Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)

This song is about Jamaica's infamous Roadblocks to find and arrest people in possession of Herb. It was inspired by a time when Bob, Seeco Patterson and Lee Jaffe (the Harmonica player on this track and album) where caught up in a roadblock at 3 AM . Lee Jaffe took responsibility and went to jail while Bob and seeco got away. Lee Jaffe went to Jail in kingston (Lee Jaffe was an "Honorable member" of the wailers he was a white man from new york who met Bob and Peter and Traveled with them and help manage the band. He became a devout Rasta and produced/played on Bobs "Natty Dread" album and Peter Tosh's "Legalize It"

you all should read Lee Jaffes coffee table book entitled "One Love" very good read if you want to hear the back story of "Natty Dread" and "Legalize It" and day to day life of Bob, Bunny and Peter

My little herbs talk to me, too! Jah bless.

This song's about how it's unfair that the government and the police control our lives. The fact that we can't roam the country freely, have a curfew, have to have proof of birth, and can't do what we wanna do goes against our natural liberties. Nobody should have the power over another to tell them that they can't live freely, and have to be at home at a certain time, or can't smoke marijuana if they'd like to. It's all about REAL freedom, and how government takes that away from us.

Well its obvious that natural instinct tells us that we need to be free and that its bullshit that any other person has the right to tell you what to do because what makes him so good that he can command you? What gives him that right? I think the question is though what would become of us if we didn't have someone to tell us what to do? Would the world collapse? I don't know but maybe its always that we get the wrong people to command us who aren't actually looking out for our best interests.

really, why can't we roam this open country, why can't we be what we wanna be?? why don't they let us live? i think we should destroy all countries and form a free world where woldn't be people who are starving to death and people who don't know what to do with their money. this world is so unfair. is it normal that bill gates is richer than whole africa ( without south african republic). let me tell you it isn't. LET'S RUIN BABYLON SYSTEM!!!! LET'S BILD NEW WORLD, FREE WORLD!!!! HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!!!

I think your right, but it all sounds so hectic. I think we have to form a new world but with a slow development. Really LOVE this Song especially when he starts. Bob marley has such a spiritual impact on nearly everybody it's amazing.

This is the song for everyday rebels- people who question authority and not follow it blindly. The first verse- "why can't we roam this open country" -is a powerful question that deviates the idea of posession. All the no-trespassing signs, the secret facilities, private property, it's not healthy and just shows that people are secretive and greedy.

Roadblocks can be very discriminatory, and an adult curfew is ridiculous...unless there is an insurgency going on like in Iraq. But there was no such insurgency going on in Jamaica in the 70s, just people branded criminals and targeted by the police for their race or smoking habits.

The third verse is my favorite- "take my soul and suss me out (size me up), check my life if I am in doubt". I think he's saying "stop me if I'm wrong, but isn't what theyre doing to me violating my rights?".

The eerie vocals and the folky harmonica are the highlights of this song for me. I really like it when Bob sings "Ain't got no birth certificate on me now" for some reason. It's motivating and if a middle finger had a sound when is raised it would go something like that. Just the way he sings it. Awesome. Love this song. Potheads are mostly harmless (and mostly hilarious), it's good to see Marley showing their real depth of feeling.

This song is Blessed from above, and so much deeper than our ears can coup with. All of the above comments about the strugle of man is true, but the essence of this song is truly religios.

The 3 oclock roadbloack symbolizes the "block" of the devils hour, that starts from 3:00 AM until 3:59:59 AM. This is the 1 hour per day that the devil and its demons can roam the earth.

This song is also a reflection on the temptations that the devil puts on the man. Bob is questioning hes faith in God, but i believe he was very aware of God and the devil, thous the Road Block.

That harmonica goes hard af cuhhh. Also, why is that falsetto harmony so gorgeous when they sing the title lyric? And those backing vocals during the verses. And that call and response with him and the backup singers. Most of all the rhythm section is just terrific, like this roll before the chorus. So fun! Not a very well-written way to express what I love about this song but hopefully you get my drift.