Bob And MarciaText by Harry Hawks
These 'one hit wonders' from way back when are actually Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths: two giants of Jamaican music whose work is inextricably entwined with the development of reggae music and whose innumerable hits stretch from the sixties up to the present day.
Bob And Marcia
Members |
Bob Andy Marcia Griffiths |
Place of Establishment |
Jamaica |
Bob and Marcia's 'Young Gifted & Black' was one of the earliest crossover hits from the time when reggae music first began to insinuate itself into the U.K. national, then international, consciousness. Nina Simone's black power anthem, which could perhaps have been interpreted as ironic when sung by Ms Simone, became an upbeat pop song with strings attached when performed by Bob & Marcia. Produced by Harry 'Harry J' Johnson(Harry Johnson), with an added string arrangement courtesy of Johnny Arthey, the record reached Number 5 on the U.K. National Charts in March 1970.
The message was still there, sweetened by a bright, cheerful rhythm and violins, and the record was really rather subversive in a very upfront manner. People who still add up the equation that makes skinhead equal racist now conveniently forget that it was the skinhead interest in this music that initially put 'Young Gifted & Black' into the National Charts. The duo followed it up with a version of 'Pied Piper' which had previously been a hit for Crispian St Peters. This record just missed the top ten of the National Charts in July 1971 and helped to convince the doubters that the duo were little more than pop music lightweights.
Nothing could be further from the truth: both as solo artists and as members of vocal groups the contributions of Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths to the history of Jamaican music are formidable and, in the world of reggae, they are justifiably celebrated and revered as two of the music's biggest and brightest stars.
Date Added: Sep 20, 2019