Mighty Sparrow: Calypso King of the World 094126632X

Citation preview

ODINUNBA

KWANDELA (J.

ASHTON

BRATHWAITE)

,

Author oh

*Journey Through JailhousB

Jeopardy,

Mish SoldierA looks ol ion,

FORiWOnObi Calypso-Soca Great

RedPlasticBag.

®&

Of

fli£ tl»OtH0

By

(

J.

ASHTON BRATHWAITE

4 BOOKS Brooklyn,

New

York

)

Copyright All rights

©

reserved.

2006

No

J.

Ashton Brathwaite

part of this publication

may

reproduced or transmitted in any fonn, or by any means.electronic or mechanical, or by information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of

t>e

excerpts for reviews.

ISBN 0-941 266-32-X Library of

Congress Control Number: 2006920175

Information: Kibo Books, P. O. Box 21442, Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, New York 11202, USA E-mail:

[email protected]

Website: www.kibobooks.com

Manufactured

in

the United States of America

Calypsonian

tnat

is

it's

On Mignty

Sparrow

v

a colossus snoula go ty tne

name

sotriquet Sparrow, tne

nowever,

Brief

mat sucn

ratner ironic

It's

RPB

or such a tiny tirdie.

suspect,

I

because ol tne tonal quality coming from this Dira

so popular in tne CarinDean.

I first

met Slinger Francisco -

years ago in his eidoptea

my

tried to conceal

sorry. Dr.

Bird

homeland Trinidad. Witn

- many

difficulty, I

excitement of having met the Calypso

King of the World, the one who dominated the airwaves with nis fantastic stories in song.

As

a young calypsonian,

it

was tne

beginning of wonderful experiences, benefiting from bis advice

and watching him perform. For me, performing on the same stage as

Sparrow

Music Hall

will

Sparrow

at

Madison Square Garden and Radio City

remain forever etcbed in

hais

my memory.

proven to tbe world tbat calypso

is

music to

be taken seriously. Wberever be went, be captivated audiences witb bis cbarismatic performances and

lyrics

laden witb satire

and innuendo. Dr. Bird bas used tbe art-form especially in the

way he

Ayatollab of Iran, tbe

bedroom

of

to

its fullest,

dealt with international topics ufce the

Man wbo made

Queen Euzabetb

II

wben

bis

way

into tbe

sbe was tbere alone, and

of course, tbe song Eaucation witb tbe lines: Without an

education in your neaa

/Lire will he pure misery, you re better

oil dead, whicb remained witb

Anyone wbo Sparrow bis songs;

will

world, the is

title

me from a cbild until tbis

day.

a cbance to cbat witb tbe Migbty

understand rigbt away wby tbere

is

sucb wit in

be bas a fantastic sense of bumour.

Wbenever be

gets

tbere

is

mention of

calyi^so

anywbere in tbe

name Migniy Sparrow^rm come to

the fore.

For

certainly a Caribbean icon, tborougbly deserving of tbe

Cedypso King or the World. Stedson (Red Plastic Bag) Wiltsbire, Calypsonian/Lyricist/Composer

Autkor's Note

VI

Over

tke last several years

much

Two

tracing the liistory of calypso.

among

the

love of

it

Indies?

that

its

many

pondered.

is

way

its

How did the

started?

One

of the strongest

West

to the

The comhination

World.

many years, and language destruction, resulted in many changes, including that of music. music

African

did

of forced

West

the passing of

of

is

Indies during the African

removal thousands of miles from Africa to the

Elements

West

in the old music of parts of West Africa,

New

slave trade to the

it

in the Engnsh-speaking

Opinions have heen many. foundation

in

important questions were

Where was

hecome most rooted

which made

teen made

effort nas

Indies,

naturally

the

survive

The

transformation forced on Africans in diaspora.

calypso

genre, however, did not root itself into the entire diaspora.

Understandahly

for the African diaspora did not

so,

fall

under

the control of one nation. Other than England, there were

slave-owning France, Spain and Portugal. Suffice to say, then, that the changes forced different languages

and

on Africans

in diaspora

cultural values,

which affected diaspora

Africans over the years in different ways those from the same trihes.

What

strange to he ignored, however, ships arriving in

is

- even

South Carohna to "drop

off"

in the case of

could he determined as too the fact that

Barbados normally "dropped

there for the slave markets in the

came through

West

Enghsh

slave

some

slaves

off"

Indies then

others for the

headed to

slave markets in

the United States.

There wasn't a hut they were

all

trihal relationship

controlled

among

all

these slaves,

and conditiond hy an English

value system. In spite of this significant similarity, calypso did

not hecome the musical choice of Africans in diaspora in

America; hlues

did.

English-speaking

The

choice of Africans in diaspora in the

West Indies hecame

calypso; not hlues.

Aulkor's Note

Clearly,

vii

cited as to

wny any

ended up developing and

railing in

men, no one reason can te

African group in diaspora

love with a particular genre or music, tnougn

it

seems tnat old

African rnytnms played an important (fundamental) role in the musical genre of choice of

all.

It

would he remiss not to

mention that had not for recent viewing of very well researched documentaries depicting hlues-lifce music as not

heing auen to

some

part oi Africa going hack

genre of music would

now

many

years, this

he depicted here as the one more

and

alien to Africa than any of the other genres created

in love with

The conclusion

here on the creation or Calypso

few other ohservations ahout

it

-

is

from the African roots was developed

West all

that

a

transformation

in the Engush-speahing

So the calypsonian who wrote and sang

roUowing pertaining to the issue or what

an

editorial written in song."

editoriauzing

As

Too

identified prohlems

satirizing solutions

its

its

— and

Indies, primarily so in Trinidad. It has always addressed

issues.

"It is

fallen

hy other groups in the vast African diaspora.

when

is

the

calypso was right:

often, though, while the

very well,

it

resorted to

outright Ccistigation was needed.

with the Blues in the southern United States, during

early years.

Calypso was denied the attention

especially the real thing

early calypsonians

from the

(real)

were hardly heard

or;

it

deserved,

calypsonians.

some

later

Some

were more

much hetter monetary rewards. In the mid-1960's along came The Mighty Sparrow, who somehow took calypso to higher heights. He hecame one of the rew

popular, though without

calypsonians whose monetary rewards showed

some

respect for

the art-form. Undoubtedly, heid he demonstrated this kind of ahihty in another genre of music, fame

have heen

greater.

and fortune would

#

A bout the A uthor

viii

teens and still known by his given name John A. - who would sonne years later change his name to Odimumba Kwamdela - left his native Barbados for London, England. He eventually enlisted in the British Army and served in the Middle East. After In

1960,

in

his early

Brathwaite, he

for Ontario, Canada. There, he freelanced becoming founding publisher and editor of Spear, reputed to be Canada's first Black magazine. Eventually becoming disappointed with the limitations of Spear in a nation with too small a Black population, and believing the controversy surrounding the original edition of his book Niggers This Is Canada made him the object of government harassment, he exiled himself to New York City. There, around the mid1970's, he discarded the name J. Ashton Brathwaite. Around this time, now known as Odimumba Kwamdela, he was enrolled in the City University of New York - of which he is a Literature and

military service,

he

left

London

with a few publications before

- as

Journalism graduate

and holding down

full-time

a part-time night student doing full-time studies day employment in the graphic arts industry of

Manhattan. Eventually, he also graduated from New York Institute of Technology with the Master of Science in Instructional Technology degree. To date, Kwamdela has authored 14 books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry and a musically dubbed CD/album of poetry, listed herein under the heading Books by the Author. Kwamdela gave up the graphic arts industry to become a New York City Board of Education high school teacher of Writing and Graphic Arts. For several years he taught in "the roughest schools in the worid;" even one in infamous, volatile Rikers Island Jail for the many teenagers always locked down" in what is known as "the belly of the beast."

Books by the Author JOURNEY THROUGH JAILHOUSE JEOPARDY:

(1)

A Good New Yoric City Teachers End Up Down

In

(NF)

Bad Rikers

Island Jail

BLACK BRITISH SOLDIER (NF) SOUL IN THE WILDERNESS (NF) NIGGERS THIS IS CANADA (NF, F)

(2) (3) (4)

(5)

RAININGS RUINS. ROSES AND ROCKSTONES

(F)

BACK TO PENNY HOLE FOREVER (NF, F) (7) SEARCHING SOUL DOWN INNA SOUTHERN AFRICA (NF) (8) SOUL SURVIVING UP IN CANADA (NF) (9) THE SMALL BLACK BOOK OF BIG THOUGHTS (NF) (10) THE GRASSROOTS PHILOSOPHER (P) (11) THE PROPHET NEXT DOOR (P) (12) BLOOD-BOILING BLACK BLUES (P) BEHOLD THE GRASSROOTS POET-PHILOSOPHER: (13) (6)

(

(14)

Poetry CD/album, soulful rhythms dubbed

)

MIGHTY SPARROW: CALYPSO KING OF THE WORLD

NF =

non-fiction.

F=

fiction,

NF, F = non-fiction

&

fiction,

(NF)

P = poetry

Use Kibo Books Information and get prompt mailing: E-mail: [email protected] Phone and Fax: 1-718-859-5881 Kibo Books, P.O. Box 21442, Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, New York 11202. USA. Web Site: www.kibobooks.com

Contents

19

Sparrow Came Roaring Sparrow Soars Like An

37 46

The King Indeed Sparrow More Than

9

Eagle

A

Caiypsonian

55 74 95 1 1

126 140 1 57 1 74

Inevitable

Changes

Calypso Behind Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne Some Calypso Problems Competition in the Arena Soca Challenges the Sparrow Braves Stomi Calypso up Against International

Language

Myth

83 189 200 207 216 222 1

Brief

Look Back Up Front

Sparrow-Chalkdust Duel?

Up Againt the Age Barrier Span-ow-Mighty Spoiler Others on Sparrow Long Lives the King

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Makelah Amani, your computer wizardry is so helpful during the initial stages of tiook production. The same is true regarding your artistic ability and knack for spotting errors.

Malaika Brathwaite,

your computer and copy

editing

assistance are very

much

appreciated.

