Bob Marley - Redemption Song Meaning

Song Released: 1980

Redemption Song Lyrics

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won’t you help to...

1. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Apr 27th 2008 !⃝

   Bob Marley was not a "sell out" he sang because it was what he loved.
2. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Apr 8th 2008 !⃝

   IT is a reflection of the past and wise advise for future... It is about slavery/mistakes of all kind ... as someone said: "mental liberation". So inspiring...
3. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Nov 15th 2007 !⃝

   Yeah, I like that last post.
   Any buskers out there? Here’s a third verse for Redemption Song:
   Have you ever really listened to the words Bob Marley wrote?
   His really was a one love mission, singing songs to bring you hope.
   So let go of this world and its prejudice and do more loving every day
   Cos when he asked you to sing these songs with him, he was asking you to change your ways.
4. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Jun 1st 2007 !⃝

   It is an apology. He always plays music about mass consumerism and how its bad but then he goes and sells himself out...to be a advertised and have his music sold to people..."sold I to the merchant ships" sold his stuff to people. He is asking for redemption for selling himself out and going against what he believes
5. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Apr 26th 2007 !⃝

   lol this song is definitely about his people being brought out of slavery into a modern form of slavery..
6. username

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Aug 1st 2005 !⃝

   This was the last song that Bob performed live. It's not about slavery, you have to look deeper into the meaning. It's not about black people or white people. Bob may talk about the "old pirates" but I think what he meant by it all was that we as people are our true captors. People that stress or worry too much and live in the past. He's telling us to free ourselves mentally.