The Waitresses

The Waitresses
Origin Akron, Ohio, United States
Genres New wave, post-punk
Years active 1977–1984
Labels Clone Records, ZE Records, Antilles Records, Polydor Records, Omnivore Recordings
Associated acts The Numbers Band, Tin Huey, Television, Holly and the Italians, Half Cleveland, Purple K'nif, Richard Lloyd, Gods and Monsters, the Psychedelic Furs, NRG Ensemble, Liquid Soul, Hal Russell, Ken Vandermark, the B-52's
Past members Chris Butler
Patty Donahue
Billy Ficca
Dan Klayman
Mars Williams
Dave Hofstra
Ariel Warner
Tracy Wormworth
Holly Beth Vincent

The Waitresses were an experimental post-punk band from Akron, Ohio,[1][2] known for their singles "I Know What Boys Like" and "Christmas Wrapping". They 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]

The group was led by guitarist/songwriter Chris Butler with lead vocals performed by Patty Donahue.[1][3]

History

The Waitresses were formed by Butler (ex-the Numbers Band) in 1977 as a side project, while he was still a member of Tin Huey.[4] He wrote and recorded "I Know What Boys Like" that year, with guest vocals by friend Donahue (as "Patty Darling") and saxophone from Tin Huey member Ralph Carney, although the song remained unreleased at the time.[4] A debut single, In "Short Stack" (featuring the songs "Slide" and "Clones"), recorded solely by Butler, was issued by Clone Records in 1978. Both tracks from the single, plus another early song, "The Comb", appeared that year on The Akron Compilation, issued by Stiff Records.

Butler relocated to New York City and shopped "I Know What Boys Like".[4] The song landed him a deal with ZE Records (an affiliate of Antilles Records), who released the single in 1980.[4] It was an underground hit, but did not chart.[5][6]

With the deal in place, Butler put together an actual band lineup for the Waitresses, also featuring lead vocalist Donahue, jazz saxophonist Mars Williams, former Television drummer Billy Ficca, keyboardist Dan Klayman, bassist Dave Hofstra and backing vocalist Ariel Warner. The Waitresses played their debut concert on New Year's Eve 1980.[4]

The Waitresses released their debut album, Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?, on January 11, 1982 on the Polydor label, licensed from Ze.[3] "I Know What Boys Like" was included on the album, and when the song was re-released as a single in 1982, it peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100,[7] No. 23 on Billboard's Top Tracks chart,[8] No. 14 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report),[6] and also charted in the UK.[2]

During the recording sessions for the album, which peaked at No. 41 in the Billboard 200 chart, Warner left due to stage fright, and Hofstra departed before its release, replaced by Tracy Wormworth.[4]

A Christmas song by the band, "Christmas Wrapping", had originally been 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][9] The song was subsequently covered by the Spice Girls in 1998, as the B-side of their single "Goodbye"[1][10] and by the television show Glee sung by the character Brittany for their 2011 Christmas special.[11][11][12]

The Waitresses recorded the theme song to the television program Square Pegs,[3][13] starring Sarah Jessica Parker, which aired during the 1982–1983 season,[14] and the band appeared as themselves in the pilot episode.[14] The song was issued by Polydor as a single in 1982, and was included (along with "Christmas Wrapping") on the EP I Could Rule the World If I Could Only Get the Parts that same year.[4]

The band's second album, Bruiseology, was released by Polydor in May 1983.

Donahue left the band in summer 1984 and was briefly replaced by Holly Beth Vincent (ex-Holly and the Italians). Vincent departed two weeks later and Donahue returned.[2][3] The band finally split up in late 1984.[4]

Post-breakup

Donahue died of lung cancer at the age of 40 on December 9, 1996.[3]

Butler later worked as a producer, and played with numerous bands and artists including Half Cleveland, Purple K'nif and Richard Lloyd.

Ficca played in Gods and Monsters and returned to his former group Television when they reunited in 1991. Williams played with the Psychedelic Furs, NRG Ensemble, Liquid Soul, Hal Russell and Ken Vandermark. Wormworth has played bass for the B-52's since 1992.

The 2013 compilation Just Desserts: The Complete Waitresses, on the Omnivore Recordings label, collected virtually all of the band's recordings for Polydor.[15]

Personnel

Former members


Discography

Albums

Released Title Chart positions
US 		Label
1982 Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful? 41 Polydor
I Could Rule the World If I Could Only Get the Parts EP 128
1983 Bruiseology 155
1984 Make the Weather EP –
1990 The Best of The Waitresses –
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 – Unreleased[16]
2013 Just Desserts: The Complete Waitresses – Omnivore[15]

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
US UK
1978 In "Short Stack" ("Slide" / "Clones") — — single
1980 "I Know What Boys Like" / "No Guilt" — — single[5]
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

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Huey, Steve. "The Waitresses: Biography". All Music Guide. Billboard.com. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Moore, Christie (October 30, 2006). ""W: The Waitresses"". The Unultimate Rockopedia. AuthorHouse. p. 408. ISBN 1-425964-74-5. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Talevski, Nick (August 1, 2006). "Patti Donahue". Knocking on Heaven's Door: Rock Obituaries. Omnibus Press. p. 137. ISBN 1-846090-91-1. Retrieved October 25, 2012. Source states The Waitresses were based in Kent, Ohio, rather than Akron.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 http://www.billboard.com/artist/419396/waitresses/biography
  5. 1 2 Popoff, Martin (September 2, 2010). Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records 1948-1991. Krause. p. 1233. ISBN 1-440216-21-5. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Top Album Picks: First Time Around". Billboard. 94 (5): 71. February 6, 1982. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved October 25, 2012. "The self-made single, 'I Know What Boys Like', has been a New York club favorite for a couple of years now..." (emphasis added).
  7. ↑ "Hot 100: Week of June 5, 1982". Billboard.com. June 12, 1982. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Billboard Rock Albums & Top Tracks". Billboard. 94 (8): 24. February 27, 2012. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  9. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 589. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  10. ↑ "100 Hot Holiday Songs". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  11. 1 2 "'Glee' Extraordinary Merry Christmas (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  12. ↑ Votta, Rae (December 14, 2011). "'Glee' Recap: Anything But a Silent Night". Billboard.com. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Waitresses, The – I Could Rule The World If I Could Only Get the Parts". Discogs.com. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  14. 1 2 "The Waitresses". Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  15. 1 2 Jeffries, David. "Just Desserts: The Complete Waitresses". Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  16. ↑ "Your Choice of Sides − A Collection of Outtakes & Obscuriosities". hardcafe.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-10-25.

Further reading

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