Ramsay and Dr Sheldon Taylor, l)ecause in the past you have always demonstrated a commitment to do whatever you could toward the promotion of the author's t>ooks, the same is anticipated with this one; hence, you deserve to toe thanked in advance. Thanks, too, to Irma E. Inniss, who more recently demonstrated

Euclide

similar commitment

Dedication:

Way back down calypso's memory lane, calypsonians so "loved the hell out of" composing and singing calypsoes that they happily "kept on keeping on" at it even though their only payment

was the great love they got from plying their talent. So why

should this book not be dedicated to their memory?

>

Tne Sparrow Came Roaring Tnis writer was

still

a

little

boy attending

Elementary Boys Scnool in the parisn or tne island of Barbados in

Tbe Migbty Sparrow — roar.

The

as the

1956 wben

St. Martin's

St. Pnilip,

tbis uttle bird

flew into the calypso arena with a

island or Trinidad having long been

home

oi calypso (and steelband),

surprising that

it

on

— one

was there where

would profoundly change calypso

as

this

it

renowned

wasn't at

all

happening, that

never before, actually

took place, as was the case with any major calypso

happening bach in those days.The calypso arena stretched across the other islands of the English-speaking W^est

Indies where the love for the calypso sound was as great as

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

10

tkat in TriniJaJ, Lut the production of

it

was nowhere

near as consistent or as well done. Tnese islands were only

100

to

200

miles across tke Caribbean Sea (tke Eastern

CariLLean) from one anotker exception -

it

tke only

keing a few kimdred more miles away in tke

As

Greater Antilles.

skow tkese

- witk Jamaica

close in proximity as tkese

rew miles

actually keing today, kack in tkose

islands

days tkey seemed so

muck more

distant

nrom one anotker

kecause inter-island traveling for tke ordinary people was

not tke regular tking few

years.

it

was akout to kecome in tke next

However, in

distances in tkose days, as sparrows are

known

spite

of tke

seemingly long

and tkat a sparrow

is

a tiny kird,

to ke internationally, witk

no

real

reputation of tougkness otker tkan tkat of "uttle cocksparrow,"

and in

spite of tke

paradox descriking

kis

new

comd not kave keen muck concern

arrival, initially tkere

akout kis superlative introduction.

Tke Sparrow duced

dis

in tkis case, as explained,

Tke Migkty one and roared

arrival in tke calypso

raskion.

He

w£ls

so migktily tkat kis

also,

manner of tke

calypso Jean

felt

and did

and Dinah.

For a long time wkerever you turned on tke of

Barbados,

if

it

island

wasn't in tke form of tke voice of

Sparrow coming from tke redifusion or

radio,

you keard it

rrom the moutks of people, tkese words keing sung, said

felt

ki true cock-sparrow

kent on making kis presence

so in tke powerful

intro-

arena in Trinidad was soon to ke

over tke otker islands

all

was

was tke same tkrougkout tke Jean and Dinah Rosita ana Clementina

islands:

as

was

The Sparrow Came Roaring

11

They on the comers posing Beicha life it's something they sellin

Now the

Yankees gone

'.

they're hroken.

lean get them tor next to nothing Without making a row...

The Yankees gone

Ana Sparrow take over now. Tnis representea only the cnorus. There was a

more Sparrow

lot

said in the four verses or eignt lines each.

Often, tne West Indian calypso consisted of tnree such verses, sometimes four, each verse followed hy a repeat of the chorus, which sometimes had lyrical changes.

So

there was an ohvious difference from the calypsoes

Harry Belafonte made famous,

calypsoes

mostly

of

Trinidad, which he covered and shortened the verses

sometimes to as style

would

little

as three lines,

better capture the mainstream

audiences he was aiming his

assumption,

calypsoes

milhon

copies.

at.

The

considering

hecame the

American

assuming that

first

American

evidence spoke well for

that

his

first

alhum of

alhum of any genre to

Subsequent calypso

singers

womdn't do

this

singles

sell

one

covered hy

quite as well, hut certainly

outsold the Trinidad originals.

And

so, while, as

style calypso,

ana Dinah

the

was the norm with West-Indian-

punch

lines in

Mighty Sparrow's Jean

rested in the chorus, the

most potent

lyrics

were in the verses.

Of

course,

calypso lovers paid attention to the

potent lyrics contained in the verses. However, there was

no douht whatsoever

that the chorus, heing where was

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

12

generally

found tke most catcky punch

Leing sung

muck more

eitker, tkat

people will sing tkose

memory and it not tke memory kandles ketter tkan

it

does tke

was heard

frequently. It cannot ke dispelled, lyrics tkat are

is okvious tkat tar

to tke

lines,

committed

more often tkan

tke lyrics of tke ckorus

lyrics of

muck

tke verses.

was always said - to tke point of keing regarded

It

as

common knowledge - Trinidad is tke land of calypso and

And

steelkand."

indeed, tkrougkout tke Enghsk-speaking

W^est Indies, wkere calypso enjoyed tke most popularity

ky

far,

Trinidad was accepted as suck, no matter tkat on

occasions a few calypsonians from tke otker Englisk-

speaking islands

- and

Britisk Guiana, today's

would make an impact. In

Guyana —

tke non-Trinidadians

fact,

tkinking tkey kad tke calypso potential usually saw tkeir

"making

it"

in

moving to Trinidad.

Tke punck

lines

ana Dinans ckorus

in Jean

undouktedly played a major part in creating tke popularity of

Sparrow in

kis first

major move in tke calypso arena.

Tkis calypso struck a note of popularity tkrougkout tke islands as

no otker

difference

was tkat some calypsoes struck

in

some

calypso

kad previously done. Tke

kind of note

islands kut not otkers.

But did

tkis justify

Shnger Frascisco (Sparrow's

name) coming onto tke calypso migktily?

For one, ke kad no way

of popularity awaiting Jean Indies.

tkis

kig

of

scene

posturing

real

so

knowing of tkis kind

and Dinah, around

tke

West

For anotker, tkere were many calypsonians kefore

Sparrow came wko kad recorded merely a few calypsoes

and tkeir names disappeared from tke scene

as fast as tkey

The Sparrow Came Roaring

Was

kad appeared.

it

a case of Sparrow possessing that

comDination of ego and

somenow look

13

Did ne

total telief in nis ability?

into tne future

and perceived

of himself as

having tnat special something tnat was tound to make

nim

different

- an advantageous

difference?

Tnis mignt

te decided as tms story progresses.

However, what shomd te taken into consideration

and now

here

is

tnat

calypsonians

themselves as possessing great it

up

a

common

wno tnougnt

anility usually tried to

with their sohriquets (stage

of

Lack

names acquired or taken,

act in the calypso arena), that represented

power, ego and toughness. These sohriquets would usually include

a nerce predator such as

Growling Tiger.

If

not, then other

The Roaring

Lion, or

names representative

of

toughness they had heard of since their school days.

Aldwyn Roherts was known

as

British hero general. Atilla the

Lord Kitchener, the

Hun

world centuries hefore this general calypsonian

known hy

the

ambition was to conquer

name

hut

of the

in sight

all

had departed

was

there

renowned

a

Hun leader whose

and out of

sight.

calypsonian with a lover's attitude would chose the of an historically

this

lover. Fit2xoy

A

name

Alexander no

doubt though he had such a melodious voice that he

named

himself Lord Melody.

mind

are:

Mighty Terror,

Some

others that

come

Lord Pretender,

to

Mighty

Destroyer, Mighty Spoiler, King Fighter, King Striker,

Lord Christo, Lord Blakie, Lord Beginner, Lord Invader, Mighty Viper, Mighty Wrangler and Mighty Bomber.

But Mighty Sparrow? There was nothing

known about this

htble bird.

Sparrows were often

tough easily

14

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

7

Mignty Sparrow celenrating

on tne occasion

oi being

crownea Calypso King lor tne

mst time.

.

.also in nis

uncnallengea prime.

The Sparrow Came Roaring

Dlown away to

their aeatn

woma

Mignty Lark

Slinger Francisco,

a very

smooth

15

by a wind not so very nigh.

nave heen tetter unaerstooa, since

rrom the very beginning, aemonstratea

voice.

Ana with the mentioning

oi his real

name — quite an unusual one for the Engush-speahing West hioies - conjuring up the ego-tripping, onerous cowhoy

attitude or gunslinger,

(tnen) attracting

so

many nations

to see gimslingers,

Mighty

sounding

and with western movies

phenomenal numhers of movie

Slinger

not

goers in

why was it that toughchosen

over

Mighty

said,

even hy

Sparrow iastead?

As

to these specmations,

it

has heen

Sparrow himself, that he never did appreciate the

name

stage

that represented this lowly regarded uttle hird.

would have preferred a name that

inflated his ego.

He But

while other calypsonians were ahle to get away with their

names, there was this special love

stage

had with Slinger Francisco from the

affair calypso fans

start,

and heueving

they had never hefore seen another calypsonian

danced around the stage so

and there

name

as

of tnis

nonstop.

It

he

energetically,

did, fans insisted

little

bird

helped to

on

who

jumpiag here

calling

him hy the

known for flipping around

almost

seal his fate that other calypsonians

agreed ahout his energetic movements.

According to the popular adage, everything happens for a

good reason. Still,

the important question must he pondered,

with his exciting stage presence, his smooth voice, and the great lyrical ahinty

he would go on to demonstrate, how

would having one of those tough-sounaing,

egotistical

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

16

calypso

save

names

of tke time served?

some otkers from

Tkey

didn't necessarily

falling into obscurity.

Wkat Jean and Dinah

Sparrow was to

also did for

win kim tke coveted Calypso King crown. In addition,

won kim

also

Road Marck

tke

prestigious, kut a title tkose

not quite as

title,

wko comdn't win tke Calypso

King crown would wisk tkey could win.

It

was great for

won

Sparrow; no otker calypsonian kcid ever titles

it

tkese

two

simultaneously.

As

tke

to

ana Dinan, tkougk

of Jean

verses

amusingly composed, tkey dealt witk a serious issue plaguing tke

West

American

years:

Indies at tke time sailors

in Trinidad

and in previous

-

also

civilian

Americans working tkere for American companies of

tkeir

usual

drama,

controlling

attitudes

and

full

kig-

spending ways. Yankees used tke powerful Yankee doUar in tke poor island to assure tkemselves of sexual control

over tkose indigenous Unfortunately, kypocrisy as did

it

women wko

didn't

deal

saw

tkis as a God-sent.

witk tke impncit

some earner calypsoes on tke same

notatly Brownskin Girl:

The American came like an invasion

We thought it was to help the island Then they d leave on (permanent) vacation Leaving the native girls to mind their

hrownskinned children. Take

.

this hlack girl called Millie

She had this hrown hlue-eyed hahy People say she looked like de Jatha

Long gone hack

to

America.

