Patty Donahue - The Waitresses

[cachluv]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patty_Donahue

Patty Donahue (Patricia J. Donahue, March 29, 1956â?? December 9, 1996) was the lead singer of The Waitresses (sometimes credited as Patty Darling).
Donahue was the lead vocalist for The Waitresses. "I Know What Boys Like" and "Christmas Wrappings" were among their hits. Donahue's tone, described variously by the media as "cheeky," "dry," and "knowing," with a "playful sexiness," certainly led to the songs' popularity. Though their music had a post-punk sensibility, Donahue never raised her voice above a "half-yell," yet still commanded great attention.
During the recording of the second and final Waitresses' album, Bruiseology, Donahue left the band and was replaced with Holly Beth Vincent, even though Donahue rejoined afterwards.
After The Waitresses broke up for good, Donahue generally kept a low profile, though she is credited on Alice Cooper's Zipper Catches Skin with "vocals and sarcasm." She later worked for MCA A&R, finding other talented musicians.
A heavy smoker, Donahue died of lung cancer at the age of 40 after battling it for almost a year. The Cleveland Rock N Roll Hall of Fame has a leather jacket Patty wore during some performances.

[xenaswolf]

Patty Donahue


Field:Music

Info:Lead singer of the group The Waitresses, "I Know What Boys Like", "Christmas Wrappings"
Date of Birth:03/29/1956Date of Death:12/09/1996Age at Death:40
Cause of Death:
Cancer

[CCB72]

Wow, didnt know she died...I find out more info on this board than anywhere else !

[Kathyf]

I don,t think I ever heard of them. Sad she died so young. What kind of music was this?

[JefeStone]

80' New Wave music. Their biggest hit was "I know what boys like" and the did the theme song for the TV show "Square Pegs" I loved that show. Junior high in 82. Great memories.

[Jaxxx]

80's music..gag, cough, cough, gag

[Kathyf]

Thanks I think I know now.

[GODDESS6]

80' New Wave music. Their biggest hit was "I know what boys like" and the did the theme song for the TV show "Square Pegs" I loved that show. Junior high in 82. Great memories.

omg, i never missed an episode of "square pegs"!!!~

[cleanskull]

Christmas Wrappings is one our favorite Holiday songs.

[joplinfrk]

That was too bad. Remember the video to "I know what boys like"? LOL

[Death Hag Chris]

That was too bad. Remember the video to "I know what boys like"? LOL

yeah, that video was BAD!!!! and not in a good way. very 80's. but still not as bad as that Romeo Void video Never Say Never!!!!! YUCK!

[KristinEileen]

I didn't know she died! Then again I was in fourth grade when it happened. Christmas Wrappings is my favorite Christmas song. Anytime it is on I turn it up and rock out, even if I just heard it like two minutes before....that's sad

[JefeStone]

yeah, that video was BAD!!!! and not in a good way. very 80's. but still not as bad as that Romeo Void video Never Say Never!!!!! YUCK!

That singer for Romeo Void was kinda scary. She was like a New Wave Mama Cass!

[stacebabe]

Such a shame. She had a great voice. Every year for I don't know how long now we've always decorated my tree to "Christmas Rapping" --- it totally gets us in the spirit!

Patty Donahue


Field:Music

Info:Lead singer of the group The Waitresses, "I Know What Boys Like", "Christmas Wrappings"
Date of Birth:03/29/1956Date of Death:12/09/1996Age at Death:40
Cause of Death:
Cancer

[Aries65]

That singer for Romeo Void was kinda scary. She was like a New Wave Mama Cass!

I liked Debra Iyall. "A Girl in Trouble (is a temporary thing)" is another good song by them. I have their Greatest Hits on CD. They were a San Francisco based band.

[qulevergrrl]

From her website...


Originally, like Chris Butler, from Ohio, Patty first appeared on record as Patty darling on the Waitresses track "Astronettes" recorded in Ohio.

Patty moved to New York when the band relocated and continued to work there after the end of the band.
Whilst the other members of the band have remained active musicians to the present day, Patty Donahue, whilst remaining in the music business, kept to a largely backstage role. During the 90's she worked in A&R helping to nurture new talent and, by all accounts inspired her aspiring 'charges'.
As a result of a huge bust up during the recording in England of the second LP, some of the tracks had to be completed without her which probably accounts for the slightly darker disjointed nature of Bruiseology compared to it's predesessor. Only those close to the situation know the real reasons behind this and it's not my place to comment on them. It was the same collection of sometimes diverse personalities, backgrounds and egos that produced the first LP. If it all went wrong at the wrong time then sobeit.
It's important to remember that the songs Patty sang as the Waitresses lead singer were those of Chris Butler and was expertly portraying what amounted to a fictional character although it appears that some elements did indeed mirror her own life.
Little seems to have been heard of Donahue on the recording scene since the Waitresses demise although she was credited with "vocals and Sarcasm" on the 1981 Alice Cooper LP "Zipper Catches Skin".
I'm very keen to know if anything else is available with Patty singing on it. Sadly, Patty fought a losing battle against lung cancer and died, aged 40, on December 9th 1996

[Curtis Radiohead]

Such a shame. She had a great voice. Every year for I don't know how long now we've always decorated my tree to "Christmas Rapping" --- it totally gets us in the spirit!

