Studio Album · No. 1
The Wailing Wailers Songwriting Credits by Bob Marley
Produced by Clement Seymour Dodd
Studio One
SkaRocksteady
67%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 8 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 8 / 12 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Bob Marley carries a lyricist or composer credit.
8 trackswritten by Bob Marley
4 tracksoutside writers
Bob Marley's roles on this album
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist67%
Composer67%
Producer0%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
12
Tracks
9
Lyricists
1
Producers
1965
Released
Data Insight
The Wailing Wailers gathers the group's early Studio One singles cut for producer Clement Coxsone Dodd, with most songs written by Bob Marley. Marley shares writing credit with Dodd on Simmer Down and (I'm Gonna) Put It On, and co-wrote Lonesome Feeling with Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh, while It Hurts to Be Alone is credited to Junior Braithwaite. The record also leans on covers such as What's New Pussycat? and the Moonglows' Ten Commandments of Love, with the Soul Brothers backing the vocal trio.
The Wailers' debut studio album, released in 1965 on Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd's Studio One label in Jamaica. Recorded by the original Wailers lineup, Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingston, Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso, and Cherry Smith, it blends ska originals with covers including the pop song 'What's New Pussycat?' The album was not released internationally at the time and remained obscure outside Jamaica for many years.
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
(I'm Gonna) Put It On
|
Bob MarleyCoxsone Dodd | Robert Nesta MarleyClement Seymour Dodd | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
I Need You
|
Bob Marley | Robert Nesta Marley | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Lonesome Feeling
|
Bob MarleyBunny WailerPeter Tosh | Robert Nesta MarleyNeville O'Riley LivingstonWinston Hubert McIntosh | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
What's New Pussycat?
|
Burt BacharachHal David | Burt Freeman BacharachHarold Lane David | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
One Love
|
Bob Marley | Robert Nesta Marley | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
When the Well Runs Dry
|
William Bell | William Yarbrough | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Ten Commandments of Love
|
Harvey Fuqua | Harvey Lee Fuqua | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Rude Boy
|
Bob Marley | Robert Nesta Marley | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
It Hurts to Be Alone
|
Junior Braithwaite | Junior Braithwaite | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Love and Affection
|
Bob Marley | Robert Nesta Marley | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
I'm Still Waiting
|
Bob Marley | Robert Nesta Marley | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Simmer Down
|
Bob MarleyCoxsone Dodd | Robert Nesta MarleyClement Seymour Dodd | Clement Seymour Dodd | Bob Marley (Lead Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 17 contributors
BM
Bob Marley
Writer · Vocals
RN
Robert Nesta Marley
Writer
CS
Clement Seymour Dodd
Writer · Producer
CD
Coxsone Dodd
Writer
BW
Bunny Wailer
Writer
BB
Burt Bacharach
Writer
BF
Burt Freeman Bacharach
Writer
HD
Hal David
Writer
HL
Harold Lane David
Writer
HF
Harvey Fuqua
Writer
HL
Harvey Lee Fuqua
Writer
JB
Junior Braithwaite
Writer
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Frequently Asked Questions The Wailing Wailers
Is The Wailing Wailers Bob Marley's first album?
Yes. Released in 1965 on Coxsone Dodd's Studio One label, it was the debut full-length LP for the group that later became Bob Marley and the Wailers. It compiles early singles recorded at Jamaica Recording on Brentford Road in Kingston between 1964 and 1965.
Did Bob Marley write the songs on The Wailing Wailers?
Bob Marley wrote most of the original songs, and the LP credits all songs to him except where noted. He shares writing credit with Clement Coxsone Dodd on Simmer Down and (I'm Gonna) Put It On, and co-wrote Lonesome Feeling with Bunny Livingston and Peter Tosh. Several tracks are covers written by other artists.
Who were the Wailers on The Wailing Wailers?
The vocal group featured Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston). They were backed by the Studio One house band known as the Soul Brothers.
Is One Love on The Wailing Wailers?
Yes. Bob Marley's One Love first appeared on this 1965 album in its original ska form. The later 1977 One Love/People Get Ready version added a writing credit for Curtis Mayfield because it incorporated his Impressions song People Get Ready, but the original 1965 recording credited only Marley.
What is Simmer Down on The Wailing Wailers?
Simmer Down was the Wailers' first single and was the number one hit in Jamaica in February 1964. It is credited to Bob Marley and Clement Coxsone Dodd and is regarded as Marley's first hit. It appears on the album as one of the group's defining early ska recordings.
Are there cover songs on The Wailing Wailers?
Yes. The album includes What's New Pussycat? by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Ten Commandments of Love by the Moonglows, and When the Well Runs Dry by William Bell. These sit alongside the group's own compositions written mainly by Bob Marley.
What genre is The Wailing Wailers?
The album is rooted in ska, the dominant Jamaican style of the mid-1960s, with the early Wailers vocal trio fronting the Soul Brothers band. It captures the group before their later shift toward rocksteady and reggae.