Review of Bob Marley & The Wailers : At the Apollo '79 [2002]
Japanese only double live album. Tracks, 'Natural Mystic', 'Then Belly Full', 'I Shot The Sheriff', 'Concrete Jungle', 'Ambush The Night', 'Ride Natty Dread', 'Running Away', 'Wake Up & Live', 'One Drop', 'No Woman, No Cry', 'Jamming', 'So Much Trouble In The World', 'Zimbabwe', 'Africa Unite' & 'War/No More Trouble'. 2001 AMJ/Japan release. Standard double jewel case.

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Your latest reviews - Bob Marley & The Wailers : Bob Marley's classic hits compilation
Legend. A Bob Marley hits compilation.

INTRODUCTION:
Bob Marley. Over the years, he has reigned supreme as the ultimate name in reggae music. Despite passing away in the early eighties, his music remains consistently popular. And it isn't hard to see why, as it really does stand the test of time. Despite dying young, Marley's career contained a plethora of music, and as such, many compilations of his work have been released over the years. The most popular compilation of Marley's work, though, would have to be the Legend compilation, released in the middle of the eighties. Not only do many Marley fans hail this as his finest compilation, it has also become the best-selling reggae album of all time! So, how does the classic compilation measure up? Read on, and find out!

OVERVIEW:
Bob Marley's Legend compilation was release in the middle of the eighties, only a few years after his death. There are three major editions of the album available on CD - original vinyl album ported to CD, single-disc remastered edition with bonus tracks, and the two CD Deluxe Edition version with bonus tracks. Regardless of which version you buy, all versions have the following tracks: Is This Love, No Woman No Cry (Live), Could You Be Loved, Three Little Birds, Buffalo Soldier, Get Up Stand Up, Stir It Up, One Love / People Get Ready, I Shot The Sheriff, Waiting In Vain, Redemption Song, Satisfy My Soul and Jamming.

REVIEW:
Bob Marley has a LOT of compilations, no questions asked. None of these compilations are bad, by any means. In fact, every one of them seems to succeed in areas that others don't. Legend is the best-known of all of Marley's compilations, and it isn't hard to see why. It's a single-disc, affordable compilation that hits all of the high points of Marley's career. This is reggae at its very best and most accessible. Let's take a look at the different versions of the compilations, and see what sets each one apart from the others:

-ORIGINAL VINYL ALBUM PORTED TO CD:
This release is exactly what it says it is. It's the original album that people know and love from the vinyl days, ported onto a CD format. As such, it features no bonus tracks of any kind. It also means that Exodus and Stir It Up are the shorter, edited single versions, just as they appeared on the vinyl. This version of the album on CD seems to be out of print these days, which is no big loss, since the new versions are better.

-SINGLE-DISC REMASTER:
This is a single-disc remastered version of Legend. It features better sound quality than earlier editions of the album, as well as expanded liner notes. Likewise, it replaces the edited, shorter single versions of Exodus and Stir It Up with the original, full-length album version. Also notable is the inclusion of two bonus tracks, Easy Skanking and Punky Reggae Party. This new version of the album is a worthwhile improvement over the original vinyl port.

-DELUXE EDITION:
This is exactly the same as the single-disc remaster, right down to the same bonus tracks and song versions being used. However, like other compact discs in the Deluxe Edition series, it includes a second disc, filled with bonus material. In the case of Legend, that bonus material is remixes of tracks from the compilation. Since most of these remixes came from rare twelve inch singles, they are EXTREMELY hard to come by on CD outside of this collection. That said, if you're a big-time Bob Marley fan, having these rare mixes together will be reason alone to purchase this version of Legend.

OVERALL:
No matter which version of Legend you buy, it is an excellent compilation that serves as a damn fine overview of Bob Marley's career. If you're just the casual Bob Marley fan who wants an affordable, single-disc overview of his career, you have come to the right place. Every Bob Marley compilation is good, but this is the one that constantly gets praised by fans and critics alike, and with good reason. If you're a casual fan or just someone who is seeking an affordable yet effective introduction to the music of Marley, this is just what you need. Highly recommended!

EDITION NOTES:
The more recent releases of this compilation remain readily available in stores, obviously due in no small part to the fact that this is the best-selling reggae album of all time, as well as a widely-praised collection. If you want to buy it, you're really not going to have any trouble hunting it down.