| Old Soul | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 15, 2023 | |||
| Studio | Stephen Marley's home studio [1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 59:25 | |||
| Label | Ghetto Youths International | |||
| Stephen Marley chronology | ||||
| ||||
Old Soul is the fourth studio album by Jamaican-American musician Stephen Marley. It was released on September 15, 2023.
The lead single of the album, "Old Soul," was released on April 19, 2023. The song explores Marley's relationship with his family, key events in his life, and celebrates the history of Jamaican music. [2] [3] These themes are present throughout the album. The album was announced on August 18, 2023, with a release date of September 15. It features a mix of covers and original songs, including guest appearances from Eric Clapton, Bob Weir, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, and more. [4]
Musically, Old Soul is a departure from Marley's previous work and marks his first studio album in seven years. He described it as "old school, eclectic, and healing." [5] In September and October 2023, he embarked on the Old Soul: Unplugged Tour with special guest Mike Love. [6]
Old Soul received critical acclaim. Daily Reggae praised the album, stating, "This is music that can only be created from the heart and soul, from a place of sincerity and deliberateness. Stephen Marley has a soothing, yet powerful voice carried by acoustic-inspired compositions across the album, and the production is equally smooth. There is absolutely no shortage of talent contained here." [7]
Afropop Worldwide called it "a deeply personal album, showcased in the soulfully autobiographical title song." [8] Marley's lyrics were praised for their maturity and authenticity. [9]
Old Soul debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart, breaking Marley's streak of four No. 1 debuts on the weekly sales and streaming-driven listing. The album sold 500 copies in pure album sales and received 566,000 in audio and video streams in the US. [10]
All tracks are written by Stephen Marley, except when noted.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Don't You Believe" | 2:39 | |
| 2. | "Cool as the Breeze" | 4:38 | |
| 3. | "Cast the First Stone" (featuring Damian Marley) | 3:55 | |
| 4. | "Thanks We Get (Do Fi Dem)" (featuring Buju Banton) | 3:57 | |
| 5. | "Don't Let Me Down" (The Beatles cover) | John Lennon; Paul McCartney | 3:41 |
| 6. | "Georgia on My Mind" (Ray Charles cover) | Hoagy Carmichael; Stuart Gorrell | 4:29 |
| 7. | "Let the Children Play" (Santana cover) | Leon Patillo; Carlos Santana | 4:03 |
| 8. | "Old Soul" | 3:31 | |
| 9. | "There's a Reward" (featuring Ziggy Marley) | 3:45 | |
| 10. | "This Time" | 4:45 | |
| 11. | "These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)" (Frank Sinatra cover) | Jack Strachey; Eric Maschwitz (as Holt Marvell) | 3:19 |
| 12. | "I Shot the Sheriff" (Bob Marley cover; featuring Eric Clapton) | Bob Marley | 5:01 |
| 13. | "Standing in Love" (featuring Slightly Stoopid) | 3:48 | |
| 14. | "Winding Roads" (featuring Jack Johnson and Bob Weir) | 4:27 | |
| 15. | "Old Soul" (Single version) | 3:21 | |
| Total length: | 59:25 | ||
Mark Anthony Myrie, known professionally as Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is one of the most significant and well-regarded artists in Jamaican music. Banton has collaborated with many international artists, including those in the hip hop, Latin and punk rock genres, as well as the sons of Bob Marley.
David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After the disbandment, Ziggy launched a successful solo career, releasing eight solo studio albums on his own label, Tuff Gong Worldwide. Ziggy continues his father’s practice of recording and self-releasing all of his music. Marley is an eight-time Grammy Award winner and a Daytime Emmy Award recipient.
Exodus is the ninth studio album by Jamaican reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers, first released in June 1977 through Island Records, following Rastaman Vibration (1976). The album's production has been characterized as laid-back with pulsating bass beats and an emphasis on piano, trumpet and guitar. Unlike previous albums from the band, Exodus thematically moves away from cryptic story-telling; instead it revolves around themes of change, religious politics, and sexuality. The album is split into two halves: the first half revolves around religious politics, while the second half is focused on themes of making love and keeping faith.
Catch a Fire is the fifth studio album by the reggae band The Wailers, released in April 1973. It was their first album released by Island Records. After finishing a UK tour with Johnny Nash, they had started laying down tracks for JAD Records when a disputed CBS contract with Danny Sims created tensions. The band did not have enough money to return to Jamaica, so their road manager Brent Clarke approached producer Chris Blackwell, who agreed to advance The Wailers money for an album. They instead used this money to pay their fares back home, where they completed the recordings that constitute Catch a Fire. The album has nine songs, two of which were written and composed by Peter Tosh; the remaining seven were by Bob Marley. While Bunny Wailer is not credited as a writer, the group's writing style was a collective process. For the immediate follow-up album, Burnin', also released in 1973, he contributed four songs. After Marley returned with the tapes to London, Blackwell reworked the tracks at Island Studios, with contributions by Muscle Shoals session musician Wayne Perkins, who played guitar on three overdubbed tracks. The album had a limited original release under the name The Wailers in a sleeve depicting a Zippo lighter, designed by graphic artists Rod Dyer and Bob Weiner; subsequent releases had an alternative cover designed by John Bonis, featuring an Esther Anderson portrait of Marley smoking a "spliff", and crediting the band as Bob Marley and the Wailers.
