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Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola

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In Mudcat MIDIs:
L'année Passée [Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco] (from sheet music)
Rum and Coca Cola [Disputed Authorship] (from The World's Greatest Fakebook - Warner Brothers)


GUEST,Cranky Yankee 16 Jan 04 - 06:55 PM
Wolfgang 16 Jan 04 - 07:01 PM
Leadfingers 16 Jan 04 - 07:06 PM
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Subject: Lyr Req: Rum and Coka Cola
From: GUEST,Cranky Yankee
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 06:55 PM

Anyone help?

In case anyone is interested, I 've been sick. I tried to re-set my cookie and got the old run around. Joe, HELP.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coka Cola
From: Wolfgang
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 07:01 PM

click?

Wolfgang


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coka Cola
From: Leadfingers
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 07:06 PM

Wolfgang, a useful link but those are NOT the words we used to sing in the NAAFI when I was in the R A F . And NO = I am NOT going to post them.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coka Cola
From: open mike
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 07:16 PM

try searching under coca cola and you may have better luck finding it..


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Subject: ADDPOP: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Jan 04 - 07:36 PM

Rum and Coca-Cola   
Words & Music by:
Morey Amsterdam

Sequenced by:
Andy Bakke - The Accordian Man


If you ever go down Trinidad
They make you feel so very glad
Calypso sing and make up rhyme
Guarantee you one real good fine time

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Oh, beat it man, beat it

Since the Yankee come to Trinidad
They got the young girls all goin' mad
Young girls say they treat 'em nice
Make Trinidad like paradise

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Oh, you vex me, you vex me

From Chicachicaree to Mona's Isle
Native girls all dance and smile
Help soldier celebrate his leave
Make every day like New Year's Eve

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
It's a fact, man, it's a fact

In old Trinidad, I also fear
The situation is mighty queer
Like the Yankee girl, the native swoon
When she hear der Bingo croon

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Out on Manzanella Beach
G.I. romance with native peach
All night long, make tropic love
Next day, sit in hot sun and cool off

Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

It's a fact, man, it's a fact

Rum and Coca-Cola
Rum and Coca-Cola
Workin' for the Yankee dollar

Midi here.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coka Cola
From: JJ
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 07:40 AM

Isn't it "Der Bingle (Bingel?)" as in Bing Crosby?


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coka Cola
From: nutty
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 01:12 PM

I seem to remember Harry Belefonte singing a calypso called "Rum and Coconut Water" ...... are the two songs related in any way????


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 01:32 PM

There's a bit of a story behind the song. Apparently, it stems from a much earlier song. It would be interesting to see earlier versions.
Wasn't Morey Amsterdam a regular on one of those TV panel shows - What's My Line? or I've Got a Secret, or something like that? Here's the entry from The Great Song Thesaurus:
    Rum and Coca Cola, 1945. Spanish words by Clotilda Arias. English words, Morey Amsterdam. Music, Jeri Sullavan & Paul Baron. This song was first introduced at the Versailles night club in New York, and is possibly based on Lionel Belasco's "L'Annee Parisee" of 1906, published originally in Trididad. a plagiarism suit ensued in which Belasco's publisher sued the authors and won. Belasco settled for a large financial payment and sacrificed all future property rights of the song as well as writer credit.

See this review (click) of a Rounder collection of the songs of Lionel Belasco:
    Belasco or "Lanky", as his friends called him, was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1881. Both his parents were musicians and Belasco himself was a child prodigy who played the piano and began composing at the age of 12. According to historian Sue-Anne Gomes in The Book of Trinidad, "By the time he was 16 he had written four hundred ballads, pastiches, waltzes, calypsos, sambas and rumbas and was also the leader of his own band."

    Although he was classically trained, Belasco revelled in Afro-Trinidadian musical traditions like calypso, kalinda, parang and bele that were popular especially among rural folk in Trinidad. During an interview in the twilight of his life, he reminisced how after playing Beethoven and "all the heavy things", he would often steal away to the countryside to enjoy the "ceremonies and shangos ...done by the Yorubas, the African tribe that is chiefly in Trinidad from Nigeria." Trinidadian society is composed of descendants from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Belasco incorporated all of the rich and varied aspects of this cosmopolitan mix to create his rhythmic and delightfully lyrical compositions. Belasco also had strong familial ties to neighboring Venezuela. Due to his frequent visits there, along with the sizable Venezuelan presence in Trinidad, he developed a deep fondness for that South American country's folk music. He composed so prolificly in that genre, that today many of his waltzes and joropos are still performed by Venezuelan artists and symphony orchestras.

    As an extremely successful bandleader and soloist, Belasco toured and recorded extensively throughout the Caribbean, North and South America and Europe. It is also said that he was the first black solo instrumentalist to be recorded. The list of his appearances included Carnegie Hall, national broadcasting chains, and several motion pictures by Paramount and Columbia Pictures. Needless to say, his influence on generations of West Indian musicians was immense. Belasco was the first person to bring West Indian and many forms of South American music to sizable audiences outside of those territories. One of Belasco's earliest compositions entitled, L'annee Passee was recorded by The Andrew Sisters as Rum and Coca Cola in the early 1940s. That song eventually became a worldwide hit. The remarkable Lionel Belasco died in 1967 at the age of 85 in New York City.

There's another article about Belasco here (click):

BELASCO'S MUSIC LIVES ON

By Kim Johnson
Sunday Express
June 20, 1999

Lionel "Lanky" Belasco was born around 1882 in Barbados. His mother, a Trinidadian, taught piano; his father was a Sephardic Jew who sang baritone, and played organ and violin.

They moved to Trinidad when Belasco was a child, but as the family had Venezuelan relations, like many Sephardic Jews such as the de Limas, Belasco regularly spent time there. He also began to study music from young, being torn between the classical piano his mother taught, and the African rhythms he herd in the streets.

As a teenager he straddled both worlds: on the one hand organizing his own band with school friends; fighting as a "zom camisole" or jacketman stickfighter, on the other. Once, Myler, a champion with the bois, broke Belasco's hand in a fight.

"I used to do all the heavy things, but I like the bush music as I used to call it My mother would say very often to me, 'Don't bring that thing in here. Please don't play that music in here' I would go out to these jungles and they used to have cock fighting and stickfighting. Those things were prohibited by law but they get in these places," he told Leonard de Paur - himself an interesting character.

By his late teens Belasco was travelling widely as a musician, absorbing other varieties of creole music, not only in the Caribbean but also in South America: "I went with the circus company to Brazil and Argentina. I went around with a magician, playing the piano and (being) assistant magician. When I was 16 or 17 I went up the Orinoco in the jungle all the way up to the Amazon."

And yet, Belasco's instrument was the piano - not a thing for Carnival music of the streets. Instead, his band played for indoor dances of the elite. As early as 1903 "Belasco's Renowned String Band" appeared in the press.

He played for parties at the Governor's House, and gave lessons to the Governor's daughter.

Belasco continued travelling throughout the region, returning to Trinidad in 1914 to make his first recording for the Victor Recording Company. "Everybody will no doubt appreciate how fortunate we were in being able to obtain a repertoire of such beautiful local selections by Belasco's band," stated the company.

"According to rumour", says Don Hill in his detailed CD notes on Goodnight Ladies and Gents: the creole music of Lionel Belasco, he taught the Governor's daughter other things on the piano. She was shipped back to England and Belasco had to flee to New York.

