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Bunny Wailer was a singer, songwriter and percussionist, born Neville O'Riley Livingston on April 10, 1947 in Kingston, Jamaica. He was founder and an original member of ska, rocksteady and reggae group The Wailers (formed 1963) along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. The young Livingston spent his earliest years in the village of Nine Mile in St. Ann Parish. It was there that he first met Bob Marley, and the two toddlers became fast friends. The boys both came from one parent families; Livingston was being brought up by his father, Marley by his mother. Later, Bunny's father Thaddeus "Toddy" Livingston lived with Bob Marley's mother Cedella Booker and had a daughter with her named Pearl Livingston. Peter Tosh had a son, Andrew Tosh, with another of Bunny's sisters, Shirley, making Andrew his nephew
Livingston was underused as a writer and lead vocalist in The Wailers compared with Marley and Tosh. When Wailers regularly changed producers during the early reggae years in the late 1960s, Livingston continued to be a key part of the group's distinctive harmonies. He sang however lead on "Dreamland" (a cover of El Tempos' My Dream Island, which soon became Bunny's signature song), "Riding High", "Brainwashing" and on one verse of the Wailers' Impressions-like "Keep On Moving", both produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry. In 1971, he recorded the original version of Pass It On
Bunny Wailer toured with the Wailers in England and the United States, but soon became reluctant to leave Jamaica. He and Tosh became more marginalized in the group as the Wailers became an international success, and attention was increasingly focused on Marley. Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh subsequently left the Wailers to pursue solo careers. They were replaced by the I Threes, a move to broaden the base of success for the Wailers in the non-Jamaican market.
After leaving the Wailers, Bunny became more focused on his spiritual faith. He identified with the Rastafari movement, as did the other Wailers. He self-produced a number of his recordings after striking out on his own. He has also written much of his own material as well as re-recording a number of cuts from the Wailers catalogue. Bunny Wailer has recorded primarily in the roots style, in keeping with his often political and spiritual messages. The album "Blackheart Man" is a good example of his roots reggae style and the dub version,Dub d*sco vol 1 equally magnificent if hard to find. "Sings the Wailers" successfully reworks many of The Wailers songs with the backing of top Jamaican musicians, Sly and Robbie. He has also had success recording in the typically apolitical, more pop dancehall style. He has outlived his contemporaries in a culture where death by violence is commonplace.
Bunny Wailer has won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1990, 1994 and 1996.
Bunny Wailer died on 2 March 2021.
ALBUMS WITH ORIGINAL MATERIAL
* ''Blackheart Man'' (1976) [[Island Records|Island]]/Solomonic
* ''Protest'' (1977) Island/Solomonic
* ''Struggle'' (1978) Solomonic
* ''Dubd'sco vol.1'' (1978) Solomonic
* ''In I Father's House'' (1979) Solomonic
* ''Bunny Wailer Sings the Wailers'' (1980) Island/Solomonic
* ''Dubd'sco vol.2'' (1981) Solomonic
* ''Rock 'n' Groove'' (1981) Solomonic
* ''Tribute'' (1981) Solomonic
* ''Hook Line & Sinker'' (1982) Solomonic
* ''Roots Radics Rockers Reggae'' (1983) [[Shanachie Records|Shanachie]]
* ''Live!'' (1983) Solomonic
* ''Marketplace'' (1985) Solomonic
* ''Rootsman Skanking'' (1987) Shanachie (international re-release of ''Rock And Groove'' edited version plus 3 extra tracks)
* ''Rule Dance Hall'' (1987) Shanachie
* ''Liberation'' (1989) Shanachie
* ''Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley'' (1990) Shanachie (international re-release of ''Tribute'' + 2 extra tracks)
* ''Gumption'' (1990) Shanachie
* ''The Never Ending Wailers'' (1991)
* ''Dance Massive'' (1992)
* ''Just Be Nice'' (1993) [[RAS Records|RAS]]
* ''Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley's 50th Anniversary'' (1996) RAS
* ''Communication'' (2000) Solomonic/Tuff Gong
* ''World Peace'' (2003) Solomonic
* ''Rub A Dub'' (2007) Solomonic
* ''Cross Culture'' (2009) Solomonic
* ''Combinations Vol.1'' (2009) Solomonic
* ''Blackheart Man (Remastered & Extended)'' (2009) Solomonic
* ''Reincarnated Souls'' (2013), VP - 3CD + 2DVD set
Dream Land
Bunny Wailer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So far across the sea
So far across the sea
To have you all, my dreamland
Would be like heaven to me
Would be like heaven to me
We'll get our breakfast from the tree
We'll take a ride on the waterfalls
And all the glories, we'll have them all
And we'll live together on that dreamland
And have so much fun
And have so much fun
Oh, what a time that will be
Oh yes, we'll wait, wait, wait and see
We'll count the stars up in the sky
And surely we'll never die
The song Dream Land by Bunny Wailer is a beautiful melody that speaks of hope and anticipation for a better world. The lyrics paint a picture of a faraway land, across the sea, where all of our dreams can come true. The singer wishes to be able to reach that place, which he calls his dreamland, as it would be like heaven to him. The first verse sets the tone for the song, introducing the idea of this promised land. The use of repetition in the phrase "So far across the sea" emphasizes the distance that needs to be covered to reach the dreamland, making the journey seem all the more challenging.
