Bob Marley - "Lion Of Judah" (Conquering Lion) five examples, lyrics, & comments

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a three part series about the symbolical meanings of the lion among Rastas.

Part III of this series showcases five examples of Bob Marley performing his song "Lion Of Judah" (also known as "Conquering Lion"). Information about the title "Lion Of Judah" as it refers to Haile Selassie is presented in this post along with song lyrics, and comments from those examples' discussion threads.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/05/what-lion-means-in-rastafari-culture.html Part I of this series. Part I presents general information from Wikipedia about the meaning of the referent "Lion of Judah" and information from that page about the meaning of that term for Rastas. Part I also
presents excerpts about the symbolism of the lion from the 2011 book Dread Jesus by William David Spencer.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/05/five-rasta-records-that-mention-lion.html for Part II of this series. Part II features five sound files of Rastafari music that includes symbolic references to lions. Each of those records are mentioned in the text of the book excerpt given below.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, folkloric, religious, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Bob Marley for his life's legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of this sound file and video on YouTube. ese examples on the editors of the Wikipedia page that is quoted in this post. Thanks also to William David Spencer, author of the book Dread Jesus and thanks to Dennis Forsythe who is quoted in the excerpts from that book which are featured in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT HAILE SELASSIE AND THE TITLE "LION OF JUDAH"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastafari
"Rastafari is an Abrahamic belief which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, following the coronation of Haile Selassie I as Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930. Its adherents worship him in much the same way as Jesus in his Second Advent, or as God the Father...

Haile Selassie I (1892–1975) was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Rastafari say that he will lead the righteous into creating a perfect world called Zion....

Rastas may say that Haile Selassie I's coming was prophesied from Genesis to the Book of Revelation. Genesis, Chapter 1: "God made man in His own image." Psalm 2: "Yet I set my Holy king on My Holy hill of Zion." Psalm 87:4–6 is interpreted as predicting the coronation of Haile Selassie I. During his coronation, Haile Selassie I was given 38 titles and anointments taken from the Bible: "King of Kings," "Elect of God," "Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Author of Mankind," "the Power of Authority," etc. He also received acclaim from various Christian and Muslim leaders and clergy for the work he performed towards establishing world peace and the brotherhood of mankind — this being one of the primary reasons his followers hold him as a God incarnate. Rastas also refer to Haile Selassie I as "His Imperial Majesty" (or the acronym HIM) and "Jah Rastafari.".

According to tradition, Haile Selassie I was the 225th in an unbroken line of Ethiopian monarchs of the Solomonic dynasty. This dynasty is said to have been founded in the 10th century BC by Menelik I. Menelik I was son of the Biblical King Solomon and Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, who had visited Solomon in Israel. 1 Kings 10:13 claims "And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants." On the basis of the Ethiopian national epic, the Kebra Negast, Rastas interpret this verse as meaning she conceived his child...

The Lion of Judah is an important symbol to Rastas, for several reasons. The lion appears on the Imperial Ethiopian flag, used in Haile Selassie I's Ethiopia. In addition, the Ge'ez title Mo'a Anbesa Ze'imnegede Yihuda ("Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah") has been applied to Ethiopian Emperors, in their tradition beginning with Menelik I, said to be the son of king Solomon (c. 980 BC)."...

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
These showcases examples feature of Bob Marley performing his song "Lion Of Judah" ("Conquering Lion"). These examples are given in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated example presented first.

Example #1: Bob Marley & Wailers live Lion of Judah music hall



SoGuideAndProtectInI, Uploaded on Oct 17, 2008

THE CONQUERING LION BY THE TRIBE OF JUDAH

Bless the Truth in InI Creation
-snip-
This sound file and another example in this post that is given as Example #3 below may be from the concert that is showcased in this one hour plus sound file https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kdNJ5UKqKc "Bob Marley & the Wailers - 1976-04-25 - Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA Late Show". The first set of that sound file is given as "Setlist 1. "Rastaman Chant" - "Lion Of Judah" - "Keep The Faith""

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Example #2: Bob Marley-Lion The Juda Subtitulado multilenguaje (CC SET ALL LANGUAGES)



frankchacho, Published on May 22, 2009
-snip-
Selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread:
2011
tse4129
"they think lions r jesus but ther not thats dum jesus is a guy"

