Bob Marley

43 years ago today, The Beatles arrived in America, and 62 years ago yesterday, Bob Marley was born in Jamaica. The former event brings to mind all kinds of musical implications, some of which would affect the music of the man implied by the latter event; the latter event reminds me of how young Bob Marley was when he passed away and how sad it is that he's no longer with us. The same can be said of John Lennon, and although George Harrison made it another 20+ years on earth, he also left us far too soon.

Beatles mania. I don't think we'll ever see a phenomenon like it again. When they landed, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was number one on the charts in the US, and by April 4, 1964, less than two months later, the Beatles had the top 5 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, a feat that has not been achieved since.

When they appeared on the Ed Sullivan program, Nielsen estimates 45 percent of the country watched the show - almost 74 million people then, one of the highest-rated nonsports programs of all time (then again, the MASH finale still rates highest).

They paved the way for the British invasion, even if the Beatles themselves were skeptical that they had anything to offer the musically rich US. Lennon is quoted as saying: "The thing is, in America, it just seemed ridiculous -- I mean, the idea of having a hit record over there. It was just something you could never do."

Or, as George Harrison put it: "'They've got everything over there. What do they want us for?"

It was an early example of music breaking down national borders and moving into a globalized landscape. Those walls are still crumbling down as digital music distribution means country specific licensing is becoming a thing of the past.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Jamaica, Bob Marley is a 19 year old musician who has just scored his first number one hit in Jamaica with 'Simmer Down' in January of 1964. Although I can't seem to find out exactly when he recorded it, sometime between 1964 and 1966, Bob recorded The Beatles' "And I Love Her" - obviously The Beatles' sphere of influence had moved into the Carribean as well. I've heard stories of people in Jamaica picking up radio signals from Miami - I'm not sure if they're apocryphal but that's one possible explanation.

Bob also lived in the US for about 6 months in 1966, probably furthering the influence of American music and melodies on his already rich musical sense and background.

An early example of being influenced by global music, Bob would go on to become arguably the most global artist in the history of music, with an impact that continues around the world today.

Here's an interview with Bob from 1979 - if you're not familiar with the Jamaican patois he can be difficult to understand, but if that's the case, listen to the flow, rhythm, and musicality of his speech. I've also included a 1973 Wailers lineup (including Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer) version from the BBC of Concrete Jungle.