.

racial issue,

The Sparrow Came Roaring

17

Singing:

Brownshin girl, mina my brown bahy I'm gone away with the U.S.

And it I don

't

Navy

come hack

Stay home ana mind my mown bahy. Sparrow no ooutt took into consideration tnat since the

color

Yankees were wnite, noLoay saw any otner

when Tankee

20 years old tne

sailor"

at the time.

was mentioned.

He was only

Taking into consideration now

more mature and independent Sparrow ne would

snow nimseli

to be only a few snort years later, there exist

no douht here

even three years Yankees,

had Jean and Dinah heen composed

that

many

later,

or

he would have castigated those

them nrom the southern

U.S., where

they heueved in and supported the law sanctioning racial segregation

came

and the

"inferiority" of "Negroes,"

to the islands with engaging in sex with

hut they "Negro"

women on their minds. It

must have heen a

hig surprise that

Sparrow won

the coveted King of Calypso crown in 1956 - along with the

Road March

title.

There must have heen some

among some of the had not yet won any kind of title.

resentment

older calypsonians

who

18

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

MIGHTY

Mighty Sparrow invinciLility.

strikes

up a pose, seemingly meant to

tell

of

liis

19

>

Sparrow Soaring Like Carnivals woula

come ana

An Eagle

go, so to speak,

ana Jean ana

Dinah, in a sea or new calypsos - some or tnem very good

ana Dinah aemanoea — remained very popular.

primarily tecause Jean level

Or

course,

too

mucn

ultimately lead to tne cropping jealousy

and rumors.

praise

up

and

a nigner

popularity

or detractors; nence,

And so, as Sparrow followed up witn

other calypsoes, some better uidm Jean ana Dinah, and

seemed certain tnat

his popularity

and

it

atuity, ratner tnan

waning, were growing, ne eventually tecame tne object or

some tongues

or pessimism in tne calypso arena.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

20

It

was said tkat

tliis

Sparrow

fellow,

who had

so fast

Lecome regarded as tke leading calypsonian, was not the composer of tkat kig tkat

it

was a

gift

kit

Jean and Dina in tke

ky Lord Blakie, a good

kirn

to

first place,

calypsonian in tke arena kefore tke younger Sparrow, kut

not in

as popular, or

kaving skown tke same promise. In

fact,

ke ensuing years ke would not demonstrate tke same

akilities.

Proving tke Blakie rumor ke trutk or He missive kere.

is

not tke

By tkis time, Sparrow kad released a number

of otker records.

He kad

also

done tke unexpected in tke

calypso arena of tke Carikkean, never done in

all

tke

previous years, not even ky tke one, prior to Sparrow,

regarded as tke master of calypso. Lord Kitckener. released kis

album

of calypsoes.

came out only in tke form

of singles.

Kitckener kad produced tke years.

He kad keen

many beautiful

singles

and more advanced country.

anticipated tkat ke

break tkrougk. to ke so far

calypso

It

would be tke one to

comd

away

over

uving in England for a number of

years wkere he enjoyed cjuite a bit of pubncity in tke bigger, ricker

He

Previously, calypsoes

It

muck

was tkerefore

initiate

suck a

not, granted, ke expected of

at tkat

time and

initiate

accompkskment Sparrow kad tke

kim

tke otker

guts to initiate:

organize a koycott of tke carnival kecause of wkat ke

perceived

as

tke

CDC

(tke

Committee) continuing to "rok

Carnival

Development

calypsonians klind," tkis

in spite of tke calypso competition keing tke

most popiJar

part of tke carnival.

The

calypsoes Sparrow

kad ky now written and

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

21

recoroed were of sucn stanoara tnat tnose calypsonians,

wko

it

seemed rusnea

oLviously

felt

tneir calypsoes to the studios,

compelled to slow

down

in tne interest of

production and presenting themselves as

liigker caliter

wortny competitors in the art form. Listening to Sparrow's P.A.Y.E.f Postcard To Sparrow, Theresa, The Russian Satellite, Gimslingers, Theresa,

lihe

Simpson and Mr. Herhert,

My Senorita, radi^er^iQces there coidd he

no question

ahout ustening to greatly improved calypsoes. Yes, Blahie was regarded as a good calypsonian, hut it

was ohvious that

his calypsoes

were not up to the same

standard as Sparrow's. If

he

really

was the writer oi Jean ana Dinah, then

Sparrow managed to give to

up

to

a

not

level

demonstrated in his

it

matched hy that Blakie

quite

own

a style of singing that was

calypsoes. It should also he

mentioned that Blahie never came anywhere near to the production consistency of Sparrow. It

would he remiss not to

reiterate

that

Lord

Kitchener also produced calypsoes of high standard.

Mango get

Tree and Nora, Nora, Nora, telung of his intent to

away from

his

Engnsh girlfriend, who loved him

dearly

hut his homesickness for Trinidad was too great to hear, certainly were very cleverly

presented.

forgotten

And

trapped in the

London

Morning —

cold and fog

only hy Jamaica's Alton Ems' steady heat) as the hest ever

At any

nicely

of course, there was his never-to-he-

Christinas

It's

composed and very

telling

of heing

- perhaps

rivaled

Christmas Coming (rock-

West Indian Christmas

rate, in a relatively short

song.

period of time

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

22

Sparrow had trougkt such a major change to tne calypso art

form tkat ke was overwhelmingly being referred to

as

King of Calypso," no matter who was oirrently

"the

wearing the

(official)

calypsonian Lord

CDC

crown, no matter that top

Melody wasn't playing

The

highly regarded was Sparrow that heing

wasn't enough to descrihe him; he was

So

dead, either.

now

Mighty"

referred to as

"The Mighty King Sparrow." With other calypsonians

was either

The

Mighty" or TGng."

Or in the

it

case of those

who preferred to he "Lord," it was "Lord" only. Sparrow had created such an impression that church goers on their church groimds sometimes forgot

where they were and would subconsciously

start

humming

a Sparrow tune. Calypso music was regarded as the music of Satan.

But Sparrow was

truly loved

hy the people.

CDC.

However, he was no longer a favorite of the wasn't difficult, though, to see Wcis

how

hesmirching Sparrow

very likely to happen.

Arguments often hroke out is

It

as to the question,

numher

of

this question

was

the best calypsonian? There were quite a

calypsonians around, hut usually

when

who

posed two choices were made: Mighty Sparrow and Lord

Melody. This ohviously was the case hecause these two.

Sparrow

particvJarly,

produced records more frequently

than the others. There was no douht that these two were

Nor was

involved in a private competition of their own.

there any doiiht that their nearest rivals. King Fighter,

King

Striker,

Lord Christo and the

distance tehind. since the

As

gramaphone

for Kichener, era, as

like

were quite a

on the calypso scene

good a calypsonian

as

he was

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

known to te, it seemed that his exile 1949 somehow was standing in his way It

in

London

23

since

in the Carihhean.

was unfortunate hecause going into I960 there was a

jukehox craze.

—

shop

It

they sold

referred to as

seemed that wherever there was a all

rum

hind of things hut were almost always shops

more people were

uttle

—

ahle to

there was a juhehox.

own

radios

and mafce

Also, their

choice of stations, as opposed to the government-owned redifusion over stations,

which they not only had no choice of

hut redifusion played an inordinate amount of

foreign music while often disparaging calypso music.

when

it

tried to he

more accommodating, many

Even

calypsoes

were suhject to censorship.

Another calypsonian deserving

of credit here

is

Lord Pretender. In the calypso arena hefore Kitchener, he was regarded potent

very

as

a

lyri-

cist.

Sadly, though,

for

whatever

reasons, years,

in

the later

he would too

often elect to stay in the hacfcground

for long periods.

Far from

nis prime,

Pretender, right,

gainea the reputation

"The Great Honourable

Lord Pretender."

24

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Mignty Sparrow

now

strites

up a limto aancing pose.

It is

not

well ne nanalea tne limbo, nut with nis versatility

te surprising

if

ke did it quite

well.

it

known

woulon t

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

On

some good calypsoes

a lesser scale, tnere were

coming out of the island of Jamaica even in the mid-late

1950's, the

also.

world

kuge place because of travel not being as

frecjuent

would tecome

it

Jamaica,

in

was perceived

still

being such a

as wide, or

from

not

as

tne

other

colonized hy En-

(grouped-togetner) islands that were gland,

Unfortunately,

tne next few years,

separated

geograpnically

25

as heing so far away; hence, that

lacking in connection. In any event, the Jamaican calypso

wasn't as highly regarded as the Trinidad calypso

This writer must he honest ahout a confession regarding the calypso scene of the time. In the face of

overwhelming Melody.

As

this very

preference

for

Sparrow,

his

was

for

earner stated. Sparrow was a calypsonian with

smooth

voice.

Melody, on the other hand, was

the opposite; his voice came from deep in the thorax to

diaphragm

opposed to Sparrow's seemingly heing

as

hetween

circulated

his

tongue and the roof of his mouth,

then smoothly sliding out. Coming from deep down. Melody's

voice

represented

a

haritone

singer.

From

ustening to local musicians as a lad, there was always an infatuation with that deep hass voice.

It

would

also he the

reason some years later that the choice hetween two great

Black American singers was for the deep hass voice of Louis Armstrong over the gold dust-smooth voice of Nat

King Cole. In preference balladeer.

was

fact,

for

it

was for the same reason that

another

Great

Black

American

Brook Benton, over Cole.

Admittedly, though, there was a conflict hrewing.

Truth and

fact

can he denied hut not destroyed. Beyond a

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

26

JouLt, Sparrow was clearly demonstrating that as far as

tke calypso art form was concemea, there was an extra quality he possessed. If there

to 1959, ty micl-1960

it

was any doubt ahout

up

this

had to have heen destroyed hy the

evidence to the contrary. This evidence was in part hased

on

Away From not the issue is

You Can

t

Get

(quite smutty,

hut

his additions to his existing repertoire:

the Tax, here),

Benwooa Dick

Monica Dou Dou, Maria, Ten

Murder, May-May, with the

special

last

to

One

three deserving of

mention.

