Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)

Subject: Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 May 11 - 03:03 PM

Lyr. Add: Parakeet in de Garden

("A touching song of the Betrayal of Christ")

I heard a parakeet in de Garden.
He was talking to de Master alone.
It was Judas betraying de Master.
He was selling him for thirty piece of silver.

I saw a multitude in de Garden
Coming for de Master alone.
Thet approached him with swords and with bayonet
As if de Master was a thief and a bandit.

Peter drew his sword and *seperated
De ears from de servant of de priest
But de Master showed compassion and feeling,
And touched it with His holy hand of healing.

Said de Master to de Priest and de Captain
And Elders and de vast multitude:
With swords and with staves ye approach me
Yet I never fail to heal and console thee.

But the words of the Scriptures must be fulfilled.
Delivered up to sinners I will be,
And his Disciples they became so weaken-hearted,
That they all forsook de Master and departed.

Jamaican. From an insert in an LP album, "Jamaican Calypso Songs," Frats Quintet, 1950s, "Printed by the Gleaner Co., Ltd., .... Kingston, Ja, B.W.I. - 1949 - 3/58."

*sic. Like many Caribbean songs, this could also be found on other islands, but it is only known from Jamaica.

Copied from www.mentomusic.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 May 11 - 01:49 PM

"I Heard a Parakeet in de Garden," traditional song, was sung by singers of the National Dance Theatre Company at an Easter concert, 2008. The Jamaica Gleaner. No lyrics given with the article.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 12:44 PM

I wonder if parakeet, in this case, was originally a mondegreen for paraclete.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 01:00 PM

Good suggestion. ".....talking to the master alone...." could well indicate someone acting as an adviser or councelor.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 02:08 PM

counselor!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Parakeet in de Garden (spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 08:25 PM

The same verses are found in Olive Lewin, Coll., 1973, Forty Folk Songs of Jamaica, General Secretariat of the OAS, Washington, D.C.