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.
It's A Shame
Delroy Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about and get to me
It's a shame, shame the way you hurt me darling
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
You've left me sad and cool
And then you went away
You better come back home darling
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
It's a shame, shame the way you hurt me baby
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
You're like a child out playing
On a cloudy day
You better stop what you're doing
Before it's too late darling
It's a shame
What you done to me
It's a shame darling
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
It's a shame, shame the way you hurt me baby
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
Look what you've done to me
You've left me sad and cool
And then you went away
You better come back home darling
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
It's a shame, shame the way you hurt me baby
It's a shame, shame
It's a shame
Oh what you you've done to me
That we disagree
You better come back home
It's a shame
It's a shame darling
In Delroy Wilson's song "It's A Shame," he sings about the pain and hurt caused by a lover who has been unfaithful. The lyrics highlight the shame felt by the singer as he recounts the ways in which he has been mistreated. Wilson repeats the phrase "It's a shame" throughout the song to emphasize his disappointment and sadness.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has been left feeling sad and discarded by his lover's actions. He pleads with her to come back home and make things right. The reference to a "cloudy day" in the lyrics may symbolize the feeling of gloom and despair that the singer is experiencing due to his lover's infidelity.
Overall, "It's A Shame" is a poignant and emotive song that captures the pain of being betrayed by someone you love. Wilson's soulful voice conveys the depth of feeling in the lyrics, making this song a classic of the reggae genre.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a shame what you've done to me
I am upset and disappointed about your actions towards me
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about and get to me
I am disturbed by the way you play around with my emotions and affects me
It's a shame, shame the way you hurt me darling
I am hurt by the way you treat me, my dear
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
I am troubled by your behavior towards other men and how it affects me
Look what you've done to me
See what the result of your actions has caused on me
You've left me sad and cool
You have left me heartbroken and lonely
And then you went away
You left me alone with my pain
You better come back home darling
You should return to me and try to make things right
You're like a child out playing
On a cloudy day
You act irresponsibly and without care, and causing chaos and sadness on a bleak day
You better stop what you're doing
Before it's too late darling
You should change your reckless behavior before it's too late and we are too far apart
It's a shame
What you done to me
It's a pity and regretful what you have caused to me
It's a shame, shame the way you mess about a ? man
I am aggrieved about the way you act immaturely around other men and how it affects me
It's a shame, shame the way you hurt me baby
I am sad about the way you hurt me, my dear
It's a shame, shame
The way you mess about a ? man
I care about your actions towards other men and how it affects me
It's a shame
Oh what you you've done to me
That we disagree
You better come back home
It's a pity what happened to us, and we should try to make things right and mend our relationship
It's a shame
It's a shame darling
It's regretful, my dear
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC.
Written by: CARLOS DANIEL TOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marcelo Familia Classe A
Simplesmente Magnifica
Ken Wood
Searching for this tune for years....has strong meaning
The Donovon
This is about the time when The Revolutionaries/Channel One/Well Charge brought a distinct new and style to reggae music Sly Dunbar was a major catalyst to this shift...♡
MrAlistar99
Yes mate
Andrew Palmer
You are correct the new Sly Dunbar drumming started here ,the genesis of Taxi riddim ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Brian Jenklins
SIR DELROY WILSON RIP
Mellow_keys
It’s a shame channel one studio is destroyed I hope the mixing console and instruments are waiting somewhere safe
Caribbean Movies
The building is still there u should always visit
Gawian Dennis
Superstar
Tracey Broadbent
D Wilson 1974 yet Ever Fresh Jah nuh 🙏🏾🇯🇲🇮🇱🌟🕺🏽💃🏾 Everlasting 🙏🏾🇯🇲👑 Rastafari continually 💯💯