The Wailing Wailers is the 1965 eponymous debut studio album by the Wailers, later known as Bob Marley and the Wailers. Released on the Studio One label, the album is a compilation of various recordings made between 1964 and 1965 by Neville “Bunny” Livingston (Bunny Wailer), Robert Nesta Marley (Bob Marley) and Peter McIntosh (Peter Tosh). It compiles what Clement Coxsone Dodd considered the best Wailers recordings from this period. They were accompanied by the Studio One backing band, The Soul Brothers. It is not a studio album in the conventional sense but was the first full-length LP released of the band's work. The album has remained in print since its release, but after the first release (which has a different cover) each release of the album was newly overdubbed to fit with musical trends of the time. The album had never been released on CD with the original track listing or cover until May 2016.

Music

The songs "Simmer Down" and "Rude Boy", recorded in 1964 and 1965, were youth anthems which established the Wailers as the leaders of the new movement.

Influence

The band photo from the front cover of the 1971 re-issue (also used on various subsequent re-issues), with Bunny Wailer standing on the left, Bob Marley standing in the middle and Peter Tosh standing on the right, was also an inspiration for Walt Jabsco, the logo for 2 Tone Records; the drawing was created by Jerry Dammers and Horace Panter and is based on Peter Tosh.

Track listing

All songs written by Bob Marley, except where noted. Side one Side two