27th September 2021

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bestofbobmarleywailersCD
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Destiny; Ruddie Boy; Cry To Me; Love Won't Be Mine; Play Boy; Sunday Morning // Put It On; I Need You; What's New Pussycat; Where Is My Mother; Wages Of Love; Jailhouse

US issue, released as a part of Buddah's Authentic Island Collector's Edition series. While this compilation shares only three tracks with the original Studio One issue, there are several tracks that are more difficult to find elswhere. Note that Ruddie Boy (aka Rudie) is repeated - on Side A, and as Jailhouse on Side B.
((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS3
(Early 1980s)

Studio One FCD 127

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low*; Hypocrite*; I Stand Alone**; Cry To Me; Mr Talkative; Wings Of A Dove; Small Axe**; Mellow Mood*; Dancing Shoes; He Who Feels It Knows It; African Herbs Man**; Sunday Morning; Love Won't Be Mine; Straight And Narrow Way; Don't Rock The Boat**; African Herbsman**

* Wailers self production at Studio One.
** Lee Perry production.

Studio One CD with additional Wail 'N Soul 'M and Lee Perry productions.

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low*; Hypocrite*; I Stand Alone**; Cry To Me; Mr Talkative; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe**; Mellow Mood*; Dancing Shoes; He Who Feels It Knows It; African Herbs Man**; Sunday Morning; Love Won't Be Mine

* Wailers self production at Studio One.
** Lee Perry production.

Vinyl reissue of the 14 track edition in a screen-printed sleeve (my copy is printed on the back of a recycled Miracle Corn Meal package). However, the sleeve and label only list the original 12 tracks.
((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailers1stCroc200
BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSilk2200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

The third 'crocodile-skin' edition was also pressed on heavyweight vinyl, with no discernable matrix number. Bunny and Peter are now wearing hats. Sleeve and label illustrations courtesy of Cyrille Fouques.
((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailers3rdCroc200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

The fifth 'crocodile-skin' variation, pressed on heavyweight vinyl with no discernable matrix number. Sleeve and label illustrations courtesy of Cyrille Fouques. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

An alternative version of the screenprint design, with coloured rays emanating from the corners of the sleeve.
((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersaltSilk1200
BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSilk1200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie (aka Jailhouse); Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

A variation of the sleeves above. Although the front is similar the back is very different, omitting the text of the sleeve notes from the earlier issues. Sleeve and label illustrations courtesy of Cyrille Fouques.
((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersaltSilk2200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

The first of the screenprint editions on waxy cream card. The matrix numbers on both sides are barely visible. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSilk3200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

Late 1970s / early 1980s screenprint sleeve. The matrix number is now clearly visible on the thin vinyl pressing. Sleeve and label illustrations courtesy of Cyrille Fouques. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestofBobMarleyAndTheWailersBuddhahSO1100200
BestofBobMarleyAndTheWailersBuddah200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

Jamaican remix (more echo, overdubs, shortened version of I Am Going Home). Distinctive cover design by Jamaal Pete. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

bestofbobSOL127rosette
bestofbobmarleyandwailers1980sreissue
BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSOL12714tracks200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low*; Hypocrite*; I Stand Alone**; Cry To Me; Mr Talkative; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe**; Mellow Mood*; Dancing Shoes; He Who Feels It Knows It; African Herbs Man**; Sunday Morning; Love Won't Be Mine

* Wailers self production at Studio One. ** Lee Perry production.

First vinyl reissue of the Studio One CD, but with only 14 tracks instead of the 17 tracks on the CD. Can also be found in the 1981 sleeve with the original track list of 12 titles. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSOLP127200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

Later screenprint design on recycled grey card (on the reverse of a laundry detergent carton in this case). The matrix number is clearly visible on the thin vinyl pressing. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

TheBestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSilk4200
BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSilk4SOLP127200
Silk4Redrosette

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

The second 'crocodile-skin' issue was also pressed on heavyweight vinyl, with no discernable matrix number. Note that on these first two sleeves Bob, Bunny and Peter are all hatless. On subsequent sleeves Bunny and Peter are wearing hats. Sleeve illustration courtesy of Jeremy Collingwood. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

TheBestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersaltCroc1200

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

The fouth 'crocodile-skin' variation, pressed on heavyweight vinyl with no discernable matrix number. Sleeve and label illustrations courtesy of Cyrille Fouques. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailers2ndCroc200

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (1974)

Coxsone
no m
atrix number

I Am Going Home; Bend Down Low*; Mr Talkative; Rudie; Cry To Me; Wings Of A Dove // Small Axe**; Love Won't Be Mine; Dancing Shoes; Sunday Morning; He Who Feels It Knows It; Straight And Narrow Way

The first issue was pressed on heavyweight vinyl, with no discernable matrix number. The sleeve is printed on textured 'crocodile-skin' card. * Bend Down Low is a Wailers self production at Studio One; ** Small Axe is a Lee Perry production. ((Click sleeve to enlarge.))

In 1967 Bob Marley and The Wailers split from Studio One to take control of their own recordings. Their first single - Bend Down Low b/w Freedom Time, released on the Wail ‘N Soul ‘M label - was recorded at the Brentford Road studio with The Soul Brothers as backing musicians. By 1974 the group was achieving considerable international success, and no doubt Coxson saw this as an opportunity to re-release some of their earlier material as a ‘Best Of’ compilation.

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (1974)

Coxsone
no m
atrix number

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (1974)

Coxsone
no m
atrix number

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (1974)

Coxsone
no m
atrix number

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (1974)

Coxsone
no m
atrix number

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (c.1975)

Coxsone
matrix: FCD 127 - A // FCD 127 - B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (c.1975)

Coxsone
matrix: FCD 127 - A // FCD 127 - B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1

Coxsone
matrix: FCD 127 - A // FCD 127 - B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS2 (1976)

Buddah SO 1106
matrix: SO 1106 A-1 // SO 1106- B 1

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (c.1979–80)

Coxsone
m
atrix: FCD 127 - A // FCD 127 - B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1 (c.1979–80)

Coxsone
matrix: FCD 127 - A // FCD 127 - B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS1
(1981)

Studio One FCD 127
m
atrix: FCD 127 A // FCD 127 B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS4
(Early 1980s)

Studio One FCD 127
matrix: SOLP 127 A // SOLP 127 B

THE BEST OF BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS4 (2004)

Studio One
matrix: SOLP 127 A // SOLP 127 - B

bestofbobmarleywailersRE200
BestOfBobMarleyAndTheWailersSOLP1