"Could You Be Loved" is a song by reggae group Bob Marley and the Wailers. It was released in 1980 on their last album Uprising and is included on Bob Marley & The Wailers greatest hits album Legend. It was written in 1979 on an airplane while The Wailers were experimenting on guitar.
In the middle of the song, background singers quote a verse from Bob Marley's first single "Judge Not": "The road of life is rocky; And you may stumble too. So while you point a finger, someone else is judging you".
Instruments used on the original record of this song are guitars, bass, drums, acoustic piano, the Hohner clavinet and an organ, as well as the Brazilian cuíca.
Other cover versions[edit]
Marley's four eldest children Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers have performed the song numerous times during their tours. Their performance versions appear on the concert DVDs "Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Live", "Marley Magic: Live In Central Park At Summerstage", "One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star Tribute", and their live album "Live Vol. 1".
British pop duo Shakespears Sister recorded a cover of the song, which was included on the CD editions of their 1989 album Sacred Heart.
French guitarist Marc Antoine and American singer Patti Austin covered the song and the version was featured on A Twist of Marley in 2001.
Bob Marley's sons Damian and Stephen Marley covered the song and renamed it "And Be Loved" for the soundtrack to the 2002 surfing film Blue Crush.
American rock band Toto covered the song on their 2002 Through the Looking Glass album
In 2012 the Colombian musician Juanes performed the song during his tour "Unplugged Tour" and also in "Loud & Unplugged Tour". In December 2014, a music video for his cover version of the song was filmed on Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico, at Bar La Nasa on the Malecón in Esperanza, featuring Victoria's Secret models, Paso Fino equestrians, and locals from the island.
Notable live covers[edit]
Lauryn Hill covered the song on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2011 as a tribute to Marley on the anniversary of his death.
Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Sting, Damian Marley and Ziggy Marley sang the song in the 2013 Grammy Awards as a tribute to Bob Marley.
Personal biography:
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter, musician and guitarist who achieved international fame and acclaim,[1][2] blending mostly reggae, ska and rocksteady in his compositions. Starting out in 1963 with the group The Wailers, he forged a distinctive songwriting and vocal style that would later resonate with audiences worldwide. The Wailers would go on to release some of the earliest reggae records with producer Lee "Scratch" Perry.[3]
After the Wailers disbanded in 1974,[4] Marley pursued a solo career upon his relocation to England that culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977, which established his worldwide reputation and produced his status as one of the world's best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million records.[5][6] Exodus stayed on the British album charts for fifty-six consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: "Exodus", "Waiting in Vain", "Jamming", and "One Love". In 1978 he released the album Kaya, which included the hit singles "Is This Love" and "Satisfy My Soul".
Diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma in 1977, Marley died on 11 May 1981 in Miami at age 36. He was a committed Rastafari who infused his music with a sense of spirituality.[7] He is considered one of the most influential musicians of all time and credited with popularising reggae music around the world, as well as serving as a symbol of Jamaican culture and identity. Marley has also evolved into a global symbol, which has been endlessly merchandised through a variety of mediums.