In the Big Apple Belasco began recording like crazy. With Sam Manning he controlled the West Indian music scene. He accompanied vaudevillian Phil Madison. He cut piano rolls for the largest manufacturers. From the late 1920s he returned home for Carnival to learn the latest songs, which he would arrange and record back in New York, copyrighting many of them under his own name.

Belasco also ran a piano store in Manhattan. Still, he wanted to return home, so he made a deal with Noor Gokool to manage a cinema Gokool was planning to build. They fell out, Belasco sued Gokool, lost the case and returned to the U.S. where he continued recording music.

He published a booklet in 1943 that included "L'Année Passée", a tune he claimed to have written in 1907, although it was actually a Martiniquan folksong heard in Trinidad long before. It was, however, the melody for a song Invader sang that year in the Victory tent, "Rum and Coca-Cola" and which three Americans claimed they'd written for the Andrews Sisters.

The song was a huge hit for the Andrews Sisters. Both Invader and Belasco sued for plagiarism and in 1950 won the case. Invader got $100,000, although Belasco's award isn't known.

Belasco continued performing, making records and touring throughout the 1950s, and only slowing down in the 1960s. Early in 1867 he completed the music for a play written by a lawyer friend, Joseph Taubman, entitled The Rajah of the Islands. Shortly after, on June 24, Lionel Belasco died in New York at the age of 85.

From NALIS, the National Library and Information System Authority of Trinidad and Tobago. Be sure to look at their music section.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 03:21 PM

Morey Amsterdam was one of the cast members of the original Dick Van Dyke show. The one with Mary Tyler Moore as his wife Laura, to his Rob Petrie.

Rose Marie played the other major cast member with Carl Reiner as the person they wrote for.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 03:25 PM

A little more information:
"In 1941, Lionel Belasco and a singer, Massie Patterson, submitted a group of songs about the West Indies, composed by Lionel Belasco, to Maurice Baron for publishing. Maurice Baron transcribed the music. One of those songs was "L'Année Passée." Baron hired one Olga Paul to translate the Patois lyrics into English." Cumana is the proper spelling of 'Koomahna'. Point Cumana is on the peninsula extending west of Port-of-Spain.

Amsterdam published a year later; this led to the suit which Baron eventually won. Louis Nizer, the trial lawyer, wrote a book about it.
Rum and Coca Cola
L'Année Passée (Yesterday) is the the true story of Mathilda Soye, convent-educated, who fell for a man on the 'street' and eventually became a prostitute. Belasco, a young man at the time in 1905, composed the calypso.
No luck yet finding the song.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 03:34 PM

Near the top of the site linked, it says for a full map of Trinidad, 'go here'. Click on those words and get a better summary of the story.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 03:37 PM

Ah, this is turning into one of those classic Mudcat scavenger hunts that I love so much. Can we find "L'Année Passée", and the Spanish lyrics to "Rum and Coca Cola"?
-Joe Offer-


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: PoppaGator
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 03:45 PM

I'm pretty sure the Andrews Sisters (whose recording is by now, I believ, the most familiar version of this song) changed some of Morey Amsterdams' lyrics. The second line of the chorus, which all sources cited here as:

"Go down Point Koomahnah"

is sung by the Andrewses as

"Make me say "Ooh la la."

That's the only discrepency I caught, but then I don't know all the AS version's lyrics off the top of my head. However, the published/orioginal lyrics seem very unfamiliar to me from beginning to end -- perhaps the popular recording featured a throoughly rewritten set of words (?)


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 11:23 PM

I have possibly located a copy of "Calypso Songs of the West Indies," by Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco. It has the original song. I will post it if I really have found the copy.

The opinion in the suit, Baron v. Leo Feist, 78 F. Supp. 686 (S. D. N. Y. 1948), by Rifkind of the District Court, is on line from the University of Columbia Law Library, Music Plagiarism Project.
Opinion L'Annee Passee
A clearly written opinion, many interesting details. The last line:
"The evidence clearly establishes infringement of plaintiff's copyright, and judgement must go for plaintiff. Reference will be had to a master on the issue of damages."

A good summary of the early days of calypso, with several examples of songs, is: Golden Age Calypso
Included is note that Lionel Belasco was first recorded by Victor in 1914.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 03:33 AM

Slight thread creep. One of the 78s I inherited from my late father-in-law was the Andrews Sisters version (and I agree with Tom about the "Ooh La La".) it is very worn as it was one of the very few records he had on board his destroyer on the Arctic convoys during WW2. He was a Doc and dismissed any hint of heroics by laiming he spent all his time listening to his jazz records or playing chess with the Chaplain.

RtS


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: JJ
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 07:59 AM

The Louis Nizer book is "My Life in Court." The story of the "Rum and Coca-Cola" suit is only one of the tales he tells therein, and rather well, too, as I recall. Copies can be found at abe.com for a dollar and up.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 12:16 PM

I've always thought of this as a World War II song, but yet the Great Song Thesaurus says it was published in 1945. This caused me some degree of confusion. My Andrews Sisters CD says they recorded it on the Decca label October 18, 1944, which sounds more plausible. Was this the first recording? (songwriter credit: Jeri Sullavan, Paul Baran, Morey Amsterdam)
-Joe Offer-


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 01:29 PM

The first copyright, Sept. 1944, listed Amsterdam as sole author of words and music. The October 1944 Andrews Sisters recording listed Amsterdam as SOLE author (200,000 copies of this pressing). The new label listing Sullivan and Baron as co-authors of the music and Amsterdam as lyrics author came out after December 14, 1944 (new contract date after legal action by Baron) so the "Grest Song Thesaurus" probably lists the new contract pressing date only.

See my link to the suit, Baron v. Feist.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 11:14 PM

A friend is sending me a copy of "Calypso Songs of the West Indies" so I should have the original soon.
Some of this was gone over by a Joe Offer in Nineteen and ninety-eight- gee, could he be the same Joe? Accidentally found thread 3911, Trinidad Calypso: Calypso
I was looking for a place where I might post some old calypso lyrics that are interesting.

Thoroughly confused about one line in "Rum and..." The one that mentions der Bingle or Bingo or ?. I think Sorcha and some websites are wrong with 'bingo' and that 'der Bingle' is correct- we used to call him that back when I was in the Army WW2. But the lyric could have it differently.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 06:21 PM

Note: Correct name of P. Koomahnah is: Point Cumana, part of Carenage in Trinidad and Tobago.

Leadfingers, your RAF version can't be worse than any bawdy song of the Army with its centuries of really bad stuff. You'll hear from me.

Wilfried


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Jan 04 - 10:07 AM

Morey Amsterdam is also the author of OH WHY, OH WHY, DID I EVER LEAVE WYOMING, which I posted here -- and another song, possibly called GLUE ON THE SADDLE, which harpgirl posted here.

tv tome has an extensive listing of his TV and film credits, but no songs.

I remember seeing him perform a stand-up (well, in his case, sit-down) comedy routine while playing the cello. I think it was on the Ed Sullivan Show.


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Subject: Lyr Add: L'ANNÉE PASSÉE
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Jan 04 - 02:17 PM

Lyr. Add: L'ANNÉE PASSÉE (Last Year)
A "Calypso" by Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco
English version by Olga Paul

L'année passée moen té yon fille,
Moen té yon fille L'en caille mama moen,
L'année cela moen c'est yon femme
Moen c'est un' femme a sur la rue.-

Femme la se-coué corps moen ké baou,
Femme la se-coué corps moen ké baou,
Femme la se-coué moen ké baou,
Moen ké baou moen ké baou
Tout ça qui doux.

