Lyr ADD: Big Bamboo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 02 Dec 21 - 03:46 AM

Someone brought this one up recently as the sort of calypso Belafonte spoke against so often. They weren't exactly wrong but... the thing is half American… at the minimum. Ergo it can't be a calypso.

Duke Of Iron And His Trinidad Calypso Troubadours
Monogram, M-863, 78rpm, 1952, B-side
Credit: Florman, Anderson

Anderson is, of course, Cecil (The Duke of Iron ) Anderson, himself.

Florman?
“...Florman is not a calypso singer or even a West Indian. Indeed, he is a national known engineer and principal of a major construction company in New York. Florman had come to calypso lyric writing because he enjoyed writing poems and had been hired by Manny Warner to compose several calypso lyrics and this was one. But that was only a short lived hobby for him. His writing skills ended up being put to quite different use as he is much better known for a series of highly regarded books from Engineering and the Liberal Arts, The Existential Pleasures of Engineering, Blaming Technology, The Civilized Engineer, and most recently The Introspective Engineer.”
[Kaiso No 31 December 28, 1999]

Nary a calypso peep on his wiki tho: Samuel C. Florman

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 02:53 PM

Yes, the trio in Jamaica that sings it works at the Hilton Rose Hall. I think their version is closest to the Mighty Sparrow one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: Joe_F
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 08:29 PM

Walter Breen, in 1958, before he was infamous, sent me a version pretty much like the one John Wood gave, except for the last verse, for which he has

Ever since God created man,
He has pleased his woman as best as he can;
But I find that women are always true
To the man who gives them the Big Bamboo.

His notation was: On Monogram records. Artist: The Duke of Iron

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: kendall
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 04:59 PM

I heard this one in Jamaica by a trio called Ken and the Cane cutters.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 03:50 PM

The hit recording was by Duke of Iron (1952), and Mighty Sparrow and others also did well from it.
No idea about original author, but claimed by Slinger Francisco (Sparrow). Some list it as traditional.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: GUEST,GI Joe
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 09:27 AM

I heard this back in the 1959's

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: GUEST,James Fryer
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 07:35 AM

I believe this song was originally by Duke of Iron although I don't have a source for this to hand.

The 1960s Lord Creator version of this is very good, with Tommy McCook playing sax.

There are also two tunes, the more common minor-key version and another which uses a similar tune to "Rum and Coca-Cola" where the chorus goes:

It's the big bamboo, bamboo
I-I-I-I-I-I-I [kind of scat singing]
Working for the Yankee Dollar

The verses are otherwise the same.

Subject: Lyr Add: BIG BAMBOO (Slinger Francisco)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 03:12 PM

The original composer is uncertain, but the version by Mighty Sparrow, composed by Slinger Francisco, seems to be the best-known. It borrows bits from other songs.

Lyr. Add: BIG BAMBOO
Slinger Francisco, for Mighty Sparrow

I asked my woman what must I do, what must I do
To make her honest and keep love too, and keep love too.
She said Sparrow all I want from you, I want from you
is a little piece, baby, just a little piece of the big bamboo.

Well, she's ready for bamboo, grows out from the ground, bamboo.
Please it's what I want, bamboo, tadadada bamboo, lalalala bamboo,
laladedada bamboo, tadadada,
The big bamboo, bamboo lalalala lalalala lalala
Working for the yankee dollars
The big bamboo, bamboo, lalalala lalala
Working for the yankee dollars.

I gave my woman a coconut, a coconut
She told me she thought it was OK but, it is OK,
But to my surprise she gave it back to me, right back to me
What good is the nut, baby, tell me what good is the nut without the tree.

Well, she's ready for, bamboo, grows out from the ground, bamboo
It's so big and strong, bamboo, stand up straight and tall, bamboo
Please it's what I want, bamboo, tadadada bamboo, lalalala bamboo,
laladedada bamboo,
Working for the yankee dollars
The big bamboo, bamboo, lalalala lalalala lalala
Working for the yankee dollars.

I gave my woman a sugarcane, a sugarcane
Very very sweet, I must explain, I must explain
And she gave it back, much to my surprise, to my surprise
I love this flavour, I really love this flavour but not the size.

