One Love/People Get Ready (Part 1)
Let’s get together and feel all right
Here’s a great song to play in harmonica groups. One Love/People Get Ready was written by the great man of music and peace from Jamaica, Bob Marley.
Bob Marley’s musical style is called reggae. The reggae rhythm, or skank, uses the up-beat to create a relaxing and happy groove. We’ll be looking at this more closely in the final part of the series.
In this post we’re looking at the chorus of the song. So let’s get together and work out how a group of junior harmonica players can enjoy performing this cool instrumental.
Wh’appen
Just before we start, we should also mention the song that inspired Bob Marley’s One Love. It’s a Gospel song called People Get Ready, which was written by a wonderful American musician, Curtis Mayfield.
As it was in the beginning
Here we go! Grab a C major diatonic harmonica and let’s check out the Chorus. The numbers tell you which holes to play – we’re using two holes at the same time (double-stops). D means draw (breath in). B means blow (breath out). Purple numbers are for a 4 hole harmonica and Orange numbers are for a ten hole harmonica. If you follow the words of the song, they should help guide you through.
So shall it be in the end
2B-3B 2B-3B
5B-6B 5B-6B
1D-2D 1D-2D
4D-5D 4D-5D
2D-3D 2B-3B
5D-6D 5B-6B
1D-2D 1B-2B 1D-2D 1B-2B 1D-2D
4D-5D 4B-5B 4D-5D 4B-5B 4D-5D
2B-3B 1D-2D 1B-2B
5B-6B 4D-5D 4B-5B
Let’s get together and feel alright!
2B-3B 2B-3B
5B-6B 5B-6B
1D-2D 1D-2D
4D-5D 4D-5D
2B-3B 2D-3D 2D-3D 2D-3D
5B-6B 5D-6D 5D-6D 5D-6D
2B-3B 1D-2D 1B-2B
5B-6B 4D-5D 4B-5B
1B-2B 1D-2D 1B-2B
4B-5B 4D-5D 4B-5B
2B-3B 1D-2D 1B-2B
5B-6B 4D-5D 4B-5B
Give thanks and praise to the Lord
2D-3D 2B-3B
5D-6D 5B-6B
1D-2D 1B-2B 1D-2D 1B-2B 1D-2D
4D-5D 4D-5D 4B-5B 4D-5D 4B-5B
2B-3B 1D-2D 1B-2B
5B-6B 4D-5D 4B-5B
And I will feel all right
Top tooting – take a bow! Now practice and show your friends, family and grown ups what you can do. In Part 2 we’ll look at the lead part played over the verses of the song. In Part 3 we learn a short accompaniment to the lead part, and finally in Part 4 we’ll investigate the rhythm.
Go to Part 2 – Lead part
Go to part 3 – Accompaniment to lead part
Go to part 4 – Rhythm part