We just wrapped up an extended deep dive into Moby, and as that chapter closes, it felt like the right moment to pivot in a very different direction. February 6 marks the birthday of Bob Marley, and this episode of Rolling with Scissors grew naturally out of that moment.

Rather than rushing through familiar songs or leaning on a greatest-hits approach, this episode slows things down. The focus is on albums, context, and long-form listening — the way this music was meant to be experienced.

A Focused Bob Marley Deep Dive

This week’s episode takes a focused look at several key points across Bob Marley’s recorded legacy. We spend time with the records themselves and let them unfold without interruption.

The episode moves through:

• The political urgency and clarity of Rastaman Vibration
• The expansive, communal energy captured on the live album Babylon By Bus
• Early Trenchtown-era recordings that laid the groundwork for everything that followed

Taken together, these records show an artist who was constantly refining his voice while never softening his message.

More Than a Genre or a Symbol

Bob Marley was never just a reggae artist or a cultural symbol. His music was deeply rooted in the political, spiritual, and social realities of Jamaica, but it traveled far beyond that context because it spoke plainly about power, resistance, and survival.

These songs were not written for nostalgia. They were written to be used. That sense of purpose is why the music still feels relevant decades later.

A Short Life, A Lasting Body of Work

Listening back also makes it impossible to ignore how little time Marley had. He passed away in 1981 at just 36 years old after complications from melanoma.

Despite that, his body of work feels remarkably complete. There is a sense of urgency running through these records — an awareness that time mattered, and that the message could not wait.

Why This Episode Matters

Rolling with Scissors has never been about marking anniversaries just to fill time. But sometimes the calendar presents a moment worth stopping for.

Bob Marley’s February 6 birthday offered the right opportunity to slow down, listen closely, and honor the work properly. Not through shortcuts or summaries, but by spending time with full albums, live performances, and early recordings that show the full scope of his evolution as an artist.

Long-Form Listening Still Matters

This episode also reflects where Rolling with Scissors continues to head. The show has always been about context and long-form listening, and the deep-dive approach has become an even bigger part of that identity.

Nothing is being replaced. The show is expanding, giving the music the space it deserves.

This week, we honor Bob Marley not as an untouchable icon, but as a working artist whose records still demand to be heard in full.

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Hour 1

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

Bob Marley – Positive Vibration – 03:33 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Roots, Rock, Reggae – 03:38 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Johnny Was – 03:47 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Cry to Me – 02:35 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Want More (Want More) – 04:14 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Crazy Baldhead – 03:12 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Who the Cap Fit – 04:42 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Nightshift – 03:10 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – War – 03:36 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Rat Race – 02:49 – Rastaman Vibration – Island – 1976

Bob Marley – Positive Vibrator – 05:46 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Exodus – 07:40 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Stir It Up – 05:29 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Rat Race – 03:41 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Hour 2

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

Bob Marley – Concrete Jungle – 05:38 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Kinky Reggae – 04:48 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Lively Up Yourself – 06:20 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Rebel Music – 05:27 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – War – 05:31 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Is This Love – 07:26 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Heathen – 04:32 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Punky Reggae Party – 05:49 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Jammin’ – 05:45 – Babylon By Bus – Island – 1978

Bob Marley – Adam & Eve – 03:08 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Thank You Lord – 03:22 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Hour 3

Artist – Song – Time – Album – Label

Bob Marley – Wisdom (The Lips of the Righteous) – 03:16 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Mr. Chatterbox – 02:20 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Soul Shake Down Party – 03:09 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Cheer Up – 02:04 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Caution – 02:45 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Stop the Train – 02:23 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Soul Rebel – 03:20 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Mr. Brown – 03:32 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Try Me – 02:48 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – It’s Alright – 02:37 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – My Cup – 03:36 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – No Sympathy – 02:15 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Corner Stone – 02:31 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Four Hundred Years – 02:34 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Reaction – 02:43 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Duppy Conqueror – 02:59 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 1 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Sun Is Shining (demo) – 02:13 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Kaya (demo) – 02:39 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – African Herbsman – 02:24 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Keep on Moving – 03:06 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Fussing and Fighting – 02:29 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Stand Alone – 02:10 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – All in One Medley (Bend Down Low / Nice Time / One Love / Simmer Down / It Hurt) – 03:36 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Don’t Rock the Boat – 04:32 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Put It On – 03:10 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Small Axe – 03:57 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Dreamland – 02:46 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Brand New Second Hand – 03:13 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Trenchtown Rock – 02:59 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Lively Up Yourself (demo) – 02:54 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Jah Is Mighty – 02:27 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Keep on Skanking – 03:29 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – Turn Me Loose – 02:37 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998

Bob Marley – More Axe – 03:31 – Bustin’ Out of Trenchtown Disc 2 – Snapper – 1998 [fade out]

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Rolling with Scissors airs live every Tuesday from 2–5 AM on 89.9 FM in Madison and streams at wortfm.org. Missed it? You can catch the episode for two weeks after broadcast at archive.wortfm.org or at rwsradio.com.

While the audio disappears after two weeks, the episode notes and playlists don’t. Every deep dive, rant, and full album breakdown stays right here — so you can revisit the details any time.

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