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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
rock 'n' groove
Bunny Wailer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And number one is in the air
People dancing everywhere,
'Cause the music man is here
Reggae, boogie disco rock,
Is gonna call a shock attack
And this ya sound will never flop,
It sure has got to reach the top
Rock 'n' groove with me
Get on now it's dancing time
Rock 'n' groove with me
And I'll know I'll make it fine
Rock 'n' groove with me
Get on now it's dancing time
Rock 'n' groove with me
And I'll know I'll make it fine
Rockers music on the ground,
Just working it all over town
The jukebox playing all night long,
Selecting this ya favorite song
Just now it's on the radio,
(Clappin?) on the late, late show
DJ's rocking all foot free,
It's moving on the R&B
Rock 'n' groove with me
Get on now it's dancing time
Rock 'n' groove with me
And I'll know I'll make it fine
Rock 'n' groove with me
Get on now it's dancing time
Rock 'n' groove with me
And I'll know I'll make it fine
Reggae, boogie disco rock,
Is gonna call a shock attack
And this ya sound will never flop,
It sure has got to reach the top
Just now it's on the radio,
(Clappin?) on the late, late show
DJ's rocking all foot free,
It's moving on the R&B
Rock 'n' groove with me
Get on now it's dancing time
Rock 'n' groove with me
And I'll know I'll make it fine
Rock 'n' groove with me
Get on now it's dancing time
Rock 'n' groove with me
And I'll know I'll make it fine
The lyrics of Bunny Wailer's song "Rock N Groove" convey the feeling of joy brought about by music and its ability to unite people across various genres. Reggae, boogie, disco, and rock all come together under the banner of music, and the undeniably upbeat rhythm incites a desire to dance within the listener. Wailer paints a vivid picture of people dancing everywhere and the music man being present, ready to deliver an unforgettable musical experience. The sound is described as spreading out both far and near, with the goal of reaching the top.
The second verse speaks directly to the different mediums through which music can be enjoyed. Whether it's through a jukebox, on the radio, or a DJ's playlist, Rockers music is strikingly versatile and capable of putting anyone into a dancing mood. The music man delivers a "shock attack," ensuring that this ya sound will never flop. The chorus repeats the invitation to "rock 'n' groove" with Bunny Wailer, who assures that those who do will make it fine.
Overall, the song's message is simple yet joyous: music brings people together and the feeling of dancing to a great beat transcends all else. Bunny Wailer's lyrics encourage listeners to let loose and move their feet to the rhythm of reggae, boogie, disco, and rock.
Line by Line Meaning
Spread out this ya sound is (far and near?)
The sound of this music is spreading out and can be heard far and wide.
And number one is in the air
This song is the number one hit.
People dancing everywhere,
Everywhere people are dancing to this song.
'Cause the music man is here
This song's popularity is due to the presence of the artist.
Reggae, boogie disco rock,
This song is a fusion of different musical styles.
Is gonna call a shock attack
It's going to make a big impact.
And this ya sound will never flop,
This song will never fail.
It sure has got to reach the top
It's definitely going to be a chart-topping hit.
Rock 'n' groove with me
Dance along with me to the rhythm of this song.
Get on now it's dancing time
Start dancing now because this is the perfect song for it.
And I'll know I'll make it fine
If we dance together, everything will be alright.
Rockers music on the ground,
This song is being played everywhere.
Just working it all over town
This song is receiving a lot of attention in all parts of the city.
The jukebox playing all night long,
This song is being played repeatedly all night long.
Selecting this ya favorite song
This is the song that everyone wants to hear.
Just now it's on the radio,
This song is currently being played on the radio.
(clappin?) on the late, late show
The live audience is clapping during the song's performance.
DJ's rocking all foot free,
Disc jockeys are playing this song with enthusiasm.
It's moving on the R&B
This song is having an impact on the R&B genre.
Rock 'n' groove with me
Dance along with me to the rhythm of this song.
Get on now it's dancing time
Start dancing now because this is the perfect song for it.
And I'll know I'll make it fine
If we dance together, everything will be alright.
Writer(s): Neville O Livingston
Contributed by Brody E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@callmenoni
One of the greatest albums to ever exist ✨
@osimanmabhachi5047
Siyabonga sis ..... my brother used to play it in 1984
@truthman6550
Top 5 Reggae album of all time in my opinion
@ivanjosephmurray605
Greetings from Ireland! Bunny Bizness dem! 🙂
@dailosgarciafajardo6648
ok
@ibraheemsuleiman9465
No doubt
@dorainecampbell3942
RIP Bunny wailer god bless u and your wonderful music what you left behind! your songs will live on forever 🙏❤💛💚🇯🇲
@lawrencegreene7833
900
@bernadettegeorgeyesheisthe49
@@lawrencegreene7833 I agree 💯 his music will live on rest in peace my brother Bunny
@mattyddevine5385
@@lawrencegreene7833 za,N,az