Natty Dread

This is a pretty dang iconic album. It's a top-shelf cocktail of groove, blues, and blistering social commentary. Honestly, I'm at a loss for what to say about this album other than it's just damn good. It ticks all the boxes. It's iconic, in the pocket, vocals are on point, lyrics are heavy, production is excellent, and it's so thick with sheer musicality it practically oozes. Just a real fine record.

This was an album of great transition for Bob, he had split with his childhood friends and original Wailers, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Bob's influence over the band was becoming more and more pronounced and Tosh and Wailer decided that is not the direction they wished to go. The revamped band was now, for the first time, known as "Bob Marley and The Wailers" as opposed to just "The Wailers" thus solidifying Marley as the primary leader of the band. Bob truly took charge of the overall focus and direction of the group and wrote all the songs. In an interesting twist of fate and one of the best business moves in music history, he assigned the credits for many of his songs to his close family memebers and friends as a way to make sure they were taken care of financial, certain charities he believed in and supported were funded and as a way to avoid contractual obligations to his former publishing company, Cayman Music. Although this is a transition album of sorts, it sports some of his most memorable songs and one in particular that would be one of his defining moments, "No Woman, No Cry" which would gain much fame due to his incredible live performances of the record. He would introduce the "I-Threes" a female vocal group that included his wife, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths and Judy Mowatt. Their vocals addeded a wonderful compliment to Bob's on songs such as one of my personal favorites on the album, "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)". The writing on this album seems very personal and almost takes you on a journey through Bob's life in Jamaica and some of the obstacles he had to overcome. This record is also a canvas for Bob to infuse some of his Rastafarian beliefs and he does a marvelous job of this on songs such as "So Jah Seh" and the title track "Natty Dread". This album is almost like Bob saying "Here I Am, The Real Me" and he gives us a fairly detailed revelation of where his heart was and where his and the bands focus was now going to be. I believe this to be one of his most profound works and it's one of my personal favorites. It's only years after it's release and in particular after his death that I think many truly appreciated this album for it's greatness. There are many wonderful songs beyond "No Woman, No Cry" that make this a truly wonderful album and it gives it's listener a front row seat into some of the many tragic situations going on in his homeland and, indeed, many of the places dear to his heart such as the other island nations, Africa and United States. Bob Marley was a revolutionary in every since of the word and he would spend the remainder of his tragically short life fighting for the cause, "Revolution".

Yeah man.

The first time I got around to listen to this album, I couldn't give it my full attention because I was distracted. The second go around, things began to click. I've avoided Bob Marley for quite a long while, seen his documentaries but never listened to his music. He was just a poster adorning college campuses and a shining beacon for good vibes. The deep cuts here in Natty Dread showcase the Bob Marley I'd like to encounter with more often, someone who possessed a need to tell about the happenings around him and it was makes Natty Dread a pivotal piece in the reggae puzzle. Favorites: Lively Up Yourself, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock), Natty Dread, Bend Down Low, Talkin' Blues.

Forty years ago, I would have pretended to like this. But I've never really enjoyed most reggae. This is no exception. It includes "No Woman No Cry", but it's not the live version that everyone knows. I didn't enjoy this at all.

Is it even possible to enjoy Bob Marley while not being high? Not that I enjoy his music in any way when I am. It's just soooooo boooooring. It's boring to the point that I get really annoyed. I listened to parts of the first 6 songs but I couldn't bare any of them.

Today I learned that I really, really, really do not like reggae. I'm sure this was an important album and all, but man do I not enjoy this. I'd rather listen to the Kid Rock album again than this one.

I don't really care for reggae, even if it is the great Bob Marley. It's nice to listen to on certain occasions, but I never find myself in the mood for it. It's a bit boring and repetitive for me. The songs are a bit too similar sounding. I found myself tuning it out half the time, so it's hard to focus on and appreciate. While it's not a bad record, I don't see myself returning to this anytime soon.

Bob Marley's ability to write feel-good music that is rich in cultural and political commentary make him one of the most iconic musicians of the 20th century. Natty Dread is a masterwork; my enjoyment of it was dampened only by the knowledge that his 1975 live London version of "No Woman No Cry" is vastly superior.

The vibes... THE VIBES! Marley, through the sadness in his voice, communicated and empathized with Jamaica in a way that nobody ever could.

catchy, timeless, music with a distinctive vibe

Absolutely loved this. It’s so artistic and creative. It’s no wonder Bob Marley is a legend.

Great album, revolutionary sounds and lyrics

Great album, tons of BM and the Wailers greatest hits.

What a pleasant surprise this album choice was this morning. Bob Marley is one of the goats, and this album was just the perfect soundtrack to my morning. While No Woman, No Cry is not the version that gets the most play, it is still fun to listen to the non-Live recording.

