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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
dreamland
Bunny Wailer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So far across the sea (repeat)
To have you all, my dreamland
Would be like heaven to me (repeat)
We'll get our breakfast from the tree
We'll get our honey from the bees
We'll take a ride on the waterfalls
And we'll live together on that dreamland
And have so much fun (repeat)
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
These lyrics from Bunny Wailer's song Dreamland describe the idea of a utopia, a perfect world beyond the sea where everything is idyllic, and life is abundant. This paradise is presented as a place where there are trees and bees that provide food for breakfast and honey. The imagery of waterfalls is used to symbolize beauty, strength and the pleasures of nature. The singer expresses his strong desire to be in this dreamland, and he considers it as heaven. He hopes that he can live in this place with the people he loves and have a great time together. The lyrics also suggest the theme of mortality, where the singer reassures that they will never die.
The song can be interpreted as an escape from reality, a desire to be in an imaginary world where there are no problems or worries. The lyrics’ recurring phrase "wait, wait, wait" emphasizes the idea of patience and hope. This can be a metaphor for the idea that nothing worth having comes easy, and we need to wait for good things to happen.
* "Dreamland" is a song written by Bunny Wailer from his seventh studio album, "Blackheart Man" released in 1976.
* Blackheart Man is considered one of the greatest albums ever recorded and won Rolling Stone's Critics Pick as the fifth greatest reggae album ever, in 2020.
* The album was recorded by Island Records at Harry J's studio in Kingston, Jamaica between November 1974 and January 1976, and was produced by Bunny Wailer.
* The album was named after a leper who lived in the hills behind Nine Miles, Saint Ann, Jamaica, who would capture and kill goats.
* "Dreamland" is one of Bunny Wailer's most popular songs and has been covered by many reggae artists, including Marcia Griffiths, who sang it as a duet with him later.
* The song was sampled by hip-hop artist Kanye West on his track "Jesus Walks" from his 2004 album "The College Dropout."
* The name "Dreamland" is also the name of a famous theme park in Margate, England, that has been in operation since the 1920s.
* Bunny Wailer, whose real name was Neville O'Riley Livingston, was a Jamaican singer and songwriter who was a founding member of The Wailers.
* Bunny Wailer died on March 2, 2021, in Kingston, Jamaica, at the age of 73.
* The song's lyrics have been described as "an invitation to create your own dreamland, to visualize and attract in the mind, the things you desire."
* The song's message encourages the listener to work hard towards the attainment of their dreams and suggests that hope and patience are necessary on this journey.
Chords - G A7 D G A7 D Em A7 D.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a land that I have heard about
I've heard of a place
So far across the sea (repeat)
It's far away
To have you all, my dreamland
If I had you in this place
Would be like heaven to me (repeat)
It would be perfect
We'll get our breakfast from the tree
We'll get food from nature
We'll get our honey from the bees
We'll collect honey
We'll take a ride on the waterfalls
We'll have adventures
And all the glories, we'll have them all
We'll experience everything wonderful
And we'll live together on that dreamland
We'll be together in this place
And have so much fun (repeat)
We'll be happy
Oh, what a time that will be
It will be a great time
Oh yes, we'll wait, wait, wait and see
We'll wait patiently
We'll count the stars up in the sky...
We'll do simple, joyful things
...And surely we'll never die
It will seem like it will last forever
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