Outside the Frame

The album Legend is a compilation of some of the greatest hits by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Sometimes it is easy to think of “greatest hits” as just a money-grabbing attempt by record companies to milk as much money as possible out of musicians. And in many cases that is probably true. But then again, if an artist has created enough great songs to even think about compiling a collection, it makes sense to celebrate their best work in a definitive album. And that is certainly the case with Legend. Whether as part of the original Wailers, as a solo artist or as a frontman, Bob Marley is a musician who transcends any boundaries of musical genre or taste. And that transcendent quality turned into commercial success with Legend the best selling reggae album of all time.

Containing a mix of songs from Marley’s career, including three from the early Wailers lineup, Legend is a feast for the ears. What separates the truly great songs from the rest of the crowd is that undefinable essence where the musician and the audience connect through the music on a deep emotional level. And to find an album where every song permeates that essence is very difficult. Legend is one of those albums, in fact it could the very definition of them. The phrase “all killer, no filler” could never be truer than on this album. If you do not love Bob Marley after listening to Legend, there is not something wrong with Marley, there is something wrong with you.