"Could You Be Loved" is a 1980 song by Jamaican

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

band

Bob Marley and the Wailers Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to that The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and The Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert ...

. It was released as the first single from their twelfth and last album, ''

Uprising Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

'' (1980), and is also included on their greatest-hits album ''

Legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...

'' (1984). It was written in 1979 on an aeroplane while The Wailers were experimenting on guitar. In the middle of the song, background singers quote a verse from Bob Marley's first single " Judge Not": "The road of life is rocky; And you may stumble too. So while you point your fingers, someone else is judging you". Instruments used on the original record of this song are guitars, bass, drums, acoustic piano, the

Hohner clavinet The Clavinet is an electrically amplified clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tension ...

and an organ, as well as the Brazilian

cuíca The cuíca () is a Brazilian friction drum with a large pitch range, produced by changing tension on the head of the drum. ''Cuíca'' is Portuguese for the gray four-eyed opossum (''Philander opossum'') which is known for its high-pitched cry. ...

. "Could You be Loved" was very successful on the charts in Europe, peaking within the top 10 in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. Additionally, it was a top 20 hit in Sweden and West Germany.

Impact and legacy

American magazine ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' included "Could You Be Loved" at number 363 in their list of "500 Best Songs of All Time" in 2021.

Track listings

* 7" single #"Could You Be Loved" – 3:35 #" One Drop" – 3:50 * 7" single #"Could You Be Loved" – 3:35 #" No Woman, No Cry (Live '75)" – 3:57

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Joe Cocker version

British singer Joe Cocker covered "Could You Be Loved" on his 1997 album '' Across from Midnight''. The single peaked at number one in Hungary.

Track listings

* CD single #"Could You Be Loved" (Single Version) – 4:35 #"Could You Be Loved" (Radio Edit) – 4:18 #"The Way Her Love Is" – 2:44

Charts

Cover versions

Marley's four eldest children

Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were a Jamaican-American reggae family group whose line-up consisted of the children of musicians, Bob Marley and Rita Marley, which includes lead singer Ziggy Marley with Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and ...

have performed the song numerous times during their tours. Their performance versions appear on the concert DVDs "Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers Live", "Marley Magic: Live in Central Park at Summerstage", "One Love: The Bob Marley All-Star Tribute", and their live album " Live Vol. 1".

References

{{authority control 1980 songs 1980 singles 1997 singles Bob Marley songs Island Records singles Joe Cocker songs Songs written by Bob Marley Disco songs Number-one singles in Hungary