At

this stage,

it

would have heen a

dishonesty mixed with other sentiments of

case of pure ill

he

will to

denying Sparrow's very important contribution to calypso,

And

or that he was in control in the cal3^so arena.

this

does not take into consideration his firm stand against

CDC, which

those tough guys controlling the calypsonians gaining

some

had long complained ahout

respect, missing respect they

in

little

Suffice to say, Sparrow

himseK

as

somehody

it

more than

whispers.

must have aheady seen

special in the calypso arena

five years after getting his hig

part of

led to

not quite

hreah to take such a stand,

having to do with getting paid

hetter.

Driven

hy ego might not have heen out of the question,

partly either.

Whatever might have heen the

case, if

with these

additions to his repertoire Sparrow's special contribution to calypso

still

wasn't acknowledged,

it

certainly could

not

have heen honestly denied.

Maria Wcisn't so much a party-type calypso for it was slower than most calypsoes were. But as

much as people

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

more up-tempo

exliitited a liking for the

difference in tnis

popularity to

it

calypso, tke

one seemed to nave assured

of the

it

gained and maintained for a long time. Ten

One is Murder, on

tempo

27

the other hand, epitomized the up-

And

calypso.

indeed,

and deuvery

composition

it

was more popmar.

were

from

different

just

Its

anything previously. These two were generally thought to

Ten

he Sparrow's hest calypsoes. especially.

That

until this

day

One

to

it is still

Murder

is

generally regarded

as a very catchy tune, justifies the general heuef

hack in

the day.

But there was May-May. There today that

it

has maintained

is Murder ndiS,

it's

is

no evidence

One

popmarity as Ten to

hut hack in the day,

it

had to have heen the

pivotal calypso as far as a major change in calypso

is

concerned.

Calypso has always heen somehow saddled with that reputation of heing tied to that party of carnival (hacchanal),

often

reflected

"wuhhing-up,"

and

this,

as such the

gyration

of

with

the

anatomy

curvy, rounded

hips

buttocks heing general physical characteristics of of African ancestry, there

was never

displaying sexuahty in the gyration.

were also

lyrics filled

often quite lewd

difficiuty in

Dominant

to

and

women them

in calypso

with sexual connotations; in

and degrading

—

and hips - that evoke

particularly the area of the huttochs

And

parties called

with topics ahout "wining" and

meaning

sexual thoughts.

all

lyrics of calypso

women, and

fact,

telling of

the sexual prowess of the calypsonian. Yet the calypso

genre always did address social and poutical issues.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

28

The

must he

latter, it

seldom gained tne

eiamittea,

popularity tke former did. In tne early '70s one of the

younger calypsonians then, Mighty Duke, in addressing this issue

made

WAai

calypso,

this

is

profound statement in a popular

Calypso? It

an

is

editorial written in

song."

And so

it

was that several of Sparrow's calypsoes,

with those of other calypsonians,

fell

as

into this popular

category. Regardless of the topic covered, calypsonians

were singing story

And in

tellers.

telling their stories

they

could he quite clever in coming up with douhle-entendre

one thing with two

lyrics,

interpretations, almost always

with one morally acceptable and one unacceptable

Consequently

moutn

exonerating

themselves

of

any

(dirty).

"nasty-

charges the puhhc would he sure to lay against

them. The following

is

a hrief example from Sparrow's

amusing calypso Lion ana Donkey:

There

kingdom

is

a large gathering of

to witness a fight between the

donkey

stupid

members

strong Hon.

It's

of the animal

known

weakling,

against, of all others, the king of heasts,

a foregone conclusion that Hon will tear

donkey

apart, yet

betting

on donkey.

monkey

shck

And

the only animal there

as the others

sympathy for poor donkey, ton

Why aian 'tya

is

tells

moan and show

them:

warn he

Bout stepping outta he class?

Even it he hoh n weave real fast '

Not even a miracle can save Ya paraner — naked ass. By "naked ass," is Sparrow referring to donkey by his

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

known name

otker

or

(jack) ass,

is

tke term teing usea in

tkat Dully mentality manner, ala "kick nis ass"

word

in tke

West

Indies

29

— wkick

or course

—a

curse

always

is

naked? Sparrow continues tke lengtky calypso cleverly using tkis doukle-entendre lyrics "naked

amusingly

forms but always so cleverly as to evoke tke

different

akove

ass" in

Naked

(juestion.

ass wasn't tke deciding lactor,

tke way. Lion, after putting a keating

on kim

(or

it),

ky

to tke

laugkter of tke otker animals, took tke advice of kis suck

monkey and in a clinck wkispered to tougk guy Hon tkat ke was a macumen (a komosexual in Trinidad).

pardner

Lion comdn't take anger caused

Wken as

keing accused of suck, and so kis

kim to lose

names

it

as

leckerous nature of tke

expressed in tke

lyrics,

refers to tke leckerous

would not kave been

man and kow

Benwood Dick, Tkere

is

could anyone not see tke

also a strong sexual

seduction wouldn't be

in tke

wko

fact, just

to escape

title,

tkeme in May-May.

However, ske finds

call kis victory

qpiite rigkt.

over ker

Actually, in tke

end ske

wiskes not to end tke encounter. W^kile

ke tried so kard to outsmart ker toward

end ke

tke

professes to be a virgin, reluctant to

Sparrow so appealing tkat to

initially

tke sexual connotations

sexually involved at tke time.

tke one

difficult to

spoke of tke meaning.

Tke young woman

is

man

but considering tke

legitimate,

meanings in tke names. In

different

become

— kut undoubtedly lewd and

— Sparrow

Mr. Benwood,

accept botk

equinkrium - and tke kout.

kis

in a popular

dekased calypso

Dick

it,

tries equally

kis goal,

kard to outsmart ker in trying

from ker demands to

stay.

Yet tke strong point

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

30

m

tliis

calypso

infectious, rotust

song so

not based solely on the sexual; tne

is

melody, tne way Sparrow presents the

(differently captivated calypso fans.

Because of the strong sexual theme, given there

May-May

weisn't

much airplay. Had this censorship not heen in place, seemed no douht that May-May would have heaten

Jean ana Dinan for the top spot not only in Sparrow's repertoire hut throughout the calypso arena.

By this time,

however, there was an ohvious jufcehox explosion. For a long time,

seemed that the jufcehox hrigade could

it

only one song on the jufcehoxes especially so

see

— May-May. This was

where two and three jufcehoxes were within

close proximity, for this record continuously hlared out

from them — simultaneously: Partial first

and second verses

/ was making love one day With

this girl they call May-May

Ipick up May-May

Down by the railway Took she in a

taxi to Claxton Bay.

This time you should see

How she hold me And how Ihold she Like two snakes rolled up

She so deceitnu, pretending She want me

to stop.

.

Saying: Cnorus:

Sparrow, don 'thite me

.

.

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

31

Don t do this to me No other man ever aid this you see ,

Aye,

aye, aye, aye, aye

dou-dou darling

You making me blood raise up

And ah heeling so weak Stop, Sparrow, stop. Chorus

verse

(partial) arter

4

No w she saying: Sparrow il you love me Please stay with me, honey.

Neitner Maria nor Ten to sexual connotations, nor

.

One is Murder conveyed

coma Iney ne

considerea lewd, or

debased, at least nowhere in comparison to

Benwood

Dick and May-May. Sadly, circumstances were forcing an

separation hetween Sparrow and sadly

remind

unwanted

his lover, forcing

him

to

her:

Maria Darling, I must go

Always remember how 1 love you so

I wish I could stay here

with you

And do all the things we always do It's

unlortunate that we have to part

You, don

Then Sparrow

t

know how it breaks my heart

goes into perhaps his shortest chorus ever,

hut very touching, utili2dng a trademark crooning oi his

own:

Oooohooohooohooo, Maria Oooohooohooohooo, Maria Please stay as sweet as you

are.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

32

True, tke calypso

is

mucn

slower than usual ana

quite sad, appropriately so, consioering tne situation, tut is

so very toucliing, especially

short

crooning. There

also the

is

infectious music. It

wnen Sparrow falls into tnat

chorus

uncharacteristically

it

with

his

traaemark

great contribution oi the

would take going over the

entire

calypso to understand this statement: Shakespeare could

not have found hetter words for his character Romeo. In the case of Ten to

connotations

sexual

lavishes himself with

true and

of

night,

men and had

not there.

are

machismo

serious issue.

one

capital,

One is Murder^ like Maria, the

While

Instead,

Sparrow

in this calypso based

on

a

in Port-of -Spain, Trinidad's

he got into a major conflict with a gang

to defend himself in a

manner he

didn't

expect.

This calypso, too,

and deuvery.

It

certainly

is is

quite different in composition

one for which Sparrow

utilizes

very short verses and long choruses: Verse

1:

Well, they think they had

They had

me teeing sad

You know they acting hke heast

Why somehody didn t call the ponce? Chorus: Sparrow:

Ten criminals comer me outside oiMhrama

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

Way down Henry Street hy Walka

Back-up:

Ten to one is murda

Sparrow:

The leader of the gang was hot hke peppa

Back-up:

Ten

to

to

one is murda

one is murda

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

Sparrow:

Everyone in the gan^ with a right nana raza

Bact-up:

Ten

to

one is muraa

Sparrow:

They said Ipushed a girl from Grenada

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

Ahhack-hack

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

Imagine my position no ponce in de area

to

to

one is murda oner is murda

Sparrow and Back-up: Verse 2

:

Well,

m Inearly lalJ in de gutta

Ten

to

one is murda

I started to sweat

Till ah soaking wet

Mamma, so much a threat That a night FU never forget 's

Cnorus: Sparrow:

Ten o' dem with tirty spectator

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

Coming like they want to devour

Back-up:

Ten

to

to

one is murda one is murda

Sparrow: In the heat ol the excitement Irememha Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow: In

to

one is murda

me pants pocket ah had me

wedga

one is murda

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

I don t know what to do.

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

They wanna cut me down as small as

to

to

.