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Reply
frankchacho
"@tse4129 jesus man is a lion rock water plant air jesus love of nature is everywhere the love and the creation is the living god"

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Reply
NAVYWIFEONE
"@tse4129 they dont think YHWH is a lion that is a LIE ! ! the Most High son our savior is a man he is from the tribe of JUDAH which he he represents the lion his strength is like a lion ever hear the lion will lay down with the lamb? probably not !
you are so stupid"

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Reply
erkanutazo
"jesus is jesus,selassie is selassie,lion of judah is lion of judah....and JAH is JAH"

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2013
umberto il rasta
"NATTY SONG DREAD MUSIC!!! MARLEY THE LION OF REGGAE MUSIC...... GOD BLESS ALL"

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Example #3: Bob Marley The Conquering Lion (VIDEO IN HD)



conquerorthefirst, Uploaded on Feb 7, 2010

The Conquering Lion The ''One Love '' Bob Marley Tribute
Saturday February 6th. 2010 & Doors open @ 8pm: $ 10
7617 Reading Road ( Valley Shopping Center ) wear a Bob Marley T-Shirt, Hat, Flag, Pen, & admission is 1/2 off...
Life Story and Live Concert of The King Of Reggae Music
Please bring can-goods for our Hope for Haiti Food Drive
information phone: 513309-3738 ,205-2493 or 7422898 The 10Th. Annual One Love Bob Marley Tribute Join Rock Live Productions & Enlightment Reggae Music as we mash it up with a 2day weekend of Roots, Rock, Reggae Music. Also six of the hottest Reggae Bands with Special Guest " Ital Fire Band" of Rhode Island, The Demolition Crew of Dayton Oh. much much more.... Tasty food and irie vibrations. Check out our Caribbean market with handcrafted and imported items many will be from Jamaica and varies countries of Africa. A Heartical Treat for everyone!.
-snip-
This video includes photographs and film clips of H.I.M. Haile Selassie.

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Example #4: Bob Marley Lion of Judah (Lycris)



jonas, Uploaded on Oct 30, 2010

Lycris:
The Lion of Judah shall break every chain,
The Lion of Judah shall break every chain,
The Lion of Judah shall break every chain, chain, chain.
Give us Jah victory again and again.

The Conquering Lion shall break every chain,
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain,
The Conquering Lion shall break every chain, chain, chain.
Give us Jah victory again and again.

The Lion of Judah shall break every chain,
The Lion of Judah shall break every chain,
The Lion of Judah shall break every chain, chain, chain.
Give us Jah victory again and again.
Give us Jah victory again and again.

In Mount Zion.
With King Alpha and Queen Omega.
Father and Mother of Creation.
Alleluia!
-snip-
Selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread:
2014
ricardo de kok
"great song !!!!!
to bad this song is not on a album of bob marley
R.I.P. robert nesta marley
your music helpt me thru good and bad times..."

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Reply
ziobender
"you are right brother, jahhhh rastafariii"

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Vince Williams
"Yes sir. The lion of Judah the lion on top of the mountain. No lion king. But the concept is the same. The father. Stood on the mountain n raise is son n all the animals in the jungle cams to give him praise. N the lion that stood on that mountain died. N gave is son. (Bob gong Sr..marley) the ring of his ancestors to keep for he believed in the gong. That's y. He became the gong. The father that created heavon n earth saw love. From Bob. Saw the Noah. The Abraham n etc. The love. My youth"

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2015
victor kitum
"My hero Bob, lion of Judah. Hail rasta"

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Example #5: BOB MARLEY LION OF JUDAH (CONQUERING LION) "AFRICA UNITE"



conquerorthefirst, Uploaded on Aug 6, 2011

Bob Marley: Conquering Lion of Reggae https://books.google.com/books/about/Bob_Marley.html?id=8e77kQAACAAJ
-snip-
This video includes film clips of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I.

The link is to the book Bob Marley: Conquering Lion of Reggae by Stephen Davis
(Plexus Publishing, Limited, Apr 1, 2011 - Biography & Autobiography - 336 pages)

Here are two comments from that video
idosermaniac99, 2015
"This is interesting that Haile Selassie was indeed born Leo."
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Reply
"Jah's Humblely Trying Servant, 2016
"+idosermaniac99 and so much more."
-snip-
The lion is the symbol for the astrological sun sign "Leo".

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