Lyr Add: Folk Songs of Guyana

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHNNY FERNANDEZ (trad. Guyana)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 02:07 PM

Guyana, formerly British Guiana, is a rich source of songs in the local English based Creole.
The first one here is for Charley Noble.

Lyr. Add: JOHNNY FERNANDEZ
(Tune- Blow the Man Down)

Johnny Fernandez was a *Putagee man,
Blow, blow, blow, blow de man down !
Blow de man down wid a bottle o' rum.
Gie me some time to blow de man down !

Johnny kyan' read, Johnny kyan' spell,
Blow, blow, blow, blow de man down !
Blow de man down wid a piece o' cow dung,
Gie me some time to blow de man down !

*Portuguese

http://silvertorch.com/folksongs-of-guyana.html

East Indian culture is strong in Guyana, book sources of the English Creole are expensive, and the few online sites could be lost, hence I am putting some of the more interesting ones here.

Subject: Lyr Add: CHI-CHI LAY LAY (trad. Guyana)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 02:19 PM

Lyr. Add: CHI-CHI LAY LAY

Who is the washer, chi-chi lay lay
Who is the washer, chi-chi lay lay
Chi-chi lay lay, chi-chi lay lay lay
Who is the washer, chi-chi lay lay.

She is the washer, chi-chi lay lay
She is the washer, chi-chi lay lay
Chi-chi lay lay, chi-chi lay lay lay
Who is the washer, chi-chi lal lay.

Whi is the ironer, chi-chi lay lay
etc.

She is the ironer, chi-chi lay lay
She is the ironer, chi-chi lay lay
Chi-chi lay lay, chi-chi lay lay lay
Who is the washer, chi-chi lay lay

Children introduce other activities...
Who is the sweeper...
Who is the dancer...

http://silvertorch.com/folksongs-of-guyana.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Folk Songs of Guyana
From: pdq
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 02:28 PM

I've always liked Larry Hosford's "Hitchiking in Guyana".

Subject: Lyr Add: UNCLE JOE (trad. Guyana)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 03:34 PM

Lyr. Add: UNCLE JOE

Me bin a' rice fiel' go wok,
me na hear when *manin' train pass
Me bin a' rice fiel', go wok
me na hear when manin' train pass
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go,
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go.

Me bin a' cane fiel' go cut,
me na hear when manin' train pass
Me bin a' cane fiel' go cut,
me na hear when manin' train pass
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go.

Me gin a' punt trench go swim,
an de watah cool dung me kin
Me gin a' punt trench go swim,
an de watah cool dung me kin
Uncle Joe, gimme mo leh me go, (4x)

*manin' = mining train
UNCLE JOE is a work song from the east coast of Demerara.

http://silvertorch.com/folksongs-of-guyana.html

A sound clip of the song may be heard at http://www.ecaroh.com/folk/korokwa_folkguyanastyle.htm
(The cd is out-of-print).

Subject: Lyr Add: KUMA-KUMA FISH (trad. Guyana)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 04:13 PM

The cd "Folk Guyana Style may be downloaded at a couple of sites.

Lyr. Add: KUMA-KUMA FISH

No eat ah fish, mama !
Na eat ah fish !
Ah kuma-kuma fish, mama
Nah eat ah fish !

He worse than perai, mama
Worse than perai.
Ah Kuma-Kuma fish, mama,
Nah eat ah fish !

He guh bring you bad luck, mama
Bring you bad luck.
Ah kuma-Kuma fish, mama
Nah eat ah fish !

He guh wok you belly, mama
Wok you belly.
Ah Kuma-Kuma fish, mama
Nah eat ah fish !

http://voiceofguyana.com/2005/07/12/kuma-kuma-fish

The kuma-kuma is a bottom dweller; depending on species, from marine to brackish to freshwater. It has long filaments extending from the head.
Perai is a Tamil word, used for some flat fish. Couldn't find the specific fish indicated in the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Folk Songs of Guyana
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 05:40 PM

Don't miss these videos! Download while available. Volumes 1-4. Great singing and pictures.

http://guyaneseonline.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/guyana-original-folk-songs/

Subject: Lyr Add: MANIN' NEIGHBA (trad. Guyana)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Jun 11 - 07:27 PM

Lyr. Add: MANIN' NEIGHBA

Chorus:-
Manin' neighba, manin', Manin' neighba, manin'
Manin' neighba, manin', ah don' want yuh conniving manin'
Manin' neighba, manin', Manin' Neighba, manin'
Manin' neighba, manin', yuh can keep yuh conniving manin'

When yuh been ah Kurupung,
Yuh na bin tell me manin'
Now because yuh money done,
yuh come wid conniving manin'
When yuh had yuh pocket full,
Yuh na bin tell me manin'
Now because yuh money done,
yuh hustle fuh tell me manin'
Chorus:-
Neighba, neighba, Joe come,
Neighba, neighba, Joe come
Neighba, neighba, Joe come
Dis all de money dat e' wok fo'
Two poun' note an a guilda piece,
Two poun' note an a guilda piece,
Two poun' note an a guilda piece,
Dis all de money dat e' wok fo'.
Chorus:-
Ow Joseph, poor me,
Ow Joseph, poor me,
Ow Joseph poor me,
wha' me go do wid a guilda piece?
One bunch green plantain,
one string kakwari,
One gill black pepper,
all dat can buy wid a guilda piece.

http://silvertorch.com/folksongs-of-guyana.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Folk Songs of Guyana
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 13 - 12:32 PM

Kuma Kuma is like a silver catfish

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Folk Songs of Guyana
From: Monique
Date: 05 Oct 18 - 02:48 AM

It's the third fish on the list. The name is supposed to come from the "words" it "says" when taken out of the water.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Folk Songs of Guyana
From: Monique
Date: 05 Oct 18 - 03:09 AM

About the perai, on the 3rd paragraph of this pdf, it reads "serrasalmo" (serrasalmidae) = piranha and the likes.