Haiges 1

Devon E. Haiges

Professor Slye

ENG 1201

18 February 2021

Three Little Birds, Three Major Comparisons

“Don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing’s gonna be alright” is an immortalized lyric

from Bob Marley and the Wailers’ song Three Little Birds. In April of 2020, the official Bob Marley

YouTube channel released a Three Little Birds music video depicting the classic Three Little Pigs fairy

tale animals[ CITATION Mar20 \l 1033 ]. A year prior, The Green released a Hawaiian Three Little Birds

rendition which strongly focuses on family and their Hawaiian homeland paradise[ CITATION The19 \l

1033 ]. The Green's Hawaiian rendition of Bob Marley and the Wailers' Three Little Birds personifies the

lyrical birds as native children, escalating the pathos appeal of the original. While the original sought to

transcend the hardships and turmoil of the world with a creative reworking of a classic fairy tale story,

this cover illuminates the positivity of Hawaiian children carrying on their cultural population. 

Bob Marley’s inspiration for Three Little Birds has long been disputed, although some reputable

explanations exist. One of Marley’s closest friends, Tony Gilbert, remembers the canaries who used to

perch outside Marley’s home on Hope Road and claims to recall the day that three perched next to each

other and gave Marley his inspiration. Alternatively, Marcia Griffiths, who sang in the group I Three that

sang backup vocals for Marley, claims that Marley referred to them as his “three little birds[ CITATION

Wik21 \l 1033 ].” Recalling Marley’s unbridled love of nature and the fact that Marley’s wife also sang in

I Three, both would have brought Marley the peace that Three Little Birds has given us for over 40 years. 

The original Three Little Birds music video from Bob Marley’s YouTube channel features

smooth and vibrant computer animation of a forest, a wolf, a pig, sheep, and three birds. The “Big Bad

Wolf” terrorizes the other forest animals, eventually happening across one of the “Three Little Pigs” and

fully intent on eating him. Instead, the animals find common-ground and end up friends. The video uses
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an alternate ending to a classic tale, suggesting that different people around the world all have similarities

and that it is possible to peacefully unite. Realizing that this music video released in April of 2020, just a

short time after the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic with the world quarantined and unsure about their

safety or the future, it is almost certain that music video was meant to lift the spirits of all its listeners. If

all different people could come together with the same message, “Don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every

little thing is gonna be alright,” it would certainly make the world a better place. 

The Green’s rendition of Three Little Birds presents a Hawaiian paradise solely focused on native

children, particularly three young boys and a girl. This is actual footage of these children and this

paradise, playing in slow and methodical succession, like a video slideshow. Clueing into the fact that the

video shifts to the three young Hawaiian boys every time the song reaches the line, “Three little birds

pitch by my doorstep,” this is an obvious message that the young children are what brings Hawaiians

happiness and peace. Understanding the oppression Hawaiians have endured since being annexed by the

United States in 1898, young children carrying on Hawaiian culture and population is a sensical area of

joy. Paradoxically, hate crimes towards Caucasians are commonplace in Hawaii[ CITATION Lar09 \l

1033 ]. Perhaps it would help if everyone didn’t worry about a thing and believed that every little thing is

going to be alright. 

Although these videos were constructed from the same song, they possess a striking amount of

differences. Visually, the original is very busy with colorful computer animations and abundant

metaphorical insinuations. The Green’s version is quite slow and simple, alternating between the young

hula girl, the three young Hawaiian boys, and real footage of Hawaiian paradise. While both songs have a

strong pathos appeal, the original plainly demonstrates opposing sides uniting peacefully and The Green’s

version references native children, proud and enjoying their culture. Additionally, The Green honored the

late Marley by converting a portion of the song into Hawaiian native tongue. This surely provides

inspiration for Hawaiians to persevere and find peace. 

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In 1977, when Three Little Birds released, Jamaica was rife with destitution and civil

unrest[ CITATION Ber84 \l 1033 ]. Although their struggles are not amongst each other, Hawaiians have

experienced similar oppression since their annexing in the late 1800s. Both versions of the song, both

artists and both videos present a simple solution applicable to a wide audience and large demographic that

may be experience adversity. “Don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing is gonna be alright.”

Such a simple message that a young child could read and understand it, but powerful enough to unite a

wolf and a pig. So meaningful to encourage an entire culture to press on and be proud of their heritage.

Works Cited

Bernal, Richard L. "The IMF and Class Struggle in Jamaica, 1977-1980." Latin American Perspectives

(1984): 53-82. Article.

Green, The. The Green - Three Little Birds (‘Ekolu Manu Li’ili’i). 10 August 2019. 12 February 2021.

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27G_biVnOEg>.

Keller, Larry. Hawaii Suffering From Racial Prejudice. 30 August 2009. Website. 12 February 2021.

Marley, Bob. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Three Little Birds. 7 April 2020. 12 February 2021.

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNBCVM4KbUM>.

Wikipedia. Three Little Birds. 6 February 2021. Website. 12 February 2021.