The Waterboys

"The Big Music" period

A Girl Called Johnny was from the band's first studio album "The Waterboys" released in 1983 and was the start of what is known as their Big Music period. Starting officially as a trio with Mike Scott (vocals), Anthony Thistlewaite (sax), and Karl Wallinger (keyboard) the band has gone through some 71 members over the years.

 At the end and apex of the Big Music period and perhaps their best known Big Music Song,  The Whole of the Moon was released on their 1985 album This is the Sea.

Raggle-Taggle Band

With loss of Wallinger and the addition of Steve Wickham the band took on a completely different sound with a distinctly folksy twist  with the release of the albums Fisherman's Blues followed up by Room to Roam.

  

Alternative

Following a breakup and seven year hiatus as Mike Scott pursued a solo career the band reformed with the release of Rock in a Weary Land.

 Universal Hall which followed took a distinctly spiritual twist with songs such as This Light is for the World,  The Christ in You,  and Peace of Iona featured below.

There latest album, An Appointment with Mr. Yeats is rather peculiar,  all 14 songs on the album are based off the poetry of Yeats.

I normally try and keep the number of songs limited in a post so as not to overwhelm, but thought it interesting to depict the evolution of the band over time.  You don't need to listen to them all, although there is no harm in that, but this provides you an opportunity to at least sample a few of them.

They have been cited as influence on such bands as Simple Minds, The Alarm, In Tua Nua, Big Country, Hothouse Flowers, and World Party, although it should be noted that World Party was founded by Karl Wallinger, one of the original Waterboys.  The band has also been cited for its influence by both Bono and the Edge of U2.