Small Axe is a song written by Bob Marley

Bob Marley

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...

 and first released in 1973 on the Wailers album Burnin'. It has since been covered by several artists, among others Buju Banton

Buju Banton

Buju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....

, Andrew Tosh

Andrew Tosh

Andrew Tosh , is a reggae singer and the son of the late Peter Tosh. He is the nephew of reggae singer Bunny Wailer, also an original member of The Wailers...

, The Aggrovators

The Aggrovators

The Aggrovators were a dub/reggae backing band in the 1970s & 1980s, and one of the main session bands of producer, Bunny Lee. The line-up varied, with Lee using the name for whichever set of musicians he was using at any time. The band's name derived from the record shop that Lee had run in the...

, U Roy , UB40

UB40

UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...

 and Peps Persson

Peps Persson

Peps Persson is a Swedish blues and reggae musician from Tjörnarp, Scania. Throughout his career he has mostly made music in Swedish and is well known for his Scanian dialect...

 who made a Swedish version called Liden såg (Small saw).

In the period when the song was written, virtually all the power in the Jamaican music industry was in the hands of Coxsone Dodd

Coxsone Dodd

Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond...

 and Duke Reid

Duke Reid

Treasure Isle re-directs here. For the game, see Treasure Isle .Arthur "Duke" Reid, CD was a Jamaican record producer, DJ and label owner....

, who represent the "big tree" that musicians would have to cooperate to cut down.