The second verse describes the kind of life that could be lived in this dreamland, full of wonders and pleasures, such as getting breakfast from the trees, honey from the bees, and taking rides on the waterfalls. The singer's enthusiasm is evident in how he describes the experience, adding that they will have all the glories of the place. In the chorus, he expresses his desire to live together in that dreamland, and, pointing towards the future, says they will have so much fun once they are there. The last verse speaks of an eternal life, where they will count the stars in the sky and never die, suggesting that this dreamland may be beyond the physical world we know.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a land that I have heard about
The singer knows about a special place.
So far across the sea
This place is located at a great distance from where the singer currently is.
To have you all, my dreamland
The singer sees this place as a haven for him and his loved ones.
Would be like heaven to me
Being in this place would be like a dream come true for the singer.
We'll get our breakfast from the tree
The abundance of natural resources in this place allows the inhabitants to have food directly from trees.
We'll get our honey from the bees
The inhabitants are able to acquire honey in a way that is unadulterated and natural.
We'll take a ride on the waterfalls
The abundance of natural beauty in this place allows the inhabitants to even ride on the waterfalls.
And all the glories, we'll have them all
The inhabitants are able to enjoy all the pleasures that life has to offer in this paradise.
And we'll live together on that dreamland
This paradise is not a place where one must live alone, but rather it fosters a sense of community.
And have so much fun
The inhabitants are able to experience true joy and happiness in this paradise.
Oh, what a time that will be
The singer envisions a future time of great joy and prosperity.
Oh yes, we'll wait, wait, wait and see
The singer knows that this paradise will come to fruition and patiently awaits its arrival.
We'll count the stars up in the sky
This paradise is a place that allows even small pleasures in life, such as counting stars.
And surely we'll never die
The singer sees this place as something that transcends mere mortal life and will exist for eternity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEVILLE LIVINGSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alixfaghel616
"There's a land that I have heard about
So far across the sea.
There's a land that I have heard about
So far across the sea.
To have you on my dreamland
Would be like heaven to me.
To have you on my dreamland
Would be like heaven to me.
We'll get our breakfast from the tree,
We'll get our honey from the bee,
We'll take ride on the waterfall,
And all the glories, we'll have them all.
And we’ll live together on that dreamland
And have so much fun.
We’ll live together on that dreamland
And have so much fun.
Oh, what a time that will be,
Oh, just to wait, wait, wait and see!
We'll count the stars up in the sky
And surely we'll never die.
And surely we'll never die."
@Loularkilla
This song is a masterpiece.
Rip Bunny Wailer. Unforgetable.
@jamaiquecostarica1227
jaaaah live
@lebonamolefi1921
The Wailers are re-united in the world beyond. Bob singing Rastaman Chant, Peter singing Stop that train and Bunny singing Dreamland. In all these tunes The Wailers voice can be heard. So true Bunny "and surely we'll never die". Rest easy Brother man. This song is priceless. Keep belting those tunes in the world beyond. Iyah!
@tassiahoeve
And Carlton Barret playing his drummer...
@JJShalashaska
@@tassiahoeve and Earl Wyah Lindo playing keyboards.
@righteoustruth8524
I finally figured out where my dream land is , it's at Hawaii
@DanielDrakes
Blessed love .
Music from the heart.
@flyingfishsurf
They got their bass player recently, Family Man.
@mauricemaswiswi5
arguably one of the best reggae songs ever!
@nrrbull
No doubt