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.
What Am I Living For
Delroy Wilson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What am I living for, if not for you?
What am I living for, if not for you?
Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do
What am I longing for each lonely night?
To feel your lips to mine and hold you tight
You'll be the only girl my whole life through
I want you close to me,
That's all I know
I want you all the time,
Because, darling, I love you so
What am I living for, if not for you?
What am I living for, if not for you?
What am I living for, if not for you?
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do
What am I living for, if not for you?
Darling, nobody else, nobody else will do
Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do
The lyrics of Delroy Wilson's "What Am I Living for" express a deep sense of longing and dependence on someone else. The repeated line of "What am I living for, if not for you?" emphasizes the importance of this person in the singer’s life. The singer’s desire to have this person close and to hold them tight expresses a deep emotional connection. The lyrics reveal that the singer wants this person to be the only one in their life and is willing to dedicate themselves to this one person.
The refrain of "Nobody else, nobody else will do" emphasizes the exclusivity and uniqueness of the relationship between the singer and their love. The singer asserts that no one else will suffice in their life because this person is the only one that can fulfill their emotional needs. The lyrics of the song convey an intense desire to be loved and to love someone in return.
Overall, the lyrics of "What Am I Living for" express a sense of devotion and dedication to a singular person. The singer is willing to dedicate themselves entirely to this one relationship, and they cannot imagine living without this person. The lyrics are poetic and romantic and convey the depth of the singer’s emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
What am I living for, if not for you?
My reason for living is solely dependent on you being in my life. Without you, I have no real purpose or value.
What am I longing for each lonely night?
Every moment and thought of my life is filled with the desire to hold you close and feel the warmth of your embrace.
To feel your lips to mine and hold you tight
When I hold you tight and feel your soft lips on mine, I feel a sense of completeness and bliss that can’t come from anything else.
You'll be the only girl my whole life through
I have no intention of ever finding anyone else aside from you. You are the only person I intend to spend the rest of my life with.
I want you close to me,
Being close to you is the only thing that truly matters to me. I need you by my side.
That's all I know
My love for you is so great that all I can think about is having you close to me.
I want you all the time,
Every minute of every day, I want to have you with me, by my side, and in my heart.
Because, darling, I love you so
The reason I want you with me all the time is that I’m deeply in love with you. Everything else in my life is secondary to you.
Baby, nobody else, nobody else will do
There is no one else in this world who can ever replace the unique and special place you have in my heart. I need only you.
Darling, nobody else, nobody else will do
You are the only one who holds the key to my heart. None other can ever match the love I feel for you.
Oh, nobody else, nobody else will do
My love for you is stronger than anything else in this world. There is nobody else that can take your place in my heart.
Contributed by Emily R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ras Lennard
Never know that Delroy Wilson made such a great sound... Massive
Elaine Barron
000..
ryan christie
No body........