Customer Reviews

The Best of The Waitresses

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I am hoping that once I learn all the lyrics to "Christmas Wrapping" I will be able to purge that particular song from my short-term memory, but that does not look like it is going to happen anytime soon (I would not mind but I actually have everything wrapped already, thanks, mainly, to this song). The choice at this point is between listening to that catchy little holiday rap within the context of other contemporary Christmas songs or within the context of this album, "The Best of the Waitresses." The Waitresses made their mark with witty and ironic songs of guitarist Chris Butler, including their recognizable hit, "I Know What Boys Like," and the theme for the short-lived by memorable situation comedy, "Square Pegs." The group put out only two albums at the start of the 1980s and their debut effort, "Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?" was a lot better than "Bruiseology." "The Best of the Waitnresses" has the virtue of taking the best from both, and adding the "Square Pegs" song into the mix. Yes, you can dance to these songs, but you have to pay attention to the lyrics, because lead singer Patty Donahue certainly does (e.g., the telphone bit on "No Guilt." This is a memorable post-punk band that was a lot more than a one-hit wonder (with a television show theme song). Final recommendation: If you want more than the best of the Waitresses, then skip their two albums and check out their live album from a King Biscuit Flower Hour appearance, which has a live version of "Christmas Wrapping." Meanwhile, my turkey was actually too big, but I have plenty of cranberries and I just need to catch my breath. Just be sure you do Christmas right this time.

With the perennial favorite song CHRISTMAS WRAPPING all over the airwaves this time of year, I thought it would be fun to revisit THE BEST OF THE WAITRESSES. I know what you're thinking.The only song you know from them is I KNOW WHAT BOYS LIKE & the above referenced X-MAS tune. But give them a chance! If you were into the alternative radio scene in the early 80's, you might recognize WASN'T TOMORROW WONDERFUL. If TV was your thing, you'll remember their theme song to the short lived series SQUARE PEGS( both song & tv show were shamlessly overlooked- it was THE 80's teen angst show starring the then unknown Sarah Jessica Parker!). But it's in the listening to the obscure, mostly unheard tracks that you begin to see that the WAITRESSES were a pre-cursor to a very popular girl band of the 90's; NO DOUBT! Infusing horns & sassy lyrics( although Gwen never sounds as catty as Waitress's lead singer Patty Donahue),with some ska on songs like WISE UP , BREAD & BUTTER & THEY'RE ALL OUT OF LIQUOR, LET'S FIND ANOTHER PARTY that pretty soon, I guarantee you won't remember if you put on TRAGIC KINGDOM by NO DOUBT or the WAITRESSES! A one hit wonder band; maybe. But wasn't YESTERDAY WONDERFUL ,too?!

Collecting songs from the Waitresses two albums _Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful_ and _Bruiseology_ plus non-album material like their Christmas single and the theme to the TV show "Square Pegs", this CD should be picked up by anyone who wants an instant trip down memory lane to 1982! Witty, intelligent, catchy, novel, humorous - the Waitresses were all of these. Written off at the time as a Blondie knock-off and a one hit wonder, the Waitresses deserved more commercial attention than they ultimately got. Such classics as "No Guilt", "Wise Up", and "The Liquor's All Out, Let's Find Another Party" are hilarious, savvy social commentary set to a catchy pop beat. The smart, sassy lyrics lend this music an air of intelligence that is lacking in so much other pop music. Recommended for anyone who came of age in the early 80's, or anyone who wishes they had.

This is a GREAT collection from the extremely underrated Waitresses! The songs you know are here: "I Know What Boys Like", "Christmas Wrapping" (which is probably one of the best original contemporary Christmas songs ever), and "Square Pegs" (the theme to Sarah Jessica Parker's short-lived early 80's sitcom). There are a few notable songs missing ("Red Land", "Pussy Strut"... a song I like to sing to my cats! I don't really think that song is about cats.), but if you were unfortunate enough to miss out on The Waitresses in the 80's you probably won't miss the songs.

Tracy Wormworth, the bassist for The Waitresses can be seen every week day on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" (she's the bass player in John McD and the McDLT's- the band on the show.) I wonder why Rosie has never mentioned this! Patty Donahue, the lead singer of The Waitresses, sadly is no longer with us. She died a few years ago.