Temps Martinique té pris du fé
Yo té cherché Man o' Wa',
Pour sauvéces Mart'niquens
Pour mené yo Port-d'Espagne.

Last year I was a little girl
Living with my dear mother at home;
This year I am a woman though,
On the streets you will find me roam.

I have learned to dance and I'm fair,
I have learned to dance and I'm fair,
I have learned to dance and I'm fair,
And I'm fair, and I'm fair;
My steps are rare.

When Martinique was all in flames,
They looked for a Man o' War,
Hoped to save the people there,
Port -f Spain they were aiming for.-

"Free transcription by Maurice Baron." Sheet music labeled Allegretto grazioso, voice and piano 2/4. Pages 22-23.
Copyright, 1943 by M. Baron Co., New York. "Calypso Songs of the West Indies," 1943, Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco, Free transcription by Maurice Baron, ASCAP.
The Foreward by M. Baron says "The editor wishes to make acknowledgement to Miss Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco, collectors of these authentic "Calypso" songs from the lip of the Lesser Antilles natives; also to Miss Olga Paul for her expert English version of the Creole lyrics.
"These songs, though emanating from various parts of the West Indies, are, neverless, familiar to the natives of Trinidad, Barbados, Martinique, Guadelupe, Santa Lucia, etc."
"These lyrics are extremely simple, yet the melodies possess a unique charm. Many influences....African, Caribbean, French, Spanish, English as well as North and South American rhythms and even Gregorian modes."
Sheet music and lyrics for twelve songs are included in the compilation. All are listed as Calypsos by Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco. Eight have lyrics in the French Creole patois.

These calypsos are so far in style from the tin pan alley calypsos (Rum, Dayo, etc.) that I hesitated about posting this calypso to this thread; however, this is the song involved in the famous suit discussed in other posts to this thread.
These Lesser Antilles songs deserve a thread of their own.

Lionel Belasco published several hundred works, including classical, Venezuelan and Antillean music.

Click to play L'ANNÉE PASSÉE


Click to play Rum and Coca-Cola


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jan 04 - 11:53 AM

There are differences in the "Rum and Coca Cola" songs posted by Joe Offer (thread 3911) and that posted by Sorcha in this thread. Joe's is the Andrews Sisters rendition.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Jan 04 - 02:21 PM

I've posted tunes for L'ANNÉE PASSÉE and Rum and Coca-Cola. I got the Rum & Coke tune from The World's Greatest Fakebook from Warner Brothers. Interestingly, the fakebook has the girls euphemistically "Singin' for the Yankee Dollar."

Did Morey Amsterdam write "work" or "sing"? Morey seemed like a pretty straight guy. Maybe the Andrews Sisters sexed it up.

-Joe Offer-


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 Jan 04 - 03:28 PM

Good midi of "L'année Passée, Joe. The tune similarity to "Rum...." is obvious.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: open mike
Date: 29 Jan 04 - 03:38 PM

the "click to play rum and coke" link goes to an error message....
    Thanks for the pointer - I uploaded the file again, so it should work now.
    -Joe Offer-


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: EBarnacle
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 09:54 AM

Interesting to compare the fate of this lawsuit with the one over "The lion sleeps tonight." I guess the bigger the plagiarist, the more incentive to hire good lawyers.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Jan 04 - 02:30 PM

May be wrong, but one version with verses that Amsterdam sang to the troops is in Louis Nizer, 1961 (and paperback), "My Life in Court." Verses were added or left out depending on where the entertainer was performing.

On every isle in Caribbean Sea
Native girl dress peculiarly
She wear grass skirt but that's O. K.
Yankee like to hit the hay.

She wear nothing at all from stomach to face
Just to show heart is in right place
She wear sarong like native should
But sarong is only dish towel that "make good."

I bought a dog in Trinidad
Best damn dog I ever had
He's so smart like real "Whiz Kid"
Saw a sign say "Wet Paint," so he did.
(He so smart that little pup
Walk on front legs if you hold back ones up)

In Trinidad out on Green Hill
Lives native man called Papa Bill
He got 65 kids in the Carabeen
He never heard of Ovaltine.
(He got 65 wives but he still feel blue
'Cause he got 65 mothers-in-law too.)

Amsterdam entertained troops in Trinidad and said he wrote the verses after hearing a soldier sing:

Since the Yankees come to Trinidad,
They have the young girls going mad,
The young girls say they treat them nice.
And they give them a better price.

They buy rum and Coca Cola
Go down Point Koomahna
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar.

Morey Amsterdam came out of the trial labeled a liar. More likely he was a dupe of Leo Feist and the money men at the recording company, and went along with their theft of Belasco's song. His story of how he got the song may be true; his crime was claiming the melody.

Baron also claimed authorship, but this claim as well was demolished in court. Reliable witnesses were found who knew Belasco in 1906 when he composed the song.

Another interesting part of Nizer's story of the trial concerned Sigmund Spaeth making as ass of himself with his "expert testimony," during the trial. He was forced to admit that his assumptions were incorrect.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,CRANKY yANKEE
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 04:13 AM

i REMEMBER THE aNDREWS SISTERS record, and the cxhorus I remember was
"DRININ RUM AND COCA COLA
GO DOWN POINT CUMANA
BOTH MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
WORKING FOR THE YANKEE DOLLAR Amd then there's the verses I remember

When the Yankee go to Trinidad
Make the native girls feel very glad
Calypso sing and make up[ rhyme
Guarantee you one real good fine time

All up and down Carribean Sea
Native girls sdress peculiarly
They wear grass skirts, but that's O.K.
'cause the yankee like to hit the hay    There must have been more than one andrews Sisters recording because I have a pretty good memory sof the one mentioned here.

sAnd then I heard a record by "Lord Invader" (or some other realk caslypso)
after the chorus I've q


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 04:37 AM

I remember a rude version called Working for the Yankee Dollar,[I think] The chorus went.

She wanted big bamboo bamboo
Oh la la la la lal la la
Working for the Yankee Dollar.

The said Big Bamboo having the same connotation as, Jelly Roll, or in the case of Bessie Smith's Empty Bed Blues, Bacon.
John


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Subject: RE: TRINIDAD CALYPSO - Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 07:40 AM

More to this bizarre case over "Rum..."
Morey Amsterdam had heard Lord Invader (Rupert Westmore Grant) play his version of the song in Trinidad and claimed it as his composition.
Quoting from the Smithsonian-Folkways press release for the album "Lord Invader: Calypso in New York" SFW 40454:
"Having heard Invader's best known composition "Rum and Coca Cola" on a 1943 visit to Trinidad, American comedian Morey Amsterdam copyrighted and promoted the song in the States, quickly garnering a massive hit with the Andrews Sisters' 1944 version. A year later Invader traveled to New York to pursue his legal claim to authorship of the "Rum and Coca Cola" lyrics. In what became the most celebrated plagiarism case to date in America, the ...trial lasted three years, and it took Invader another seven years to collect reparations from the defendants. But the case created a dialogue for artists' rights which- as evidenced by the heated debate over Napster- continues to this day."

