Born in Trench Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Wilson released his first single "Emy Lou" in 1961 for record producer, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, at the age of thirteen. His early years with Coxsone yielded a number of ska hits, the biggest of which, the Lee Perry-written "Joe Liges" was an attack on rival producer and former Dodd employee Prince Buster. This was followed by another Perry-written attack on Buster, "Spit in the Sky". Further singles followed, including "One Two Three", "I Shall Not Remove", "Look Who Is Back Again" (a duet with Slim Smith), and another anti-Buster song, "Prince Pharaoh", notably the only record featuring the voice of Dodd himself.
His voice matured as he left his teens, around the time of ska's transition to rocksteady and this period in the late 1960s produced many hits including one of the first rocksteady records, "Dancing Mood", "Jerk in Time" (with the Wailers), "Feel Good All Over", "I'm Not a King", "True Believer in Love", "Rain From the Skies", "Conquer Me" and "Riding For A Fall". "Won't You Come Home", a duet with Ken Boothe on a rhythm originally cut by The Conquerors for Sonia Pottinger has become one of the most-versioned Jamaican tracks ever.[citation needed] After leaving Studio One he recorded for numerous other producers, with varying degrees of success, and set up his own short-lived W&C label along with Wilburn Cole, and the similarly-fated Links label with Ken Boothe, The Gaylads and The Melodians. He enjoyed success with Bunny Lee in the late 1960s and early 1970s with tracks such as "This Old Heart of Mine", "Footsteps of Another Man", and "Better Must Come". His double A-side "It Hurts"/"Put Yourself in My Place" was a skinhead favourite and narrowly missed UK chart success. He recorded a version of "Run Run", a song he had originally recorded for Dodd, for maverick producer Keith Hudson.
1970 saw Wilson's first tour of the UK, where he also recorded a number of songs for the Trojan record label.
In 1972, Michael Manley's People's National Party chose Wilson's "Better Must Come" as their election campaign song. The same year saw the release of one of his most popular songs, "Cool Operator", which became his nickname. He worked with a string of producers in the years that followed, including Joe Gibbs ("Mash Up Illiteracy", "Pretty Girl"), Gussie Clarke ("Love"), Winston "Niney" Holness ("Rascal Man"), Harry J ("Ask The Lonely"), and Joseph Hoo Kim ("It's a Shame").
In 1976, he recorded a cover of The Wailers' "I'm Still Waiting" for Lloyd Charmers, which was hugely popular, and enjoyed some cross-over success, and was followed by the album Sarge, which is considered one of his strongest. Also a Bob Andy produced song, "The Last Thing On My Mind" rose to number one in Jamaica. Wilson continued the run of success until the end of the decade, but his career floundered during the early 1980s, with releases less common. His fortunes revived in the digital age with releases for King Jammy ("Don't Put The Blame On Me") and Bunny Lee ("Ease Up"), with new albums following, but he again drifted out of the limelight, with his health declining, and is best remembered for his earlier work.
In 1994, Wilson's enduring legacy to Jamaican music was recognized by a special plaque awarded him by the Jamaican government, and presented by the then Prime Minister, Patterson.
Delroy Wilson died on 6 March 1995 at Kingston's UWI hospital, of complications from cirrhosis of the liver. He was 46 years old.
Delroy is referenced by The Clash, in "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais".
In 2013 Wilson was posthumously awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican Government.
In the 1960s he sang duo with Paulette Williams as Delroy & Paulette.
He was not a part of the duo Higgs and Wilson with Joe Higgs and Roy Wilson(no relation)
He released his first solo single "If I Had a Beautiful Baby" in 1962 for record producer, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd, at the age of thirteen. His follow-up single "Joe Liges" was written by Lee Perry, then working as a talent spotter/songwriter/singer for Dodd, and was a lyrical attack on former Coxsone employee and now rival, Prince Buster. The record was so popular that his follow-up, "Spit In The Sky", another Perry penned barb aimed at the Prince, was actually credited to Joe Liges when it was released in th UK on the Bluebeat and Black Swan labels.
Delroy's transition to rocksteady in the late 1960s produced many hits including "Conquer Me" and "Riding For A Fall". His classic song "Dancing Mood" remains one of the most popular Jamaican songs from that time. In 1972, Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley and his People's National Party chose Wilson's "Better Must Come" as their election campaign song to increase their vote amongst the 'sufferers' in Jamaica. Also a Bob Andy produced song, "The Last Thing On My Mind" rose to number one in Jamaica. Delroy was mainly produced by Bunny Lee throughout the 1970s and continued recording into the early 90s under various producers spanning a career of 30+ years.
