- - -
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
Hypocrite
Bunny Wailer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Yp for hypocratic;
Dry, dry, dry for dry-land tourist;
Tup-a tup-a tup for Topper Norris!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh! Man, go!
Dem a cut, cut, cut agains' dem one another;
Dem a cut, cut, cut agains' dem one another.
Don't dem teach to love one another ?
Don't dem teach to love one another ? oh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh! dem go!
Dem a shout up dem mouth 'pon dem one another
Dem a bruck bad lang' 'pon dem one another
Dem a cut sing Joe (?) 'pon dem one another
Dem a cut, cut, cut agains' dem one another
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh! Man, go! Man, go!
Dip, dip, dip fi diplomatic
Hip fi hypocratic
Dry, dry, dry fi dry-land touris'
A-tup, a-tup, a-tup-a (for Topper Norris)!
The lyrics of Bunny Wailer's song "Hypocrite" speak to the behavior of people who are being fake and insincere in their interactions with others. The song suggests that these hypocrites are "dip fi diplomatic," meaning they pretend to be diplomatic and courteous. In contrast, they are "yp for hypocratic," being hypocritical in their true beliefs and intentions. These people act "dry, dry, dry for dry-land tourist," meaning that they are uninterested and dispassionate towards people who come from a different place or background. Finally, the song calls out a man named Topper Norris, who is referred to with the rhythmic phrase "Tup-a tup-a tup."
The repeated refrain of "See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!" emphasizes the prevalence of these dishonest individuals in society. The later lines of the verses suggest that this behavior of cutting others down and speaking ill of them goes against the idea of love and kindness that are taught in most religious and cultural traditions. The song speaks to the irony that people who are supposed to be loving and compassionate are often the ones who are the most cruel and selfish. Overall, "Hypocrite" is a call to action for people to be more genuine and reflective in their interactions, as well as a criticism of the ways in which societal structures and cultural norms often promote dishonesty.
Line by Line Meaning
Dip fi diplomatic;
Pretending to be diplomatic but with hidden intentions.
'Yp for hypocratic;
Showing hypocrisy and pretending to be virtuous when one is not.
Dry, dry, dry for dry-land tourist;
Referring to people who are not genuine, have no roots or connection to the land, and only come for their own benefit.
Tup-a tup-a tup for Topper Norris!
Referring to someone who is always in a rush but going nowhere important.
See de 'ypocrite, dem a-galang deh!
Pointing out that hypocrites are all around us.
Dem a cut, cut, cut agains' dem one another;
People who are tearing each other down instead of building each other up.
Don't dem teach to love one another ?
Questioning why people are not following the basic, fundamental principle of loving others.
Dem a shout up dem mouth 'pon dem one another
People who are always talking bad about each other.
Dem a bruck bad lang' 'pon dem one another
People who are using bad language to hurt each other.
Dem a cut sing Joe (?) 'pon dem one another
People who are spreading rumors and lies about each other.
Dip, dip, dip fi diplomatic
Pretending to be diplomatic but with hidden intentions.
Hip fi hypocratic
Showing hypocrisy and pretending to be virtuous when one is not.
Dry, dry, dry fi dry-land touris'
Referring to people who are not genuine, have no roots or connection to the land, and only come for their own benefit.
A-tup, a-tup, a-tup-a (for Topper Norris)!
Referring to someone who is always in a rush but going nowhere important.
Contributed by Avery J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TitiUploads
Great tune with a legendary wailer. Jah lives!
@jtdavis62
Thanks for posting this classic album! One of my all-time favorites.
@-jamhuon-2488
Beautiful Song from The Wailing Wailers, thanks Jah B !!! (Bunny Wailer, original Wailer. Message is unfortunatly actual for sure.
@wagwankingston8913
A big tune Kenya 🇰🇪
@belezal3102
Essa lenda do reggae, agora em memória. M.R.
@nixonnguni3166
Simply awesome!!!😊💯👏
@218maryland
I wish you all peace and love
@mxolisidlamini7983
Bunny wailer at his best wish I could have this voice
@highmac4070
Big big tune with no doubt 💥
@cherisantoine9706
May All Beings Be Happy N Free From Pain ;