- … 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.
Downpresser
The Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mercy on judgment, Lord
Mercy on judgment, Lord
Oh, along that day, sad day
Downpressor man, where you gonna run to?
Tell me, downpressor man, where you gonna run to?
Downpressor man, where you gonna run to?
You run to the rocks, rocks will be melting, man
When you run to the rocks, the rocks will be melting, so run
When you run to the rocks, rocks will be melting
Oh, along that day, sad day for you
Oh, when you gonna run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
When you run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
Run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
Oh, along that day, that day
So, you gonna run to the Lord, oh, what you hidin'
Run to the Lord, Lord, what you hidin'?
Run to the Lord, Lord, what you hidin'?
Oh, along that day, sad day for you, man
Mercy on judgment, Lord
Mercy on judgment, Lord
I said, mercy on judgment, Lord
Oh, along that day
I wouldn't like to be a flea, under your collar, man
Wouldn't like to be a flea, under your collar, man
I wouldn't like to be a flea, under your collar, man
Oh, along that day
The Wailers' song "Downpresser" is a powerful call for justice and mercy in the face of oppression. The song addresses a "downpressor man," or someone who oppresses or exploits others, and challenges him to consider where he will run to when justice comes. The lyrics suggest that there will be no escape for the downpressor man: the rocks and the sea will be destroyed when he tries to run to them, leaving only the Lord as a refuge. The repeated phrase "mercy on judgment, Lord" suggests that even though justice must be served, the singer wishes for mercy to be shown to the downpressor man.
The lyrics of "Downpresser" reflect the Rastafarian belief in Babylon as a corrupt and oppressive system that must be resisted. The idea of the downpressor man is a central theme in Rastafarianism, and the song can be seen as a message of hope for those who are suffering under Babylon's rule. The repeated phrases and simple melody of the song create a hypnotic, almost trance-like effect that underscores the urgency of the message.
Line by Line Meaning
Mercy on judgment, Lord
May God have mercy on the judgment day
Mercy on judgment, Lord
May God have mercy on the judgment day
Mercy on judgment, Lord
May God have mercy on the judgment day
Oh, along that day, sad day
The day of judgment will be a sad day
Downpressor man, where you gonna run to?
Oh oppressor, where will you go to hide?
Tell me, downpressor man, where you gonna run to?
Please tell me, oppressor, where will you go to hide?
Downpressor man, where you gonna run to?
Oh oppressor, where will you go to hide?
Oh, along that day, along that day
The day of judgment is fast approaching
You run to the rocks, rocks will be melting, man
If you run to the rocks, they will melt under the judgment of God
When you run to the rocks, the rocks will be melting, so run
The rocks will melt from the heat of God's wrath, so don't run there
When you run to the rocks, rocks will be melting
The judgment of God is so intense that even rocks will melt
Oh, along that day, sad day for you
You will regret your actions on the day of judgment
Oh, when you gonna run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
If you run to the sea, it will be boiling on judgment day
When you run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
The judgment of God is so severe that even the sea will boil
Run to the sea, the sea will be boiling
You cannot escape God's wrath by running to the sea
Oh, along that day, that day
The day of judgment is coming soon
So, you gonna run to the Lord, oh, what you hidin'
Are you going to run to the Lord? What are you hiding?
Run to the Lord, Lord, what you hidin'?
Run to the Lord, and be prepared to face your sins and transgressions
Run to the Lord, Lord, what you hidin'?
Run to the Lord and face the consequences of your actions
Oh, along that day, sad day for you, man
The day of judgment will be a sad day for those who have not repented
Mercy on judgment, Lord
May God have mercy on the judgment day
Mercy on judgment, Lord
May God have mercy on the judgment day
I said, mercy on judgment, Lord
I pray that God will have mercy on the judgment day
Oh, along that day
The day of judgment is coming soon
I wouldn't like to be a flea, under your collar, man
I would not want to be in your position on the day of judgment
Wouldn't like to be a flea, under your collar, man
I do not envy you or your actions
I wouldn't like to be a flea, under your collar, man
I do not want to be subject to the judgment you will face
Oh, along that day
The day of judgment is coming soon
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: PETER TOSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MsNooneinparticular
This song slaps. Highly underrated. Tosh was just as good a lead singer as Bob, though I prefer Bob as a solo songwriter. But the group? Yeah, they were magical.
@johnrice332
Agreed
@seanbeukman9563
Indeed. Peter Tosh is magic.
@willieluncheonette
Seventh song remembering Peter Tosh.
Remember our first post yesterday of Peter singing "The Toughest"? There we mentioned that Bob and Bunny first saw Peter walking down a street, guitar in hand, singing Go Tell It On the Mountain and Sinner Man. Well, Downpresser is Peter;s third recording of the traditional Sinner Man which he first cut at Studio One in 1966.
Peter's strong baritone voice filled with righteous emotion makes this song a total success. From the same Lee Perry session that yielded Band New Secondhand around January 1971. This will be our last Peter Tosh song with the Wailers---now it's onto his tremendous solo work.
@emilescheffers5365
Thanks ...always good to know all these facts .
@jamjar142
Thanks for the posting, this is my favourite version.
@shakib80
.."all along that day"... This is a classic one!!
@momaghribi.-7211
Such a BOSS picture.
This group man,man,man.
❤.
@peterfuzz3887
the very first version : sublime
@fatrobdouble
The Wailers recorded at least one version called "Sinner Man," like the N.American song this was based on, at Studio One, in the 60s. This is Lee Perry produced, 70 or early 71.