- … 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 โ originally as The Nitecaps โ in 1958, by five high school friends:
John Greek (27 October 1940 โ 6 October 2006) โ rhythm guitar, trumpet
Richard Dangel (1 December 1942 โ 2 December 2002) โ lead guitar
Kent Morrill (2 April 1941 โ 15 April 2011) โ keyboards, vocals
Mark Marush (15 August 1940 โ 9 August 2007) โ tenor sax
Mike Burk (b. 1942) โ 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.
Midnight Ravers
The Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No, I say you can't, 'cause they're dressed in the same pollution
(Dressed in the same pollution)
Their mind is confused with confusion
With their problems since they've no solution
They become the midnight ravers
Someone say (please, don't let me down!)
(Midnight) midnight ravers (ravers), midnight ravers!
(Please don't) oh, please, please
Don't let me down, down, down, down, down!
Don't let me down
Don't let me down
I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
And they coming without horses (coming without horses)
The riders, they cover their face (ah-ah-ah-ah)
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (make them out in smoky places)
In that musical stampede, where everyone is doing their thing
Musical stampede, people swingin'
Musical stampede, someone say
People, ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) ride on!
(Keep a-ridin' midnight ravers!)
People, ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin' ridin'!) ride on!
(Keep a-ridin' midnight ravers!)
I can't tell my woman from the man
She is dressed in the same pollution (dressed in the same pollution)
Her mind is confused with confusion
To my problem seems there's never, never no solution!
I've become a night-life raver
And I'm beggin' you, (please) please, please
Oh, beel-ya-ba-ba, please don't ya let me down!
(Night-life ravers) night-life ravers! Night-life ravers!
Oh, please, please, please, please, don't let me down
Don't let me down
Don't let me down!
I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
And they coming without horses (coming without horses, yeah)
The riders they cover their face (ah-ah-ah-ah)
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (make them out in smoky place)
In that musical stampede, oh!
It's the musical stampede. Ride on!
It's the musical stampede, some preacher say
People ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) Ride on!
(Keep a-ridin', midnight ravers!)
A-ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) Ride on!
(Keep a-ridin', midnight ravers!)
Ride on, y'all! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) Ride on!
(Keep a-ridin', midnight ravers!)
Ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
(Keep a-ridin'!) don't let me down, midnight ravers!
(Keep a-ridin'!)
Midnight ravers, don't let me down! (Keep a-ridin'!)
Don't let me down, don't let me down! (Keep a-ridin'!)
Well, I'm comin' (keep a-ridin'!)
I got too much problems, midnight ravers!
The Wailers' song Midnight Ravers is a commentary on the confusion and chaos of urban life. The opening lines express the difficulty of distinguishing between people in the polluted city; their minds are also confused by their problems with no apparent solutions. The refrain "midnight ravers" implies that these people seek refuge from their problems through wild, uninhibited nightlife.
The second verse introduces the image of ten thousand chariots coming without horses, a metaphorical representation for countless people crowding the city streets without clear direction or purpose. The stampede-like music that follows reinforces this feeling of chaos and confusion. Despite these problems, the singer appears to ask for the party to continue, requesting not to be let down by the music and the crowd.
Overall, the song captures the feelings of desperation and confusion that can characterize city life, especially for marginalized or oppressed communities. The "midnight ravers" seek escape and release from their problems, but ultimately find themselves caught up in the same cycles of struggle and frustration.
Line by Line Meaning
You can't tell the woman from the man
The pollution they're dressed in makes it difficult to differentiate gender
Their mind is confused with confusion
They are extremely troubled and disoriented mentally
With their problems since they've no solution
They are overwhelmed by their problems, with no solutions in sight
They become the midnight ravers
As a result, they resort to staying up late and partying all night
Oh, please, don't let me ee-ya-bab, oh, please don't let me down!
A plea to not be disappointed or let down
I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
A reference to a vision or hallucination
And they coming without horses (coming without horses)
The chariots defying the laws of physics and logic
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (make them out in smoky places)
The riders of these chariots being impossible to recognize in a hazy environment
In that musical stampede, where everyone is doing their thing
A chaotic and anarchic atmosphere of people partying and enjoying themselves
Musical stampede, people swingin'
The wild and frenetic dancing of the people in the party
People, ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
An encouragement to keep having fun and let loose
I can't tell my woman from the man
The pollution they're dressed in confuses the artist in identifying their partner's gender
To my problem seems there's never, never no solution!
The singer expressing a sense of hopelessness in solving their issues
And I'm beggin' you, (please) please, please
The singer pleading with someone to not let them down
I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
A continuation of the vision/hallucination referenced earlier
It's the musical stampede. Ride on!
The wild partying atmosphere continues
People ride on! (Keep a-ridin'!)
Encouraging everyone to keep having fun and enjoying themselves
Ride on, y'all! (Keep a-ridin'!)
A final encouragement to keep having fun and dancing
Well, I'm comin' (keep a-ridin'!)
The singer joining in the partying
I got too much problems, midnight ravers!
Despite joining in, the artist is still weighed down by their problems
Lyrics ยฉ Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BOB MARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cristobelbren5400
Do-do-do. do-do-do. do-do-do.
No, i say you can't, 'cause they're dressed in the same pollution;
Their mind is confused with confusion
With their problems since they've no solution:
They become the midnight ravers.
Someone say:
Oh, please, don't let me - ee-ya-bab, oh, please don't let me down!
(Midnight) midnight ravers! (ravers) midnight ravers!
(Please don't) oh, please, please,
Don't let me down, down, down, down, down!
Don't let me down;
Don't let me down.
