Lost Bob Marley track ‘Selassie Is The Chapel’ released

A new, unreleased single by Bob Marley has been released, titled ‘Selassie is the Chapel’, over 40 years after his death. Listen to the track below.

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First recorded in 1968 but never before officially published, the song is now being released by Marley’s original label JAD Records, and is available to stream on all platforms, with a 2000-copy limited edition 7” also available.

The highly spiritual, personal track pays respect to Haile Selassie, the Ethiopian emperor and sacred figure in the Rastafari movement, of which Marley was a committed member. The song’s lyrics were written by one of Marley’s mentors, Mortimer Planno, who met Selassie when he visited Jamaica in 1966.

The single is the first release on JAD Records for seven years. The label was founded by Johnny Nash in 1967, after Nash had come across Marley in Jamaica. Marley continued to record exclusive music for the label for many years.

Marley died in 1981 at the age of 36, after becoming a global pioneer for reggae, ska and rocksteady music. He is estimated to have sold over 75 million records worldwide.

A feature length biopic about the reggae icon, titled Bob Marley: One Love, is due to be released in UK cinemas on February 14, 2024, with British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir (Peaky Blinders, One Night in Miami) playing the musician.

The film has been made in partnership with Marley’s family, and also stars James Norton, Lashana Lynch and Tosin Cole. It is directed by King Richard’s Reinaldo Marcus Green.

The synopsis for the biopic reads: “Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music.”

In September, Marley’s 1984 compilation album, ‘Legend’, became the first reggae album to chart for 800 weeks on the Billboard 200. It is the second highest-selling compilation album of all time.