Babylon by Bus
Encyclopedia
Babylon By Bus is a live
album released by Bob Marley & The Wailers
in 1978. The tracks on this album are considered, with two exceptions, to be from the Pavillon de Paris
concerts over 3 nights, 25-27th June 1978, during the Kaya Tour
, though there are discrepancies in the track listing.
Like the 1973 album Catch A Fire
, the first release had something of a novelty cover. The windows of the bus on the front cover were cut out, revealing part of the inner sleeve. As this was a double album, the listener had a choice of four different scenes to view through the windows.
All tracks written by Bob Marley
, except where noted.
, except where noted.
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
album released by Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers were a Jamaican reggae, ska and rocksteady band formed by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963. Additional members were Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Cherry Smith and Aston and Carlton Barrett...
in 1978. The tracks on this album are considered, with two exceptions, to be from the Pavillon de Paris
Pavillon de Paris
The Pavillon de Paris was a large concert space in Paris, France, located near the Porte de Pantin Métro stop, on the northern edge of the city. With a seated capacity of approximately 10,000 spectators, the Pavillon was the city's largest indoor music arena throughout its brief operating history...
concerts over 3 nights, 25-27th June 1978, during the Kaya Tour
Kaya Tour
The Kaya Tour was a concert tour organised to support the album Kaya by Bob Marley & The Wailers.The tour was initially set to begin in early May in Miami, Florida, but the first six shows had to be postponed due to lead guitarist Junior Marvin's cocaine problems. Therefore the tour began in Ann...
, though there are discrepancies in the track listing.
Like the 1973 album Catch A Fire
Catch a Fire
Catch a Fire is the major-label-debut album for Jamaican reggae band The Wailers, released on Island Records on 13 April 1973. The album established the band as international superstars. Leader Bob Marley in particular became world-famous...
, the first release had something of a novelty cover. The windows of the bus on the front cover were cut out, revealing part of the inner sleeve. As this was a double album, the listener had a choice of four different scenes to view through the windows.
Track listing
The "Heathen", "Lively Up Yourself" and "Concrete Jungle" were not as common as the rest of the album on the tour, with 2 of the 3 more than likely played on any given night, but not always, and were only ever all played on the same night twice: at the Pinecrest Country Club in Shelton, Connecticut, 14th June and the Music Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts 18th June, which was one of the longest shows ever played by the band with 22 songs, but none were played at the Paris concerts. "Rebel Music", "Positive Vibration", "Jamming", "Exodus", "War / No More Trouble" and "Punky Reggae Party" were nearly always played at some point of each concert, though were mixed up some times with other songs like "Get Up, Stand Up", usually played with "Punky Reggae Party", which isn't on this album though was also played most nights. The song "Is This Love" was also not common on this tour, though was played in Paris. The track "Kinky Reggae" wasn't played on the Kaya tour and in fact hadn't been played since the 1976 Rastaman Vibration tour, so it's unclear which concert this version is from.All tracks written by Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, except where noted.
Side one
- "Positive Vibration" (Vincent FordVincent FordVincent Ford , known as "Tata", was a Jamaican songwriter best known for receiving writing credit for "No Woman, No Cry", the reggae song made famous by Bob Marley & The Wailers, as well as three other Bob Marley songs...
) - 5:48 - "Punky Reggae PartyPunky Reggae Party"Punky Reggae Party" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers, recorded and released in 1977. Not appearing on any studio album, it was released as the b-side to the Jamming single in some countries and was later released as a live single on Babylon By Bus...
" (Bob Marley, Lee Perry) - 5:52 - "Exodus" - 7:38
Side two
- "Stir It UpStir It Up"Stir It Up" is a song composed by Bob Marley in 1967, written for his wife Rita, and first made popular by Johnny Nash. Nash's recording hit the top 15 in both Britain and America in 1972....
" (Recorded July 18, 1975 at The Lyceum, London, England) - 5:20 - "Rat Race" (Rita MarleyRita MarleyAlpharita Constantia Anderson , better known as Rita Marley, and sometimes called "Nana Rita", is the widow of reggae legend/musician Bob Marley, and a member of the trio the I Threes, Bob Marley's backup singers.-Biography:...
) (Recorded June 1976, Hammersmith Odeon, London, England) - 3:37 - "Concrete Jungle" - 5:38
- "Kinky Reggae" - 4:50
Side three
- "Lively Up Yourself" - 6:19
- "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)" (Aston BarrettAston BarrettAston Barrett , often called "Family Man" or "Fams" for short, is a Jamaican bass player and Rastafarian.-Biography:...
, Hugh Peart) - 5:22 - "WarWar (Bob Marley song)"War" is a song recorded and made popular by Bob Marley. It first appeared on Bob Marley and the Wailers' 1976 Island Records album, Rastaman Vibration, Marley's only top 10 album in the USA...
/ No More Trouble" (Alan Cole, Carlton BarrettCarlton BarrettCarlton "Carly" Barrett was an influential reggae drummer and percussion player. His musical development in the early years were with his brother Aston "Family Man" Barrett as a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's "house band" The Upsetters. The brothers joined Bob Marley and The Wailers around 1970...
, Bob Marley) - 5:30
Side four
- "Is This LoveIs This Love (Bob Marley song)"Is This Love" is a song by Bob Marley & The Wailers, released on his 1978 album Kaya. The song became one of the best known Marley songs and was part of the Legend compilation...
