Rihanna’s cover of Redemption Song slams into the Billboard charts

Pop singer Rihanna’s cover of Bob Marley’s 1979 acoustic recording Redemption Song, recently slam dunked its way onto the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at number 81. It is to date the most successful cover of the song, stateside.

Rihanna originally sang an acoustic version of the song on her 2006 tour, as part of her set. She re-recorded a new version as a charity song for the Hope for Haiti Now campaign.

Rihanna recently performed the song on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She commented about the cover. “Growing up, many times there was a really difficult situation and I always listened to this song because it was so liberating and even now I listen to it when my back is up against the wall. I feel like the people of Haiti need to feel something inspiring.”

Redemption Song is the last track on Bob Marley and the Wailers’ ninth Island Records studio album Uprising. At the time when he wrote the song, Marley had been diagnosed with the cancer that later was to take his life.

It has been covered by numerous recording artistes including Stevie Wonder (who was a personal friend of Marley), Joe Strummer formerly of the Clash, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, African star Angelique Kidjo and Irish folk music band the Chieftains.

… and more on Marley covers

And still on Marley, a number of entertainers have over the years recorded covers of many of his releases which have impacted on major charts. Stateside, two of covers of Marley’s recordings have registered good mileage on the charts.

Eric Clapton’s cover of I Shot the Sheriff reached number one in 1974; Johnny Nash’s cover of Stir it Up peaked in the Top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972.

In the 1990’s Diana King’s cover of Stir it Up which was featured on the soundtrack to Cool Runnings, reached number 53 on the R&B singles chart.

Former Eurythmics member Annie Lennox released a cover of Waiting in Vain which dented the UK pop chart as well as several charts across Europe.

Sizzla’s Crucial Times debuts at number five

After scoring 23 titles on Billboard’s Reggae album chart, Sizzla recently entered the chart at number five with his latest effort, Crucial Times. The set was released on Greensleeves/VP Records.

In 2000, Words of Truth stalled in that position.

Two other Sizzla titles, The Journey: The Very Best of Sizzla and Ghetto Youthology both peaked at number four.

Reggae Gold turns 17

The biggest selling reggae compilation, Reggae Gold, turns 17 this year. At the height of its sales splurge, Reggae Gold moved more than 200,000 units annually.

The 2010 edition will be accompanied by an international theme.

A photo shoot featuring four attractive young ladies, was recently completed at the Phase 3 studios in Kingston.

Each female represents one of the four major markets for reggae music, namely Jamaica, Japan/Asia, the UK and North America.

Reggae Gold 2010 will hit stores in June.

BITS AND PIECES

* Country music Grammy Award winning trio Lady Antebellum hold firm in the number one spot on the Billboard 200 album chart with their album Need You Now. The album sold an additional 209,000 copies to keep rapper Lil Wayne’s new album Rebirth out of the number one spot. Lil Wayne’s album debuted at number two with 176,000 copies sold in its first week of release. Ironically, Lil Wayne’s last album Tha Carter 3, sold one million copies in its first week of release in 2008.

* Dancehall artiste Mr Lexx recently completed the video shoot for two of his latest singles Watch Me Transform Ya and Bussa Wine. The videos were shot on location in New York City. The song Watch Me Transform Ya is currently in rotation on New York’s influential Hot 97 FM radio station.

* Rihanna has released the video for her third single, Rude Boy. The track is featured on her new album Rated R. Rihanna describes the video as playing along the lines of her roots, and the costumes are very Jamaican dancehall queen type.

Did You Know?

R&B/pop singer Deborah Cox who recently performed at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival as part of the Queens Project has some Caribbean connections?

Cox’s parents are from Guyana, and she is married to a Jamaican, Lascelles Stephens who is originally from St Thomas.