The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from the British Isles. London, Dublin, Spiddal, and Findhorn have all served as a home for the group. The band has played in a number of different styles, but most often their music can be described as a mix of Celtic folk music with rock and roll, or folk rock. After ten years of recording and touring, the band dissolved in 1993 and Scott pursued a solo career. The band reformed in 2000, and continues to release albums and tour worldwide. Scott himself emphasizes a continuity between The Waterboys and his solo work, saying that "To me there's no difference between Mike Scott and the Waterboys; they both mean the same thing. They mean myself and whoever are my current travelling musical companions."
More than thirty musicians have performed live as a Waterboy. Some have spent only a short time with the band, contributing to a single tour or album, while others have been long-term members with significant contributions. Scott has been the band's lead vocalist, motivating force, and principal songwriter throughout the group's history, but a number of other musicians are closely identified with the band.
Anthony Thistlethwaite was an original member of the band, and remained a member until 1991 when the band broke up, although he also joined a few recording sessions for A Rock in the Weary Land. After Scott and Wickham, Thistlethwaite has more songwriting credits than any other Waterboy. His saxophone, regularly featured in solos, was one half of the early group's distinctive brass section, but he has also played guitar, keyboards and a number of other instruments for the band. He pressed to return The Waterboys to a rock music sound after Room to Roam, but did not appear on Dream Harder, the result of that decision. He is now a member of The Saw Doctors, and has also released three solo albums.
Kevin Wilkinson, another original member, was The Waterboys' drummer from 1983–1984, and continued to play in some studio sessions afterwards. His most recent appearance was on A Rock in the Weary Land. He led the rhythm section of the group during its "Big Music" phase, sometimes without the assistance of any bass guitar. Scott describes Wilkinson's drumming as "bright and angular, an unusual sound".
Karl Wallinger joined the group in 1983, shortly after its formation. He left the group two years later, but in that relatively short period made important contributions to both A Pagan Place and This is the Sea. He co-wrote "Don't Bang the Drum", the environmentalism anthem on This is the Sea. His keyboards and synthesizer work expanded the group's sound, and he also did some studio work for demo sessions. Wallinger's World Party project was heavily influenced by his work with The Waterboys.
Roddy Lorimer's participation in the group began in 1983, contributing his trumpet playing "on and off" through 1990. He and Thistlethwaite took turns leading the brass section of the band, and Lorimer was also a featured soloist, most famously on "The Whole of the Moon" and "Don't Bang the Drum". He further contributed backing vocals to the song. His trumpet style is a combination of his classical training with an experimental approach encouraged by Scott. Lorimer returned for some studio work in 2006.
Steve Wickham transformed the group with his joining in 1985. His strong interest in folk music directly resulted in the band's change of direction. His initial involvement with The Waterboys ended in 1990 when Scott and Thistlethwaite wanted to return to rock and roll, but Wickham rejoined the group again in 2000, and, as of 2007, continues to perform with the band. Described by Scott as "the world's greatest rock fiddle player", he has written more songs for the band than anyone other than Scott, including the group's handful of instrumental recordings.
After 2000, Richard Naiff became one of the three core Waterboys members.Richard Naiff first recorded with the band in 1999, and joined permanently in 2000. As of 2007, he is a core member, along with Scott and Wickham. He is a classically-trained pianist and flautist, and plays keyboards for The Waterboys. Ian McNabb described him as Scott's "find of the century" and reviewers have described him as "phenomenally talented".
Other notable members of the band include bassist McNabb, leader of Icicle Works; Sharon Shannon, who became Ireland's all-time best-selling traditional musician; the experimental musician Thighpaulsandra, producer Guy Chambers, and Patti Smith Group drummer Jay Dee Daugherty.
Buckets Of Rain
The Waterboys Lyrics
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Got all them buckets coming out of my ears
Buckets of moonbeams in my hand
You got all the love honey baby I can stand
I been meek
And hard like an oak
I seen pretty people disappear like smoke.
If you want me, honey baby, I'll be here
Like your smile
And your fingertips
Like the way that you move your lips.
I like the cool way you look at me,
Everything about you is bringing me misery
Little red wagon
Little red bike
I ain't no monkey but I know what I like.
I like the way you love me strong and slow,
I'm takin' you with me, honey baby when I go
Life is sad
Life is a bust
All you can do is do what you must.
You do what you must do and you do it well,
I do it for you, honey baby, can't you tell?
The Waterboy's "Buckets of Rain" is a melancholic yet hopeful love song. The song starts with describing the intensity of the singer's emotions - buckets of rain and tears that are coming out of their ears. This showcases how overwhelmed the singer feels with their emotions. The phrase "buckets of moonbeams in my hand" further emphasizes this idea of overwhelming emotions because it is impossible to hold moonbeams in a hand. However, the contrasting phrase "you got all the love honey baby I can stand" brings in the hopefulness aspect of the song, that the singer has found someone who can handle the intensity of their emotions.
The next few verses talk about how the singer has been both "meek and hard like an oak," suggesting that they have gone through a lot of experiences that have made them both strong and vulnerable. They have seen "pretty people disappear like smoke," which is a metaphor for how quickly people can come and go from our lives. However, the singer is offering themselves to the person they love - "if you want me honey baby, I'll be here."
The last few verses talk about how the singer likes everything about the person they love, but their love brings them misery. They mention a little red wagon and bike, alluding to the simple pleasures of life, but also mentioning that they know what they like. The final verse talks about how life is tough, and all we can do is do what we must. The singer then says, "I do it for you, honey baby, can't you tell?" which is a beautiful way of saying that they will do what they need to for the person they love. The song ends on this sweet yet slightly sad note, highlighting the complexities of love and life.
Line by Line Meaning
Buckets of rain, buckets of tears
There is an overwhelming amount of sadness and grief around me.
Got all them buckets coming out of my ears
I can't handle all of the sadness and grief anymore.
Buckets of moonbeams in my hand
There is also hope and beauty around me.
You got all the love honey baby I can stand
But you, my darling, are the only one who brings me happiness.
I been meek
I have been submissive and mild-mannered.
And hard like an oak
But I have also been strong and unyielding like a tree.
I seen pretty people disappear like smoke.
I have witnessed the fleeting nature of beauty and how it can disappear quickly.
Friends will arrive, friends will disappear,
People come and go in life, including friends.
If you want me, honey baby, I'll be here
But I will always be here for you, my love.
Like your smile
I adore the way you smile.
And your fingertips
And the way your fingertips feel.
Like the way that you move your lips.
And how you speak and express yourself.
I like the cool way you look at me,
I appreciate the way you look at me with love and care.
Everything about you is bringing me misery
But at the same time, your absence causes me great pain and distress.
Little red wagon
Simple things, like a red wagon, bring me joy.
Little red bike
And even a small, red bike can make me happy.
I ain't no monkey but I know what I like.
Even though I may not be an animal, I still have my own desires and preferences.
I like the way you love me strong and slow,
I especially enjoy the way you love me slowly and passionately.
I'm takin' you with me, honey baby when I go
And I want you to come with me, wherever life may take me.
Life is sad
Sometimes, life can be filled with sorrow and despair.
Life is a bust
And it may seem like everything is going wrong.
All you can do is do what you must.
But all you can do is try your best to overcome those challenges.
You do what you must do and you do it well,
And if you focus on what you can control and do it to the best of your ability, you can succeed.
I do it for you, honey baby, can't you tell?
And I do it all for you, my love. Can't you see how much I care?
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.