Live! is a 1975 album by Bob Marley and the Wailers which was recorded live in concert during July 1975 at the Lyceum Theatre, London. "No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)" was released as a single.
| Live! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Live albumby | ||||
| Released | 5 December 1975 | |||
| Recorded | 17 July 1975 | |||
| Venue | Lyceum Theatre, London | |||
| Genre | Reggae | |||
| Length | 45:15 | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Producer | Bob Marley and the Wailers, Steve Smith, Chris Blackwell | |||
| Bob Marley and the Wailers chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Live! | ||||
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The band's concerts at the Lyceum Theatre, London, on 17 and 18 July 1975, were recorded by Island Records employee Danny Holloway, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio.[1][2] The tracks selected were mostly from the 17 July performance, with "Lively Up Yourself" (not played on the 17th) from the 18th.[1]
"I wasn't prepared for what I saw that night," recalled Sounds photographer Kate Simon (who shot the cover of Marley's 1978 album Kaya). "It was like seeing someone who was as good-looking as Steve McQueen, playing with a group that was peerless – as tight as anything you'd ever heard. And not only did you hear this magnificent voice, but the message was one of faith, truth and doing the right thing… To see someone who sang about principles, and did it in such a way that made even me dance, that was quite something."[3]
At the concert on the 17th, Chris Blackwell noted the audience's reaction to "No Woman, No Cry".[4]
Production was credited to Bob Marley and the Wailers, Steve Smith and Chris Blackwell.
The album was released on 5 December 1975 by Island Records as a vinyl LP. In 2001 it was released on CD. In 2016 a three disc release called the "Live! Deluxe Edition", became available in vinyl and CD formats, with recordings of both the 17 July and 18 July performances.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Christgau's Record Guide | A−[5] |
| Rolling Stone | link |
Reviewing Live!inChristgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies, Robert Christgau wrote, "The rushed tempos take their toll in aura: 'Trenchtown Rock' can be far more precise, painful, and ecstatic; like most live albums this relies on obvious material. But the material is also choice, unlike most live albums it's graced by distinct sound and economical arrangements, and the tempos force both singer and the band into moments of wild, unexpected intensity. I used to think Natty Dread's 'No Woman, No Cry' was definitive."[5]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Trenchtown Rock" | Bob Marley | A-side of 1971 single | 4:23 |
| 2. | "Burnin' and Lootin'" | Bob Marley | Burnin' | 5:11 |
| 3. | "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)" | Leon Cogill, Carlton Barrett | Natty Dread | 4:36 |
| 4. | "Lively Up Yourself" | Bob Marley | Natty Dread | 4:33 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "No Woman, No Cry" | Vincent Ford | Natty Dread | 7:07 |
| 6. | "I Shot the Sheriff" | Bob Marley | Burnin | 5:18 |
| 7. | "Get Up, Stand Up" | Bob Marley, Peter Tosh | Burnin | 6:28 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8. | "Kinky Reggae" (bonus track) | Bob Marley | Catch a Fire | 7:35 |
with:
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Austria (IFPI Austria)[6] | Gold | 25,000* |
| France (SNEP)[7] | Gold | 100,000* |
| Germany (BVMI)[8] | Gold | 250,000^ |
| Netherlands (NVPI)[9] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[10] | Gold | 25,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[11] | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[12] | Gold | 500,000^ |
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* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
51°30′42″N 0°07′11″W / 51.511556°N 0.11975°W / 51.511556; -0.11975