Biopic sends Bob back onto UK Singles chart
The global success of the Bob Marley: One Love biopic has sent two of Marley’s previous hits straight back to the Official UK Singles chart.
Could You Be Loved has re-entered at #51, while Three Little Birds, which is featured on the 17-track original motion picture soundtrack to the film, comes in at #56.
The Bob Marley: One Love (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) album is #6 on the New Zealand Top 100 Albums chart, #28 on the UK Album Downloads chart, and #13 on the UK Soundtrack Albums chart.
Could You Be Loved first charted in the UK in July 1980, where it peaked at #5. A re-issue of the song in 1984 saw the song topping out at #71.
Could You Be Loved is featured on Marley’s 12th and final studio album Uprising (1980) and it was also included on the greatest hits package Legend.
Written in 1979, Could You Be Loved was in 2021 ranked by Rolling Stone at #363 on its list of 500 Best Songs of All Time. The song was a huge success in Europe when it was released in 1980, and it has to date been covered by the American singer Joe Cocker (1997 on his album Across). His version reached #86 in the UK and made the charts in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Could You Be Loved was a commercial success for Marley, hitting the top 10 in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and 56 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart.
The song has been certified gold in Brazil, Denmark and Germany, while racking up a platinum certification in Italy, 5x platinum in New Zealand, and 2x platinum in the UK.
Three Little Birds first peaked at #17 on the UK chart in October 1980. In 1985, a re-released version rose to #76. It was initially included on Marley’s 1977 album Exodus and got as far as #49 in Germany and #3 in Spain.
Monty Alexander, American band Maroon 5, and British child singer Connie Talbot have released versions of Three Little Birds.
Marley’s version has been certified gold in Denmark and Germany, platinum in Italy, 5x platinum in New Zealand, and 2x platinum in the UK.
