Marking the third single release in promotion of Bob Marley: One Love (Music Inspired By The Film), Grammy award-winning multi-platinum selling R&B singer, and songwriter Leon Bridges shares his take of the iconic Marley standard, “Redemption Song.”
In concurrence with the opening of the new film Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount Pictures), the imminent 7-track EP will be released on February 14 via Tuff Gong/ Island Records. Comprised of seven iconic compositions from the Jamaican reggae icon, the EP features contemporary covers including Kacey Musgraves’ acoustic rendition of “Three Little Birds” (released in January), and more from Wizkid, Leon Bridges, Jessie Reyez, Bloody Civilian, and Skip Marley, grandson of Bob Marley.
“‘Redemption Song’ is one of my favorite Bob Marley songs,” says Bridges, “and I was so honored to do a rendition of it. For me it was important to keep the spirit of the original song while putting my own spin on it. Bob Marley revolutionized reggae music and music in general and was able to make music that spoke truth in a simple and soulful way. His music transcended race and language which is something we all strive to accomplish as artists.”
Bridges “Redemption Song” has an instrumental that is slightly more prominent. The delivery of the lines has more emphasis on each first word on every line. For instance, the “re” in “Redemption song,” “atomic energy,” “mental slavery,” and “kill our profits.” It’s little details like this that brings new life to a classic. The song still has a long pause like in the original, but with “hmms” and “yeahs” between paragraphs.
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