Ziggy Marley has had an illustrious career as a musician with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, but one of his career highlights is better known amongst a much younger crowd.
Marley, son of iconic reggae musician Bob Marley, recently discussed how he came to record the theme song to the popular children’s show ‘Arthur,’ titled ‘Believe in Yourself.’
Ziggy Marley Says People “Didn’t Know” He Created The ‘Arthur’ Theme
GettyMarley discussed the theme song on ‘The Zach Sang Show,’ after Sang called the song “the most powerful, impactful theme song of all time.”
The song, which PEOPLE notes was written and composed by Judy Henderson and arranged by Jerry DeVilliers, Jr., was the ‘Arthur’ theme from the show’s inception in 1996 until the show’s end in 2022.
“To tell you the truth, it’s just more recently that I’ve been understanding the impact, because people have been telling me, like what you’re telling me, when I travel,” he said.
“A lot of people didn’t know that I sing the song. A lot of people have realized it now. Recently, it’s becoming more in my consciousness.”
Marley said he had recently participated in a fundraiser for PBS, which led to more people discovering he was the creator of the song.
“It’s a simple story because in those days, I was living in Jamaica,” Marley recalled about recording the theme.
“I live here in America now, but I was living in Jamaica and [Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers] were just getting started. We had done some stuff for ‘Sesame Street’ and some other things before that also,” he explained.
“It seemed like our music and who we are all just kind of lend themselves to the space of children, of entertainment. I think that the beat of the music, children are kind of drawn to the music.”
He joked he “would have done a better contract” if he had known the song would be such an enduring hit.
Marley Recalls Childhood Memories With Famous Father
GettyDuring the interview, Marley also revealed some of his childhood memories with his legendary dad.
Marley is the son of iconic reggae musician Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He is also sibling to Sharon, Cedella, Stephen, Julian, Ky-Mani, and Damian, as recorded by the Grammy website.
“There is a story that you’re 7 years old and… you witnessed something historic, right?” asked Sang.
“The whole recording studio, what I saw my father do, was… trying to create a business,” Marley explained.
“He was trying to create his own recording company,” he said. “The funny thing… I was a young kid, but I was always around these guys, him and his friends.”
“I was always around whatever he was doing,” he recalled. “That’s how we learn.”
Marley says that he still uses “everything” he witnessed during the historic recording sessions.
“The discipline, the hard work, the vibes,” he elaborated. “That’s what we’re searching for, is that vibe that I remember. That feeling.”
It may have helped when it came to writing his first song, which he revealed to The Big Issue.
“My first song was about a girl,” he said. “I must have been really young, because it was before my father passed away. He knew the lyrics to it like, “Brown eyes baby, I love you to my heart, and I’m never going to part.'”
