by Mark de Jong

Created on: February 11, 2007   Last Updated: March 04, 2007

For me, the best song of all time would have to be the song which has had the most profound impact on my life. For that reason, I would have to say "Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley and the Wailers takes the cake.
This summer, as every summer in Chicago, I passed the time by attending copious amounts of concerts. There was one in particular, though, which has had a lasting impact on the way I view the world. When I saw The Wailers at Northerly Isle, I went looking for another good concert, and came away with so much more; it was a spiritual experience, and albeit a much needed one at that point in my life.

About midway through the set, the struck the opening notes of Get Up, Stand Up. I had heard that song a million times before, but this particular time I connected with it, and I have connected with it every subsequent listen I have afforded it. The meaning of the words fell on me with this profound weight. The message rang out: the world is not what it seems, these systems of oppression can be broken, life can be beautiful, so STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS.
As a Rastafari, this is how I see the world; my lens. This is what reminds me to choose love over hatred and war. This is the voice that reminds me that I and I will see me through; Jah is with us, and we must unite against what is wrong. I will let Bob have the last word, because he said it best:

"Preacherman, dont tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you dont know
What life is really worth.
Its not all that glitters is gold;
alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. come on!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: dont give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. jah!

We sick an tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin n goin to heaven in-a jesus name, lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty God is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you cant fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light
We gonna stand up for our rights!"

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