Bob Marley’s ‘Legend’ Rises Again With 35th Anniversary Vinyl Reissue

First released on 8 May 1984, it’s the bestselling reggae album of all time, with worldwide sales of a staggering 28 million.

Published on

April 24, 2019

Paul Sexton

The 35th anniversary of Bob Marley & the Wailers’ Legend will be observed by the Marley Family and Island Records with a double LP, 180 gram vinyl reissue on 14 June. First released on 8 May 1984, it’s the bestselling reggae album of all time, and one of the most successful compilations in any genre, with worldwide sales of a staggering 28 million, of which 15m are in the US alone.

The vinyl-only reissue comprises the original “BMW1” version of Legend, with the addition of two bonus tracks that were originally on the cassette release, ‘Easy Skanking’ and ‘Punky Reggae Party.’ The 16 songs that comprise the retrospective are genre-defining landmarks, on a collection crammed with instantly recognisable gems such as ‘Get Up Stand Up,’ ‘One Love/People Get Ready,’ ‘I Shot The Sheriff,’ ‘Three Little Birds,’ ‘Jammin” and ‘Exodus.’

Other anthemic hits from the album including ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘Is This Love’ feature the backing vocals of the I Threes, the female trio that comprised Marley’s wife Rita, Judy Mowatt and Marcia Griffiths. Mrs. Rita Marley’s own career retrospective, Lioness of Reggae, is released worldwide on limited edition vinyl by Tuff Gong on 3 May.

Complementing the vinyl reissue of Legend, a new visual for ‘Satisfy My Soul’ has been created, directed by Brian Kazez, shot by Pantera and produced by Propaganda Films. It’s a visual depiction of what it means to “feel alright” in Jamaica.This is the same team that made the new clip for ‘Easy Skanking,’ filmed in Kingston, and much acclaimed on release earlier this year for its authentic illustration of a day in Jamaican life.

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Satisfy My Soul (Official Music Video)