Redemption Song

Ernie Smith traces 'Redemption Song'
published: Friday | February 9, 2007

Jamaican Gleaner

Mel Cooke

Ernie Smith delivered the Marley standard.

After the Marley brothers - Stephen, Ky-Mani, Julian and Damian -had closed their performance at the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) 'Get Up, Stand Up' concert, held at the Ranny Williams Centre on Tuesday, Ernie Smith traced Redemption Song.

In his deep voice Smith delivered the Marley standard to the accompaniment of the Gumption Band, the music continuing as he moved from song to speech to take the large audience at the free event to celebrate Marley's 62nd birthday from Hope Road, St. Andrew, to St. Ann.

'Redemption Songs'

"I went to a funeral in a little town called Sterling about four miles from where Bob Marley was born. In a hymn book I saw some songs - Wash me till I'm white as snow, I'm a wretch and full of original sin. The title of that hymn book was Redemption Songs," Smith said.

"Finally, I understood what Bob Marley was saying. Help me sing these songs of freedom, because I do not even have a religion for myself," Smith said, adding that many are praising the God of the patriarchs Isaac and Moses "and don't even realise that we are children of the same faith, children of the same God."

"So the title of that hymn book was 'Redemption Songs'. Help me sing these songs of freedom, songs that Bob Marley wrote," Smith said, going back into song, holding a long 'had' before he ended the song to applause, going on to deliver his own Play De Music and Duppy or Gunman, among others.

Apart from the Marley brothers, who shared verses of Could You Be Loved, after Stephen had opened with Soul Rebel and Capleton had roared on stage to blaze a merry fire with his part of It Was Written, Smith was one of the very few to go into the Tuff Gong's catalogue on Tuesday night. Etana's strong, clear voice soared into Selassie Is the Chapel before identifying a Wrong Address and Nanko dedicated Forever Since to Marley.

However, after rocking the house with a mixture of deejaying and singing as she declared herself "born free, that's all I'm gonna say", Queen Ifrica emphasised Bob Marley's Rastafarian roots. "We naa talk freak Rasta, but real Rasta whe bun Babylon," Ifrica said.

'Get Up, Stand Up' had the large audience standing for some time, the concert shifting gear to Anthony B's Raid The Barn at just after 9:00 p.m. and going through to Lutan Fyah observing "nuff a dem cyaa believe, Rastafari still deh bout" as the concert headed to a close just past 1:00 a.m., many a performer in between.