.hut no surrenda

one is murda

Pretender Sparrow and Back-up:

Ten

to

one is murda

Verse 3

In the middle otthe night

I was really in a night It

was me alone agenst ten

33

34

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Ten very

vicious men

Cnorus:

Irememher just eating chicken Back-up: Ten to one is murda Sparrow:

at Mirama

I said to mesellJat was me last suppa Back-up: Ten to one is murda Sparrow: Iget away and run byJohnson comer Sparrow:

one is murda

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

They chased me with hig stick andhoulder

Back-up:

Ten

to

to

one is murda

Sparrow:

The lellow in front was a great pelter

Back-up:

Ten

to

one is murda

Sparrow: Bottles and stones uying, nowhere to shelter

one is murda

Back-up:

Ten

Sparrow:

ihearhadow, hadow, the crowd start to

to

scatter

Ten

Sparrow an J Back-up:

MayLe

it

to

one is murda.

was a psycnological

tiling or

the

macno

words leaaing to a aetermination or tne music tecause the music also soimaed so robust and macno is.

— whatever

Yet there was a very jumpy element to

it

that

that whether

heing played in a juhehox setting or at a hig party people couldn't resist the urge to act out their feelings in the or very energetic dancing, even going through the

shooting motions.

And

form

cowhoy

of course, there was always that

mastery of using his voice to take hold of people possessed

ty Sparrow.

As much

as

different, there are

Murda was

May-May was uted for many who still believe Ten

at the very

being so to

One is

top of Sparrow's calypsoes during

Sparrow Soaring Like An Eagle

nis first ten years in tne

argument here about

Murder

rilling

calypso arena. Tnere

is

no

May-May is still against Ten to One is

even though

this

regaroea as the one. But

35

why

argue

a position lor which

it

such a strong

is

contender? In any event,

it

was with these two calypsoes that

Sparrow lorcea a major change on admit

openly

Sparrow

that

calypsonians. True,

this writer:

was

the

Lord Melody was

still

was a top calypsonian, and the urge was his

Crazy Love and Ice

Ten ories

to

Man up there

OneisMuraer.To

of

and Tne Boo-Boo

Man

though: Sparrow had taken over.

the

or

a ravorite,

still

still

there to place

May-May and this urge, mem-

Tve Seen tne Devil

hits

came hack

hest

with

strengthen

Melody's jumpy, catchy

having to

vividly.

He had

Truth was,

to have heen

doing exceptional things to cause such a change at this early stage, considering that

mid-20's did

it

dawn on

it

was not

until going into his

this writer that while

when

younger he preferred some other singers over Nat King Cole, he singers

now knew,

as

matched the

is still

great

the case today, that

no other

Nat King Cole. The same

appues to Sparrow as far as his role in the calypso arena concerned.

is

36

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

37

>

Tne King Inaeed Digressing a lover ty tnat

-

as

lii±le

to Maria, wnetner or not Sparrow nad a

name

or sne was a rigment or nis imagination

May May -

pernaps was tne same witn

cannot be

aeterminea nere. But nis rans around tne W^est Indies

knew

the calypso was based

activities, as

on

lact regarding bis recent

was tbe same in tbe case or Ten to

One is

Murder.

Sparrow bad been getting a late for

as

lot or press

baving run afoul of tbe law.

coverage or

Mucb of tbis resulted,

be claimed, wben be was forced to violently defend

bimself against a group of Grenadian men, wbo, as tbe

king wanted tbe bead of Jobn tbe Baptist, apparently

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

38

allegedly

wanted Sparrow's for

woman from

young

Grenada.

tecoming physical with a It

was a strange situation

The

indeed, for Sparrow liimself was Lorn in Grenada.

strangeness of tke situation, tkougk, seemingly wasn't seen as suck

kaving

ky tke gang, left

as

Sparrow dukked tkem. Sparrow,

for Trinidad as a ckild oi only one

Grenada

year old was generally regarded as Trinidadian.

Tke arguments akout

many and

varied.

tke Sparrow situation were

Tkere were tkose wko keneved ke was

tke victim of growing jealousy against kim; tkere were

tkose

wko keueved ke was

kaving kecome too inflated over kis success.

Sparrow knew damn well tkat keep kim out of

kim even more

jail

own

ego

Some

said

tke victim oi kis

kis celekrity status

and tke pukkcity was koimd to

would

make

popular.

Tkey okviously kad not once gotten kimself

lost for a

forgotten tkat Sparrow kad

few days and witk tke pukkc

not knowing a tking akout kis wkereakouts ke got "pukkcity galore."

nowkere,"

Eventually reappearing from "outta

tke pukkc concern led to kis composition

Simpson, one of tke strongest calypsoes of

one first

still

kigkly regarded.

kad

tkis

Lti fact, it

writer wondering

was

if

kis early career,

tkis calypso tkat

tkere wasn'i

some

vakdity to tke popular puklic kekef tkat ke was truly

skowing signs of keing

at tke

top in tke calypso arena.

According to Sparrow, Simpson funeral director,

wko on

had not gone into kiding kut kad Lucket," special

kad a very

Wcis

a leading

kearing tke pukkc rumor tkat ke actually "kicked tke

special coffin waiting for tkis very

man and was doing everytking ke could tkink of to

The King Indeed

make nim

sure

no other funeral

director got tne chance to send

off to nis eternal resting place, leading to

singing: Vei-se 1

ana cnorus:

say I don tnave a sense oi humor

It ain t to

Just that I don

t

like the latest rumor

Spread hy people all about Saying ho w the Sparro w kick out

That I was in some kind o

'

collision

And the poor soul, he done dead n Back-up

gone

singers:

Aaaaamenl Sparrow:

Every lew minutes somebody ringing up Since he got the news he wouldn

t stop.

.

Guess who? Back-up

singers:

We don t know who Sparrow:

Sayin'I know Sparrow, a very nice fellow

Whenever we met he always said hello.

.

Guess who? Back-up

singers:

We don thnow who Sparrow:

was Simpson the funeral agency man

It

Back-up singer witn Sparrow: It

was Simpson the nmeral agency man

With the coUin on he hand

Simpson the funeral agency man Back-up

39

singers witn Sparrow:

Sparrow

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

40

He walking in de junction Aaaaamen! It is

very

muck

documented here

calypso can't he interestingly

regretted that that the lyrics to this

and

heautifully

in their entirety, so

Sparrow

tells

this

hmny,

picong-lihe story. It

does not really contain a lot of those

harsh,

cheap-shot, put-down "jokes" usually aimed at the victim,

hut there are put-downs a nttle more sophisticated than

-

the usual

there

if

are

put-downs that can he so

categorized.

The picong major part

of

(unflattering) calypso has always

calypso.

It

was commonly aimed

However,

calypsonians hy other calypsonians. often go deeper: taking

on the form

calypsonians

thought

people's character to he so

these

it

at

could

of embarrassing

governments, groups of people, putting

Some

heen a

down

(joke)

islands.

attacks

funny that from the

on

stage they

would sometimes compose an impromptu calypso aimed at fans up-front in the audience,

who

they thought had a

shortcoming deserving to he "piconged." Some, hy the way, were

made to pay physically

at the

hands of irate fans

for dishing out this emharrassment.

The

total of Sparrow's troubles with the

a bonus happening, for he was the king. didn't this

want to admit

it

knew he

was.

law equalled

Even those who

One

certain proof of

was that any calypsonian who came up with a calypso

or two that enjoyed

some popularity would soon he using

any available forum to issue a challenge to Sparrow especially.

This act of being unflattering in song to one another

The King Indeed

seemea to

41

between Sparrow and Melody.

exist especially

Strange indeea, because tbe relationship between tbem

seemea

closer

tban others in the calypso arena. For one,

they regularly toured together.

Maybe

very hard.

major

priority.

it

They

did attack each other

was that they saw making money

There was no doubt whatever

as a

that calypso

fans waited eagerly ror the next picong attack by either of

men on

these

theatres

.

the other. Their shows were

They generated

known

to

fill

the kind of enthusiasm such as

was generated when the West Indies cricket team was opposing the Austranan and Engush cricket teams.

Melody

led the attack against Sparrow's

show

of

disrespect for the law, warning the pubuc: Attention^

/ Ana he

everyone /Beware, Sparrow got a gun

listen

goes aroiina

/ Acting like

a gunslinger all over town.

He

demanded to know from Sparrow: Coward, wnyya naato

arawyo gun? done?

He

Why coulan tya right him man

reveals "his"

to

man ana

knowledge of what led to the

confrontation, quite different to what Sparrow said in

Ten

to

One is

/ Then

accused him ol pullin out a kniie '

done that do.

Murder: You interfered wid the man s wife

to

you /It's the same Masted thing you woulda

Melody followed up with much more

information, telling that ego.

/ Ii he had

And

putting

Sparrow: The son

Next,

it

it

it

all

was

all

"his"

about Sparrow's inflated

together he concluded about

ofa vagabond Grenadian.

was Lord Blakie's turn to

the attack: Typical of calypsonians attack,

of

Blakie saw

"all

join

Melody

when on

in

a picong

those Grenadians" flocking to

Trinidad as part of the Sparrow problem. Be

it

bad guy

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

42

Sparrow or TiiLal Uriah "Buzz" Butler (GreRaaa-bom, Trinidad resident

who was renowned

),

revolutionary activities in Trinidad, to Blakie.

He came

it

for

made no

out blazing with Sena

he

containing

lyrics

significant

attention.

no doubt In

believed

he

it,

liis

pleaded

positive

difference

Dem

Back,

would

get

witn

tne

government to ignore tne idea tnat tne recently formed Federation of the

West

Grenaidians tne rignt to

numbers. In holding

fact,

them

and get me

(Engusn-Speaking) gave

Indies

come

to Trinidad in uncnecked

ne suggested rounding tnem up and

in a popular

puhuc place so he could:

/ Beatm'

snare

Go

up dem Grenadians in

Woodiord Square. He gave a

variety

of

outlandish

reasons to prove the great hahihty they posed to Trinidad.

For instance: LoUa dem so stupid/ Make me wanna bawl

/ Can't read or spell / Can't pronounce singles

at all...

He then

out Sparrow and says with utter contempt:

that lellow called

The Mighty Sparrow

/ 1 want

/ The

As for

one who

and jury / When they finish widhe /to have no fear / Send him hack in a crate /Marked handle without care.

does sing calypso

the judge

Blakie certainly was far off the truth with

Them Back,

hut for

was said to he

his

all

Send

the time he was singing calypso,

most popular

calypso.

it

So he perhaps did

achieve his objective.

There could have heen no douht in the minds of

Melody and Blakie

He woiJd definitely

that Sparrow would soon reciprocate. set

out to get Melody especially.