Invader collected $132,000. Between that and the Lionel Belasco part of the suits, Amsterdam was bankrupted. Lord Invader


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Subject: RE: TRINIDAD CALYPSO - Rum and Coca Cola
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 12:43 PM

I thought maybe the Folkways recording of Lord Invader would have a recording of "Rum and Coca Cola." The Website has a clip from "Yankee Dollar," but I guess that's not the same song. Ah - the Rounder Site has a brief clip, also on a Lomax CD called Calypso at Midnight. Anybody have Lord Invader's complete lyrics for the song?
-Joe Offer-


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 01:45 PM

Great link Joe. Gonna get myself a copy of that one.
John


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 03:40 PM

Lord Invader's "Rum and Coca Cola" is on two cds (both described and available at Amazon)-
"Calypso Calaloo," Rounder 1105 (1946). This cd includes a track of a piano roll made by Lionel Belasco, and some other interesting items.

"Calypso at Midnight Town," Lord Invader, 1946. Comments by Lomax.

Here is part of Lord Invader's version:

Rum and Coca Cola (1943)
Lord Invader

Since the Yankees come to Trinidad,
They have the young girls all goin' mad.
The young girls say they treat'em nice,
And they give them a better price.

Chorus
They buy rum an' Coca Cola,
Go down to Point Cumana.
Both mother and daughter,
Working for the Yankee dollar.

Lord Invader was not able to record the song because of wartime restrictions, but "permanent evidence of the song was recorded in a 15-page booklet called "Victory Calypsos 1943- Souvenir." Calypso!


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Subject: Lyr Add: RUM AND COCA-COLA (Morey Amsterdam)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Feb 04 - 04:13 PM

This seems to be the version of Rum and Coca Cola that Morey Amsterdam 'copyrighted.' Correctness not guaranteed.Additional verses were added by Al Stillman:

Rum and Coca Cola
Morey Amsterdam

If you ever go down to Trinidad,
They make you feel so very glad
Calypso sing and make up rhyme,
Guarantee you one real good fine time.


Drinkin' rum and Coca Cola.
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee Dollar.
Oh beat it, man, beat it.

Since the Yankee come to Trinidad,
They got the young girls all goin' mad
Young girls say they treat 'em nice,
Make Trinidad like paradise.

Drinkin' rum and Coca Cola
Go down Point Koomanah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar.
Oh, you vex me, you vex me.

From Chicachicaree to Mona's Isle
Native girls all dance and smile
Help soldier celebrate his leave
Make every day like New Year's Eve.

Drinkin' rum, etc.
It's a fact, man, it's a fact.

In old Trinidad, I also fear,
The situation is mighty queer
Like the Yankee girl, the native swoon
When she hear der Bingo (Bingle?) croon.
Drinkin' etc.

Out on Manzanella Beach,
G. I. romance with native peach
All night long, make tropic love,
Next day, sit in hot sun and cool off.

Drinkin' rum, etc.
It's a fact, man, it's a fact.

From a text at Rum and Coca-Cola
This site also has additional lyrics by Stillman (and others?). I have not put them here because some seem to be post-WW2.

Lord Invader (Rupert Westmore Grant) also composed two pieces I have not found- "Yankee Dollar," and "Cumana Beach."

Lines with 'Bamboo' come from another calypso. The 'Grass skirt' reference seemingly is from a version sung by the USO troop when they went to the South Pacific. It would be interesting to find a complete copy of this version, which probably is preserved on Armed Forces Radio tapes.


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Subject: Lyr Add: RUM AND COCA-COLA (Lord Invader)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Feb 04 - 03:05 PM

Lyr Add: RUM AND COCA-COLA
Lord Invader 1946

And when the Yankees first went to Trinidad,
Some of the young girls were more than glad,
They said that the Yankees treat them nice,
And they give them a better price.

Cho.
They buy rum and Coca-Cola,
Went (going) down Point Cumana,
Both mothers and daughters,
Working for their Yankee dollars (repeated)

Ah, look I had a little chick the other day,
But her mother came and took her away,
Herself, her mother and her sisters,
Went in a cab with some soldiers. (Chorus)

Chorus sings:
Rum and Coca-Cola,
Go down Point Cumana.

They have some aristos*
in Port of Spain,
I know a lot, but I won't call name,
And in the day they wouldn't give you a right*
But you might see them with the foreigners late at night,
drinking (chorus)

I know a couple who got married one afternoon,
And was to go Miami on their honeymoon,
But the bride run away with a soldier lad,
And the stupid husband went staring mad. (Chorus)

*aristo- aristocrat or rich person. * right- from right hand; handshake on a deal, i. e., wouldn't traffic with the local people (distinctions based on degree of color and money were very strong in island communities).

Remarks by Lord Invader: Diplomatically you ask me what is calypso, Mr. Lomax? Calypso is folklore of Trinidad, a style of poetry telling about current events in song.
With regard to the song "Rum and Coca-Cola," you want to ask me how I happened to compose it, Mr. Lomax? (laughter) Ladies and Gentlemen, back home in the West Indies- Trinidad- where I'm from- I'm from a small island. I'm proud of it, thank you! I was traveling on a bus to some place they call Point Cumana, bathing resort, and I happened to see the GIs since the American social invasion in the West Indies, Trinidad. (laughter) You know the girls used to get their candies and stuff like that and they go to the (laughter), they go to the canteens with the boys and so on, have fun. So I notice since the GIs came over there that we generally chase with soda, ordinary soda. But they chaser was rum and coke; they drink rum, and they like the Coca-Cola as a chaser. So I studied that as an idea of song, and Morey Amsterdam had the nerve to say that he composed that song back here (laughter).
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. And I am going to sing you "Rum and Coca-Cola" for my first number. Thank You."   

From Booklet notes with the cd "Calypso at Midnight," a "Midnight Special" concert at Town Hall, New York City, 1946.
Introductions by Alan Lomax.
NOTE- Since the case was not yet settled, Rounder Records still cited the song "Morey Amsterdam, Paul Baron, Jerry Sullivan. CPP/Belwin."
Rounder 11661-1840-2.
There were several of these concerts. CD notes say that this was the only one recorded (the following concert was by Josh White). Any bootleg tapes?


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: James Fryer
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 04:33 AM

Just to add a little to this.

"L'Année Passée" may well have been a folk song that was copyrighted by Belasco rather than an original composition. The first half of the 20th C was a land grab where many folk songs were appropriated.

"Rum and Coca Cola" was definitely written by Invader.

The two share a tune, but this is quite a common calypso melody. "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" is probably the best known of the songs with a related melody. "Blue Tail Fly" by the Roaring Lion is another (not to be confused with the American folk song of the same name).

The bamboo lyrics come from another song, "Big Bamboo". There are two versions of this song. One, originally by the Duke of Iron (I believe), has an unrelated tune. The best known recording of this version is by Lord Creator. The other version is more popular with Jamaican mento bands and ends 'la-la-la, working for the Yankee Dollar'. This version has a very similar melody to "Rum and Coca Cola" etc. and was probably influenced by that song.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 09:02 AM

I'm sitting listening to Lord Invader at this moment, I just got the Calypso in New York CD yesterday.
Great stuff
John


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: James Fryer
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 09:19 AM

Lord Invader was one of the great calypsonians and is not as well known as he deserves. He died in 1961, age 46 -- very young if you consider Kitchener died at 80 and went on recording almost until he died. As well as the "Calypso in New York" CD, Folkways have a number of CDRs available and there are compilations that include his UK recordings.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 01:53 PM

Belasco himself said the song was based on a well-known story when he put L'Année Passée to music. There could have been other versions in the 1900-1910 period that have been lost.

