I remember yelling, “Turn that down” and scrunching down in the backseat of the car so people couldn’t see me in the car that was blasting this very un-rap like music.
Since it’s Thursday and it just so happens to be Bob Marley’s birthday, I thought I’d share a short little story from my childhood.
First, happy birthday to the legend who would have been 69 years old today.
I’m guessing there will be huge celebrations and concerts in honor of Marley next year as he would have marked a milestone 70 years.
Bob Marley’s death most likely had a huge impact on my father and his generation. Looking now, I realized that he and my father were the same age minus a year and I’m sure that resonated to my father as well at the time.
My dad played Bob Marleys’ music in the house all the time. I loved the songs and singing along for “Buffalo Soldier” to “I Shot the Sheriff” to “Is This Love”. Not fully understanding what the lyrics meant but, enjoying the rhythms.
Saturday and Sunday mornings, when my dad had off from work, would be start with music blasting through the house and Bob Marley & The Wailers almost always made the rotation.
But, as much as I liked the songs my friends and I were into rap music and R&B.
Bob Marley was never a topic of conversation. For all I know, my friend’s were probably listening to him too at home but, in school, it was all about rap and r&b.
Which is why I’d be completely embarrassed when we’d be in the car and my dad would decide to drop the windows and blast Marley’s music.
My dad only did it when we were in Brooklyn because in Long Island where we lived people didn’t blast music out of their cars like that at least not in my neighborhood.
We’d take the drive to Brooklyn and on the highway it was cool to blast the music. We were on the highway. No one could hear but us.
But, in the Brooklyn streets, the music blasting out of cars and on stoops was strictly rap and here we were driving down with this “old man” and he’s blasting Bob Marley.
But, in the Brooklyn streets, the music blasting out of cars and on stoops was strictly rap and here we were driving down with this “old man” and he’s blasting Bob Marley.
Uncool, I thought at the time, so uncool.
I remember yelling, “Turn that down” and scrunching down in the backseat of the car so people couldn’t see me in the car that was blasting this very un-rap like music.
My father would laugh his thunderous laugh and turn the music up louder to the point where I would crouch on the floor of the car (mandatory seatbelts and carseats was not a thing back then).
It’s so silly thinking back on it and understanding why my dad found it so hilarious:
- Bob Marley was popular outside of our house
- Nobody cares that a little girl is in a car blasting Bob Marley
- I loved the songs yet cringed at the thought of people knowing I was listening to it
Good times. Good times.
So, to Bob Marley, happy birthday again and thank you for the music although as a little girl I was ashamed of showing that I liked it as much as I liked rap.
Here’s my favorite Bob Marley song of all time:
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