Kacey Musgraves recorded a cover of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Three Little Birds” for Bob Marley: One Love. Released as a single on January 26, 2024, it recasts the familiar song with minor chords that Musgraves said give it a melancholy mood before hope breaks through.
Hear the cover and its soundtrack context
Musgraves’ recording was the lead single from Bob Marley: One Love (Music Inspired by the Film), a seven-track EP released February 14, 2024. The soundtrack project brought together Bloody Civilian, Skip Marley, Daniel Caesar, Musgraves, Wizkid, Jessie Reyez and Leon Bridges. Universal Music Japan’s announcement says the Marley family selected and authorized the songs on the EP. Universal Music Japan’s announcement lists the release dates and tracks; Pitchfork’s January 26, 2024 report also identifies the cover as Musgraves’ contribution to the film soundtrack.
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The EP connects the cover to Marley and the Wailers’ 1977 album Exodus: five of its seven songs came from that album, including “Three Little Birds.”
How Musgraves changed the song
Musgraves told Howard Stern that she had performed the song for some time and had added minor chords to her arrangement. She described the result as melancholy, with “a little ray of sunshine that kind of pops through the clouds and says, ‘It’s going to be fine.’” The contrast is the key to her version: rather than presenting the song’s reassurance as uncomplicated cheer, she said the altered harmony lets hope emerge from a more reflective mood.
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As quoted in the Howard Stern interview report, published March 20, 2024, she explained her approach this way: “I like taking a song that isn’t country and sort of putting my own spin on it.” She also said, “His music just feels so good and I really love obviously what he’s about.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How it relates to Marley’s original
“Three Little Birds” is a Bob Marley and the Wailers song from Exodus (1977). Musgraves’ account gives a specific point of comparison with the original: her use of minor chords and the melancholy-to-hopeful emotional turn. The available reporting does not establish enough detail for a precise comparison of instrumentation, tempo or production, so those elements should not be assumed from her description alone.
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- Bob Marley & The Wailers' LEGEND stands as one of the best-selling albums in history, touching millions with a beautiful flow of Bob's most memorable songs, from "One Love/People Get Ready" and "Get Up, Stand Up" to "Could You Be Loved" and "Redemption Song
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