamond-certified album, 💿 Legend.  “Three Little Birds” originally hails from the collective’s gold-certified album, 💿 Exodus (1977).

“Rise up this morning, smiled with the rising sun / Three little birds pitch by my doorstep,” Marley sings in the verse.  These lyrics alone speak to the spirit that Bob possessed – truly special. He continues, “Singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true / Saying, ‘This is my message to you-ou-ou.’” Of course, this sets up the beloved refrain, which touts hope, optimism, and nothing but positive vibes.  The message is simple but potent, made even more potent by the expressive, nuanced vocals of Bob and the slick, reggae backdrop.  “Three Little Birds” is a model of what reggae is meant to sound like as far as instrumentation, rhythm, and the overall aesthetic.  An oft-covered record, does anybody give Bob Marley & The Wailers a run for their money?

“True friends are like stars; you can only recognize them when it’s dark around you.” ~ Bob Marley

2. Maroon 5, “Three Little Birds”

🎵 “Three Little Birds” • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2018

So, remember how I asked the question, “does anybody give 🎙 Bob Marley & The Wailers a run for their money?” Well, worth mentioning is the fact that in 2018, 🏆 Grammy-winning pop collective 🎙 Maroon 5 covered the Marley classic, 🎵 “Three Little Birds”.  That’s right.  The collective traded modern pop for reggae (Note: this occurred long before 🎙 Adam Levine would take off his horrid looking tank at the Super Bowl to show his ripped, tatted bod). So, rather than focusing on Levine’s bod, how did M5’s rendition of “Three Little Birds” turn out?

In “Three Little Birds,” Maroon 5 does okay… I’d argue they handle their business effectively or at least,  moderately effective. The biggest takeaway is that they don’t butcher the beloved Bob Marley classic.  That’s a win in my eyes.  Worth noting, that on the Maroon 5 cover, the tempo is quicker, and the sound is slightly modernized.  Still, the core sound is retained from the original. That said, while Maroon 5 does Marley justice, it’s safe to say this spirited cover doesn’t trump the original, no matter how successfully Levine channels his inner Marley. He certainly doesn’t turn into the late reggae icon by any means – no shade!

Appears in 🔻:

• 9 Songs That Reference the Number ‘3’
• 11 Songs to Channel Your Inner Animal
• 10 Songs That Go Strictly by the Numbers
• 13 Little or Small Songs That Transcend Size
• 11 Songs About Those Fine-Feathered Things Called Birds

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

🎙 Bob Marley & The Wailers or 🎙 Maroon 5?  This one, my friends, is easy. Bob Marley gets the edge and honestly, there’s no explanation necessary.  Reggae is one of the toughest musical styles to pull of authentically as a non-reggae musician.  Good try by Adam Levine and company, but they’d have to move heaven and earth to one-up the late, great Bob Marley.

Bob Marley & The Wailers vs. Maroon 5: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 28 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Valentin Tikhonov]