And

many fans who always waited for this impatiently knew so well of Sparrow's ahiuty to accomphsh in calypso

the

The King Indeed

whatever ne wanted

down

to.

Tney nad neara nim

mercilessly before, subtly

and

cut

Melody

One

overtly.

43

sucn

cutting down nad come in Simpson, when Sparrow

constantly sang about the imscrupulous funeral agency

man who was bent on making money from his demise, about those who suddenly recalled ahout the thought-tohe deceased: It's now to near now much money I owing / ana so much false receipts they showing; and ahout those, who over his death said how They really reel so sorry, hut

He

also because

dead ana gone ana we ain

chance to sue he /Even

t

got the

my own family /As they dig out

a hole in the cemetery, not really hothered that Sparrow

got hill /^\ii which one he left in his the great hurt

it

caused to All those

will;

then there was

women I never talk

/But they crying, au their dress wet; and insisting anyone to Get me de dagger from off ae shelf / It

to yet

to

Sparrow dead we might as well kill weseli. But ultimately it

wasn't

Simpson who was the

started the

whole

rumor and was

situation

Melody, the

real culprit.

The one who

in the hachground feeding the

and was Wicked as the

devil:

Lord

ugliest calypsonian.

Melody and King Fighter - Melody were usually the objects of

especially

-

this "ugly calypsonian" taunt,

for in this time having too-dark skin

and a

"flat"

nose

automatically put one in tne middle of tkat white Britisk colonial value system that insisted that such physical characteristics constituted ugly.

These

characteristics

were

perhaps more pronounced on Melody than the other calypsonians. In spite of this, he was not an ugly

was in

actuality a ruggedly

handsome fellow.

man; he

Sadly, even

44

he, as

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

was tke norm, intemalizea

as fact tnose

values

espoused ty tke coloniausts - going hack to slavery.

even made a few calypsoes poking fun

Boo-Boo very

Man

He

at kimself notakly ,

(covered ky Harry Belafonte, regarded as

The Creature irom the Blach

kandsome) and

Lagoon. Tkese calypsoes - particularly tke former

— were

quite popular.

Melody kad keen on tke calypso scene akead of Sparrow, kad

Sparrow

a few popular records kefore

got kis kig start.

prior to kis arrival

on tke

of tke calypsonians ke

understood wky.

It

a few years

Even Sparrow admitted calypso scene,

most admired.

tkat

Melody was one

And

it

can ke

must ke wondered kow Melody took

tkat kis protege, so to speak (Sparrow-come-lately)

it

kad

taken over.

As

for

Sparrow,

tkere

was no doukt tkat ke

possessed tkat jovial ego wrapped in supreme confidence in kis akikty

-

West Indian

cricketer Garfield Sokers

displayed

as displayed

soon ky

Cassius Clay

- not

tkey came kefore or

know it.

"tke

ky tke great Barkadian and

greatest:'

and tkat to ke

keavyweigkt koxer

to ke upstaged ky anyone, wketker after.

And

tkey were to ke

made

to

The King Indeed

Standing

left,

45

one of tne

giants of calypso,

Lord

Melody. Atove

is

Lord Blackie and below

is

King Figkter.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

46

>

More Tnan A Calypsonian

about ego with Sparrow; improvement in

the art form was one or his major concerns, as in the case oi calypsonians heing hetter paid utilized, as

when

their talent

was

aiorementioned hrieny.

Calypsonians had heen taken for granted for years. All information points to the fact that for years

common to

for

them

to travel

it

was

from one comer of Trinidad

the next peddling their talent since the days of

transportation difficiuties. Peddling their talent often took place in hotel areas for a few dollars from tourists

Yankee

dollar,"

as

(

lor the

Americans were the major contribu-

tors to tourism. Peddling

is

an appropriate description

Sparrow: More Than

tnem major

Lecause doing this aidn't get

kas

it

A Calypsonian aollars.

47

Rumor

that even Sparrow, at the beginning of his career,

was subject to the ignominy of teing hassled hy the law

when

trying to

make

a few dollars in the hotel areas.

Calypsonians also peddled their talent in local venues, at small cluDs, at schoolhouses, to gatherings at and around small local places.

Such

initiatives didn't

provide

with major dollars, either; they were suhsistent

them initia-

tives.

The system

On the contrary, it assumed the role of put-down

calypso.

more

wasn't a hig supporter of

certainly

so, stigmatizing

the art form as representative of

some hind of musical smut people of the lowest disrespect

class.

that primarily appealed to

But

in spite of this hind of

from the system, including the

calypso

managed

among

the

low or

common whose

to survive, for there were large

"common

numhers

those not so

support was covert

- who loved

And

of course, there was that

irresistihinty of the calypsonians to

compose and perform.

the issue of class (along with

identical twin, caste), to

class,

— along with

people"

the hell out their calypso.

And while on

eutist

show how

culture of the Carihhean

was

its

inseparable

integral a part of the

this evil thing that

imposed hy the British colonial masters, the urge

was can't

he resisted to interject here and give an example of one of the few calypsonians of Barbados at the time. Mighty

Charmer,

singing

laughter

and the major

satirically

about the act of simple

differences

in

how

it

was

supposedly done by the lower, middle and upper classes

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

48

in BarLaJos.

skort chorus contained such long tacts

Tke

tout tke utter stupidity of

tliis

system tkat tne calypso

remaine d popular tkrougk generations. Naturally, tkere

no reason

to

is

mention wkick group's way of laugkter was

at tke sopkisticated kigk

and wkick was oknoxiously long

and annoying. Tkis krief interv^ention kaving keen made, returning to tke issue at

No

kand is

in order.

doukt not quite

as kad,

kut tke lot of calypsonians

kore some resemklance to tkat of Black singers of tke time

Tkey were tke ones

in tke rick United States of America.

witk

tke talent,

composed and sang

songs kut didn't

make

tke money.

Sparrow, safe to predict, did not tke role in calypso tkat case of

rkytkm n klues

Cooke gained

so

many

And

so

of tke great it

was tkat

know tkat ke was playing

Sam Cooke

was playing in tke

in tke United States.

a

reputation

as

a

great

talent.

However, ke could never understand wky tke monetary rewards did not commensurate witk tke praise of kis records wkick sold very well internationally.

Sparrow loved tke tke praise skowered

kell

out of calypso, enjoyed

on kim, kut ke

and knew tkat keing praised was not of keing respected.

He wanted

it

also respected kimself

necessarily assurance

to ke respected; kence, ke

was adamant akout not peddling

wkat

all

kis talent for far less

tkan

was wortk.

^ken

Sparrow

set

out to koycott tke calypso com-

petition, getting otker calypsonians to join

kim

wasn't

.

Sparrow: More Than

easy.

Tne

opposite.

CDC He

49

foresaw railure in nis action; ne saw tne

was convinced that

costumes involved in tne

much

A Calypsonian

Queen

with

all

the heautirul

Bands parade, the

of tne

loved steelband performances and other events, the

calypso competition, from the tents to the crowning of the

King of Calypso, was a most carnival.

He

carnival

suffered

interesting part of the

followed his intuition.

interest in the

mow. The Carnival

conspicuous

a

The

Development Committee, long accused hy calypsonians of disrespecting

and underpaying them, concluded

more money had to he calypsonians. lihing.

Of

course,

But what ahout

that

allocated for the participating it

didn't gain for

Sparrow

respect? It has never been

their

known

to he given for condescending hehavior hut hased

demands. This time was not their respect,

no matter how

in letting his feelings he

different, so

on

Sparrow gained

He didn't hesitate CDC, and alerting

grudgingly.

known

to the

the puhnc of his stand in song: . . .

Iin tend to keep my records on

the shell

Let them keep the prizes in the Savannah for dey own sell

See it tne Queen (oitne hands) can run de show

Without steelhand and calypso

Other calypsonians can ^o, I say

But Sparrow won t — no Calypso was getting a

way.

visible

.

lift

up from the lowly

peddling places. Putting on shows in major cinema outlets

and

major

clubs

increased.

The

biggest

show

of

improvement could be seen in the now regular traveling

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

50

shows to otker tliis

islands, a rarity in past years.

calypso fans in otner islands

rarity in past years,

seldom -

-

ever

if

Because of

naia

connection witn calypsonians

otker tkan ky kearing tkeir records.

Wken,

for instance,

it

would ke advertised tkat Sparrow and Melody would soon ke coming to Barkados and would ke appearing

major cinema

outlets, tkere

at certain

would ke overwkelming

fans'

entkusiasm.

Tkis kind of improvement gave growtk to tke

composing

activities of calypsonians. It

major ckange for tke

was a conspicuous

ketter, taking into consideration tkat

for years tke closeness of tkese islands to eack otker did

not

(juite result

wasn't a

in f aminarity kecause travel ketween

tkem

common activity tken.

Up

to tkis time (1960), a Trinidadian meeting a

Barkadian in Trinidad

wko ke tkougkt ke kad

reason to

keueve was trying to outsmart kim was almost certain to conclude tkat

all

Barkadians were tkis way.

And

if

tke

Trinidadian tkougkt ke kad singing potential ke woiJd

almost certainly compose a calypso akout

"all

dem

smart

Barkajans," wkick, ky tke way, was a popular topic for

Trinidadian calypsonians, including Sparrow. said of kim, tkougk, tkat

to Barkadians like

aimed in

ke was never

some otker

known

It

must ke

to ke

mean

calypsonians; kis picong

tended to ke kgkt-kearted

satire.

Eitker ke kad a love affair witk Barkados or ke

knew

tkis direction

sometking tkat otker West Indians never wanted to admit:

For

years Barkados, as tke late Jamaican

Minister Mickael Manley wrote of island" of tke

West Indies. Because

it,

of

was

its

Prime

"tke education

ketter education

Sparrow: More Than

system

was

it

common

Bartajans) controlling

and other

police islands.

civil

In those days

rina

to

many

A Calypsonian

BarDaaians

51

(Bajans,

of tne teaching, nursing,

servant positions in the other

when

those in charge had the

authority to dispense discipline in a physical manner, teachers

and poucemen did

so

on a regular hasic. For this,

those under their jurisdiction would objects or their worst resentment. It

common

make them

the

was therefore quite

for Barhadians to he resented in these islands. It

wouldn't he

fair to criticize this attitude here, for indeed,

up with

in those days children in Barbados grew

fear

and

hatred of teachers, the equal of which could not he found elsewhere. It can't

calypsonian

who was ohscure

he overlooked, though, that

came

into contact with

if

the person the

Wcis, say,

a St. Lucian

sneaking a (juick uncontrollahle pee at some

comer

in Port-of -Spain, composing a calypso

about "those nasty

St.

