I've wondered about a number of those calypso songs that were recorded by Belafonte, the Kingston Trio, and others. They're credited to Lord Burgess, Irving Burgess, and most often Irving Burgie. I have a delightful little CD called Island in the Sun: The Songs of Irving Burgie (1996 - Angel Records). The CD booklet says Belafonte recorded 35 Burgie songs, and the Kingston Trio recorded several. Burgie wrote the words to the national anthom of Barbados, his mother's homeland. Burgie attended Juilliard, University of Arizona, and the University of California. He used "Lord Burgess" as a stage name in the mid-1950's.
Here are the songs on the CD:

1. Day-O
   
2. Jamaica Farewell
   
3. River Come Down
   
4. Island in the Sun
   
5. Angelina
   
6. Yellow Bird
   
7. Land of the Sea and Sun
   
8. Gamblin'
   
9. Kingston Market

One could wish that such a prolific songwriter could come out with a CD with more than 10 songs, but this is all I know of. Still, I wonder how many of these songs have traditional roots. Are they all completely original? Many have entered the "folk canon" and are often listed as "traditional."
-Joe Offer-