The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #36282   Message #4151734
Posted By: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
01-Sep-22 - 07:56 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Small Island
Subject: RE: Origins: Small Island
fwiw: Bajan is not just “Barbadian.” It's English from Barbados by way the Carolinas (North American,) so major issues with the “r” sound (rhoticity;) twoubadou for troubadour &c. Bajan Creole is one of the few English based island creole languages. Weirdly, when writing things down, folks switch to regular old Oxford English.

The Duke & Lord confusion usually stems from:
Small Island, Decca 30732, 10-in. 1945, New York, vocals by Rupert Grant (Lord Invader) w/Lionel Belasco & His Orchestra. Written and performed by Grant.
Small Island, Disc 628, 10-in, recorded 1946, New York, vocals by Duke of Iron (Cecil Anderson) w/Felix and His Internationals. Written by Grant, performed by Anderson.

There are dozens of published versions and claims for Small Island. Nina & Frederik even throw in Moscow, Castro & Cuba, but I've never been able to locate the later North American school songbook everybody seems to remember.