Lucians peeing

ail

over the

city"

coiud also be expected.

How many

Trinidadian

women

Fighter (British Guiana-Guyana)

calypsonian King

met while

living

in

Trinidad whose major objective was to get their hands on his

money

but give nothing in return, can't be determined

However, he composed a few calypsoes about

here.

one very funny,

situation,

this

telling his compatriots baick in

BG planning on coming to Trinidad about how: Dem tor is

women so tricky /All they want ya yo money / When she knew all me money was Triniaaa

'

/ She treat me wia scorn / Teuin me iiya have no mo rnone, dear /Pick up ya hunale ana get outta here.

gone

52

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Tke oaring Lion,

prominent calypsonian

oftkel930's ancll940's.

.

Sparrow: More Than

How many many

rejected nis advances?

either.

However, in

indicted

go

to

Antiguan

tnem

Antigua

women

all,

A

It can't

be determined here,

Antiguan Women, ne

singing disdainrully:

Never Again

will I

Vincent or Grenada /Antiguan

think they pretty ana up-to-date

rough ana ugly they playing great.

The

53

women Melody knew? How

nis calypso

/ Try St

Calypsonian

Droadening

of

/ tnougn

they

.

the

calypso

experience

eventually led to less or tne stereotyping, such was tne insight gained

to

through a pick up in travel

examine the situation

carerully,

it

can't he honestly

denied that Sparrow's greater vision, putting

and the spreading or

his

creating another step

oi

And

activities.

it

into action,

wings were instrumental in

improvement

in the calypso

arena.

L

C

O

H

R

R

D

I

S

T

O

He had the right stuff

hut some-

how

didn't

deliver

it

up often enough.

54

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

r

Some Black Americans experimented with tne calypso sound, notably

Harry Belatonte, left.

Tke Nat

King Cole (below Lei) experiment

was

brief.

King

or tneTwist,

^

CnuLny Cnecker, got

on Doard

^nen the twisting

55

>

5

InevitaDie

Cnanges

Wnen this writer departed Barbados tor London, England in mid-1960 calypso music was oi jukeboxes,

Micnael

Tbe

is

often heard blaring out

especially in tbe lower Oistins

areas,

Bridgetown,

still

tne

latter

parisb

wbere

tbe

and

St.

capital,

located.

missive into Bridgetown almost every day was

connected to tbe plans tbat bad to be conducted tbere relating to

any impending move to tbe outside world,

moving to tbe

big metropolitan countries

was referred to.

Sparrow bad not bad any very recent recordings tbe time, but bis voice was

from tbe jukeboxes

all

still

as

at

often beard emanating

around, for in spite of not baving

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

56

any very recent recordings out, Loxes

still

nis records

outnumtered tkose of

otkers.

on the

Moreover, the

King of

general consensus was that he truly was the

Calypso; tkere was

no question atout

jufce-

nis status. True,

Harry Belafonte enjoyed the greater fame and fortune internationally; however, wnile

tnem

songs, tkey didn't regard

tkey didn't regard

most of

kis songs

kim

popmar -

like Island in the

American-kom

lifced nis

as real calypsoes, just as

For one,

were "watered-down" versions of tke in tkis category

— some

real

very

Sun, Banana Boat Song and

composed

Farewell were

Jamaica

Indians

as a real calypsonian.

For anotker, tkose not

tking.

West

kim

for

ky

an

of Barkadian parentage, Irving Burgie.

Belafonte was not regarded ky

West

Indians as a real

calypsonian kecause ke didn't write tke calypsoes ke sang,

and

in tkis case ke was, as

was tke norm, evaluated a few

down as just a calypso singer. Tke government-owned redifusion was

notckes

It

was tke source from wkick most people

music.

Wkatever was

still

still

popular.

got tkeir

said to tke contrary akout tke

ckanging poktical climate in tke West Indies, tke yearsold Britisk colonial system kad not suddenly given up rule of tke islands to tkat institution lakeled

its

Tke West

Indies Federation. Undouktedly, tken, wkite Barkadians still

kad

significant say in redifusion

tkere was

(coloured or

improvement Negro

still),

favorakle

programming. Yes, to

tke

"natives"

kut not significant enougk

wken

considering tkey accounted for 96 percent of tke population of tke island. Preference

oriented music, most of

it

was

still

given to wkite-

coming from tke United

States,

Inevitable

for until tken tke English groups

Changes

had not yet made

impact on tne international music scene Beatles,

Tke

few skort

Rolling Stones and

as,

their

Tne

say,

Tke Kinks would do

in a

years.

Anotker welcome ckange was nowkere many more radios, giving

surmounted

tkem tke option

its

tkat seemingly out of

people were akle to

own

own

tkeir

or tuning into Trinidad

wkere calypso, tkougk

(mostly)

57

not kaving quite

still

disrespected status, was aired far

more

frequently tkan elsewkere.

Sparrow kad ky

tkis

time

won

tke coveted King of

Calypso crown twice. Ditto for tke Road Marck

Tkese double

feats

title.

eack accompksked in tke same year, as

was never done previously. Tke general consensus was tkat

kad ke not

initiated tkat koycott, kis

would kave keen extended to tkree

winning ways

at least.

Calypso wasn't part of Britisk culture. In wasn't

uncommon

for Britons to

make Black

wkose migration numbers to England years ago was carefully restricted

—

feel

fact, it

people

-

as recently as 15

tkey were so auen

tkat tkeir cultural values were impacting very negatively

on tke

society.

Hence,

tkis "imcivuized" cultural value

system was discouraged in every way; tke reason, in

wky

for so

many

years

fact,

tke Black presence was almost

umited to students. Engusk people

now

often openly

expressed tkeir resentment of tkis increasing presence tkus: "Put tke

and skip

kloody

lot of

em kack on

tke kanana boats

em back to tke jungle wkere tkey came from."

There were

also

deeper cultural differences.

As

aforestated, for instance, tke visualization of tke world

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

58

was

still

tkat of teing so vast

compared to not many years

not meant to invoke sensationalism, but instead

later. It is

meant to

cite

pkenomenal

a fact, in saying tnat because of the

advancements

tecknological

today's world, immigration to tke

moon

leauiing

to

today perkaps

wouldn't feel as strange an act as immigrating from tke

Carikkean to England kack in tkose days

from a

uttle island five

Moving

felt.

tkousand miles away across tke

vast ocean wasn't tkougkt of as "only five tkousand rmles."

Tke islands

fact tkat tke

kad keen under

Engksk-speaking West Lidian

Britisk rule for kundreds of years,

tkat tke natives were indoctrinated

witk Britisk values,

krainwasked into accepting England as tkeir

motker country, empkatically did not make

(superior)

kappy

for a

and understanding relationskip wken "tkrown" togetker; was,

on tke

And

it

contrary, quite adversarial. so, in

tkose days, moving to England resmted

not in a divorce from calypso, kut certainly a separation.

Lord

Kitckener,

in

tke

early days of kis exile to

England, composed tke very popular calypso Nora tkat

remained popmar over tke

kim and

tkis

Engksk

girl

years.

Tke

love affair ketween

Nora was going

great.

But tkere

developed tkis confnct kaised on love and komesickness.

Apparently Nora

kim

to

Wcis quite reluctant

wkat ske perceived

as

akout moving witk

Black and "imcivilized"

Trinidad, kut would do anytking to kold

wkite and

"civilized''

on

to

kim

England. For Kitckener, tke

in

many

skortcomings confronting kim in England krougkt on

suck imkearakle komesickness tkat not Nora's love for kim, kis love for ker, ker promising kim a Rolls Royce

Inevitable

ana

stealing

deter

some

Changes

59

woma

or her ratner's properly for nim,

nim from leaving. In tne cnorus ne pleaos witn ner:

/an beg ya please leave Lord Kitcnena Nora, / I gotta go home ana see me

Nora, Nora, Nora

/ Nora,

Nora,

/ Darling you'll nevan know / How I miss me steelhana ana calypso / Nora, Nora, Nora / Sometimes an reel so had / Nora, Nora,

granamuaaa /Nora, Nora, Nora

Nora /Igotta go hack home

Not many England

their

to Trinidad.

calypsonians, like Kitchener,

home. Li

fact,

had made

Kitch, as Kitchener was

popularly known, was the calypsonian

who

recorded most

A popular hig hand in England even

often in those days.

recorded and played a few of his tunes. Calypsonians like

Lord Livader and Lord Beginner, among the few who had followed Kitchener's lead in moving to England, demonstrated that they had the talent. Surprisingly, their

recording activities didn't commensurate with the talent

much was

they showed. Take Beginner, not after his

very popular

(1951)

Cricket," hi praise of the

the

Engush team

England

for the

at that. Its

first

Cricket,

calypso,

West

Lidies

heard of him

Lovely

team dominating

time in a

popmarity lasted for

test series

—

in

years; imagine,

even among the Enghsh who had no tolerance for heing heaten

— hadly

at that

— hy one

of

it

colonies.

have grudgingly accepted the defeat coming of

Austraua

Africa.

But

or

at the

(then

They would at the

apartheid-to-the-hones)

hands

South

hands of the West Indies or other non-

white former British colonies like India? Hell no.

Though issue to

it

will likely

he regarded as too minor an

be cited as an important factor in the separation of

60

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Calypso great Lord Kitchener leans on a

ne loved so muck.

steel pan,

tne instrument

Inevitable

calypso and

West

Indians once they

would te wrong to pretend that the

being

relatively

it

61

moved to England, had no impact;

number

low

Changes

it

this

Trinidadian

oi

immigrants to England.

There were

whose love

large

affair

numbers of other West hidians

with calypso was as strong as that of

Trinidadians. hut there could he

no doubt whatever

the nucleus of calypso was Trinidad.

Up

that

to the time in

question here, Trinidad, second after Jamaica in size and

population of the Engush-speahing

had the strongest economy hecause of

its oil

West Indian

islands,

of these islands, primarily

production. Consequently, Trinidadians

were not migrating to England in numbers near to those

And though there are no official numbers to

of Jamaicans.

