Redemption Song by Bob Marley and The Wailers is now becomes certified Gold in Brazil. The song was awarded the certification by Pro-Música Brasil for sale surpassing 20,000 units.
The acoustic track was the final song on Bob Marley and The Wailers’ 12th studio album “Uprising,” released October 7, 1980 by Island Records.
It is the only Marley song produced by Chris Blackwell who remarked that “There was an open flow of ideas between us, Bob sometimes stood his ground but was warmly receptive to suggestions that he saw had potential,” Blackwell stated in his memoir “The Islander: My Life In Music and Beyond.”
The song was recored when Bob Marley was ill with cancer and was not sleeping much Marley worked on the song for months with different Jamaican sounds but Blackwell said he suggested the song be done without a band and be done with just a guitar.
“That’s one of Bob’s songs that I can say I really produced, rather than just being responsible for the mix,” Blackwell said. The song’s lyrics were from Marcus Garvey’s speech delivered in Nova Scotia, Canada on October 1, 1937. Marley adopted it into song, giving it his unique spin.
“Because the lyrics were important and deep, the song was best resented as simply as possible,” said Blackwell. “With just Bob and an acoustic guitar.”
Marley was first hesitant to take Blackwell’s instructions but he was quickly convinced, “In its simplicity it transcended genre,” Blackwell recalled adding that Bob was wondering how the track would fit into an album with tracks that have a full band accompaniment.
As the last track on his last album the song turns out to be a summary of everything Marley stood for and Redemption song has crossed generations.
Tessanne Chin found fame using the song on The Voice when she performed it live as a top 6 contestant. Her performance of the song made it surge to the top 100 on U.S. iTunes chart in 2013.
One the 40th anniversary of the song an animated music video was released featuring illustrations of a lion being transitioned into several history scenes and figures including Haile Selassie I and hieroglyphics.
Three Little Birds was also certified Gold in Brazil for sales surpassing 20,000 equivalent units.
