Belafonte lived in Jamaica from c.1936 – 1939 (from the age of nine to almost thirteen.) Hubert Porter recorded the main pop version of "Iron Bar" for Ken Khouri in Jamaica in 1953 as a "traditional mento." It may have been around before then but Irving Burgie had never been to Jamaica period. He was studying the modern recordings available in 42nd street music stores in New York City.

Contemporary fans feel just as strongly about the authenticity of their mento as do calypsonians so calling "Jamaica Farewell" a mento wouldn't do either. Luckily for the "modern calypsonian" selling into mid-20th century American and European markets was unlikely to cause much of a fuss either way.