Well she's ready for, bamboo, grows out from the ground, bamboo
It's so big and strong, bamboo, stand up straight and tall, bamboo
Please it's what I want, bamboo, tadadada bamboo, lalalala bamboo
laladedadada bamboo, dubydubydubydoo
The big bamboo, bamboo lalalala lalalala lalala
Working for the yankee dollars
The big bamboo, bamboo lalalala lalalala lalala
Working for the yankee dollars.

Now ever since the world began, the world began
Woman was always fooling man, fooling man
And, but they found out women were always true, always true
To the man, then, who would jam them, when they really really would jam them,
With the big bamboo.

Well they're ready for, bamboo,... etc.

A Japanese came to America, to America
For a woman he bought out Rockefeller Plaza, Rockefeller Plaza
She said Hai, hai hai, no more Ari ka toh, ari ka toh,
You show me up with your bridges,
When I only want a few inches of the big bamboo.

Well she's ready for, bamboo, ... etc.

Copied from a lyrics site with the help of a borrowed cd, "The Best of Mighty Sparrow," Straker's label. Not sure if the lalala's, etc. are exact.
http://www.lyricsdownload.com/mighty-sparrow-big-bamboo-lyrics.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Big Bamboo
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 07:18 AM

Thanks John

Leonilla

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: Gordon
Date: 09 May 99 - 04:06 AM

Thanks very much John. Much appreciated! Gordon

Subject: Lyr Add: BIG BAMBOO
From: John Wood
Date: 06 May 99 - 08:13 PM

Hi, everybody.
Just got back from a jam session.
One of the guys there (Slim), he sings this song!
Got him to sing it while I noted down the text.
So, Mudcatters, if you’re ready, and sitting comfortably, we’ll begin.
This is the clean (or cleaner) version as performed by “The Jolly Boys.”

BIG BAMBOO

1. I asked my lady what could I do
To make her happy and keep her true.
She said, “My friend, one thing I need from you
Is a little tiny piece of that big bamboo.”

CHORUS: Big bamboo, always long,
Big bamboo, so tall and strong,
Big bamboo, stand up straight and tall,
Only big bamboo pleases one and all.

2. I gave my woman a banana plant.
She said, “My friend, this is elegant.
It much too nice to go to waste,
But much too soft to suite my taste.”

3. I gave my woman two coconuts.
She said, “My friend, this is OK but
I know you want to be nice to me,
But what good is the nuts without a tree?”

4. I gave my woman a sugar cane.
“Sweet, this is sweet,” she did explain.
She handed it back to my surprise.
She liked the flavor, but not the size.

5. I won a money pot in Tin Pan Low,
Got me rich and went to Mexico.
His wife divorced him very quick.
She wants bamboo, and no chopsticks.

Greetings John.

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: Gordon
Date: 05 May 99 - 04:49 PM

Night Owl - Just wondering if you mailed the words to me yet. Dont worry about the gov bit in my address- I work for the Met Office (you call it the Weather Bureau I think) in England. Gordon

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: Gordon Watts
Date: 28 Apr 99 - 11:59 PM

My E-Mail is [e-mail] Thanks--The words are actually wanted by an ex submariner He's has been searching a long time for them. Gordon

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: surfy7
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 05:44 AM

Type in "barefoot man" into your browser's search engine. He did this song on one of his CD's

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 27 Apr 99 - 01:17 AM

Then dick will put into database. Aw hell, I'll probably post them, too. I have no shame.

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: MMario
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 02:05 PM

Then Dick will post? yes?

MMario

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 26 Apr 99 - 12:56 PM

Night Owl--If you're shy, send me the words ([e-mail]).

Thanx

Subject: RE: Words of Big Bamboo
From: Night Owl
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 06:27 PM

Gordon...I know a Calypso version of this song,....but...err.....ummmm.....would not post the lyrics here.....what's your e-mail?

Subject: Words of Big Bamboo
From: Gordon Watts
Date: 25 Apr 99 - 05:08 PM

I'm trying to get the words of a song(possibly a calypso and possibly bawdy) called the 'Big Bamboo'.