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.
Rain from the Skies
Delroy Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every day
It's just a cloudy day
And I don't know
If it's rain from the skies
Tears from my eyes
Fallin' on-a my face
And rollin' down my cheek
Hurry back and bring the sun
Let me be
You're one and only one
With just one kiss
Stop the rain from the skies
Tears from my eyes
Fallin' on-a my face
And rollin' down my cheek
All I know is
I love you and
If I live forever
I'll be loving you still
You will always be just
Everything to me, so
Hurry back and bring the sun
Let me be
You're one and only one
With just one kiss
Stop the rain from the skies
Tears from my eyes
Fallin' on-a my face
And rollin' down my cheek
Rollin' down
Rollin' down
Rollin' down my cheek
Rollin' down...
The lyrics in Delroy Wilson's "Rain From the Skies" are a plea from a man to his lover who has left him. He is experiencing a great deal of pain and sadness since she has been gone, and he likens this to rain falling from the skies. He cannot tell if the water that falls from above is rain or simply tears streaming from his eyes. He desperately wants his lover to come back to him, to banish the rain from his life and bring the sun back. He believes that she is the only one who can make things right for him, and with just one kiss, she can stop the rain and tears from falling. He professes his undying love for her and vows that he will always love her, and no one else could ever take her place.
The lyrics are a poignant representation of the pain and heartbreak that often comes with love. Delroy Wilson sings them with a great deal of emotion, really driving home the extent to which the singer is suffering. It is a reminder that love can be both joyous and painful, but that it is always better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
Line by Line Meaning
Ever since you went away
My life has been cloudy and bleak ever since you left.
Every day
This feeling has been persistent and ongoing every day.
It's just a cloudy day
The weather outside has mirrored the sadness I feel inside.
And I don't know
I am unsure if the precipitation is the sky crying with me or if it is purely weather related.
If it's rain from the skies
I question if the rain is from Mother Nature or my own tears.
Tears from my eyes
I have been crying, and the tears are streaming down my face.
Fallin' on-a my face
The tears are landing directly on my face.
And rollin' down my cheek
The tears are continuing to stream down my face and roll off my cheeks.
Hurry back and bring the sun
I long for you to return and bring happiness, just as the sun brings warmth and light.
Let me be
I only want you to be with me.
You're one and only one
You are the only person I want to be with.
With just one kiss
All I need is a kiss from you to feel happy and complete again.
Stop the rain from the skies
I hope that your return will bring an end to my tears and the sadness that surrounds me.
All I know is
The only thing I am certain of in this world is...
I love you and
...that I love you and always will.
If I live forever
Even if I live for eternity...
I'll be loving you still
...I will continue to love you and have you in my heart.
You will always be just
You are and always will be...
Everything to me, so
...absolutely everything to me.
Rollin' down
My tears continue to roll down my face...
Rollin' down
Down my cheek...
Rollin' down my cheek
...and onto my cheek.
Rollin' down...
The tears keep flowing...
Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Claudette Doyley
My father's favorite song may you rest in peace miss you Dad.
Stacey Johnson
bless you and your dad x
Leah May
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Flow ➊
music keeps him alive with you <3
Andy54
a timeless classic from the golden age of reggae. How I miss those days.
James J
Song came on the radio when I was in the middle of the worst storm
Calming as hell
sugerlipsx Jamie wright
Love this track so much class and style timeless beautiful music !☝️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🥰✌🏾😌🎶 in every sense of the word. Lyrics flawless and vocals outstanding in my opinion. An Nothing changed. It's a great track simple.
Irene Wakefield
All of those memories,so glad we have the music to keep our times of the past.Love this.
sugerlipsx Jamie wright
Beautiful music timeless full of style Ever up!
bryan cackler
Dam he killed it! I love that song