The Marley Series: Don’t Let Them Fool Ya
This article is a part of the “Marley Series” written by Dave Lewis (Papa D), an elder in the bros community. The intention for the series is “Letters to My Younger Brothers” where he’s able to share his elder wisdom with younger men. For more, check out other articles in our blog titled “The Marley Series”
“Don’t let them fool ya, or even try to school ya…”
Bob Marley’s “Could You Be Loved” plays like a dance anthem, but beneath the beat is a message as sharp as a blade. He’s talking to those outside of the system, to those who’ve been exploited, and conditioned to believe that they aren’t enough. It’s a warning: don’t let the system define your worth.
Marley’s lyrics then cut through: “So while you point your fingers, someone else is judging you.”
This speaks to the trap of blame — pointing out what’s wrong “out there” while never truly facing what’s within. That’s how oppression sustains itself.
But the chorus shifts the focus: “Could you be loved and be love?” It’s not a question. It’s a challenge. Can you love yourself enough to step outside the system?
To be love is to be free. Bob wasn’t just singing to the oppressed — he was singing to the awakening.
Love, for Marley, wasn’t soft. It was radical. It was rebellion.
My younger brothers: don’t let them school you in fear. Don’t let them tame your heart. Walk with love — fierce, honest, unapologetic love — and you’ll be walking in the footsteps of giants.
Note 1. There is some debate about the lyrics in this line of the chorus. “Could you be loved and be love” vs “Could you be loved and be loved” (the latter doesn’t make sense).