Caribbean Calypso

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 03:44 PM

Big Bamboo version- thread 10522
Big Bamboo

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 02:47 AM

You might enjoy http://www.rumandcocacolareader.com/, the "Rum and Coca Cola Reader."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: GUEST,Jim McLean
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 08:52 AM

The LP I have is "Caribbean Treasure Chest" and features Emile Straker. The Big Bamboo is marked as Trad. WIRL Records, WIRL 1015.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 07:35 AM

I read that "Big Bamboo" is a Tin Pan Alley composition.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Jim McLean
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 07:05 AM

I was given 16 LPs by the Merrymen, about 25 years ago, recorded in Barbados. I don't know if this is of any interest or if there are any titles you'd like me to look for. One title is The Big Bamboo which is in the same genre as some songs already mentioned so I thought maybe there are others.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: doc.tom
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 05:42 AM

The 'Fisherman's Song' looks like a variant of the shanty Bay of Mexico - or Round the Bay of Mexico. Chorus, structure and even verse in common. Lots of deep sea shanties survived in Caribbean fishermen's net-hauling chants.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 09:08 PM

Lyr. Add: FISHERMAN'S SONG
Calypso- but moderately.

1
Fishermen sleep when the fish don't bite,
Weigh- up, Susianna,
Salt fish in the hold and we two ton light,
'Round the Bay of Montserray.

Chorus:-
Weigh- up, Susianna
'Round the Bay of Montserray
Fish all night and we sleep all day
'Round the Bay of Montserray.

2
Fishermen's lady don't use no comb,
Weigh- up, Susianna
She comb her hair with codfish bone,
'Round the Bay of Montserray.
3
Fisherman's lady got a dimpled knee
Weigh- up, Susianna
She boil her porgy with rice and peas,
'Round the Bay of Montserray.

Montserray is a variant of Montserrat; a surname and a place name in Spain as well as the name of the island.

Traditional, arranged by Attaway and Boguslav. Copyright 1957 by Rebus Publishing Co. and assigned to Calypso Music, Inc.
Musical score with chords, p. 64.
William Attaway, 1957, Calypso Song Book, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 03:29 PM

Lyr. Add: UNCLE JO' GIMME MO'
Houdini, Gerald Clark Orch., 1928

Ah, Uncle Joe, Ah Uncle Joe
Gimme mo', gimme mo', gimme mo',
Play that thing on the old banjo.

All the young girls begin to sing
Some of them begin to shake that thing
Some of them throw themselves on the floor
Shouting, "Uncle Joe gimme mo', gimme mo'.

A fella and his lover came here last night
Himself and Uncle Joe nearly fight
For when he tell his lover, "Come, go !"
She says, "Look, I waiting for Uncle Joe."

That night Uncle Joe was so vexed
"Coming here I really regret
For see the young girls shake up their thing
Cause me to bust up me banjo string."

"Just tell me what you intend to do?
Don't you know I'm engaged to you?
I don't want to see, nor to know
I know that lovin' at Uncle Joe."

"Uncle Joe, boy, you come in time
Houdini now make up his mind
Tell the world I am going to wine
From eight o'clock until half past nine.

A schoolteacher was there that day
This is what I can bound to say
She took a dink and she break away [drink]
And shake that thing for half a day.

Sing, "Ah, Uncle Joe
Please met with Barry Barrow
And Mr. Cyril Monrose
Play that thing with the old banjo.

Houdini with Gerald Clark's Iéré String Band,
1928, Okeh 8605, New York City.
Included in Calypso Calaloo, Early Carnival Music in Trinidad, 1993 Rounder Records Corp. Lyrics from enclosed leaflet.

This sounds like New York jazz orchestral music of the 1920s.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 09:50 PM

(Apparently it can take a year or more to get a posted song into the Lyrics Search.)

Although Mighty Sparrow wrote in calypso form, his singing style is quite upbeat or whatever you want to call it. All of his songs are registered with ASCAP, and most copyrights are held by Warner/Chappell.

Lyr. Add: OBEAH WEDDING
Mighty Sparrow, 1966

You making yourself a pappy show, Melda
You making yourself a bloody clown
Up and down the country looking for Obeah
And your perspiration smell so strong
Girl you only wasting time
Obeah wedding bells don't chime
And you can't trap me with necromancy.

Chorus:-
Melda oh, you making wedding plans
Carrying me name to Obeah man
All you do can't get through
I still ain't goin' marry to you.