I'm Still Waiting
Delroy Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm still waiting
(I'm still waiting)
(I'm still waiting) I need your love
(I'm still waiting)
I'm still waiting
Well, ev'ry little beat my heart beats, girl
It's at-a your door
I just wanna love you
And I'm never, never gonna hurt you, girl
So why won't you come out to me now, girl?
Oh, can't you see I'm under your spell?
But I got to, got to go
Why, girl? Oh oh oh oh why, girl?
Wo, my gosh, the rain is fallin' (I'm still waiting)
I'm still waiting
(I'm still waiting)
(I'm still waiting)
I'm still waiting
(I'm still waiting)
I wait in the rain, I wait in the sun
Please, relieve me from these pains
These pains
I love you, yes I do
But tell me, do you really love me, too?
And oh my gosh, the rain is fallin' (I'm still waiting)
I'm still waiting
(I'm still waiting)
(I'm still waiting)
I need your love ev'ry, ev'ry, ev'ry
(I'm still waiting) I need it along the way baby
I wait in the rain, I wait in the sun
Please, relieve me from these pains
These pains
I love you, yes I do
I'm still waiting
(I'm still waiting)
The lyrics to Delroy Wilson's song "I'm Still Waiting" express the longing for someone's love and the pain of waiting for it. The repetition of the phrase "I'm still waiting" emphasizes the singer's persistence and hope for the love he desires. He declares his willingness to love without hurting the person and questions why they won't come out to him. He is under the spell of the person he loves, but he has to go for some reason that remains unclear. The rain falling could symbolize the sadness and melancholy the singer feels while waiting.
The singer expresses his resolve to wait for love whether in the rain or in the sun while pleading for relief from the pain he feels. He emphasizes his love for the person but questions whether they really love him back, suggesting some doubt about the person's feelings for him. The repetition of the phrase "I'm still waiting" throughout the song underscores the depth of the singer's longing and the commitment that he has to wait for this person's love.
Overall, the song is about unrequited love, the agony of waiting for that love to be reciprocated, and the strong determination to persist in waiting for it to come.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still waiting
The singer is waiting for someone's love or attention.
I said-a my feet won't keep me up anymore
The singer is exhausted from waiting and cannot stand anymore.
Well, ev'ry little beat my heart beats, girl / It's at-a your door
The singer's heart is beating for the person they are waiting for.
I just wanna love you / And I'm never, never gonna hurt you, girl / So why won't you come out to me now, girl?
The artist loves the person they are waiting for and promises never to hurt them, but wonders why they won't reciprocate.
Oh, can't you see I'm under your spell?
The artist is infatuated with the person they are waiting for.
But I got to, got to go / Why, girl? Oh oh oh oh why, girl?
The singer is torn between leaving and waiting and wonders why the person they are waiting for won't respond.
Wo, my gosh, the rain is fallin'
The singer is emphasizing the bad conditions they are waiting in, like rain falling down.
I wait in the rain, I wait in the sun / Please, relieve me from these pains / These pains / I love you, yes I do / But tell me, do you really love me, too?
The artist is enduring all kinds of hardship while waiting for the person they love and hoping for reciprocation.
I need your love ev'ry, ev'ry, ev'ry / (I'm still waiting) I need it along the way baby
The artist is emphasizing their need for the person's love and highlighting that they are still waiting for it.
I'm still waiting
The artist reiterates that they are still waiting for the person's love or attention.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOB MARLEY, LLOYD WINSTON TYRELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@grahamblaber
These oldies just make the heart melt and old when younger memories come back. ❤️
@orchidalicia7996
Every track Delroy Wilson sang I felt it in my soul! His voice is legendary👑👑❤❤❤
@mikebt2000
This is the record that shows why Delroy was so popular...he's so down to earth, and unpretentious..I grew up listening to him JA from the 60's... a truly greatly under-rated artist!!
@mikebrown9892
One of the best singer that ever came out of Jamaica, his song sound fresh today as it did back then.
@StanSaquii
My favourite song of all time. I loved the Dub by 'The Mexicano' I was about twelve when my big sister dropped this riddim at home when our christian parents were out. It made me want to pay the guitar and it is one my greatest honour to play in his band and rerecord this song with him. He was truly a great.
@junewilliams5247
What a tune, Delroy one of the Great reggae Artist👍
@musikfanat
Had the honor to work with Delroy. A true gentleman and great singer...
@VidiEdiDormi
To do this song takes courage. To do it justice takes mastery.
@dtmiow
One of the greatest tracks by one of the greatest reggae artists...R.I.P. Delroy...Respect!!
@cazwilson7366
Love this tune. Classic !!