So far, only the Belafonte revision of "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" has been posted (thread 13646) here. Hint!


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Subject: Lyr Add: MAN SMART WOMAN SMARTER
From: James Fryer
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 04:48 AM

There are many versions of this song, I have at least five and the lyrics all diverge to some extent. It's an easy song to make up new verses to.

The original was by King Radio (Norman Span) but I think it crossed into American folk music quite early (possibly pre-war?) so there are versions by surprising artistes such as the Carpenters.

Belafonte alone had more than one version of the lyrics. He also added an extra part that goes "That's Right! The women are smarter!", this is an improvement to the song in my opinion.

So to do this song justice would require more of a concordance approach where each verse is annotated with the version(s) it appears in. That said, here's a few verses:

Let's put man and woman together
Find out which one is smarter
Some say men, I say no
The women beat the men long long ago.

Chorus:
Not me, the people say
The men leading the women astray
But I say the women of today
Smarter than a man in every way

Ever since the world began
Woman was always fooling man
But if you listen to my song attentively
I'll show you how a woman got the better of me

Chorus

I was friendly with a girl named Caroline
She called me honey-boy all the time
Just when everything was going fine
She was dealing me short with a friend of mine

Chorus

You meet a girl at a pretty dance
Thinking that you would stand a chance
You take her home thinking she's alone
Open the door to find the next man home

Chorus

Sampson was the strongest man long ago
No one could beat him as we all know
Till Delilah got him 'pon top of the bed
Found out the strength in his arms was in the hair of his head

Chorus

I was treating a girl independently
She say she make baby for me
When the child was born and I went to see
The eyes were blue, it was a Portugee

Chorus

[The above verses are the commonest in the versions by calypsonians. Some Belafonte verses follow.]

In the Garden of Eden Adam built a home
As soon as he finished Eve start to roam
Many a night Adam spent in pain
As soon as Eve was able she was raising cain

Chorus

The Garden of Eden was very nice
Adam didn't have to work in paradise
Eve meets snake, paradise gone
She made Adam work from that day on

Chorus

Methuselah spent all his life in tears
He hadn't met a woman in nine hundred years
One night he decided to have some fun
The poor man never lived to see nine hundred and one

Chorus


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Compton
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 12:30 PM

Bit of a drift off thread there!!...Here's another (Slight) drift. A bit of a hit in the Folk Club I used to frequent in 60's had many Rugby and Mountaineering types who sang "Wee Wee Tot" to the Rum and Cocoala tune.
"When I was a wee wee tot,
They put me on a wee wwe pot" Etc...
Any one know the full lyric?


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: InOBU
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 12:33 PM

They will be serving Rum and Coca Cola at the half king where...SORCHA DORCHA will be at the HALF KING restaurant and pub, this Wends. Saint Patrick's Day on 23rd street between 10th and 11th Ave. from 7 pm to 10 ... As expected Lorcan Otway on vocals uilleann pipes flute whistle bodhran and the great Jane Kelton on flute whistle and key board, Seanin An Fear on Mandolin, Joe Charupakorn on guitar... the joint is already rumbling, so stay from Give us a drink of water to An Phis Fluich, all yer ol' favs...
Cheers, Is mise, le meas, Lorcan Otway


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Subject: Lyr Add: MAN SMART, WOMAN SMARTER
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 03:18 PM

Lyr. Add: MAN SMART, WOMAN SMARTER
Composer Norman Span;
Macbeth the Great 1946 version.

Let us put men and women together,
To find out which one is smarter,
Some say men, some say no.
The women have the men like pappyshow. [in ridicule]

Chorus:
So not me, is the people that say,
That the man leading the woman astray,
But I say that the women of today,
Smarter than men in every way.

Ever since the world began,
Woman was always foolin' man,
And if you listen to Macbeth attentively,
I'm going to show you how
the women smarter than we.

Samson was the strongest man long ago,
No one could have beaten him as we all know.
But when he clash with the woman on top the bed,
She found out the strength was in the hair of his head.

Listen what happened to a friend of mine,
His girlfriend leave him on a serious grind.
He used to support her in luxury,
But then the whole thing change up entirely.

Well, look, I had a little girl, I used to treat her fine,
She had me going down on the line.
I was giving her my money all the time,
And she was giving me shots with a friend of mine.

Well, look I had a little girl in New York City,
And she promised to make a baby for me.
But when the baby born, and I went to see,
The eyes was blue, it was a Portuguee.

Notes by Steve Shapiro: "The song is one of several important calypsos composed and first performed in Trinidad Carnival tents by King Radio (One-Eye Norman Span). He recorded the piece in New York for Decca (17287) on April 6, 1936. In 1945, Macbeth the Great cut a version for Guild (115). In the late 1950s, the song was a big hit for the West Indian-American singer Harry Belafonte."

Alan Lomax: "Macbeth, for the next song, is gonna go into a little bit deeper philosophical question, the difference between the brains and the plan of men of men and women, is a woman smart or the man smarter? How- I usually put it backwards. Macbeth."

Macbeth the Great: "Who said so? Well, this number, there's been, there's been a- there has been quite a controversy, you know. I mean, I've not versed in the English so good. I mean you can see the little French in me, and when I see so many English people I get, you know, kinda basody [confused], you know. Half of the time I talk Creole and half time English. So I mean if a couple of words that you don't know, when you go back home, look in your French books, you may find it.
Well, this number some fellas say that the woman is smarter than the men. Well, I don't know, but I'm goin' to give you a pretty good picture of who is the smartest one."

Norman Span, Clara Music Publishing/MCA/Music Workshop.

From "Calypso at Midnight!" cd, The Alan Lomax Collection, Rounder 11661-1840-2, 1999, Concert in NYC, Town Hall, 1946.

Should be in a new thread, but Compton started the drift to another song. Perhaps Joe will move these "Smart-Smarter" versions.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Richard H
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 06:51 PM

Calypsonian and calypso historian, Mighty Chalkdust, (who won the Trinidad crown this year) mentions how Europeans miss the serious social commentary in Rum and Coca Cola. Mothers and their daughters working as prostitutes for the American soldiers based in Trinidad is not a pretty scene or one West Indians are proud of.

Sparrow took a different slant in Jean and Dinah: "Jean and Dinah, Roseta and Clementina, round de corner posing, bet your life is something they selling. If you catch them broken, you can get it all for nothing, don't make no row, the Yankees gone and Sparrow take over now..."


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Mar 04 - 01:22 PM

refresh


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Barbara Nichols
Date: 15 May 05 - 03:48 AM

Hi
What are lyrics to the World War Two song DRINKING RUM AND COKE A COLA? Thank you. I want to learn to sing this song. From Barbara


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST
Date: 15 May 05 - 03:59 AM

Drinking rum and coke a cola.
Go down point to Mana.
Both mother and daughter
Working for the yankee dollar.

This is all I can remember and two or three sisters (maybe Andrew sisters singing or some other sisters during World War Two. Is anyone singing this song on a record or video movie where I can get the lyrics. I like the tune very much. Thank you. from Barbara Nichols


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 15 May 05 - 05:25 AM

Why don't you read the entire thread?
Lyrics here.
Orthographic correction.

Sing and enjoy


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST
Date: 15 May 05 - 03:53 PM

Interesting that Americans tended to hear the chorus in the Andrews Sisters' version as

Rum and Coca-Cola
Go down quite cool, man-a ...

