- … 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.
Stir It Up
The Wailers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on and stir it up, little darlin', stir it up, oh-oh
It's been a long, long time, yeah (stir it, stir it, stir it together)
Since I've got you on my mind (oh-oh-oh-oh) oh-oh
Now you are here (stir it, stir it, stir it together), I said
It's so clear
To see what we could do, baby, (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Come on and stir it up, little darlin'
Stir it up, come on, baby
Come on and stir it up, yeah
Little darlin', stir it up, oh-oh
I'll push the wood (stir it, stir it, stir it together)
Then I blaze ya fire
Then I'll satisfy your heart's desire (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Said, I stir it together (stir it, stir it, stir it together)
Every minute
All you got to do, baby, (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Is keep it in, and
(Stir it up) oh, little darlin'
Stir it up, baby
Come on and stir it up, oh-oh-oh
Little darlin', stir it up, wo-oh mmh, now, now
Quench me when I'm thirsty
Come on and cool me down, baby, when I'm hot (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Your recipe is, darlin' is so tasty
When you show and stir your pot
So, stir it up, oh
Little darlin', stir it up, wo, now
Come on and stir it up, oh-ah
Little darlin', stir it up
Oh, little darlin', stir it up, come on, babe
Come on and stir it up, wo-o-a
Little darlin', stir it up, stick with me, baby
Come on, come on and stir it up, oh-oh
Little darlin', stir it up, stir it, stir it, stir it, stir it, stir it
The lyrics of "Stir It Up" by The Wailers speaks about the passionate love between two people who have been apart for a while. Bob Marley, the lead singer of the band, urges his lover to continue stirring up his emotions and feelings as he has missed her for a very long time. The song evokes a sense of longing and desire as they both reminisce on the past memories they shared together, and look forward to new experiences together. Bob Marley further expresses his commitment to satisfying his lover's desires and needs on a deeper emotional and physical level.
Through the lyrics of "Stir It Up," Bob Marley creates an atmosphere of tenderness, love, and passion. The lines "Quench me when I'm thirsty, come on and cool me down, baby when I'm hot" reveals the deep-seated, unconditional love that he feels for his partner. The continuous repetition of the phrase "stir it up" expresses his desire for her to continue arousing him emotionally, mentally, and physically.
In summary, "Stir It Up" emphasizes the importance of keeping the passion alive in a relationship, and the commitment that it takes to maintain the intense feeling that love brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Stir it up, little darlin', stir it up, me on, baby
Encouraging someone to initiate an action or change in circumstances, using affectionate terms of endearment.
Come on and stir it up, little darlin', stir it up, oh-oh
Repeating the encouragement to create a sense of urgency and eagerness.
It's been a long, long time, yeah (stir it, stir it, stir it together)
Expressing the idea that a lot of time has passed and it's time to come together and create something new.
Since I've got you on my mind (oh-oh-oh-oh) oh-oh
Acknowledging that the person has not been present in their thoughts lately, but now they are here and occupying their mind.
Now you are here (stir it, stir it, stir it together), I said
Confirming the presence of the person in their life and reinforcing the idea that it's time to create together.
It's so clear
To see what we could do, baby, (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Just me and you
Realizing the potential of the partnership and expressing the desire to explore it further with meaningful action.
I'll push the wood (stir it, stir it, stir it together)
Then I blaze ya fire
Then I'll satisfy your heart's desire (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Said, I stir it together (stir it, stir it, stir it together)
Every minute
Metaphorically referring to the act of stirring a pot and a fire to express the desire to take action together and satisfy their partner's emotional needs.
All you got to do, baby, (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Is keep it in, and
Asking the partner to be patient and keep their emotions in check while they work together to create something meaningful.
(Stir it up) oh, little darlin'
Stir it up, baby
Come on and stir it up, oh-oh-oh
Little darlin', stir it up, wo-oh mmh, now, now
Repeating the encouragement and anticipation of what's to come, using affectionate names to establish intimacy and comfort.
Quench me when I'm thirsty
Come on and cool me down, baby, when I'm hot (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Your recipe is, darlin' is so tasty
When you show and stir your pot
Using metaphors of thirst, heat and taste to express the emotional needs of the partner, and acknowledging the positive impact of their actions.
So, stir it up, oh
Little darlin', stir it up, wo, now
Come on and stir it up, oh-ah
Little darlin', stir it up
Reaffirming the need to act together and the recognition of the partner's role in the process.
Oh, little darlin', stir it up, come on, babe
Come on and stir it up, wo-o-a
Little darlin', stir it up, stick with me, baby
Come on, come on and stir it up, oh-oh
Little darlin', stir it up, stir it, stir it, stir it, stir it, stir it
Concluding the song with a repetition of the encouragement, the plea to stick together and a final emphasis on the importance of stirring together and mixing things up to create something meaningful.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bob Marley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@getrekt2160
As time goes by and soulful music like this fades, only to be replaced by manufactured junk, humanity fades with it.
We need to stay focused.
Stay together.
Keep humanity alive.
Keep the message of Bob alive.
For humanity.
@derecklawrence1979
Who’s still listening to this classic song in 2024?
@haroldfreire928
Desde Ecuador !❤ 💚
@derecklawrence1979
❤❤❤
@Mark-id3ub
Juicy Lucy is still listening in 2024 👍
@edie9330
I am. I was a HUGE fan in my late teens in the 70's of Bob Marley, still am. I had all his albums in vinyl. Lol .Going through a tough, serious illness, and I'm here reminiscing. My soul feels better, lighter, listening to his music. He had such wisdom. It saddens me to see all the divisiveness in the world today. He was truly a force for good. ❤
@SuenosDeLaNoche
Still sounds as good as it did way back then. Irie!
@Musicsky168
If you are here in 2024 listening to this, you are my kind of people. One Love 🇯🇲🇵🇷
@sandraweston4863
Yes❤
@thewolf81lobo86
No one is going to make me believe that Robert Nesta Marley it's not one of the greatest artist of all time, timeless legend ✊✊
@lilmissfabulous7740
Not one of IS the best top notch