I see ten thousand chariots (ah-ah-ah-ah)
And they coming without horses; (coming without horses)
The riders - they cover their face, (ah-ah-ah-ah)
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place -
In that musical stampede, where everyone is doing their thing.
Musical stampede
@ninjah3952
TRADUCTION EN FR
(Tu ne peux pas distinguer les femmes des hommes)
Non, je dis que tu ne peux pas
Parce que tous portent les mรชmes fringues polluรฉes
Leur esprit se confond en confusion
A leurs problรจmes il nโy a plus de solution
Ils deviennent des รฉgarรฉs de minuit
Quelqu'un dit : ยซ (S'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas tomber!)
Oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas - ee-ya-bab, oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas!
Egarรฉs de minuit ! (S'il vous plaรฎt, ne le faites pas)
Oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt
Ne me laissez pas tomber, bas, bas, bas, bas!
Ne me laissez pas tomber !
Ne me laissez pas tomber ! ยป
Je vois dix mille chars
Et ils arrivent sans chevaux
Les cavaliers - ils se couvrent le visage
Alors tu ne peux pas les reconnaitre en lieu enfumรฉ
Dans cette ruรฉe musicale, oรน chacun fait ce quโil a ร faire
La ruรฉe musicale ! Les gens tanguent
La ruรฉe musicale !
Quelqu'un dit :
ยซMontez, les gens ! (Nโarrรชtez pas de monter!)
(Nโarrรชtez pas de monter!) Montez !
(Nโarrรชtez pas de monter!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez ! (Nโarrรชtez pas de monter !)
(Nโarrรชtez pas de monter!) Montez !
(Nโarrรชtez pas de monter!) Egarรฉs de minuit ! ยป
Je ne peux pas distinguer ma femme des hommes
Elle porte les mรชmes fringues polluรฉes
Son esprit se confond en confusion
A mes problรจmes il semble nโy avoir aucune solution !
Je deviens un รฉgarรฉ nocturne
Et je vous supplie : (s'il vous plaรฎt) s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt โ
oh, beel-ya-ba-ba - s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas tomber !
(Egarรฉ nocturne) Egarรฉ nocturne ! Egarรฉ nocturne !
Oh, s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt, s'il vous plaรฎt, ne me laissez pas tomber !
Ne me laissez pas tomber !
Ne me laissez pas tomber !
Je vois dix mille chars
Et ils arrivent sans chevaux
Les cavaliers - ils se couvrent le visage
Alors tu ne peux pas les reconnaitre en lieu enfumรฉ
Cโest la ruรฉe musicale !
Oh, cโest la ruรฉe musicale ! Montez !
Cโest la ruรฉe musicale !
Un prรชcheur dit :
ยซ Montez, les gens! (Montez, les gens!)
(Montez, les gens!) Montez !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez ! (Montez, les gens!)
(Montez, les gens!) Montez !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez, vous tous ! (Montez, les gens!)
(Montez, les gens!) Montez !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit !
Montez ! (Montez, les gens!) ยป
(Montez, les gens!) Ne me laissez pas tomber, รฉgarรฉs de minuit !
(Montez, les gens!) Egarรฉs de minuit, ne me laissez pas tomber ! (Montez, les gens!)
Ne me laissez pas tomber - ne me laissez pas tomber ! (Montez, les gens!)
Bien, jโarrive maintenant !
Jโai trop de problรจmes
@Nicolasdominguezcuencaecu
2024๐ Jah U always will guide us
Can't tell the woman from the man
No, I say you can't 'cause they dressed in the same pollution (they dressed in the same pollution)
And then their mind is confused with confusion (with confusion)
To their problems seems that never, never no solution
They become the midnight ravers
Someone say please, don't let me down (still a ba-bup, please don't you let me down)
Oh, midnight raver (midnight raver)
Oh, midnight raver (midnight raver)
Oh, please, don't you let me down
Yeah
And I see ten thousand chariots
And they coming without horses (and they coming in without horses yeah)
And then the riders they cover their face
So you couldn't make them out in smoky place (cover them with smoky faces)
In that musical stampede
Musical stampede
It's musical stampede
Oh, people ride on (people ride on, ride on)
Ride on (people riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
Ride on, you are a Midnight raver (keep on riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
Ride on, you are a Midnight raver
'Cause I can't tell my woman from a man
She is dressed in the same pollution
And then her mind is confused with confusion
To my problem seems there's never, never, no solution
I become a Night life raver
And I'm begging you (please, don't let me down)
Still a ba-bup, please don't you let me down
Night-life raver
Oh, oh, Night-life raver
Oh, please, don't you let me down
Yeah
No, no, no
Oh, there's a musical stampede
It's musical stampede (ride on)
Musical stampede (somebody check it)
People ride on (people ride on)
Ride on (keep on riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
You are a Midnight-raver (keep on riding on, I, I keep on riding on)
Ride on, you are a Midnight-raver
@guledsm
85 year old and still jamming with this song, Midnight Ravers!!!
@rachelmiller2719
Here's to 85 moreโค๏ธ
@bobbydigitaltraining1772
Jah bless ๐ฏ๐ช๐พ
@simonpierre6716
Reggae no have no age... blessings
@beksbeks7072
Respect to you man..one love
@sauaabreu8433
@@simonpierre6716 ,,
P
@eroningle1531
Hands down one of the best albums ever.
@coreybowen2352
U might be on to something with that statement beloved brother ๐
@anthonyinsani9914
No doubt man.. for sure.
@JMeara
One of my favorite bass lines. Family man is criminally underrated.