Buffalo Soldier was written by Bob Marley and Noel Williams and released posthumously in 1983 on the album Confrontation, later reaching wider audiences through the Legend compilation. The song refers to the African American cavalry regiments formed in the United States after the Civil War, retelling their story through Marley's reggae songwriting. Its chorus became one of Marley's most recognised refrains and has been widely sampled, quoted and shared online, where short clips of the hook are used as a familiar musical reference in edits and memes.