Anyway- this cd is a MUST for all fans of 80's music. Pop music just isn't this clever and catchy anymore and that is a total crime. Most of the world sort of missed out on this group. Be the one to inform your friends about the creamy goodness that IS THE WAITRESSES!

If I had to compare this album to today's artists i would choose Garbage and No Doubt. This group has killer beats. Each song is unique and not like some synthesizer rehash. What really caught me were the lyrics in these songs. They are songs that I can relate to. Even 80's political songs like "Bread and Butter" are still relevant today and "Square Pegs" is my new national anthem for my "adolescent stage". More proof that 80's music wasn't just keyboards and big hair.

The Waitresses were a post-punk new-wave band that existed during the early to mid 1980s. None of their original studio albums has ever been released on CD. However, the 15 song compilation CD "The Best Of The Waitresses" is an excellent representation of what the band was all about.

Every one of these songs contains a certain amount of sarcasm and sense of humor. This band was about attitude more than anything else. For listeners who "get it," listening to the Waitresses is a pure pleasure.

The music on this CD is about as good as any music of the 1980s ever got. The playful attitude of singer Patty Donahue, combined with her wise-donkey vocal smirks make this a very fun record to listen to. Combine that with her confidence, and her need and ability to be in control of her life, and you have exactly what 1980s feminism is all about. Donahue is never a victim. Instead, she is in charge - she is in contorl of her life. She makes the decisions.

I don't know if there's much point in me listing any of the individual songs, because every song here is great, and the CD flows exceptionally well from the very beginning to the very end.

Ultimately, when it comes down to it, this is a fantastic CD.

"The Best of the Waitresses" is a must-have CD. If the only song that you have heard by this band was "I Know What Boys Like" then you are missing out. There is a whole lot more! Patty's attitude shines over the full band's rich texture of punchy drums, excellent guitars, complex bass lines, keyboards, well-done backing vocals and(sometimes)crazy saxaphone! Patty's voice is kind of like a Debora Iyall (Romeo Void)/Susan Ottaviano(Book of Love) mixture of style with spoken/sung phrases and brilliant lyrics (thanks to Chris Butler's hand). "Christmas Wrapping" is the one track that led me to purchase their (now out of print) EP "I Could Rule the World If I Could only Get the Parts" many years ago. I was ecstatic when I discovered this release. The arrangements are very tight and full, offering new surprises with each listen. It's a shame that Patty Donahue died of cancer. The world of today could use more of her talents. As far as favorite tracks go, I really like the whole CD! It's one of those great discs that you can really play all the way through and enjoy it up until the end!

I heard Christmas Wrapping on the radio, and bought the album. The rest of the tunes lived up to this standard. Hard, clean-edged vocals deliver lyrics that are almost poetry. You must work a bit to get all of this music - its not easy listening, at least not if you're over 40. But its worth the effort, and its great music in traffic.

If you like The Waitresses, you might also enjoy Amy Rigby (Diary of a Mod Housewife) and Uncle Bonsai. If you care to step back two generations, check out Tom Lehrer.

The Waitresses are clever and original in both lyrics and melodies. The song "Christmas Wrapping" is the best pop Christmas song ever recorded! I was very pleased to have finally located this album and look forward to adding it to my collection.

Chistmas Eve '92: a female DJ duo at 102.1FM in Jersey pre-recorded their Christmas segment: all female Christmas Songs (Brenda Lee, Darlene Love, Karen Carpenter, The Ronettes,etc.) including an unknown (to me) song that immediately became one of my favorites, Christmas or otherwise. I spent the next ten years trying to describe the song to everyone I knew, and no one knew who or what I was talking about. The song doesn't even play every year (a Hartford DJ at CT's biggest oldies station e-mailed me back, today, saying that it's not even in their library, in response to my Christmas request to hear it.) I gave up. Finally, in '07, the song popped up on a CT AM station. The DJ even called the name: "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses. While I cannot speak to the quality of this particular CD, (I haven't played any of my CDs yet) I can attest to the fact that "Christmas Wrapping" is one of the best rock n' roll songs that I've ever heard. "Boys Like" is a bonus that I didn't know they made.