| The Waitresses | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Akron, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | New Wave |
| Years active | 1978–1984 |
| Labels | ZE Records, Polydor |
| Associated acts | Tin Huey |
| Past members | |
| Chris Butler Patty Donahue Billy Ficca Dan Klayman Mars Williams Dave Hofstra Ariel Warner Tracy Wormworth Ralph Carney Holly Beth Vincent |
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The Waitresses were an experimental new wave band from Akron, Ohio. The group was led by guitarist/songwriter Chris Butler with lead vocals performed by Patty Donahue.
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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. I Know What Boys Like was originally released as a single in 1980 but did not chart. In 1982 the song peaked at #62 on the Billboard Hot 100, #23 on Billboard's Top Tracks chart and #14 on the Australian Singles Chart (Kent Music Report).
The Waitresses also recorded the theme song to the television program Square Pegs.[1] which aired during the 1982–1983 season. Their Christmas song "Christmas Wrapping" was originally released on the ZE Records album A Christmas Record in 1981, and became a #45 hit in the United Kingdom in 1982.[2] The song was subsequently covered by the Spice Girls in 1998, as the B-side of their single "Goodbye"[3] and by the television show Glee sung by the character Brittany for their 2011 Christmas special, which aired 13 December 2011.
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. 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.
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).
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. The band finally split up in late 1984 after the departures of Carney and Klayman.
Donahue died of lung cancer at the age of 40 on December 9, 1996.
| Released | Title | Chart positions Billboard 200 |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful? | 41 | Polydor |
| 1982 | I Could Rule the World if I Could only Get the Parts EP | 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 |
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | |||
| 1978 | "Slide" | — | — | single |
| 1980 | "I Know What Boys Like" | — | — | single |
| 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 |