Exodus cover art

  Studio Album · No. 8

Exodus Songwriting Credits by Bob Marley

1977 Island Records / Tuff Gong 10 tracks 37 min

Produced by Robert Nesta Marley, The Wailers  ·  Engineered by Errol Brown

Island Records / Tuff Gong ReggaeRoots Reggae
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bob Marley carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by Bob Marley 0 tracksoutside writers
Bob Marley's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
2
Lyricists
1
Producers
1977
Released
Data Insight

Bob Marley wrote all ten songs on Exodus, with the lone co-credit going to One Love/People Get Ready, which interpolates Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready and shares authorship between Marley and Mayfield. The record was created in London during Marley's exile after the December 1976 assassination attempt in Jamaica, and that split between defiance and devotion runs through his writing, from the militant title suite to the easy optimism of Three Little Birds and Jamming. Jamming stands among Marley's most enduring compositions from these sessions, a celebration of music and unity built on a relaxed groove. Bob Marley and the Wailers produced the album themselves.

Bob Marley & The Wailers' fifth Island album, released June 3, 1977. Recorded in London after an assassination attempt forced Marley to leave Jamaica in December 1976, Exodus is widely considered his masterpiece. TIME magazine named it the 'Album of the Century' in 1999. The record is split into a spiritual/political first side ('Natural Mystic,' 'The Heathen,' 'Exodus') and a love song second side ('Jamming,' 'Waiting in Vain,' 'Three Little Birds,' 'One Love/People Get Ready'). Virtually all tracks are Jagger-Richards equivalents in authorship, written solely by Marley.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Natural Mystic
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
2
So Much Things to Say
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
3
Guiltiness
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
4
The Heathen
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
5
Exodus
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
6
Jamming
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
7
Waiting in Vain
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
8
Turn Your Lights Down Low
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
9
Three Little Birds
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)
10
One Love/People Get Ready
Bob MarleyCurtis Mayfield Robert Nesta MarleyCurtis Lee Mayfield Robert Nesta Marley Bob Marley (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

More from Bob Marley

Frequently Asked Questions Exodus

Who wrote One Love/People Get Ready by Bob Marley?
One Love/People Get Ready is credited to Bob Marley and Curtis Mayfield. Marley's song interpolates Mayfield's 1965 Impressions track People Get Ready, which is why Mayfield shares the writing credit. It closes the Exodus album and became one of Marley's most recognized anthems of unity.
Who wrote the songs on Bob Marley's Exodus album?
Bob Marley wrote all ten songs on Exodus. The only shared credit is One Love/People Get Ready, co-written with Curtis Mayfield because it interpolates his song People Get Ready. Bob Marley and the Wailers produced the album themselves.
What is the song Jamming by Bob Marley about?
Jamming is a celebration of music, togetherness, and resilience, with Marley framing the act of making music as both joy and quiet resistance. Written entirely by Bob Marley, it became one of the most popular tracks from Exodus and reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. It did not chart on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Is Three Little Birds on Bob Marley's Exodus album?
Yes, Three Little Birds is the ninth track on Exodus, released in 1977. Written by Bob Marley, its refrain that every little thing is gonna be all right made it one of his most beloved and reassuring songs. It later reached number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.
What genre is Bob Marley's Exodus album?
Exodus is a reggae album, drawing on the roots reggae style Marley helped define. Recorded in London in 1977, it blends spiritual and political themes in its first half with lighter, love-driven songs in its second. Bob Marley and the Wailers produced it themselves.
How long is Bob Marley's Exodus album?
Exodus runs about 37 minutes across ten tracks. The longest is the title track Exodus at roughly seven and a half minutes, while shorter songs like One Love/People Get Ready and The Heathen round out the runtime. It was released by Island Records in June 1977.
Was Bob Marley's Exodus album certified by the RIAA?
Yes, Exodus was certified Gold by the RIAA in the United States, representing 500,000 units. It also earned higher certifications abroad, including 2x Platinum in the UK and Platinum in France. The album reached number 20 on the US Billboard 200.
Did Bob Marley produce the Exodus album?
Yes, Bob Marley and the Wailers produced Exodus themselves. The album was recorded in London during Marley's exile following the 1976 attempt on his life in Jamaica, with Errol Brown serving as engineer. It was released on Island Records in 1977.

Sources