"No Woman, No Cry" is a reggae song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The song was recorded in 1974 and released on the studio album Natty Dread.
Stephen Robert Nesta Marley is a Jamaican-American musician. The son of Bob Marley, Marley is an eight-time Grammy Award winner, three times as a solo artist, twice as a producer of younger brother Damian Marley's Halfway Tree and Welcome to Jamrock albums, and a further three times as a member of his older brother Ziggy Marley's group Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers.
Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards.
Soul Rebels is the second studio album by the Wailers, their first album to be released outside Jamaica. The Wailers approached producer Lee "Scratch" Perry in August 1970 to record an entire album, and the sessions took place at Randy's recording studio above Randy's Record Mart at 17 North Parade in Kingston, Jamaica, until November. First issued in the UK by Trojan Records in December 1970, the album has since been re-released several times on several different labels. Perry's production is sparse and haunting, only featuring guitar, bass, drums, electronic organs, and vocals with no horns or other embellishments.
Ky-Mani Marley is a Jamaican reggae musician. In 2001, he received a Grammy nomination for his album Many More Roads. He is the only child of reggae musician Bob Marley and Anita Belnavis, a Jamaican table tennis champion.
Julian Ricardo Marley is a British-Jamaican reggae musician, songwriter, producer and humanitarian. He is the son of reggae music icon Bob Marley, and Lucy Pounder. In 2024, he received a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for his collaboration album with Antaeus, Colors of Royal (2023).
MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 is a live album by American singer Lauryn Hill. The performance comes from her 2002 MTV Unplugged special recorded on July 21, 2001, at MTV Studios in Times Square, New York City. Hill abandoned the hip hop sounds of her debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) in favor of folk and soul songs. It was recorded while she was pregnant with her third child YG Marley. The songs were written solely by Hill, who performed them unaccompanied by a live band, while playing an acoustic guitar. It features lyrics about religion, police brutality, mental health and abuse of authority, along with spoken interludes about her personal and artistic struggles.
"I Can See Clearly Now" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Johnny Nash. It was the lead single from his album, I Can See Clearly Now (1972), and achieved success in the United States and the United Kingdom when it was released in 1972, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cashbox charts. It also reached number one in Canada and South Africa. The song has been covered by many artists throughout the years, including a hit version by Lee Towers that reached no. 19 in the Dutch Top 40 in 1982, and another recorded by Jimmy Cliff for the motion picture soundtrack of Cool Runnings that peaked at no. 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1993.
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were a Jamaican-American reggae family group whose line-up consisted of the children of musicians, Bob Marley and Rita Marley, which includes lead singer Ziggy Marley with Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and Stephen Marley. Formed in 1979 in Brooklyn, New York, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers members began their musical endeavours in their pre-teens under the name the Melody Makers.
"Three Little Birds" is a song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It is the fourth track on side two of their 1977 album Exodus and was released as a single in 1980. The song reached the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at number 17. It is one of Marley's most popular songs and has been covered by numerous other artists. The song is often thought to be named "Don't Worry About a Thing" or "Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright", because of the prominent and repeated use of these phrases in the chorus.
Robert Nesta Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of the genre, Marley fused elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady in his music and was renowned for his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley's contribution to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and made him a global figure in popular culture. Over the course of his career, Marley became known as a Rastafarian icon, and he infused his music with a sense of spirituality. He is also considered a global symbol of Jamaican music and culture and identity, and was controversial in his outspoken support for democratic social reforms. He also supported legalisation of cannabis, and advocated for Pan-Africanism. In 1976, Marley survived an assassination attempt in his home, which was believed to be politically motivated.
Mind Control is the debut album by Jamaican American artist Stephen Marley, released on 20 March 2007. The album won a Grammy in 2008 for Best Reggae Album. An acoustic version of the album was released on 23 December 2008.
"Exodus" is a song written by reggae musician Bob Marley and recorded by Bob Marley and the Wailers, for the Exodus (1977) album. Released as a single, it reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart. "Exodus" was Marley's first single to receive widespread airplay on black radio stations in the US, expanding the artist's predominantly white college age and Caribbean expats fanbase in the country.
Welcome to Jamrock is the third studio album by Jamaican reggae/dancehall artist Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. The album was released on September 12, 2005, in the United Kingdom, and one day later in the United States.
Skip Marley Minto is a Jamaican singer. He is the son of Cedella Marley and David Minto, and grandson of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He has received two Grammy Award nominations and an MTV Video Music Award nomination.
Stony Hill is an album by Jamaican reggae artist Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. The album was released on July 21, 2017 and went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.