Weak on geography as we are...still the line sounds good that way too.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 16 May 05 - 01:29 PM

Me islan gal have figure fine
Just like Trinudad's coast line
But there's one thing that is quite plain
She's a little plump about Port Au Spain


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Subject: "...a woman drink so much rum"
From: GUEST,jt
Date: 25 Jun 05 - 04:53 PM

I'm looking for a calypso song I recently heard played live in a small bar on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The musicians couldn't think of a recording of the song, but said it's called "Rum." The chorus goes something like...

"I never seen a woman drink so much rum
She does the cooking, she does the cleaning
And then she falls down."

Anyone familiar with it?


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: alanabit
Date: 25 Jun 05 - 05:06 PM

I think you may have to start a new thread to find your song. Good luck.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Roger Arias
Date: 04 Aug 05 - 03:17 AM

I may be able to help you with the spanish words to Drinking Rum and Coca Cola. While Clotilde is no longer with us, her son (my father) is alive and living in Maryland. He has much of the music and lyrics that his mother wrote and I would be pleased to look this up for you if you are interested.

Kindest regards,

Roger Francis Anduaga-Arias II

PS. Since I just happened onto this forum and am unlikely to get back here very often, please write to rogerarias2@gmail.com


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Subject: big bamboo
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 08:05 AM


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: kirstenanderberg
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 12:12 PM

Wow! I had NO idea Morey Amsterdam wrote that song!! LOL! That is GREAT! I learned that song in high school in the 1970's because our high school was doing a musical review of music over the ages, and I was one fo the girls chosen to immitate the Andrew Sisters. Maxine Andrews attended the high school show (it was in LA) and gave the three of us autographed pictures somewhere. I still have it. I learned the Rum and Coca Cola song off some anthology of Andrew Sisters recordings, it was a several record set. I remember it being pinkish on the cover.

And my mother is a classically trained musician and music teacher and when we would watch the Dick Van Dyke Show, she would always say "Morey Amsterdam is a real musician tho, he really can play classical cello and he is a real musician, he is not playing one as an actor." My mom would also say that about Jerry Van Dyke when he would guest on that show and on Andy Griffith Show. My mom would always remind us that Jerry Van Dyke was actually a "real" musician. So it is funny now to find out Morey Amsterdam is a composer of pop songs! I did not know that...


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Azizi
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 02:07 PM

kirstenanderberg, were you trying to be snarky? {"snark" is a word I've seen used on the blogosphere which I think means "witty sarcasm"}.

You don't really think that Morey Amsterdam composed Rum and Coca Cola, do you?


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 02:31 PM

Lord Invader collected a tidy sum from Amsterdam for his plagiarism. As, I think, Belasco did for the tune.

Snarky- good word! Pops up around 1906 (Webster's Collegiate and OED) but means snappish or ill-tempered. It could have changed meanings recently, however, as some of these slang words have.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Azizi
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 07:39 PM

Off-topic...

I think that the definition has changed for "snark".

is routinely used on the political blog dailykos to signal that a person is using sarcasm. Some bloggers also put after a comment that is meant sarcastically.

There certainly have been times when such a snarky or sarcastic signal would have been helpful around here....


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 08:23 PM

Long ago, Lewis Carroll wrote the nonsense poem, The Hunting of the Snark." But, like the Alice books, it is seldom read anymore.
Jack London's "The Cruise of the Snark" is also lost to modern readers.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: robomatic
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 07:50 AM

I Memorized "Fit The First" from THOTS for an English class poetry requirement.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Project10
Date: 09 Sep 06 - 12:19 PM

Sarky is the standard English slang term for Sacastic, Snarky sounds like a misspelling that stuck.

Worked at a venue that played the Andrews Sisters version of Rum and Coca Cola, really gets in to your head doesn't it.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Sep 06 - 01:30 PM

More on 'snark' and its origin:
Snark in various forms is common in German and Scandanavian language- to gnash, snort, or snore. It's origin is at least medieval. Found in English writings by the 1860's.
Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary in 1882 defined 'to snark' as 'to fret, grumble, or find fault with someone'.
By the early 1900's snarky was firmly in English, meaning irritable, short-tempered. In the popular "Railway Children," by Nesbit, is found " Don't be snarky, Peter. It isn't our fault."
R. Fay, "Letters," 1912, wrote "So sorry I seem so snarkish just now."

As noted above, another meaning and use of 'snark'- 'Lewis Carroll' gave the name to an imaginary animal (1876).
By 1879, 'snark-hunting' became popular, and quickly entered political commentary.

Defining snarky as 'sarcastic' bends the meaning a bit; not yet found in the OED, but this meaning has entered slang.
Sometimes shortened to 'narky'.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Sep 06 - 07:58 PM

Maybe the Andrews Sisters recorded several versions. My (newish) CD has the 'Point Cumana' line.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Miss Parker
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 10:30 AM

Are these the complete lyrics to Rum and Coca Cola by Lord Invader...

Rum and Coca Cola (1943)
Lord Invader

Since the Yankees come to Trinidad,
They have the young girls all goin' mad.
The young girls say they treat'em nice,
And they give them a better price.

Chorus
They buy rum an' Coca Cola,
Go down to Point Cumana.
Both mother and daughter,
Working for the Yankee dollar.

Ah, look I had a little chick the other day,
But her mother came and took her away,
Herself, her mother and her sisters,
Went in a cab with some soldiers. (Chorus)

Chorus:
Rum and Coca-Cola,
Go down Point Cumana.

They have some aristos
in Port of Spain,
I know a lot, but I won't call name,
And in the day they wouldn't give you a right
But you might see them with the foreigners late at night,
drinking (chorus)

I know a couple who got married one afternoon,
And was to go Miami on their honeymoon,
But the bride run away with a soldier lad,
And the stupid husband went staring mad. (Chorus)

...or are some verses missing?


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 03:06 PM

I'll check my recording of 'Rum...' by Lord Invader tonight, and post if no one else has done it.
He added or changed material for different performances, so it will just be one version.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 06 - 08:29 PM

My recording of Lord Invader was made live in 1946 at Town Hall, New York (Rounder, "Midnight Calypso").
Little difference from the words posted above; no other verses.
1. OK
Cho. Line 3- Mothers and daughters- both plural
Line 4- Yankee dollar(s)- sometimes sounded plural.
2. OK
3. Line 4- But you would see them with the foreigners ...
4, Line 2- And was to go to Miami ....


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Subject: a different Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,m'hoop
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 06:42 AM

hey, does anyone know this other song, not the song being discussed here but a funky song from the 70's that opens with the line (& may even be called) 'rum & coca cola..' but has a chorus that goes 'i'm looking through you, yes i am, & that should do you..(something something..dont remember the rest) . Any ideas? i heard this song years ago & never found out who it was by & would love to hear it again.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Kevin Burke
Date: 24 Jan 08 - 10:10 AM

Notice to all calypsophiles. I am planning to put up a website devoted to "Rum and Coca-Cola" and to the two copyright infringement lawsuits which followed the release of the Andrews Sisters' version of the song. I would be happy to correspond with anyone else interested in the song. You can contact me directly at kburke9@mac.com.
At the moment I am interested in getting information about Jeri Sullavan's career after 1944. I would also like to get short biographies of two Trinidadians - Cecil Voisin and Cedric Espinet - who helped Lord Invader get to New York and launch the "Khan vs. Feist" lawsuit.
Thanks.
Kevin Burke
Cambridge, Massachusetts


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Laura Freedman
Date: 20 Feb 08 - 07:31 AM

Hi Kevin,

I saw your post on the song, "Rum and Coca Cola", and had a question for you.

When I lived in France in the late 1980's, a popular "alternative" radio station called Radio Nova used to play lots of obscure music from all over. This was the first time I heard the song – but the version was much more recent – probably mid/late-80's - and came with its own unique twist…

The singer was male and sang in a gravel-voiced Brooklyn Jewish accent. The lyrics were overtly political, and an early leftist critique of globalization: "Workin' for the Yankee dollar" was framed in the context of exploited workers. The one line I remember is, "Listen up, you dumb shlamuzzel – you oughta fight the bosses, not your sister and your brother!"

I've scoured the net and even wrote to Radio Nova (the radio station), but I haven't found any reference to it.

Have you come across it?

Thanks!

Laura


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Aug 08 - 11:45 AM

.. Sailor boy sit down in the sand
    With $2.00 in his hand
    Up come a native girl.sit down in his lap
    two weeks later
    (clap,clap.clap)....


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 01 Sep 08 - 08:05 AM

Leadfingers, responding to your 2004 message,

It appears there are quite a number of "blue" verses to this song ... and that, in fact, "Rum and Coca-Cola" may have had bawdy versions quite early on.

It would be good if we could reconstruct what some of those versions are. Quite a few of us out here are interested in recovering lesser known items from Anglo-American bawdy tradition.

So I, for one, would love to see those verses you sang in the RAAF.   Do you think you could bring yourself to add them to this thread? You can always put in a line first saying something like Warning Bawdy Verses Ahead, or whatever.

And anyone else who has bawdy verses to this song, please add them too. Post 'em anonymously if you will, but post 'em!

Thanks,

Bob


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Kevin Burke
Date: 21 Nov 08 - 09:16 AM

Update: My site is up. Here is the link: http://www.rumandcocacolareader.com

I look forward to hearing from anyone interested in the song.

Kevin Burke
Cambridge, Massachusetts


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Azizi
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 10:11 AM

Kevin Burke, my compliments to you on your interesting and informative website about the song "Rum and Coca Cola". I've bookmarked that site and intend to visit it often.

I took the advice that you gave in your home page and began by reading the "Rum And Coca Cola Trail" page. I found your well documented account of the history of that song and the plagiarism trail to be fascinating. And I smiled at this ending portion:

"In 1973 MCA Records (MCA had bought out Decca) released a double album of the Andrews Sisters' greatest hits. On side one, band four is the greatest of their greatest, "Rum and Coca-Cola". One wishes that the singing group had still been together at that point to add one more verse. It would have gone like this:

"When Morey sang at the USO,
The soldiers really loved the show.
But when he stole Invader's song,
The Yankee judge say he was wrong.
Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola . . ."

-snip-

I'm wondering if you intend to add some related pages about the history and lyrics to songs of other early calypsonians like Attila The Hun and Radio. That would be great since it's difficult to find online and offline information {particularly anecdotal information} about early Calysonians and lyrics to their songs.

Best wishes to you and your website!

Azizi


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: matt milton
Date: 19 Apr 10 - 02:45 PM

I noticed a whole entirely different set of lyrics here:

http://www.mentomusic.com/images/jcs7.jpg

I doubt these are "the original" lyrics at all - particularly as they are from a 1950s booklet called "Jamaican Calypso Songs" and R&CC is Trinidadian.

However, these lyrics are great. They have nothing to do with the sense of the chorus - they're basically just 'floater' lyrics in the fine tradition of folksong bawdy/nonsense/childish floater lyrics a la fiddle tunes, worksongs etc.

They do read like the sort of thing a naughty Calypsonian would write. The last verse is equal parts Benny Hill and Samuel Beckett!


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: beeliner
Date: 20 Apr 10 - 09:41 AM

Amsterdam's attorneys argued that the album notes of the calypso anthology which included "L'Annee Paase" stated (paraphrasing)'...these songs have been passed down from generation to generation...", and this was their strongest point, because if that were true, the melodies would be in the public domain.

But that was, of course, merely sales talk. Belasco's authorship and copyright were easily shown to be valid.

My copy of the Andrews sisters' recording definitely has "Go down Point Cumana".


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Subject: Lyr Add: RUM AND COCA-COLA
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 10:23 PM

Here's the transcription of the lyrics that Matt Milton found, at Mento Music. It is a scan of a booklet said to be printed probably in the 1950s. I have added some punctuation:


RUM AND COCA-COLA

1. If you eat too much, it's not good for you
And if you love too much, that is bad, too.
It will kill you by and by,
But, oh, what a pleasant way to die.

CHORUS: Drinking rum and Coca-Cola.
Down Point Kumanna [sic]
Both mother and daughter
Working for the Yankee dollar.

2. I had a girl; she was fat and tall.
I took her to the newspaper masquerade ball.
Her dress caught fire, burn in entire
Front page and sports page section and all.

3. Jamaican boy drink his papa's rum.
His mammy spanked him when he was done.
He got sick and he got plastered.
She said, "Go to bed, you little love child."

4. A little boy sat down and cried.
An old man passing asked him why.
He said he couldn't do what the big boys do.
The old man sat down and he cried too.


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Subject: Lyr. Add: Rum and Cocoanut Water
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 11:30 PM

In the same booklet (thanks for the link- interesting songs) another derivative I had not heard before.

Lyr. Add: Rum and Cocoanut Water

1
Now honey, won't you come with me
Let's go back to the West Indie.
For Baby can't you see
I've lost my pep and energy.
2
What I need is Rum and Cocoanut Water
Rum and Cocoanut Water
Rum and Cocoanut Water
I cannot get in America.
3
I remember when I was young
I was very robust and strong
But now as I walk on the street
I feel a weakness into my feet.
4
So I am going back to Jamaica where
I can get Cocoanut Water
For where'er in the world I roam
Sweet Jamaica's my happy home.
5
Yes, I am going back to the West Indies
America is too cold for me.
I'll settle down in any old home town
Where we have sunshine all the year roun'.
6
For in America they have snow
But in Jamaica it is not so
And my Body is getting old
I am not able to stand the cold.
7
Now baby when I get home
Never more will I roam
Underneath the bright sunny sky
I'll live in Jamaica until I die.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 16 May 11 - 11:20 AM

I had a 10" 78 rpm Andrews Sisters record of this about 1946, in which the 2nd line of the chorus was definitely "Go down Point Cumana" ~~ there was certainly no "ooh-la-la" about it.

I am not sure of the label, but it was certainly a British one, & I think it might have been HMV purple-label. But I do most definitely remember that the flip-side was One Meat Ball.

Can anyone identify the recording from this info?

~Michael~


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Genie
Date: 16 May 11 - 01:08 PM

You can hear the Andrews Sisters (recorded for Dot Records) here:
Andrews Sisters - Rum & Coca Cola


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Genie
Date: 16 May 11 - 01:26 PM

BTW, I'm pretty sure the beach referred to in the song is "Manzanilla Beach."

I've never heard of "Manzanella Beach" and could not find any reference to it via Google.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 16 May 11 - 01:46 PM

Genie ~Agree re Manzanilla. And many thanks for that fine 60s version. But still seeking that 1940s one...


