My Gen X Playlist: Buffalo Soldiers – Bob Marley

In 2012, University of North Carolina School of the Arts won the prize for the cheesiest mascot – the Fighting Pickle.

The Fighting Pickle of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) has been named the “Cheesiest College Mascot” in the nation by Chester Cheetah, the mischievous spokescat for Cheetos.

“Impressively, this top honor goes to a university without an actual athletics program, demonstrating that mascot mastery can happen anywhere,” Cheetah said.

– uncsa.edu

How can you compete with the Fighting Pickle? Pretty stiff competition.

The University of Colorado mascot is a buffalo. Their mascot is not a guy in a corny costume, but an actual live animal. It is the coolest thing watching a Colorado football game and seeing Ralphie the Buffalo charge the field. I’d choose a buffalo to be my mascot.

Oh give me a home, where the Buffalo roam. . .

The only buffalo song I know is Home on the Range. So, I’m going to stretch it a bit and instead play Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley. Marley was my introduction to reggae. His best of CD is a must for any collection.

The Buffalo Soldiers were a segregated regiment of black cavalry fighters during the American campaign to rid the West of “Indians”.

Released two years after Marley’s death, this song was one of the last that he recorded. Issued as a single, it reached #4 on the UK charts, where Marley had as much success posthumously as he did when he was alive: seven more released charted after this one.

– Songfacts

OK, this is nowhere close to a buffalo mascot, but you have to admit, a fantastic song nevertheless.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Buffalo soldier, dreadlocked rasta
There was a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

I mean it, when I analyse the stench
To me it makes a lot of sense
How the dreadlocked rasta was a Buffalo Soldier

And he was taken from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Said it was a Buffalo Soldier, dreadlocked rasta
Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America

If you know your history
Then you would know where you're coming from
Then you wouldn't have to ask me
Who the heck do I think I am

I'm just a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier, in the war for America

Said he, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!

Buffalo Soldier troddin' through the land, wo-ho-ooh!
Said he wanna ran and then you want a hand
Troddin' through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea

Said he was a Buffalo Soldier in the war for America
Buffalo Soldier, dreadlocked rasta
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Driven from the mainland to the heart of the Caribbean

Said he, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!

Trodding through San Juan
In the arms of America
Trodding through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock rasta

Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!