I’m willing and able/
So I throw my cards on your table!

I feel like a cooler title to this song would be “This is Love!” Listen to Marley’s feelings about the woman. He says he wants to treat her right, share his bed, spend time with her, provide for her and he wants to love her–and he is ready and able. Why is he asking “Is This Love”? He clearly is in love. Perhaps he is simply hesitant. Declarations of love—that is, putting yourself out there to potentially be rejected—is difficult.

Marley is the only reggae artist on this list. It really shows how much his art transcends genres. I wonder how this song would sound with no percussion and just an acoustic guitar? I think it would make a great soft-rock song. That is not to say that the song is not great as it is, I am merely suggesting that the melody is so good that the arrangement for “Is This Love?” could go in many different directions and this would still be an all-time great song.

Is This Love? Lyrics

I want to love you
I want to love you, and treat you right
I want to love you, every day and every night

I want to love you, and treat you right
I want to love you, every day and every night

We’ll be together, with a roof right over our heads
We’ll share the shelter, of my single bed
We’ll share the same room
Is this love, is this love, is this love
Is this love that I’m feelin’?

I want to love you, and treat you right
I want to love you, every day and every night
We’ll be together, with a roof right over our heads
We’ll share the shelter, of my single bed
We’ll share the same room
Is this love, is this love, is this love
Is this love that I’m feelin’?

Is this love, is this love, is this love
Is this love that I’m feelin’?
I want to know, want to know, want to know now

Is this love, is this love, is this love
Is this love that I’m feelin’?
Is this love, is this love, is this love
Is this love that I’m feelin’?
I want to love you

Songwriters: Bob Marley