They don’t want to see us unite:
All they want us to do is keep on fussing and fighting
They don’t want to see us live together:
All they want us to do is keep on killing one another
Top rankin’, top rankin’:
Are you skankin’ (skankin’, skankin’)?
Are you skankin’ (skankin’, skankin’)?
Wo-ho, top rankin’ (top rankin’). How, did you mean what you say now?
Are you – how are you (rankin’, rankin’) –
Are ya – Lord, Lord, Lord! (skankin’, skankin’)?
They say the blood runs
And it runs through our line
And our hearts, heart of hearts divine, eh!
And John saw them comin’, ooh! – a-with the truth
From an ancient time
The brotherly love (brotherly love), the sisterly love (sisterly love)
I feel this morning; I feel this morning:
Brotherly love (brotherly love), the sisterly love (sisterly love)
I feel this morning, this morning. Hey!
They don’t want us to unite:
All they want us to do is keep on fussing and fighting
They don’t want to see us live together
All they want us to do is keep on killing one another
Top rankin’ (top rankin’)!
Did ya mean what you say now (top rankin’)?
Are you skankin’ (skankin’, skankin’)?
Are you skankin’ (skankin’, skankin’)?
Top rankin’ (top ranking)
Did you (top rankin’) mean what you say (top rankin’)?
Are you (rankin’, rankin)?
Are you (skankin’, skankin’)?
Top rankin’ (top rankin’)
Top rankin’ (top rankin’)
Are you (skankin’, skankin’)?
How are you (skankin’, skankin’)?
Unity and Resistance: Interpreting “Top Rankin'”
Bob Marley’s “Top Rankin'” is a powerful anthem that calls for unity in the face of division. The lyrics emphasize how external forces often seek to keep people divided through conflict and violence, rather than allowing them to come together in peace. Marley uses repetition and rhythmic phrasing—”Are you skankin’?” and “Top rankin'”—to reinforce the message of solidarity and resistance. The references to “brotherly love” and “sisterly love” highlight the importance of communal bonds, while the song’s reggae beat invites listeners to participate in the act of unity through dance and music. Ultimately, “Top Rankin'” serves as both a warning against divisiveness and a call to embrace love, truth, and oneness.
Song Credits
- Artist: Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Songwriter: Bob Marley
- Release Year: 1979
- Label: Island Records