- … Read Full Bio ↴There are or have been - at least - two bands named The Wailers:
- The legendary Jamaican reggae band (founded as a ska group 1963, and became a Rastafarian reggae band in 1968), renamed Bob Marley & The Wailers in 1974, which are still active led by bassist Aston Barrett after Marley's death in 1981.
- The Fabulous Wailers, a rock and roll and garage band from the USA, active 1958-1969, first led by John Greek, replaced in 1960 by Rockin' Robin Roberts.
1) Bob Marley & The Wailers have together sold in excess of 255 million albums worldwide. Since they are extraordinary popular also in poor countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America with big markets for pirate copies the total amounts of albums sold has been estimated to over 1 billion. In England alone, they've notched up over 20 chart hits, including seven Top 10 entries. In USA on the other hand, Bob Marley & The Wailers reached superstar status only after Marley's death, with the album Legend , focusing on the person Bob Marley but not on the band. Outside of their groundbreaking work with Marley, the Wailers have also played or performed with international acts like Sting, the Fugees, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, and Alpha Blondy, as well as reggae legends such as Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Burning Spear. As the greatest living exponents of Jamaica's reggae tradition, the Wailers have completed innumerable other tours, playing to an estimated 24 million people across the globe. They have also been the first reggae band to tour new territories on many occasions, including Africa and the Far East.
Their nucleus formed in 1969, when the vocalist group "The Wailers" (formed 1963 by Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, and Peter Tosh) requited the talented Barrett brothers: bassist Aston "Family Man" and drummer Carlton (writer of well-known Marley songs like "War" and "Talking Blues", 'sound-maker' of more Marley songs, developer of the one drop style in reggae music) played on hits such as Lively Up Yourself, Trenchtown Rock, Duppy Conqueror, and many more besides. Inspired by Rastafari and their ambitions of reaching an international audience, this is the line-up that pioneered roots rock reggae, and signed to Island Records in 1971. Bunny and Peter left two years later. It was at this point that the in-demand Barrett brothers - whose rhythms also underpinned innumerable seventies' reggae hits by other acts - assumed the title of Wailers, and backed Marley on the group's international breakthrough album, Natty Dread. Under Family Man's musical leadership, they then partnered Bob Marley on the succession of hit singles and albums that made him a global icon, winner of several Lifetime Achievement awards, and Jamaica's best-loved musical superstar.
Drummer Carlton "Carlie" Barrett was murdered 1987, leaving his brother as the main beneficiary of the Wailers' mantle. Subsequent line-ups have revolved around Family Man, who is widely regarded as one of the world's greatest bass players. Modest and unassuming, he was present on all of those unforgettable performances by Bob Marley & The Wailers from the seventies. Family Man continues to be the main axis of the current Wailers - a group that's one of the last, great reggae institutions, yet which refuses to live off past glories. That's because Family Man represents tried and trusted roots authenticity and, along with the Wailers, injects fresh excitement into a show that continues to attract enthusiastic audiences from around the world.
2) The Fabulous Wailers were an American rock band from Tacoma, Washington. Formed around 1958, they are often considered the first garage rock group. They performed a hybrid of saxophone-driven rhythm and blues and Chuck Berry rock and roll.
Five 45s (four released in 1959, including Tall Cool One, and one in 1960) and an LP release, The Fabulous Wailers (released December 1959 on Golden Crest Records), put the Wailers on the national scene. Their 1961 cover of Louie Louie, which they recorded as a backing band for singer Rockin' Roberts, was the first to use the trademark 1-2-3, 1-2, 1-2-3 riff. Their version inspired other groups from the Seattle area, most notably the The Kingsmen of Portland, Oregon, to record the same song. The Fabulous Wailers' influence established the Pacific Northwest area as a center for musical innovation and the home of a long string of regional favorites playing a kind of raunchy, amateur, yet passionate, form of rock and roll, such as The Sonics, with whom they exchanged various band members and who recorded on The Wailers own Etiquette Records label.
They became popular around the United States Pacific Northwest around the late 1950s and the start of the 1960s, performing saxophone-driven R&B and Chuck Berry rock and roll. Their biggest hit was "Tall Cool One", first released in 1959, and they have been credited as being "one of the very first, if not the first, of the American garage bands."
The group was formed – originally as The Nitecaps – in 1958, by five high school friends:
John Greek (27 October 1940 – 6 October 2006) – rhythm guitar, trumpet
Richard Dangel (1 December 1942 – 2 December 2002) – lead guitar
Kent Morrill (2 April 1941 – 15 April 2011) – keyboards, vocals
Mark Marush (15 August 1940 – 9 August 2007) – tenor sax
Mike Burk (b. 1942) – drums
In late 1958, the group recorded a demo of an instrumental written by Dangel, Morrill and Greek, which found its way to Clark Galehouse of New York based Golden Crest Records. He liked the track and had it re-recorded by the band in Lakewood in February 1959; its title "Tall Cool One" was apparently suggested by Morrill's mother. Released as a single, it reached # 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and # 24 on the R&B chart. The band made the cross-country trip to New York to record an LP, The Fabulous Wailers, which was released in December 1959 and featured two vocals by Morrill as well as instrumentals. They also appeared on Dick Clark's nationally televised American Bandstand, and toured the east coast. A second instrumental from their first recording session, "Mau-Mau", made # 68 on the Billboard pop chart, but their third single, "Wailin'", failed to make the chart.
