The Waitresses were an experimental New Wave band from Akron, Ohio.[1][2] The group was led by guitarist/songwriter Chris Butler with lead vocals performed by Patty Donahue.
Career[]
They had minor success in the United States with the song "I Know What Boys Like", from their 1982 debut album Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful.[3] "I Know What Boys Like" was originally released as a single in 1980[4][5] but did not chart initially.[citation needed] The song was an underground hit, however, and by 1982 it peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100,[6] No. 23 onBillboard's Top Tracks chart,[7] No. 14 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report),[5] and also charted in the UK.[2]
The Waitresses also recorded the theme song to the television program Square Pegs,[3][8] which aired during the 1982–1983 season.[9] (The band also appeared as themselves in the pilot episode.)[9] Their Christmas song "Christmas Wrapping" was originally released on the ZE Records album A Christmas Record in 1981,[1] and became a No. 45 hit in the United Kingdom in 1982.[3][10] The song was subsequently covered by the Spice Girls in 1998, as the B-side of their single "Goodbye"[1][11] and by the television show Glee sung by the character Brittany for their 2011 Christmas special, which aired December 13, 2011.[12][12][13]
The group released two albums, Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful and Bruiseology, and one EP, I Could Rule the World If I Could Only Get the Parts.[1] All of these have been out of print for many years and none have ever been available onCD,[citation needed] but their music is now available on compilations. The Best of The Waitresses (Polydor 1990) is available on CD.[citation needed]
Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful? became available on iTunes in 2008 and includes three bonus tracks: "Christmas Wrapping" (long version), "Hangover" (instrumental that was the B-side on the UK issue of "Christmas Wrapping"), and "Christmas Wrapping" (single edit).[citation needed]
The band's lead singer Patty Donahue left in summer 1984 and was briefly replaced by Holly Beth Vincent. Vincent left the band two weeks later and Donahue returned.[2][3] The band finally split up in late 1984 after the departures of Carney and Klayman.[citation needed]
Donahue died of lung cancer at the age of 40 on December 9, 1996.[3]
Discography[]
Albums[]
| Released | Title | Chart positions | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful? | 41 | Polydor |
| 1982 | I Could Rule the World If I Could Only Get the Parts | 128 | Polydor |
| 1983 | Bruiseology | 155 | Polydor |
| 1984 | Make the Weather EP | – | Polydor |
| 1990 | The Best of The Waitresses | – | Polydor |
| 1997 | King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents The Waitresses | – | King Biscuit |
| 2003 | 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Waitresses | – | Polydor |
| 2007 | Your Choice of Sides − A Collection of Outtakes & Obscuriosities | – | Polydor[14] |
Singles[]
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | UK | |||
| 1978 | "Slide" | — | — | single |
| 1980 | "I Know What Boys Like" / "No Guilt" | — | — | single[4] |
| 1981 | "Christmas Wrapping" | — | — | A Christmas Record |
| 1982 | "I Know What Boys Like" | 62 | — | Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful |
| "Square Pegs" | — | — | I Could Rule the World If I Could Only Get the Parts | |
| "Christmas Wrapping" | — | 45 | A Christmas Record | |
| 1983 | "Make the Weather" | — | — | Bruiseology |
Principal band members[]
- Patty Donahue (lead vocals, 1978–1983, 1984)
- Chris Butler (guitars)
- Mars Williams (saxophone, reed instruments)
- Billy Ficca (drums)
- Dan Klayman (keyboards/organ)
- Tracy Wormworth (bass, background vocals) (1982–1984)
- David Hofstra (bass) (1978–1982)
- Ariel Warner (background vocals) (1978–1982)
- Ralph Carney (keyboards)
- Holly Beth Vincent (briefly replaced Donahue as lead vocalist, 1984)