I don't remember ever hearing this song...

[qulevergrrl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP_WH4heId4

[Jersey Girl]

I love "Christmas Wrapping!"
Wow, at first I thought " I didn't know she did," but then I vaguely remembered hearing she had died.

[Finnegan]

thanks for the link grrrl
that's one of my fave christmas tunes, but l never knew who did it
scary that she died so young from lung cancer
*finn lights up another cigarette*

[RaRaRamona]

I'm there's a thread here for her. I used to really dig them When I lived in Dallas The Edge played them aaaalll the time. The first time i heard "CW" I thought it was Blondie.

Ready for some blasphemy?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r7IHWy2tGk

[RoRo]

I loved that song when I was younger and I loved Square Pegs too

[Tyler77]

Square Pegs Square Pegs


SQUARE



PEGS!!!

[leevancleef]

Junior high in 82. Great memories.

1 year old in 82. It sucks to have missed the 80s

[Mrs F]

Speaking of Square Pegs it is coming to DVD this year! Very excited for that. So sad to hear about Patty. I loved The Waitresses.

[dustbuster]

my band the GO (NY, not the current Detroit outfit) opened for the Waitresses at a club in NJ, '80 or '81. Patty was a very sweet girl. sad she died so young.

[lisalouver]

I had no idea she died!

I loved I know what boys like.

Boy does that bring back the memories. Junior high just like Jefe said!

[joplinfrk]

Good memories. I LOVED the 80's...what a neat era to have lived through.

[cherryghost]

I found out she died here or on FAD site. Really odd she was a fixture in my video images of the time . Such an iconic great video and try and get the song out of your head when you recall it! I know what boys like.... gosh I never did at the time!

[Aries65]

My brother hated the song "I Know What Boys Like" since he felt like it was a song putting down/making fun of men! I guess he was having girl problems in High School at the time...

[Chunga]

I live in Cleveland. The Waitresses got a lot of air play on college radio 'round these parts.

[Tugboat25]

The 80's were a Fantastic time to be around.
It was one of those rare decades where everything just kinda came together from great music (yes, even the silly one hit wonder 80's songs added to the culture) and the clothes and the hair and the movies.
I really loved the 80's. (sigh)

[Boopassing]

I totally agree with the above two posters. Another great band out of Cleveland was The Michael Stanley Band, and then there is Akron's Devo and Chrissie Hynde. Good times. Good times!

[Chunga]

I totally agree with the above two posters. Another great band out of Cleveland was The Michael Stanley Band, and then there is Akron's Devo and Chrissie Hynde. Good times. Good times!

The Godz, Dead Boys, Chrissie Hyne, Pere Ubu. A lot of folks 'round these parts can't stand MSB though.


The Godz a rock and roll machine...

[Boopassing]

Yeah, some of my college buds used to call them the Michael Suckly Band. I liked them, though, and Donnie Iris. I forgot about the Godz. It's been a long time! LOL!

[joplinfrk]

That's a beautiful picture of her. She's that pretty in a non-traditional way that I was talking about in another thread. I love it!

[Dylgem22]

"Christmas Wrappings" is one of my all time fav holiday songs .. I love when it comes on the radio, and I even have a CD with it on there! I like all the other songs by The Waitresses too (ones that are familiar) .. sad she died so young!!

[Forever-27]

Hated the 1980s ... geeze,

Just saw the vid for I know what Boys Like on VH1 Classic and it made me wonder why id watch endless hours of Mtv , the video is so primitave.

The Waitresses were a flash in the pan .... Like most of the " new wave " bands of the decade, here today gone tommorow.

The 1980s didnt produce much talented music.

[Fancynancy]

80's music..gag, cough, cough, gag

Oh, my gosh, the eighties had the best music!!!!

[candleinthewind]

Square Pegs Square Pegs


SQUARE



PEGS!!!

One size does not fit all.

[orionova]

When I was in 6th grade, near the end of the school year, our teacher told us that the next day we were allowed to bring in records to play. I brought my latest K-Tel compilation disc, and put on "I Know What Boys Like". It lasted about a minute before the teacher told me to take the record off the player. There were no more records played that day.

[sage71]

I grew up in the 80's and loved the song "I Know What Boys Like" (still like it)...anyway, just saw the video on VH1 Classic's "Totally 80's" today and noticed something near the end of the video that I've never noticed before (and I've probably seen that video 100 times)...Patty is holding a cigarette. Not sure how I missed that before! Probably because it wasn't as big of a deal to see that in the 80's vs. now.

[Pachamama]

I worked in radio back in the 80s. Great fun! I loved the Waitresses. Didnt know she had died so young. So sad.