The band decided to return to the Northwest, rather than staying in New York as their record label wished, and they were dropped from their contract. Around the same time, they added lead vocalist "Rockin' Robin" Roberts (Lawrence Fewell Roberts II), a charismatic frontman who had previously been the singer with rival Tacoma band the Bluenotes. John Greek left the group in acrimonious circumstances, and was replaced by bassist John "Buck" Ormsby (Seattle, October 29, 1941 - October 29, 2016). Ormsby, Morrill and Roberts then formed Etiquette Records and, in 1961, the label released its first single, a cover version of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie". For contractual reasons the single was credited to Roberts, but was performed by the whole band. Their recording became a local hit and was distributed nationally by Imperial Records, but did not make the national chart. However, its style, with its trademark 1-2-3, 1-2, 1-2-3 riff, inspired other groups from the Seattle area, most notably the Kingsmen of Portland, Oregon, to record the same song.
The Wailers continued to perform locally and, according to Morrill, one of their biggest fans was the young Jimi Hendrix, then starting to perform guitar. The band performed both with and without Roberts, who studied at the University of Washington, the University of Puget Sound, and Oregon State University, eventually achieving a masters degree in biochemistry. They also occasionally featured teenage girl singer Gail Harris, notably on the live album The Fabulous Wailers at the Castle, recorded in 1961, which has been described as "undoubtedly one of the most influential albums in Seattle rock & roll history." In all, the band recorded and released four albums on their own Etiquette label between 1962 and 1966, as well as a succession of singles. They also helped instigate the recording career of The Sonics, whose first two albums were issued by the label, and helped begin Jini Dellaccio's career as a rock'n'roll photographer when they hired her to shoot cover photos for their album Wailers, Wailers, Everywhere.
Mark Marush left The Wailers in 1962 and was replaced by Ron Gardner, who also handled lead vocals; Dangel and Burk left in 1964 and were replaced by guitarist Neil Andersson and drummer Dave Roland respectively. Continuing to perform live as well as recording, the band added a trio of girl backing singers, known as the Marshans. Also in 1964, "Tall Cool One" was re-promoted by the Golden Crest label, and again made the Billboard pop chart, this time peaking at # 38. In 1965 Roberts made his final recordings with the group, and, in 1967, guitarist Neil Andersson was replaced by Denny Weaver. Roberts was killed, aged 27, in a car crash in late 1967.
The band split up in 1969, by which time Kent Morrill was the only remaining original member. Morrill, Dangel and Ormsby, with other musicians, reunited as The Wailers for occasional concerts from the 1970s onwards. In 1979, they joined with Burk, Gardner, and Gail Harris to play a reunion show.
Later activities
Ormsby re-established the Etiquette label in the mid-1980s, and issued a Wailers compilation, The Boys from Tacoma, in 1993. The Wailers' song, "Out of Our Tree", was featured in the 1998 CD version of the Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From the First Psychedelic Era collection. Several of the Wailers' tunes were also covered by The Ventures, and the two bands released an album together, Two Car Garage, in 2009 to celebrate their 50 years in existence.
Ron Gardner died in 1992. Richard Dangel died of an aneurysm in 2002. John Greek died in 2006, Mark Marush in 2007, and Kent Morrill died of cancer on 15 April 2011. Buck Ormsby died in 2016.
Christmas Spirit??
The Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everywhere, that Christmas Spirit
Everybody run around, all over town
Find out if ya shop around
Keep yourself in line
Buy a big ball a twine
Or anything you get yur hands on
Just gotta get a gift
Don′t know what yur givin' it for
The only thing that counts is the brand and amount
And that it comes from an expensive store
In the air, Can't you hear it?
Everywhere, That Christmas Spirit
Get home with a tree, half withered half green
And strangle it to death with tinsel
Pay a dollar 98 for a ten cent wreath
Hang it on your door and make it look useful
Maws in the kitchen makin′ apple pie
To feed to the relatives with all their lies and they′re welcome
In the air, Can't you hear it?
Everywhere, That Christmas Spirit
Got a ticket for a time ta see the fat clown
And tend ta see what he ain′t
He's a dime store commercialized manufactured product
Directly decended from a saint
You can set him on his knee and teach him to bleed
He′ll haul your last kids
It's that time of year, so fill it with cheer
And satisfy all them cravins
In the air, Can′t you hear it?
Everywhere, That Christmas Spirit
When the big day arrives
In a mention it dies
In the mornin', havin' a fiasco
Only comes once a year
And its full of cheer
Hope some a that cheer comes in bottles
I′ve sat on a street
I ask the first man I meet
Whose birthday ya think it is, today?
He stopped dead, scratched his head, looked puzzled,
And then he saId
"I′m not sure ... but I think it's one of our Presidents
Ain′t it?
