Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan

Subject: Lyr Add: IS SHE IS OR IS SHE AIN'T? (Farrakhan)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 11:34 PM

I was surprised to learn, from this message, that Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan had a previous career as calypso artist called The Charmer. Further research shows he recorded several albums in the 1950s. AMG - All Music Guide confirms his identity, but doesn't provide much information. There is more at Fade to Black Comedy Magazine, including complete mp3 files of 16 songs. Start with that page and follow the links at the bottom.

And the music ain't bad. Here's one song, undoubtedly based on the story of Christine Jorgenson. Hardly PC by today's standards, but hey, it was daring in the 1950s for the entertainment media to even mention Christine Jorgenson. I can't imagine this song getting any radio play in those days.

IS SHE IS OR IS SHE AIN'T?

I am trying to find a solution
'Bout a certain person.
Trying to find a solution
'Bout a certain person.
With this modern surgery,
They changed him from he to she,
But behind that lipstick, rouge and paint,
I got to know, is she is, or is she ain't?

I wonder what gave him the idea and the spark
To leave the country bound for Denmark.
He tried to live the life of a man,
But that was not in accord with nature's plan,
So he underwent this operation,
And came back home to shock the nation,
But behind that lipstick, rouge and paint,
I got to know, is she is, or is she ain't?

When he-she came back to this country,
They made her a popular celebrity.
All the public sentiment
She got movie contracts and plenty engagements.
People came out of curiosity
To see this amazing freak of the century,
But behind that lipstick, rouge and paint,
I still wonder, is she is, or is she ain't?

When that lady walk across the stage,
They call her the wonder of this modern age.
Now she making plenty money
Because of hormones and plastic surgery,
Drawing down twenty thousand a week,
And not one listening to this record could get a peek,
So behind that lipstick, rouge and paint,
What d'you think she is? Boy, I know she ain't!

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: Johnny in OKC
Date: 13 Mar 04 - 11:49 PM

Gosh, that Louis Farrakhan ~~ what a "charmer".
Can't wait for him to have the operation.

Johnny in OKC

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 04 - 11:11 PM

And they say...."if only Americans....had given Fidel a chance in baseballl.......Guantanimo could have covered the island.

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: LadyJean
Date: 20 Mar 04 - 11:30 PM

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: GUEST,whatever
Date: 13 Sep 05 - 06:33 PM

what a ridiculous racist retard.

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Sep 05 - 07:04 PM

He apparently continued to sing after converting to Islam. I remember one of my professors back in college (late 60's) playing a record by one "Louis X" called something like "A White Man's Heaven is a Black man's Hell" Louis "X" later became Louis Farrakhan.

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: Peace
Date: 13 Sep 05 - 07:05 PM

Racist arsehole.

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 07:13 AM

If we can take as a given the horrors of Minister Farrakhan's politics, Peace, and get past it just long enough to talk about the music...

The song had a certain life. It turned up in Bermuda (if I remember correctly, in the hands of the none-too-talented but prolific goodtime band The Talbot Brothers) as "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't."

A natural for calypso, that story -- also celebrated in calypsonian Lloyd Thomas' "Sex Changing."   

Charmer aka Farrakhan had a light agile tenor, a kind of nervous manner with a song. Good band behind him. He had a kind of professional polish, and while not among the best of his time -- not a good time for calypso, either, the 50s -- despite (or because of?) its Belafonte breakout -- he was a pretty good performer.

OK, OK, about the politics...

Many will perhaps wish Farrakhan had stayed a calypso singer. That he did good things for black consciousness and black pride in the early days, though, cannot be denied.

It is a pity that his originally good initiative degenerated into a killer cult (as, after all, has right wing Christianity and a bunch of other "good causes"). And, to agree wholeheartedly with his worst detractors:

How doubly tragic it is that, due to Farrakhan's hatred, we no longer have Malcom X around. Imagine him here today, to say the necessary truths about the New Orleans tragedy...and a host of other issues important to America and the world!!!

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: Peace
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 08:20 PM

"If we can take as a given the horrors of Minister Farrakhan's politics, Peace,"

Unless you are addressing me specifically for some reason, extend your admonition to the others with whom I share a view. They posted above.

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 11:01 PM

Poet Maya Angelou also made a Calypso album back then. I bought the CD a few year ago; it was very disappointing.

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 11:14 PM

So the founder of the USA branch for the Nation of Islam is a homosexual? Dixon what are you trying to communicate?

Subject: RE: Calypso artist Louis Farrakhan
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 11:17 PM

Nice job Jim - it is all a matter of wording - to get sinkers below-the-line - to become stinkers-above-the-line.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle