Reggae prince Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley is back with his first single since 2019, a cover of the George Harrison classic “My Sweet Lord”. The track arrived across streaming platforms on Friday, July 28th, the 52nd anniversary of Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh, the first major benefit concert in history.
Damian reggae-fies the timeless All Things Must Pass cut with slowed-down rhythms and bouncy beats, sounding as if it could’ve come from his father, reggae icon Bob Marley. As the iconic slide guitar lead comes in, the rush of endorphins from Harrison’s original 1971 recording floods the brain as Damian’s soothing, soulful timbre smooths out the track with intermittent horns.
Related: Rare Footage Offers A Front Row Seat To 1978 Bob Marley & The Wailers Concert [Watch]
George Harrison was a big fan of Bob Marley, as reported by Melody Maker in 1975, “[George had] not long returned from LA where he’d seen Bob Marley & The Wailers three times at the Roxy — ‘best thing I’ve seen in ten years. Marley reminds me so much of Dylan in the early days, playing guitar as if he’s new to it. And his rhythm, you know, it’s so simple, yet so beautiful. I could watch The Wailers all night.’”
At those same Roxy concerts, George went backstage to meet Marley. According to photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker, as Harrison walked in Marley exclaimed “Ras Beatle!” before getting a picture together. Decades later, that picture has been used on faux-vintage concert posters for an alleged collaborative show between Harrison and Marley on July 15th, 1975 that never actually happened.
Related: The Most Famous Concerts That Never Happened
Listen to Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley cover George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”. The single marks Damian’s first release under his own label, Ghetto Youths International, which he runs with his brothers Stephen and Julian Marley.
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley – “My Sweet Lord” (George Harrison)
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