In the air, Can't you hear it?
It′s Everywhere, That Christmas Spirit
Christmas Spirit
It's in the air
I can smell it
The Wailers' "Christmas Spirit" is a satirical song that reflects on the consumerism and commercialization of the holiday season. The lyrics paint a picture of individuals scrambling around town to find the perfect gift, regardless of its significance, just as long as it is from a pricey store. They suggest that people decorate their homes with anything, even half-dead trees, as long as they look useful. The song also comments on how society has reduced the significance of Christmas, with many people not even knowing whose birthday it is.
The lyrics convey a critical and cynical tone, intending to highlight the shallowness and absurdity of what the holiday season has turned into due to corporate monopolization. The song's message criticizes the actions of people who seem to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas and what it truly represents. The lyrics also highlight the commercialization of religion, where companies use the holiday season as an opportunity to make higher profits.
The song's irony and humor are impeccable, giving a fresh take on the overfamiliar topic of the holiday season. It is a reminder for us to step back and reflect on the true essence of the season and embrace it with genuine joy.
Line by Line Meaning
In the air, Can′t you hear it?
Can you sense the festive atmosphere around you?
Everywhere, that Christmas Spirit
It’s all around and everyone is in the festive mood
Everybody run around, all over town
People are rushing around looking for holiday shopping deals
Find out if ya shop around
Make sure to get the best bargains and discounts
Keep yourself in line
Stick to your budget while shopping
Buy a big ball a twine
Purchase anything you can as long as it's within your budget
Or anything you get yur hands on
Buy whatever is available within the budget
Don't care what ya give,
People are only concerned with buying any gift, quality doesn’t matter
Just gotta get a gift
It’s about getting something to give, regardless of its quality or usefulness
Don′t know what yur givin' it for
The motive behind giving a gift is unknown and sometimes even irrelevant
The only thing that counts is the brand and amount
The value of a gift is determined by the brand and amount, rather than the sentiment behind it
And that it comes from an expensive store
People are more impressed with gifts from high-end stores
Get home with a tree, half withered half green
People buy trees that are neither fully healthy nor dead because they are cheaper
And strangle it to death with tinsel
Decorating the tree with tinsel makes it appear better, even if it’s dying
Pay a dollar 98 for a ten cent wreath
People pay more for a wreath than it’s actually worth
Hang it on your door and make it look useful
Wreaths are hung to make the house look festive and assume it has been decorated
Maws in the kitchen makin′ apple pie
Moms are baking apple pies for their relatives
To feed to the relatives with all their lies and they′re welcome
The festive season allows relatives to meet, even though some of them may be lying
Got a ticket for a time ta see the fat clown
People buy tickets to see Santa Claus
And tend ta see what he ain′t
They look for reasons to dislike or complain about Santa Claus
He's a dime store commercialized manufactured product
Santa Claus is a commercialized character
Directly decended from a saint
Santa Claus’ character is a variation of Saint Nicholas
You can set him on his knee and teach him to bleed
Children can sit on Santa Claus’ lap and interact with him
He′ll haul your last kids
Santa Claus gets the last laugh by making the children happy
It's that time of year, so fill it with cheer
Festivities bring joy and happiness
And satisfy all them cravins
People indulge their desires during the holiday season
When the big day arrives
On Christmas Day
In a mention it dies
After Christmas, there’s no mention of the holiday anymore
In the mornin', havin' a fiasco
The day after Christmas can be a mess because of the rush and excitement
Only comes once a year
Christmas only happens once per year
And its full of cheer
People are happy and festive during Christmas
Hope some a that cheer comes in bottles
People hope to celebrate the holiday with drinks
I′ve sat on a street
The artist is sitting on a street corner
I ask the first man I meet
The artist asks the first person they encounter
Whose birthday ya think it is, today?
The singer asks about the significance of the day
He stopped dead, scratched his head, looked puzzled,
The man is confused and doesn’t know the answer
And then he saId
The man answers
"I’m not sure ... but I think it's one of our Presidents
The man associates the day with a president's birthday
Ain′t it?
Isn’t it?
In the air, Can't you hear it?
Can you sense the festive atmosphere around you?
It’s Everywhere, That Christmas Spirit
The holiday spirit is present everywhere
Christmas Spirit
The festive atmosphere during Christmas
It's in the air
The festive atmosphere is palpable
I can smell it
The atmosphere is noticeable or audible
Writer(s): R. Gardner, K. Morrill
Contributed by Jackson I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ronilubliner
This is Dylanesque genius by a great under appreciated '60s Band!
@georgeharrisonlover4300
I thought this was Dylan when I first heard it (which was about eight years ago).
@helewelly123
Merry christmas!! Nice tune ;)
@johncomeau2480
Jon Donovan brought me here. Wormtown rocks, baby!
@jmcbastard9665
Jon Donovan is an upstanding citizen and was voted Wormtown's Sexiest Man Alive from 1998-2012
@thomassmith5860
Way COOL X- MAS song
They sounded a bit like The Hombres