Mellow and chill.

OH YEAAAAAAAAA. Lively Up Yourself. No Woman No Cry, though I don't know that I have every heard it this upbeat and gospel. it almost feels rushed. dude this fucking album is so great.

This album is chill as fuck. I need to listen to more Bob Marley. Makes me long for warm summer nights with friends

Absolut berechtigt für die Liste der 1001 Alben

Muy buen disco

Fantastic. So good. And picked on his birthday.

This is such an incredible listen. There isn't a single song that I skipped through in all my listens. There is a quality to Bob Marley's voice that reggae artists since have seemed incapable of emulating (and that all of the exaggerated imitations do absolutely no justice to). The album hinges on Marley's performance—the airy themes that might otherwise be a bit unbearable, the repetitions that could start the grate—but Marley never seems to fail. A truly incredible album. 9/10.

I had listened to a lot of Bob Marley but had somehow never heard this album. In retrospect, I don’t know how that is possible. Great album and really interesting versions of well known songs.

There are few artists so ubiquitous that they are instantly associated with an entire genre, a nation-state, and a faith movement. Bob Marley is one such figure—his image alone evokes thoughts of reggae, Jamaica, and Rastafarianism. Released in 1974, Natty Dread is particularly significant as it is the first album credited solely to Bob Marley & The Wailers, following the departure of Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. This album also features some of Marley's best-known early hits, marking a key moment in his solo ascension. Like many of his 1970s contemporaries—Queen, The Eagles, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder, to name a few—Marley is often regarded as a “greatest hits” artist. Indeed, Rolling Stone Magazine even included the Legend compilation on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Given that Marley released 13 albums between 1970 and 1980, it’s understandable that some might reduce his legacy to his hits. However, albums like Natty Dread reveal how much more there is to explore within Marley’s body of work. The album kicks off with "Lively Up Yourself," a prime example of reggae’s inherently uplifting vibe. The song's groovy rhythm and positive message encourage self-confidence, positivity, and unity, inviting listeners to relax and feel joyful. Tracks like "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" and "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)" serve as powerful social commentaries, addressing pressing issues of inequality, oppression, and political resistance. Marley’s ability to weave these themes into accessible, rhythmic music helped raise awareness of struggles beyond Jamaica, resonating deeply with marginalized communities around the globe. The title track, "Natty Dread," celebrates Marley’s Rastafarian faith, introducing spiritual and cultural elements that would become central to his work. Most notably, the album features "No Woman, No Cry," which, while its live version from Live! would gain mass popularity, offers a quieter, more intimate glimpse into the song’s origins in its studio form. Reggae as a genre sometimes faces criticism for its slower tempo, offbeat rhythm, and repetitive chord progressions, which some may find simplistic. Additionally, the association with marijuana culture has led to unfair stereotyping. Marley himself is often reduced to a commodified image, destined to adorn t-shirts and posters worldwide, rather than being appreciated as a true artist—a disservice to his immersive legacy. Marley’s voice stands as one of his greatest assets. His passionate, emotive delivery on Natty Dread enhances the album's messages, whether he’s singing about personal struggles in "No Woman, No Cry" or issuing a call to action in "Rebel Music." His charisma and sincerity make the music feel deeply personal and resonate powerfully with listeners. The addition of the I-Threes, with their rich vocal harmonies, adds a new dimension to the sound, making it more dynamic and textured. Notably, the drum and percussion work throughout the album is utterly joyous, enriching the compositions with vibrant texture. Ultimately, with such a vast discography, it’s challenging to pinpoint a single definitive Bob Marley album. However, Natty Dread is indicative of Marley’s artistic vision coming into full focus, as he steps into the forefront without Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. This album marks a pivotal moment where Marley’s own voice and message begin to take center stage—a trajectory he would continue to develop until his untimely death. Did I own this release? No, I likely owned Legend. Does this release belong on my list? Yes. Would this release make my personal list? From start to finish, this was a compelling listen. As I prefer to have one album per artist on my list, I would like to listen to a few more deep cuts before making a final selection. Will I be listening to it again? There is always a right time and place for reggae.

Despite being overexposed to Bob Marley’s music by way of the trust fund hippies I’ve known over the years, I can’t deny that this record, along most of his catalog, is great.

It's nice for listening one or two songs, but the whole album wound up being tiring

I think I was more familiar with the live recordings of some of these songs: "No Woman No Cry" sounds very clean and less impassioned in this studio cut. It's a general theme here that these tracks seem very clean and tidy which is to say that they lack some of the emotion that I usually associate with Mr. Marley. I admire his careful and delicate control of his voice and while I'm firmly out of my reggae phase, this album was a nice way to revisit the roots of that time in my life.

