Reggae

Bob Marley is said to have claimed that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for “the king’s music”. It is strongly influenced both by traditional African and Caribbean music and by American rhythm and blues, Reggae owes its direct beginnings to the progressive development of ska and rocksteady in 1960s Jamaica. Ska music first started in the studios of Jamaica over the years 1959 to 1961. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line, with guitar or piano rhythms on the offbeat, and sometimes jazz-like horn riffs. Apart from its massive popularity within Jamaican “rude boy” fashion, it had gained a large following among “mods” in Britain by 1964. By the mid-60s, many artists had begun actually playing the tempo of ska slower, while highlighting the walking bass and offbeat aspects. The slower sound had a new name: Rocksteady. This part of Jamaican music lasted only until 1968, when the musicians began to slow the tempo of rocksteady down, and add still other effects. This was the genesis of the now world-famous sound known as reggae.’ 1967 track “Long Shot Bus’ Me Bet” has been identified as the earliest recorded example of the new rhythm sound that would soon become known by the name reggae. The Wailers, started by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer in 1963, are generally agreed to be the most easily known group worldwide that made the transition through all three stages: from ska “, through slower rocksteady; and they are also among the significant pioneers who can be called the literal roots of reggae, Reggae is often associated with the Rastafarian movement, an influence on many prominent reggae musicians from its origin. Reggae song lyrics deal with many subjects, including faith, love, relationships, poverty, injustice and other broad social issues.

Vocabulary