There have been endless chronicles on the life and music of Robert Nesta Marley.His life has been so well document that most people with even a fleeting knowledge of his music will know a little about him.They will probably know his style of music was reggae and that he was a Rastafarian.But before he became a global success few would have taken Reggae music seriously and even fewer would have known that Rastafarians exsisted.Almost single-handedly he globalised a marginalized musical genre and introduced his religious beliefs to millions.

Against all the odds he achieved an unparalleled world wide appeal.You are just as likely to hear his music coming from the penthouses or the pavements of Boston or Beijing, Anchorage or Adelaide.So just how did he break out of the slums of Kingston Jamaica and spread his message of peace,love and equal rights?

If you want to find out the details of his life and works you are spoilt for choice and it's not my intention to write about that.There are far more eloquent writers than me and much better researchers too for that matter.Perhaps the best way to try and explain why Bob is so universally loved is by expressing why I admire the man and his music so much.

Almost without exception all of his music deals with the human conditions of love, spirituality or equality and often all of them in the same song.He managed to be all things to all musicians.Rockers,Punks,Soul boys in fact right across the musical spectrum he is admired and imitated.His live performances are the stuff of legend and his commitment and sincerity on stage is there for all to see.You will hear his music played at wedding receptions or in trendy night clubs.Your Granny or youngest Niece or Nephew will know a song of Bobs. The reggae star Mac B puts it best.In a tune called Every body loves Bob Marley he says '' If they woulda find people on the Moon,you can bet they woulda know a Bob Marley tune'',.His image is recognized every where and has become as iconic as the picture of Che as a symbol of rebellion.His face smiles out at you from the front of a million T shirts but never from an advertisment.The only thing he promoted was ''One love,and one harmony'' and because his message was so timeless 25 years after his death his popularity shows no signs of diminishing.He is so ingrained in popular culture that you could almost stop noticing and take him for granted.

In most Marley tunes you are encouraged to think for your self, love each other and be positive.The base of all Bobs songs was his deep religious belief in Rastafari and with this as his shield and sword he set about spreading his gospel.Using simple words he speaks to us in a language anyone can under stand.We all share the hopes and aspirations he sings of. Everyone wants love peace and justice and these are a continuous thread through out his work.From the sensuous Stir it up,the agony of ''wait in vain or the hope of '' Is this love'' the arc of a love affair is covered with a mystic simplicity.Listen to his songs of thanks and praise and you may find an almost hymn like quality.The joy of ''Three little birds'' or the down right common sense of ''One love'' always leave me with feelgood factor ten.That feeling of something greater than your self is expressed brilliantly in ''Natural mystic'' and numerous other song

.For me Marley is never more potent than when he is reminding us of the importance of equal rights and self determination.''Get up stand up''and Redemption song remind us that only ourselves can free our minds.''Every man has the right to decide his own destiny'' is a line from Zimbabwe,an anthem Bob wrote for the independence celebration of that country.Such was the mans standing in the international community that he was invited to be the highlight of the biggest day in a countries history.Most artists are happy to head line a pop festival. His appearance at the197 ''One Love'' concert saw him bring on stage two bitter political rivals and almost shame them into joining hands infront of the masses and went some way towards easing the political tensions that where rife in Jamaica at that time .He appeared at the ''One Love'' concert despite an assassination attempt on his life that left him seriously wounded.It's rumored that the C.I.A tried to recruit him only to be told ''Rasta don't work for no C.I.A''.Bob was never short on artistic integrity or commitment.

Bob Marley broke down the barriers of race, religion and politics armed only with the simple philosophy One love ,one harmony and one justice.As he said ''Me no have education me have insperation.If I was an educated man I would be a dam fool''.If I had to chose my all time favorite Marley tune I would go for ''War''.This song is adapted from a speech given to the league of nations by Haile Selassie I the first and contains the line ''Untill the colour of a mans skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes,every where is war.

If you really want to find out about the genius of this most charismatic of performers then go and play his music and listen to the nuggets of pure wisdom that his lyrics contain.And remember All of this was achieved by a man from a small village in Jamaica who refused to sell out or compromise his principals.Comparisons are usually unfair but when I compare Bobs humble attitude and integrity with the bling and booty attitude of some of toady's reggae stars it reminds me of how special he was.