# Bob Marley vs John Lennon



## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Yes, I know the 'vs' polls are petty, but so am I. :clap:


----------



## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Marley, of course. His music is an example of well crafted pop music—which is something to be admired, as there are very few examples. Lennon was/is overrated, self important and obnoxious. Oh yeah, his music sucks too.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Neither is a personal favourite of mine, but I like more Lennon songs (even discounting his Beatles work).


----------



## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Art Rock said:


> Neither is a personal favourite of mine, but I like more Lennon songs (even discounting his Beatles work).


I like Marley because there's no pretence with his music: it's simple (though well crafted), enjoyable, with meaningful lyrics. What else could one ask of pop music?


----------



## shangoyal (Sep 22, 2013)

Lennon is one of the best rock musicians ever for me. Marley is good, and two of his songs (No woman, no cry & Redemption song) are amazing, but I can't listen to him too often. It becomes boring.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I guess John Lennon was a better songwriter, but he was a lousy singer. I get more enjoyment listening to Bob Marley than from anything by John Lennon.


----------



## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Musically, there´s no doubt I prefer Marley. Lennon was maybe a more many-facetted, creative character, but Marley was much more engaged in society too, than it is perhaps generally known.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Aside from the music I'd choose Marley every time - he went above and beyond the call in his attempts to broker peace between the factions of Edward Seaga and Michael Manley at a time when both politicians and their respective parties were dangerously at each others' throats which threatened to rip Jamaica apart. Lennon, on the other hand, seemed happier to promote himself (and Yoko) with annoyingly pretentious publicity stunts, declaring his support for questionable causes until he got bored - sorry, disillusioned - with them and uttering half-baked and patronising platitudes.


----------



## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

I admit I've not heard much Marley but for sheer variety and consistent quality, I pick Lennon. I really don't care if he was a hypocrite, pretentious, if he hit his wife, etc. since we're talking about the music.


----------



## aajj (Dec 28, 2014)

If his work with the Beatles is included it's Lennon all the way. But his solo career cannot compare with the totality of Marley's. Lennon had two great solo albums, _Plastic Ono Band_ and _Imagine_, plus a bunch of excellent later songs to go with much middling material where he was basically treading water.

Marley was already exceptional in the '60s as a member of the Wailers, then when he received top billing as Bob Marley & the Wailers on superb albums such as _Catch a Fire _and _Natty Dread_, and kept going with good music.

I'm not factoring in their personal behavior or political activity. Marley was clearly a man of integrity. One thing I admire about Lennon was his decision to stop recording and step out of the limelight for the second half of the '70s when he was burnt out and had nothing further to say as a musician.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

OK - if it's down to the music I'd choose Lennon because I'm a bigger fan of the Beatles and some of his solo work than I am of the Wailers and reggae in general, but I admire both.


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I prefer Marley's reggae stuff over John Lennon's solo efforts honestly. Marley was pure genius in what he did best.  No Woman, No Cry is such a classic.


----------



## Lord Lance (Nov 4, 2013)

A picture is worth a thousand words:










Post Imagine songs which are classics:

#9 Dream
Ain't That a Shame
Attica State
Bring on the Lucie (Freeda People)
I Know (I Know)
India, India
Intuition
One Day (At A Time)
Only People
Out The Blue
Stand By Me
Whatever Gets You Through The Night
*Absolute Classic* - Woman is the ****** of The World
(Just Like) Starting Over
Beautiful Boys
Forgive Me (My Little Flower Princess)
*5/5 *- I'm Losing You
I'm Stepping Out

And more....


----------



## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Lord Lance said:


> A picture is worth a thousand words:


A photo of Bob Marley is worth a million words.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Lord Lance said:


> A picture is worth a thousand words:


My hair looks quite like that, actually. So do my sideburns, come to think of it. Despite what I said about him it seems that Lennon has had the last laugh.


----------



## aajj (Dec 28, 2014)

elgars ghost said:


> My hair looks quite like that, actually. So do my sideburns, come to think of it. Despite what I said about him it seems that Lennon has had the last laugh.


Well, then, all you need are the eyeglasses.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

aajj said:


> Well, then, all you need are the eyeglasses.


Funny you should mention that...


----------



## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Lennon's solo stuff is amazing, very touching. How about a song like _"God"_ that lashes out in disbelief against everything, yet coming off as religious as Rachmaninov's _Vespers?_ Same thing with _"Imagine",_ a profoundly religious song about the end of religion (amongst other things). _"Working Class Hero"_ for a song filled with equal amounts of love and hatred, hope and contempt. Wonderful.

I don't understand Marley or feel a particular need to even try.


----------



## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

I'd have to go with Marley. I get that "self-improtant" vibe from Lennon, as well. I dig them both, but it's hard to get more genuine than my Rastafarian buddy.


----------

