Wayne Wonder Tells The Stories Behind His Hit Songs

Jamaican star Wayne Wonder recently shared some insight into the creative process that led to No Letting Go, Saddest Day, and a few of his other classic Dancehall hits.  Speaking on DJ Kash’s Podcast, the legendary singer, whose real name is Von Wayne Charles, said that most, if not all, of his songs, were inspired by his own real-life experiences or his witness to other people’s situations.

“Yeah man 99% is real vibe,” he told Kash, while flashing his signature pearly whites as it regards his ‘original’ song releases. Music lovers from the early ’90s would remember Wayne Wonder for his resonating covers of popular R&B songs, namely Traci Chapman’s Fast Car, Michael Jackson’s Heal The World, and P.M. Dawn’s I’d Die Without You, and several more.

Wonder, now 49, shared the fascinating stories behind five of his greatest hits.

No Letting Go

Challenged by his girl Jackie to do a song about her instead of his usual casual affairs with other women, Wonder said he went down into the basement of his home in Queens, New York, and began playing with the keys on the beat, Diwali riddim producer Lenky (Steven Marsden) had sent him.

The lyrics just flowed, “it was like magic,” he said. “It just came out – ‘Got somebody…’ – cause everything I singing bout, I know -‘She is a beauty, very special’ … ‘you right by my side… night and day’,” he sang to demonstrate how he came up with the verses to the host.

“And in the verse where we say like Keisha and Aneisha, those are real stories,” he revealed as girls from past relationships.

Wayne and Jackie, who is now his wife, have been married since the release of No Letting Go, he disclosed in a 2019 Gleaner interview.

Joy Ride

Another big hit for Wayne was the single Joy Ride with Baby Cham. Released in 2000, the singer confirmed Cham’s account that the track came about during an actual joy ride to Portland, while chilling in the back of a convertible car Dave Kelly was driving.

The two deejays were simply caught up in the moment and started freestyling the lyrics. Upon getting back into town they headed to the studio and recorded the song.

I’m So Lonely

I’m So Lonely was motivated by a rough patch in his relationship with Jackie. Wayne said he was home nursing a broken heart after she had left him and gone abroad. His friend Buju Banton, who he regularly collaborated with on songs, stopped by his apartment when he decided to bare his soul.

“I’m so lonely lonely lonely… girl I’m lonely for you only” he sang at the piano. As he continued creating the lyrics, Banton immediately chimed in and added his verses, “Stine! (who Buju called him) Ah mi say what you gonna do, woman fed up she say she nuh in a nuttn wid you, cant see you through, mi say whatcha gonna do?”… And the rest was history.

Informer

In another true-life experience, Informer was inspired by an incident at the wharf.

Wonder’s (then) baby mother Jackie had shipped furniture from abroad and upon clearing the items at the warehouse, a supervisor tried to impede the process. Wonder witnessed the staff quarreling amongst themselves and referred to their superior as an “informer” who was trying to stop their hustle. He embodied their struggle and came up with the narrative and lyrics for the track.

Saddest Day

This was a memory from Wayne’s high school days at Camperdown. After a long summer break without seeing or speaking to his high school sweetheart, she returned to school and called things off … “saddest day of my life is when she left me with a broken heart, I was feeling the pain …”

The song was later remixed with rapper, Foxy Brown, who also hopped on another track Brooklyn We Go Hard with Wayne.

 Songs He Wrote

Wonder also revealed that he was an instrumental force behind other hit songs from Dancehall stars including Buju Banton, Baby Cham, Terro Fabulous, and Don Yute. Not only did he write songs for the deejays but would also spit catchy freestyles to assist in creating the hooks for their songs during studio sessions.

Buju Banton – Deportee

“Me and Frankie Sly wrote Deportee for Buju,” the singer divulged. The character in the song was based on a personal friend of Wayne, who had got ‘dipped’ and was sent back to Jamaica. “Me and Frankie Sly vibed it and wrote it and Buju came in and heard it and like it and at that time nothing wasn’t too good for us to give him and he end up doing the song.”

Frisco Kid – Rubbers

Wayne said he wrote the popular song Rubbers, which was recorded by Dancehall deejay Frisco Kid in 1998. After modifying the lyrics with Dave Kelly and adding the name Jacqueline in the infamous line “Mi want a jook of a Jacqueline but mi haffi draw for my rubbers,” Frisco voiced the track and made it a hit.

Alley Cat – Girls Tour

Wonder said a studio session with Alley Cat found him freestyling lyrics for his single Girls Tour. Once he provided the melodies and hook, the deejay would then ‘advance’ the song to make it his own.

Watch the full interview with Wayne Wonder on DJ Kash podcast here.