The Waitresses
The Waitresses |
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The Waitresses were an experimental New Wave band in the early 1980s from Kent, Ohio,[1] United States. The group was led by Chris Butler, although lead vocals were performed by Patty Donahue.
Career
They were best known for their song "I Know What Boys Like", featured on countless new wave compilation albums, an episode of The Simpsons, and frequently used on The Stephanie Miller Show. It was covered in 1995 by British girl band Shampoo, reaching number 42 in the UK charts. They also recorded the theme song to the cult TV show Square Pegs starring a young Sarah Jessica Parker, and their new wave Christmas standard "Christmas Wrapping." The latter was originally available on the Ze Records original collection A Christmas Record, and has been covered by Save Ferris, The Donnas, Kate Nash, A Minute Away From Snowing, and the Spice Girls.
Butler's diverse musical interests are apparent from the use of prepared piano on "No Guilt", microtonal background vocals on the chorus of "Wise Up", tape loops and short wave receiver on "Jimmy Tomorrow", and the title of "Make the Weather", taken from Hugo Ball's autobiography Flight out of Time. Saxophonist and reed player Mars Williams had also worked as Anthony Braxton's copyist.
They released two albums: Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful and Bruiseology. Both titles have been out of print for many years and neither has ever been available on CD; but their music is now available on compilations. The Best of the Waitresses (Polydor 1990) is available on CD.
Discography
Official albums
| Released | Title | Chart Positions Billboard 200 |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | I Could Rule The World If I Could Only Get The Parts | 128 | Polydor |
| 1982 | Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful | 41 | Polydor |
| 1983 | Bruiseology | 155 | Polydor |
| 1983 | 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 Best of the Waitresses | - | Polydor |
| 2007 | Your Choice Of Sides - A Collection Of Outtakes & Obscuriosities | - | Download only No Official label |
Singles
- 1978 - 'in "Short Stack" '
- 1981 - 'Christmas Wrapping'
- 1982 - 'I Know What Boys Like' (#23 on Mainstream Rock Tracks, #62 on Billboard Hot 100)
Principal band members
- Patty Donahue (lead vocals)
- Chris Butler (guitars)
- Mars Williams (saxophone, reed instruments)
- Billy Ficca (drums)
- Dan Klayman (keyboards/organ)
- Tracy Wormworth (bass, background vocals) (mid-1982-83)
- David Hofstra (bass) (1981-82)
- Ariel Warner (background vocals) (1981-82)
- Ralph Carney (keyboards)
- Holly Beth Vincent (briefly replaced Donahue as lead vocalist)
Trivia
- In 2001, Colleen Fitzpatrick, better known as Vitamin C, re-recorded the song, "I Know What Boys Like" for her second album entitled, More. The song is not only from The Waitresses' second album, but it was also their sixth track, just like it is for Vitamin C.
- Now defunct DC synth-pop band Barcelona referenced The Waitresses' singer, Patty Donahue, in "Haunted By The Ghost Of Patty" (found on Barcelona's 2000 release, Zero One Infinity). Lyrics made references to "square pegs" (The Waitresses wrote the theme to the TV show Square Pegs) and "singing about Christmas" (an obvious reference to The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping").