Song:Young, Gifted and Black
Album:Pied Piper: The Best of Bob & Marcia
Jamaican music legends Bob Andy and Marcia Griffiths briefly teamed up and had a big hit with their 1970 cover of Nina Simone's Young, Gifted and Black. Bob Andy (real name-Keith Anderson) was a founding member of The Paragons. He left to go solo in 1966 and had success as a recording artist and as a songwriter. Though known today as the Queen Of Reggae, back then Marcia Griffiths was a backup singer at Studio One. Studio One owner Coxsone Dodd unsuccessfully teamed her up with various male singers. Producer Harry J (real name-Harry Johnson) started out leasing studio time from Dodd. Marcia had already recorded a couple of Andy's songs so he thought they would make a good duo. Young, Gifted and Black was a huge hit in Jamaica and reached #5 on the British charts. Of course that classic song was written by Nina Simone and Weldon Irvine. It would be hard for anyone to mess up that song. Bob & Marcia also had a significant hit with their cover of the Crispian St Peter hit Pied Piper in 1971. Those were their only hits and you can get them on this comp. They split up in 1974. Of course Marcia Griffiths became famous as one of Bob Marley's backup singers The iThrees. Bob Andy did some acting in films like The Mighty Quinn. Both singers continue to perform and record today. Here's Bob & Marcia performing Young, Gifted and Black 1970.
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