The Waitresses formed in Akron, Ohio in 1978 around songwriter Chris Butler, with Patty Donahue on vocals, Tracy Wormworth on bass, and Dan Klayman on drums. Their sound mixed new wave and punk with pop hooks, and Donahue's deadpan delivery gave their witty lyrics an edge. Songs like 'Know What Boys Like' and 'Square Pegs' captured the awkwardness of everyday life with a mix of sincerity and sarcasm.
In 1981, they released 'Christmas Wrapping' as a non-album single. The song became a holiday hit with its wry take on festive shopping, and it's still played every December. They put out three albums: 'Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful?' in 1982, 'Bruiseology' in 1983, and 'Cattle and Cartoon' in 1986.
Donahue's struggles with addiction led to a period of inactivity in the mid-1980s, and the band never quite regained their earlier momentum. But 'Christmas Wrapping' endures, and the Waitresses' brief catalog still sounds sharp and oddly charming.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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