10 Best Songs Released After The Singer Passed Away

2. Bob Marley And The Wailers – ‘Buffalo Soldier’ (1983)

‘Buffalo Soldier’ wasn’t released until 1983, after Bob Marley died from an acral lentiginous melanoma, a form of skin cancer which had been diagnosed in 1977. It was included on the posthumous album ‘Confrontation’.

It became much more familiar to mainstream audiences with the release of his greatest hits, ‘Legend’, a year later - the best-selling reggae album of all-time. FYI if someone tells you they own a reggae record, it will always be Marley’s Legend.

Marley encouraged activism and universal love equally with his songs. Topics like personal and social relevance put him at the forefront of legends in music. With Buffalo Soldier, the emotionally-charged lyrics as well as the title reflect on the black U.S. cavalry regiments, known as Buffalo Soldiers, that fought in the Indian Wars after 1866.

Marley highlighted their fight for survival and reshapes it as a symbol of black resistance. The lyrics are lost on many people due to its laid-back catchiness. It strangely became a party anthem for some and was responsible for bringing reggae into mainstream culture. That’s why Marley was so great as an artist - there was a message under the melodic breeziness of most of his songs.

Buffalo Soldier includes the enduring line, "If you know your history/Then you would know where you're coming from.” It’s as poignant then as it is now.