Rat Race

This is the closing track of Rastaman Vibration, Bob Marley’s most successful album in the US during his lifetime. The song decried Jamaica’s status as a pawn of the capitalist US atop a chord structure adapted from a Philly soul hit. Guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith told Mojo that the song came together when he started jamming on the Spinners 1974 track “Since I Been Gone” along with keyboard player Tyrone Downie and drummer Carly Barrett. Bunny Wailer suggested they add an intro, and Marley came up with they lyrics along with his wife, Rita.