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.
Let There Be Love
Delroy Wilson Lyrics
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Beats a rhythm in my chest from long ago.
Only say the word and I'll fly to be by your side.
Don't be leavin' me alone, longin' to know.
If this love's to be, I'll see it in your eyes
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
If there's hope to dream, I'll hear it in your sighs
On the streets and on the scene, every passerby
Has your face, but disappears through pourin' rain. And neon
signs like omens shine, darin' me to dream Of not-forgotten
promises. . . I'll never cry again.
If this love's to be, I'll see it in your eyes
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
If there's hope to dream, I'll hear it in your sighs
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
Never mind the tears and fears, you must believe
You still look fine'like the best wine, time has been sweet!
In your smile I still find my deepest friend
But, oh! if I can be your source of joy, I'll be complete.
If this love's to be, I'll see it in your eyes
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
If there's hope to dream, I'll hear it in your sighs
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
If this love's to be, I'll see it in your eyes
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
If there's hope to dream, I'll hear it in your sighs
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
Dum, dum, dum-da-dee-dum, dum, dum, dum. . .
Let there be love! . . .and I am watching you. . .
Dum, dum, dum-da-dee-dum, dum, dum, dum!
If there is love, then I will want you!
Dum, dum, dum-da-dee-dum, dum, dum, dum!
If there is love, then I am needing you. . . If there is love. .
.
Dum, dum, dum-da-dee-dum, dum, dum, dum!
Oh, I get. . . when I am watching you. . .
Ah, ah, ah, ah! I feel love. . . when I'm lovin' you
The lyrics to Delroy Wilson's song "Peace & Love Let There Be Love" express the singer's deep-seated longing for his lost love. The song starts with the singer reminiscing about the past, where his heart still beats for his old love. The singer is ready to fly and be with his love, and he pleads with her not to leave him alone. The chorus states that he will only believe in the possibility of love if he sees it in her eyes, hears it in her sighs, and feels it in her presence. The second verse conveys the idea that the singer cannot forget his love, even when he sees her face in every passerby, and the neon signs he sees spurs him to dream of their not-forgotten promises. The chorus is repeated twice again, with the singer emphasizing that he still wants, needs and feels love for his lost love.
The lyrics of "Peace & Love Let There Be Love" are powerful, as they express a deep sense of loss, longing, and desire for the singer's old love. The song's theme is universal, as most people have experienced a deep sense of loss, longing, and desire for something or someone that they have lost. The intensity of the singer's emotions is expressed in the chorus, where he repeats the same lines, emphasizing his belief that love exists only if he sees it, hears it, and feels the presence of his lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
All the years since yesterday my heart still
Despite the passing of time, my heart still beats with the same rhythm that it did long ago.
Beats a rhythm in my chest from long ago.
The rhythm in my chest is an echo of the love that we once shared and that has stayed with me for all these years.
Only say the word and I'll fly to be by your side.
If you express your desire for me, I will come to be with you as soon as possible.
Don't be leavin' me alone, longin' to know.
Please don't leave me alone and leave me feeling unsure of where I stand with you.
If this love's to be, I'll see it in your eyes
I will know that our love is still possible if I see it in your eyes.
If there is love, I'll still be wanting you
If there is still a chance for us to love, then I will still want to be with you.
If there's hope to dream, I'll hear it in your sighs
If there is any chance that we can dream of a future together, I will hear it in your sighs.
On the streets and on the scene, every passerby
Every person that I see on the streets and in social settings reminds me of you.
Has your face, but disappears through pourin' rain. And neon
signs like omens shine, darin' me to dream Of not-forgotten
promises. . . I'll never cry again.
Whenever I see someone who looks like you, they disappear like a mirage because of the rain that makes everything blurry. But, the neon signs remind me of the promises that we made, and I won't cry again.
Never mind the tears and fears, you must believe
You still look fine'like the best wine, time has been sweet!
Don't worry about the negative emotions, but instead believe that time has been good to you and your looks, like fine wine that gets better over time.
In your smile I still find my deepest friend
Even if our romantic relationship is over, I still consider you my closest friend and confidante, and your smile is comforting to me.
But, oh! if I can be your source of joy, I'll be complete.
If I can be the person who brings you happiness, then I will feel completely fulfilled and satisfied.
Dum, dum, dum-da-dee-dum, dum, dum, dum. . .
Let there be love! . . .and I am watching you. . .
Dum, dum, dum-da-dee-dum, dum, dum, dum!
The repetition of this phrase is a call for more love to enter our lives. I am watching you in admiration and hope of our love being reignited.
If there is love, then I will want you!
If there is any possibility of love between us, then I will still want to be with you.
If there is love, then I am needing you. . . If there is love. .
If love still exists between us, then I need you in my life and I hope that you need me too.
Oh, I get. . . when I am watching you. . .
Ah, ah, ah, ah! I feel love. . . when I'm lovin' you
When I watch you, I feel the depth of our former love. And when we are together, I feel love again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHARLES C. PETTIGREW, CHRISTOPHER FRANTZ, TINA WEYMOUTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind