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One Drop By Bob Marley And The Wailers 
Full Lyrics

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Bob Marley and the Wailers | image source: music.metason.netOne Drop By Bob Marley And The Wailers

By Venesha Johnson | Associate Writer

Growing up in Jamaica, it was almost like a ritual, where every Sunday evening you could hear Reggae music blasting from almost everyone in my community's stereos, including my Dad’s. This is how I remember falling in love with reggae music and Bob Marley’s songs. While back then I didn't fully understand the lyrics of songs like One Drop or the message it had, I knew how it made me feel.

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That’s the magic behind Bob Marley, maybe it's his tone of voice, the way he puts his heart and soul into each and every record, but he has a way of making you feel a variety of emotions without even fully understanding the words coming from his mouth. In my opinion, this is how he became the legend that he is today. He had the power to reach not just us locals but millions of people across the globe, even with a language barrier.

Bob's music is deeply rooted in the culture and struggles of the  Jamaican people, struggles that resonate with people from all walks of life. "One Drop," which is from his 1979 album Survival, is a song that showcases his signature style and commitment to spreading a message of unity and resistance. 

While it has a very catchy rhythm "One Drop" is more than just that. The lyrics are straightforward yet profound and reflect Marley's deep connection to his Rastafarian faith and his desire for a world where people are free from the chains of injustice.

Here are the full lyrics to "One Drop".

One Drop

By Bob Marley and The Wailers

[Chorus]
Feel it in the one drop
And we'll still find time to rap
We're making the one stop
The generation gap
Now feel this drumbeat
As it beats within
Playing a rhythm
Resisting against the system, ooh-wee!

[Refrain]
I know Jah never let us down
Pull your rights from wrong
(I know Jah would never let us down)
Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!

[Verse 1]
They made their world so hard (so hard)
Every day we got to keep on fighting (fighting)
They made their world so hard (so hard)
Every day the people are dying (dying), yeah
(Dread, dread) For hunger (it dread, dread) and starvation
(Dread, dread, it dread, oh dread) Lamentation
But read it in Revelation (Dread, dread, it dread, dread)
(Dread, dread) You'll find your redemption

[Pre-Chorus]
And then you give us the teachings of His Majesty
For we no want no devil philosophy
A-you give us the teachings of His Majesty
A-we no want no devil philosophy

[Chorus]
Feel it in the one drop
And we'll still find time to rap
We're making the one stop
And we're filling the gap
So feel this drumbeat
As it beats within
Playing a rhythm
Fighting against -ism and schism, singing

[Refrain]
I know Jah never let us down
Pull your rights from wrong
I know Jah never let us down
Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no!

[Verse 2]
They made their world so hard
Every day (we got to keep on fighting) every day!
They made their world so hard
Every day (the people are dying) eh!
(Dread, dread, it dread, dread) A-what make dem a-go on so?
(Dread, dread, it dread, oh dread) A-what!
(Dread, dread, it dread) A-what! (dread)
A-what frighten them? (Dread, dread)
A-what frighten them? Eh!

[Pre-Chorus]
Give us the teachings of His Majesty, this is a stick up!
We no want no devil philosophy, can you hear?
Give us the teachings of His Majesty
For we no want no devil philosophy

[Outro]
We feel it in the one drop
You're lucky, for we'll still got time to rap
And we're making the one stop, let me tell ya
This generation gap
Now feel this drumbeat, tell you what
As it's beating within

Even today, decades after its release, "One Drop" remains a very impactful song, especially for those who seek to challenge the status quo and embrace a life of peace, unity, and resistance. Values that Bob Marley lived by, which showed through his actions and his songs, that continue to inspire generations worldwide.

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References & Sources For One Drop By Bob Marley

  1. Bob Marley & The Wailers – One Drop. (n.d.). Genius. https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-one-drop-lyrics

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