Social Science and Human Research Bulletin

This paper offers a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” (1980), one of the most iconic works in reggae and global protest music. Drawing upon the frameworks of Norman Fairclough (1989, 1995), Teun van Dijk (1993), and Ruth Wodak (2001), the study explores how Marley’s language functions simultaneously as poetic expression, political discourse, and ideological resistance. The analysis examines the interplay between linguistic structures—such as lexical choice, modality, transitivity, and intertextuality—and the ideological content of emancipation, identity, and decolonization. Through both micro-level textual analysis and macro-level sociohistorical interpretation, the paper argues that “Redemption Song” operates as a discourse of liberation that challenges hegemonic colonial ideologies and redefines redemption as self-emancipation rather than divine deliverance. Marley’s diction, syntax, and biblical allusions reveal how language itself becomes an instrument of ideological struggle. The study also situates the song within the broader Rastafarian and postcolonial movements of the late twentieth century, emphasizing its role as both a personal reflection and a collective manifesto. In doing so, this paper demonstrates that Marley’s song transcends its musical boundaries to function as a political text and a cultural narrative of freedom.

Critical Discourse Analysis; Bob Marley; Redemption Song; Postcolonial Discourse; Rastafarianism; Ideology and Language; Mental Slavery; Linguistic Resistance; Cultural Identity; Liberation Theology.

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