Classic Reggae album if you’re in the mood for a bunch of reggae at once.

I used to love ska and reggae. Bob Marley is obviously a master. That said, it’s a repetitive genre that is hard for me to get into for very long anymore. The revolutionary subjects of the lyrics make his albums more worth it than most, and I wasn’t repulsed two tracks in like I have been with a couple of previous albums on this list, but reggae is not my go to anymore. 3/5

Mein Reggae Gaumen ist schwachbrüstig, wenn es um Unterscheidung von gutem oder mittelmäßigem Reggae geht. Er schlägt selten aus und so würde ich allzu häufig von der Mittelmäßigkeit des Genres schlechthin überzeugt sein, aber darf ich das überhaupt, wenn das Sensorium so unbedarft urteilt? Vielleicht will Reggae ja auch gar nichts anderes sein? Nur kann ich auch zwischen dem Fehlen vermeintlicher Ambitionen und dem Fehlen von Qualität nicht unterscheiden. Hier jedenfalls fehlt mir beides. Doppelfehle(r)nde 1.6

Even if you don't know anything about Jamaican music, chances are you know Bob Marley. He's far and away the most popular Jamaican musician of all time. You can kind of understand why listening to Natty Dread. The musicians lock into these gentle grooves like they've been playing together forever. Marley has a knack for writing simple lyrics that evoke an idea while not actually saying a whole lot. The musical textures are as slick as whale shit. Put together, these attributes make Natty Dread accessible as hell. But for me, it comes across as protest music for the Benneton crowd. I'm sure Bob Marley & The Wailers were perfectly sincere about their music and weren't intentionally pandering to the lowest common denominator, but it sure comes across that way. Thankfully, compared to previous albums, Natty Dread is more focused, with shorter song running times, the arrangements are more varied, and the first two tunes, Lively Up Yourself and No Woman No Cry actually have decent melodic and rhythmic hooks. Still, even putting my personal distaste for this kind of mainstream reggae aside, over the course of even a relatively short 42 minutes, my eyes rolled up into my head with boredom.

Trash, I hate jamaican songs, they all sound the same and sing about the same shit

Great album.

A very good album, worthy of recommendation

Well, this is an album I'd not heard of before, and I'm not sure it could be any more perfect. I'd not even heard these versions of the tracks I had heard before. Great stuff.

Brilliant

Instant Classic

Fantastisch, beste album dat niet zo gewaardeerd wordt als enkele andere. Maar stiekem zijn de nummers (waarvan de helft al eens in een eerdere vorm opgenomen was) stuk voor stuk sterk. Experimenten met instrumentatie, koortjes, loodzware riffs en lichte melodieën, maar misschien is dat wel meer dan de eerdere platen, zeer sterke teksten. Vanaf de eerste keer dat ik het album draaide tot nu toe mijn all time favorite van Marley!

Classic reaggae sounds, feels light and groovy all along!

What the Straight White Man™️ Did to Marley’s legacy and reggae as a whole is unforgivable. This is an album of musicians at the peak of their craft, the tones alone across this are so sumptuous and warm and joy-giving.

Classic

Great album, no skips and just an all out good time. Favorite song was Revolution

amazing

é o grande mestre não adianta

Love this album.

A album full of good vibes, great lyrics, and bob marley. This is a revolutionary album for reggae and one of my favourite reggae records I have heard

Classic Bob Marley & The Wailers album, 5 star like any other BM from that period but this one together with Catch A Fire, might be their best but it is hard to say ..would be nice if some of their earlier albums are in the list as well.

I prefer later, live versions of No Woman, but come on. Bob is an all timer.

This is the album and artist all reggae try to live up to. Pretty easy 5 stars when it defines a genre.

Don’t know if it’s how little music I listened to this week or if it’s just a bunch of bangers right in a row. Bob rules

10/10 love bob marley

Probably still my favorite of his (along with Exodus and Burnin') from THE reggae singer.

Wonderful, not quite the Marley that gets played on the radio in Scotland, but probably more authentic because of that. The version of 'no woman no cry' is very different to the famous version on the "Legend" album, but still very impressive. For clarity, I loved it!

Now that’s what I’m talking about !!! This is almost a greatest hits album all by itself.

Brilliant

9/10. Rather nice

Sets the stage for everything else.

5/5 I mean c'mon it's bob Marley you doesn't like him

An artists I previously only knew through best of albums. So much more in here.