The amount of incense that you burn at night
Lard and garlic stinking up the place
So much different colour candles that you light
Rubbing red lavender in your face
Well- Nastiness go cause your death
Girl no man can stand your breath
You too damn nasty get away from me.
Chorus:-

If you really want a wedding ring Melda
There are many other ways and means
Like scrubbing your teeth and bathing regular
Soap and water keeps you fresh and clean
Dress up in the latest style
Always wear a charming smile
Some koo-noo-mooloo bound to say I do.
Chorus:-

Look how many nights we hug up tight, tight, tight
All we ever know was love and peace
Now every minute is only fight, fight, fight
Till you using Obeah man for priest
You don't seem to understand
Obeah can't upset my plan
For Papa Niser is me grandfather.

One of several songs in which he pokes fun at Obeah ("Witch Doctor," etc.). Can be heard on youtube.
Several websites, esp. www.coldbacon.com/music/obeah.html

ASCAP Work ID 451357274, Slinger Francisco, Warner/Chappell Music Inc.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 08:46 PM

Oh, well, it's a good one, so double post not unforgivable.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 07:08 PM

That was actually some months ago.

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 06:59 PM

Thread Number 137217-Jean and Dinah

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 06:07 PM

I looked at Lyrics search and tried the filter.
A problem in that recently posted material is hard to find on mudcat. The thread number?

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 05:21 PM

Q, I already posted "Jean and Dinah".

Subject: RE: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 04:51 PM

Lyric. Add: PING-PONG
Zebra

Christmas night was confusion
Mama believe me I jump in a steel band
It was the Girl Pat Orchestra coming dozen
With some fiery tunes to burn the town
So I jump in the band without hesitation
And ask the leader for a beat on her ping pong.

Chorus:-
Give me a beat on your pomalong, pomalong, pom, pom
And armed with my big stick in my hand
Give me a beat on your pomalong, pomalong, pomalong,
pom, pom, pomalong.

The woman start to bawl like a ram goat
I'll give you a beat but I 'fraid you bust the note
I said darling I'll be careful
Because I see that the ping pong is very beautiful
She said that stick you got too big for this pan
And if you bust the notes I have another one.
I said honey I give you a guarantee
That if you give me a beats I will touch the notes softly.

All that I beg for she wouldn't give me
So I said I got to do a little showing off on she
So I snatch another girl's ping pong
And I start to beat a beautiful little song
Bass player then started to get jealous
Zebbie I want my tune boom test
But before I touch a note the leader start to shout.

Chorus:-
Don't let him beat on your pomalong, pom, pom
He going to mash up your tomalong, pang, pang
Give me a beat on your tomalong, pom, pang, pamlong

When I saw water more than flower
I ddecided to start making advances on her
So I spoke some remarkable English
But she turn to me and said, Zebbie you foolish
I could have give you a beat without all that fuss
But that stick you got is ridiculous
So I left the band and ran home like a mad man
And I work down the stick to suit the occasion.

Written by Zebra (Charles Harris) for the Girl Pat Band, an all female steelband.
www.mustrad.org

Subject: Caribbean Calypso
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 04:27 PM

The links at top are getting top-heavy. Here are some not yet posted.

Lyr. Add: JEAN AND DINAH
Mighty Sparrow

Well the girls in town feeling bad
No more Yankees in Trinidad
They going to close down the base for good
Them girls have to make out how they coud
Brother, is now they park up in town
In for a penny, and in for a pound
Believe me it's competition for so
Trouble in the town when the price drop low.

Chorus:-
So when you bounce up Jean and Dinah
Rosita and Clementina, round the corner posing
Bet your life is something they selling
And if you catch 'em
You can get them all for nothing
Don't make no row, the yankees gone
Sparrow take over now.

Things bad is to hear them cry
Not a sailor in town, the night clubs dry
Only West Indians like me or you
Are able to get a drink or two
And as we have things back in control
Ah seeking revenge with me heart and soul
Brother, when I spread the news around
Is to see how them cave men come to town.

When the Yankee was in full swing
Just imagine how I was suffering
Mavis told me straight to me face
How she find I too fast and out of place
No, no, no, they would start to fret
Money or not poor Sparrow can't get
Because with the Yankees they have it cool
Calypsonians too hard to fool.

It's the glamour boys again
We are going to rule Port of Spain
No more Yankee to spoil the fete
Dorothy have to take what she get
All of them who used to make style
While they are taking two shilling with a smile
No more hotel to rest your head
By the sweat of thy brow thou shall eat bread.

Mentioned in previous threads, but not posted. Lyrics from several sites on the net inc. www.coldbacon.com