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 May 11 - 02:22 PM

Several items on Manzanilla Beach, and resorts on the overlying ridge, on google.
The Beach, and Bay, are eastside:
http://www.trinoutdoors.com/pages/beaches.htm#Manzanilla

Not the same area as Cumana, which is northeast (but not far).


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 16 May 11 - 02:25 PM

Good map of Trinidad showing both locations-
http://www.trinoutdoors.com/pages/map.htm


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Don Firth
Date: 16 May 11 - 05:51 PM

Maybe the Andrews Sisters recorded it a couple of times. In the early 1940's, I was just a kid, but I heard the bloody think coming out of radios and juke boxes until you wanted to scream, "Make it stop! Make it stop!"

I distinctly remember the "Go down Point Cumana" line.

Don Firth

P. S. Jeez! Now I can't get the damned thing out of my head!!


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 16 May 11 - 06:12 PM

The original lyrics are much better.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 16 May 11 - 06:35 PM

And an interesting fact: according to an article published on the "Rum and Coca-Cola Reader" website mentioned further up on this thread, Invader himself actually didn't think that "Rum and Coca-Cola" was that good. He believed that "You Don't Need Glasses to See" and "That Old-Time Cat O'Nine" (which I have a thread on) were much better.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 16 May 11 - 06:38 PM

EDIT: Sorry, "Published"?, I meant "uploaded".


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 16 May 11 - 11:43 PM

Morwen, I would suggest "posted" as the best word here.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 17 May 11 - 02:27 AM

Thanks. EDIT: "Posted".


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 May 11 - 09:13 PM

Lyr. Add: Rum and Coca-Cola (1949)
Anon.

If you eat too much
It's not good for you
And if you love too much
That is bad too.
It will kill you bye and bye
But oh what a pleasant way to die.

Chorus:
Drinking rum and Coca-cola
Down Point Kumanna
Both mother and daughter
Working for the Yankee dollar.

I had a girl she was fat and tall
I took her to the Newspaper masquerade ball
Her dress caught a-fire
Burn in entire
Front page and sports section and all.

Chorus:

Jamaican boy drink his papa's rum
His mammy spanked him when he was done
He got sick and he got plastered
She said go to bed you little love child.

Chorus:

A little boy sat down and cried
An old man passing asked him why
He said he couldn't do what big boys do
The old man sat down and he cried too.

p. 7, Jamaican Calypso Songs, anon., 1949, The Gleaner Co., Ltd., Kingston, Jamaica, BWI.
Reproduced in website http://www.mentomusic.com/images/jcs7.jpg


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 11 - 06:47 PM

Just a correction on the place names in Trinidad, which refer to actual places, of course.
Point Cumana is on the Southern side of the North-West peninsula, near the place called Carenage.
Monos and Chacachacare are islands between that North-West peninsula and Venezuela. They are a short boat ride away from Point Cumana. Monos is the closest island; Chacachacare is farthest away.
Manzanilla Beach is on the opposite side of Trinidad. A very long sandy beach on the Atlantic coast on the East.

I don't know if spellings were correct in the original lyrics, but transcribers obviously would not have known.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 05:03 AM

I get kind of irritated by the misaimed fandom of this song. A lot of people I know seem to like it because it's so upbeat, completely missing the point. It's about how "those American soldiers are overpaid, oversexed and over here, and they're "stealing our women". Yeah, a man going mad because his wife ran off an American. That's so happy.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: MorwenEdhelwen1
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 05:05 AM

*with*


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,999
Date: 27 Aug 12 - 08:16 AM

Good article about Rum and Coca Cola.

If that link was posted before, sorry.


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: GUEST,Doug Gifford
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 03:39 PM

I have another final verse from what sounds like the original recording of this. There's the verse about the honeymooning couple, then Invader adds:

I wonder what is the [yankee's] opinion;
we have lots of [can't make this out]
We never said Coca Cola;
Neither did we say yankee dollar

couldn't find this on YouTube but here's the iTunes address

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/rum-and-coca-cola/id565936277?i=565936457


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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rum and Coca Cola
From: Ed T
Date: 27 Apr 15 - 03:47 PM

Not the song you seek, but a good related one:)

Candy Brandy 


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Subject: Lyr Add: RHUM ET COCA-COLA (from Jean Sablon)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Jul 15 - 10:17 PM

I happened to discover that Spotify has several recordings of a French version. Then I looked up these lyrics:

Lyrics copied from www.GreatSong.net.


RHUM ET COCA-COLA
interprétée par Jean Sablon

1. Si par hasard un jour vous allez
À l'île de la Trinité
Vous serez surpris de constater
Que là-bas on fait tout sans se presser

{Refrain:} Tout en causant du temps qu'il fera
Au pied des quinquinas
Et en buvant chaque fois
Rhum rhum rhum et Coca-Cola

2. C'est la seule boisson de tout l' pays
Il faut prendre ça ou bien d' l'eau de pluie
C'est à cause d'elle que dans la vie
On fait tout tout tout au ralenti

3. Le porteur chargé d' vous apporter
Votre malle qu'est trop lourde à porter
Arrivera vers minuit passé
En disant "J' suis venu sans trop m' presser" {au Refrain}

4. Le facteur qui porte le courrier
Vous amène d'un air essoufflé
Un télégramme de l'an passé
Et poursuit tranquillement sa tournée {au Refrain}

5. Ainsi va la vie sans trop s' presser
Pour qu'on ait l' temps d'en profiter
Et les braves gens d' la Trinité
Passeront au Ciel l' Éternité {au Refrain}

Pourquoi donc n'essayez vous pas
Rhum and [sic] Coca-Cola? (x2}


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Subject: Lyr Add: RON Y COCA-COLA (from Julio Iglesias)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Jul 15 - 12:33 AM

There seem to be at least 2 Spanish versions. Here's one of them.

These lyrics copied from Cifras.com.br


RON Y COCA-COLA
As recorded by Julio Iglesias

[CHORUS] Ron y Coca Cola,
Dame un beso, Lola
Ven conmigo a bailar
No quiero que estés tan sola

1. Con el calor de Trinidad
En una noche tropical
Estando solos junto al mar
Lola me enseño a tomar

2. Y bailamos hasta amancer
Y yo mi amor le confesé
Nos abrazamos otra vez
Tanto calor nos dió mas sed

3. Si quiere usted sentir igual
Venga una noche a Trinidad
Calor y ritmo tropical
Le harán reir le harán tomar


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Subject: Lyr Add:: RON CON COCA-COLA (from Aaron y su Grupo
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Jul 15 - 01:01 AM

Another Spanish version.
These lyrics copied from Musica.com:


RON CON COCA-COLA
As recorded by Aaron y Su Grupo Ilusion

CHORUS: Tomando ron con Coca-Cola
ay dicen papá y mamá
no te enamoraras
y asi te divertirás. REPEAT.

1. La otra tarde fui a bailar
en el barrio la pastora
y una chica tentadora
me decía en su cantar...

2. "Si tu quieres parrandear
vengase conmigo ahora
vamos a pasar las horas
baila y baila sin parar" CHORUS TWICE

Ay sabor! Mucho sabor...

3. la otra tarde fui a bailar
en el barrio la pastora
y una chica tentadora
me decía en su cantar.

4. "Si tu quieres parrandear
vengase conmigo ahora
vamos a pasar las horas
baila y baila sin parar" CHORUS 4X


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