" - 7:33 - "Heathen" - 4:30
- "JammingJamming (song)"Jamming" is a song by the reggae band Bob Marley & the Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. The song also appears on the compilation album Legend....
" - 5:39
Current CD Version
All tracks written by Bob MarleyBob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, except where noted.
- "Positive Vibration" (Vincent FordVincent FordVincent Ford , known as "Tata", was a Jamaican songwriter best known for receiving writing credit for "No Woman, No Cry", the reggae song made famous by Bob Marley & The Wailers, as well as three other Bob Marley songs...
) - 5:47 - "Punky Reggae PartyPunky Reggae Party"Punky Reggae Party" is a reggae song by Bob Marley & The Wailers, recorded and released in 1977. Not appearing on any studio album, it was released as the b-side to the Jamming single in some countries and was later released as a live single on Babylon By Bus...
" (Bob Marley, Lee Perry) - 5:52 - "Exodus" (Bob Marley) - 7:38
- "Stir It UpStir It Up"Stir It Up" is a song composed by Bob Marley in 1967, written for his wife Rita, and first made popular by Johnny Nash. Nash's recording hit the top 15 in both Britain and America in 1972....
" (Recorded July 18, 1975 at The Lyceum, London, England) (Bob Marley) - 5:20 - "Rat Race" (Recorded 1976, Hammersmith Odeon, London, England) (Bob Marley, Rita MarleyRita MarleyAlpharita Constantia Anderson , better known as Rita Marley, and sometimes called "Nana Rita", is the widow of reggae legend/musician Bob Marley, and a member of the trio the I Threes, Bob Marley's backup singers.-Biography:...
) - 3:37 - "Concrete Jungle (Bob Marley) - 5:38
- "Lively Up Yourself" (Bob Marley) - 6:19
- "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)" (Aston BarrettAston BarrettAston Barrett , often called "Family Man" or "Fams" for short, is a Jamaican bass player and Rastafarian.-Biography:...
, Hugh Peart) - 5:22 - "WarWar (Bob Marley song)"War" is a song recorded and made popular by Bob Marley. It first appeared on Bob Marley and the Wailers' 1976 Island Records album, Rastaman Vibration, Marley's only top 10 album in the USA...
/ No More Trouble" (Alan Cole, Carlton BarrettCarlton BarrettCarlton "Carly" Barrett was an influential reggae drummer and percussion player. His musical development in the early years were with his brother Aston "Family Man" Barrett as a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's "house band" The Upsetters. The brothers joined Bob Marley and The Wailers around 1970...
, Bob Marley) - 5:30 - "Kinky Reggae" (Bob Marley) - 4:50
- "Is This LoveIs This Love (Bob Marley song)"Is This Love" is a song by Bob Marley & The Wailers, released on his 1978 album Kaya. The song became one of the best known Marley songs and was part of the Legend compilation...
" (Bob Marley) - 7:33 - "Heathen" (Bob Marley) - 4:30
- "JammingJamming (song)"Jamming" is a song by the reggae band Bob Marley & the Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. The song also appears on the compilation album Legend....
" (Bob Marley) - 5:39
Musicians
- Bob MarleyBob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
– lead vocals, rhythm guitar - Carlton BarrettCarlton BarrettCarlton "Carly" Barrett was an influential reggae drummer and percussion player. His musical development in the early years were with his brother Aston "Family Man" Barrett as a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's "house band" The Upsetters. The brothers joined Bob Marley and The Wailers around 1970...
– drums - Aston "Family Man" Barrett – bass
- Tyrone "Organ D" DownieTyrone DownieTyrone Downie is a Jamaican keyboardist/pianist who is most known for his involvement as a member of Bob Marley and The Wailers. He studied at Kingston College and joined the wailers in the mid-1970s, making his recording début with the band on Rastaman Vibration, having previously been a member of...
– keyboards - Junior MarvinJunior MarvinJunior Marvin also known as Junior Marvin-Hanson, Junior Hanson and Junior Kerr. He is a Jamaican born guitarist and singer and is best known for his association with Bob Marley and The Wailers. He started his career as Junior Marvin with the band Hanson in 1973...
– lead guitar - Alvin "Seeco" PattersonAlvin PattersonAlvin "Seeco" Patterson is a Jamaican born percussionist. He was a member of The Wailers Band.-References:...
– percussion - Al Anderson – lead guitar
- Earl "Wire" LindoEarl LindoEarl "Wire" Lindo, b. 7 January 1953 is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is a member of The Wailers and has collaborated with numerous reggae artists including Burning Spear.-Biography:...
– keyboards - Rita MarleyRita MarleyAlpharita Constantia Anderson , better known as Rita Marley, and sometimes called "Nana Rita", is the widow of reggae legend/musician Bob Marley, and a member of the trio the I Threes, Bob Marley's backup singers.-Biography:...
– backing vocals - Marcia GriffithsMarcia GriffithsMarcia Llyneth Griffiths is a successful female singer, also called the "Queen of Reggae". One reviewer described her noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances".Griffiths started her career in 1964...
– backing vocals - Judy MowattJudy MowattJudy Mowatt was born in the year 1948 in Gordon Town, St. Andrew Jamaica. She is an internationally acclaimed reggae artist who rose to fame as 1/3 of the trio the I THREE who were the Back-Ground vocalists for Bob Marley.-Biography:...
– backing vocals