Another outstanding album!! Bob Marley was one of a kind! People have tried to emulate his sound, but have never been able to capture it just right. His music has a way of instilling hope and happiness in me every time I listen to it. I find the song No Woman No Cry almost therapeutic (I can turn it on on a bad day and feel better instantly). The part of the song where he repeats "Everything's going to be alright" just forces you to put everything in perspective. Such excellent reggae music with subtle notes of funk mixed in. Every song on this record is amazing! Favourite songs: No Woman No Cry, Bend Down Low, Talkin' Blues, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), Revolution, Natty Dread, Lively Up Yourself Least favourite song: if forced to pick one, Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock). It is still a phenomenal song, it just didn't hit as hard for me as the other songs. 5/5

Brilliant, chilled out vibes. Like a best of album

Love me some reggae with this warm weather. I was more familiar with other versions of Lively Up Yourself and No Woman No Cry, so I needed some adjusting, but with the second listen I was all in for the entire album.

Hands up if you love reggae but have never listened to a Bob album? Anybody? Just me yeah? I'll get my coat

Beautiful blast from the past. Nice to listen to it front to back for once

Pretty good

Wow. Best Marley band ever. Did not think I'd write that but the songs are all sooo good...all of them. With the exception of the closing song which is still more than listenable. Marley's best, need I say more?

Contains some classic songs that I already knew, but plenty that I hadn’t experienced before. Great from start to finish, listened multiple times.

He’s so good. They’re a great band. I only really know the obvious ‘hits’ but everything I hear is pretty great. I’m glad this project made me listen to another full album.

This is amazing. after a lifelong (well actually only my youth) of having only heard “Legend” I started to get to know more about Marley when I was in college. I was in Jamaica just the other month and it made me very happy to see how beloved he is over there. And with total reason, do you know a more influential artist? I don’t think I do, I know many more famous ones, but none as influential. I have a soft spot for reggae and this is going out with a 5.

Bass resonates through the album in a comfortingly familiar pace. Very repeatable listen.

I mean, it's a classic Reggae album. Like THE reggae album.

Well, that was an excellent way to start off a Friday. Would probably also work for a Sunday. Or, really, most days.

Genial!

"A hungry mouth is a hungry mouth"? "A hungry mouth is a hungry mob"? "A hungry mouth is a hungry mind"? I'm not sure which it is, if any, but I'm also not sure it matters. While Bob's full prophet mode, he could sing, "A hungry mouth is an orange as seen through binoculars made of jelly" and I'd think it was a message from heaven. So respect him for the "Bend down low, let me tell you what I know" humblebrag. Ain't no one stooping down to anyone else's level here except Bob. Anyway, this blew my mind in a way it hasn't before. The grooves are eternal and gorgeous. And it has that remarkable James Brown-ian quality of every instrument--be it string, wind, wood or brass--contributing to the rhythm. If you'd asked me yesterday what my got-to Marley is, I'd've told you 'Legend'. But that's a celebration of Bob-the-songwriter and cultural icon. This is really where I turn. To the proof of hope and salvation through unbreakable rhythmic unity. And I like how the songwriting credits are shared around.

It's quite an accomplishment to make music that's so chill and still makes people want to move. Best track: No Woman No Cry

Reggae doesn’t get much better than this. Catch a Fire will always be my favourite Marley album but this is a seminal album in its own right. Definitely prefer the version of No Woman, No Cry on this album.

Amazing

Jammin brudah

4.5/5. Ok I kinda get it now, thanks Ilya

Chill vibes, perfect to walk in nature

Does it get much better? I think not , what an album,special mention to the best version of no Woman no Cry . What a fucking Champ

4.5/5 good chill music

I and I gonna have things our way

I really enjoyed this album and the lyrical themes within the tracks.

I recently learned that my husband thought "No Woman No Cry" meant if you don't have a woman, she can't make you cry. Like "no pain no gain" or something. I think I need to listen to a lot more Marley. Back in the 90s I named my cat Marley, now I rarely listen at all.

Amazing great. The beginning of greatness.

Awesome music Bob was the man!

South Africa vibes

Seminal Reggae from the master. Proper summer album!!

I've never been massively into reggae, but I enjoyed this. Absolutely, convincingly doing its own thing while being tuneful and accessible.

Amazing. should be 10 stars.

Stellar! I hadn't ever heard this and was mainly new some songs from Live! Need this one.

A great classic

I could listen to Bob Marley \"wail\" for days at a time. His voice is just that iconic, and his songs are the right ratio of catchy to saying something. When you're in the mood for reggae, you can't do better than Marley.

Love this. Great rhythms and relaxing enough to let me work at the same time.

Great album for cooking :D

Have to give a 5 considering I added 99% of tracks to the playlist

Love Bob!

classico do bob

Really glad I listened to this and want to listen again!