BG

be given here, Jamaica was followed by

(British

Guiana... Guy ana subsecjuent to 1966 independence), not a Caribbean island but a South

American country

at the

very top of that continent, meaning that

it

coast of the Caribbean Sea. What's more,

was a colony

of

it

shares the

England and was poutically grouped together with the

Engush-speahing West Indian

islands.

Next

in

numbers

was much smaller Barbados but very much overpopulated.

Jamaicans, in

fact,

so

outnumbered other West

Indian immigrants that the "J^^^^ican" label was often attached to

all

West Indian immigrants by many

people, such as their ignorance

had them

labeling

British

all

other

Africans "Nigerians" because they were so outnumbered

hy Nigerians.

Another case

that might he justitiahly

made for the

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

62

low

profile of calypso in

England could te tne one when

tke Englisk kad cast a stigma

- not

recognized as such

tken even as colonial values dominated even more

- on

calypso.

West Indian

Engnsk team

cricketers playing tke

were recognized ky tke Englisk as kringing to tke game far

more excitement tkan did England - more tkan otker wkite cricketing nations, as a matter of fact - and for tkis tke

Engksk would always

in tke

give their "nice darkies" approval

form of lakeling tkem

"calypso cricketers," "calypso

koys," for tkey were content witk creating excitement kut

ultimately losing, wkile

And tkey always won up until 1950

of ultimately winning.

wken

tke

West

England played witk tke okjective

Indies changed playing strategy witk tke

okjective of ultimately winning.

tkere was

no more

of tkat approval

was transformed into It

was

Once

racial

clear tkat

tkey started to win,

from tke Engnsk;

it

antagonism.

many Black

people from England's

colonies didn't take long to go tkrougk significant sociopoutical ckanges, looking keneatk issues tkey previously

viewed only from tke doukt revealed

kow

surface. Utilizing tkis

metkod,

it

no

tke Engusk paiated tke calypso art

form witk a krusk of

negativity.

resulted in a reluctance in

West

And

could tkis not kave

Indians kving in England

to appear to ke accepting suck an

Engksk

stereotype?

Tkere remained tke case for tke lacking of tke major force in calypso (too few Trinidadians) in tke new environment. strengtk

Tke

nucleus of anytking as

and growtk

muck

serves

its

as does tke foundation.

Calypso kad some competition, too, coming from a

Changes

Inevitable

relatively

called

new soima out

Ska tack

With

in Jamaica.

quite a tit eventually, initially it

or Jamaica.

was referred to ty

all

in

You commonly heard or "tlue-teat records." Tte name dirierence was

this very

England party,"

produced in London under a record

in tig letters

it

on the

name. But

as tlue-teat.

and mue-teat

otviously the result

or the availatihty or these records in

Beat. Apparently,

was said to te

the music speeded up

took on

it

It

63

England teing

latel called Blue-

was such a catchy name and printed

latel or the records that the

name

got

transferred to the soimd.

The

tlue-teat sound

the Carihhean.

It

travel

circulated

around

was heing heard hy other West Indians

for the first time

mind

had not yet

when they came

to England. Bear in

that although at this time, even though inter-island

had made

fair

improvement,

it

was

stiU

very

much

lacking.

Blue-teat, of course, was music."

But deny

it

promoted

as "J^i^^ican

as Jamaicans did, there

ohvious calypso element incorporated into

it.

was an Equally

ohvious was the influence of (Black American) rhythm tlues, notatly the

ino,

n'

up-tempo kind heard from Fats Dom-

Lloyd Price, Louis Jordan,

Sam Cooke and the uke.

When you went to the market places that had gotten into the act of catering to the wants and needs of the growing

West Indian population -

Brixton, for instance

teat music could te heard hlaring out from Visit

all

-

tlue-

comers.

any of those houses that were now divided up into

tiny rooms, miraculously

accommodating too many West

Indian tenants, tlue-teat could te heard coming from

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

64

every

little

room.

Of course,

you rented a room in a

the same was true whenever

aifierent

house in an

effort to get

away from tke Llue-Leat pounding which you foolish to tkinfc

And on kind of

you were escaping from

were so

at the last nouse.

Friday and Saturday nignts there was no

difficulty in finding a hlue-Deat party; the tass-

pounding could he neard from the

Their

streets.

fre-

quency and tke pounding resulted in constant complaints

from Engnsk people, wko were

as

famous for tkeir love of

peace and quiet as for upkolding tkeir ckaracteristic. at

Tkeir idea of a good time was

kome watcking

"tele"

and kaving a

upper-up"

"stiff

sitting

luvly"

around

cup of

tea.

Consequently, tke ponce turning up at klue-keat parties to deal witk tke complaints akout noise was a

common

tking.

Tke more

klue-keat party certainly could not kave keen

appropriately referred to, for tke audiences were

comprised primarily of Jamaicans and tkere was aksolutely

no concern

for any

otker genre of music, witk tke

exception of tke occasional (Black) American record. so for calypso music,

Not

wkick Jamaicans generally regarded

disdainfully as "small island people' music. It

would ke tke

kind of disdain capakle of sending out tke message tkat tkey were not also from tke W^est Indies like tke nonJamaicans, or tke non-Jamaicans were not from tke

West

Indies like tke Jamaicans were. It

migkt

also ke tkeorized tkat tke

Jamaican intent

was on kaving a sound associated witk Jamaica as calypso

cis

strongly

and steelband were witk Trinidad - not witk

Jamaica or any otker West Indian island.

Inevitable

At like

65

a Jamaican party, even a Jamaican calypsonian

Count

Count Lasher

Lasner, woulan't be played.

up to tne

wasn't

Changes

Triniaaaian

level or the

calypsonians

wko occupied tne top six spots henind Sparrow, hut he enjoyed a fair amount oi popularity. That there was even

great reluctance to give a play

to a master calypsonian like Sparrow, considering that

many

or his calypsoes were accompanied hy music so

pulsating to force the party "wall flower" to jtmip onto the

dance floor — even

alone

if

— was tantamount to

a display

of selfishness.

That Sparrow would years steady

and

reggae, sounds that branched off

They

other,

grew

children

the

resentment,

taller

of

it is still

which

it

from each

than the parent; hut they are

even

calypso,"

Calypso didn't heat, of

later say of ska, rock-

if

with

said

all

some

a soud fact. just

up and

disappear. Unlike hlue-

could he said was heing heard here, there,

and everywhere, for calypso

it

was heing heard here and there.

could orJy he said that It

it

was hadly in need of the

kind of promoters hlue-heat had; instead, getting the current recordings

new

hecame

available primarily through

arriving immigrants.

Hearing Sparrow again

away

miles

in

London

after a lull

at that

— would have

wonderful thing; he had some interesting

There

was

the

— thousands

worsening

to he a

tales to relate.

problem

crime

Trinidad, innocent citizens heing

of

%nochea down

in

in

'

town in hroad dayught, the young thugs "roaming rrom street"dina ''they

aon

t care

who they

heat,

"

as

Sparrow

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

66

told

it.

But ke kaJ a warning

I done

tell

for

all

these badjolins:

me {riends and me family

There s no need to worry It these thugs interfere with

me

Take it easy

And ifIget any mail

My new address is de RoyalJail. Of

among

course,

written during that

lull

tne douLle-entendre

the several calypsoes ne haa

period, tnere heid to be a few witn

style.

One

such was about bis job as a

gardener and be was frequently put to work watering tbe

garden of tbis beautiful Jamaican wbile on a

visit

to Jamaica

woman

be bad met

and was bired by ber

for tbis

purpose especially:

Verse

1:

Ah saw thishig ad in de paper Dat Miss Lucie wanted a gardener So Imade my application

And soon met this lovely woman She really wasn t making no joke

Soon as she met me she put me

to

work

Chorus:

She

tell

me to

water me garden

Sparrow wanted to water she garden

So you shoulda see howl wouldpose Whenever Ireeled out my hose

And water Miss Lucie Rose. Vintage

Sparrow came next in the form of the

Princess and the Cameraman, a cleverly composed, funny

Changes

inevitable

67

The Queen

calypso with a mixture oi fact ana sensationalism.

Princess Wcis Margaret, the

Elizatetn

Up

commoner out

a lowly"

Highness marrying an ordinary

would have heen

it

Royals lower

lifce

human,

hlofce

so even

ii

lifce

still

very

so her Royal

Tony was

a hig

she was one of those

set

this

out to address the issues as far as a

was concerned:

Margaret, inis lovely princess

Tnougntit was loolishness Tired ol heing single

She wanted a man

with

whom

to mingle

So she prayed to the Lord ahove To send her a man

to love

Chorus: If I wasn t there in

England

And see widme eye And even me hest hriendhad told me I would swear it was a hig he

And even though! was there and see I still think they tooling me 'Cause Ireally can t understand

How this princess couldget married To

at

down in royal lineage.

Sparrow marriage

cameraman

to this time (1961), British royalty was

highly regaroea as heing ahove

shock;

of Britain's

ana the groom was Anthony Armstrong

11,

Jones, not only a tnat.

sister

this

common cameraman

Verse:

See, long time ago in

England

A commoner couldn t touch a princess hand

68

THE MIGHTY SPARROW Unless he was strong and able

Like the Knights of the Round Tahle

And ifhe wan ted the princess real had Go do hattle like Ivanhoe or Sir Galahad Sword and shield in hand Remain

ahve,

he could think

Ofheing the princess man.

One

can see clearly from this verse

Sparrow meant to give to the tkougk,

liis

comments still

comments

are

me numor

situation. In otner verses,

more

stinging tnan

numorous,

that at the time or composing this calypso were

regarded as

liiglily

disrespectful to royalty, especially

tkose at tne nignest echelon and especially coming from a "lowly"

Black colonial subject. But trust Sparrow to te tne

calypsonian to not regard prerogative to express

on that lowly" was

in.

it

mmself

always nis love of

ne no doubt frowned

knew

eitner, tnat

royalty about nimself, being

disrespect nut as nis

And

sutject status he

Don't doubt,

it

was tnougnt he

Sparrow

felt

a sense of

King of Calypso. Such was

self.

Whatever the Armstrong

.

as

as being

feelings,

Sparrow sang of Tony

"the luckiest

he was foolish not to

"try

man

I've 5eei2,

a httle hit a harder,

'though '

and he

would have nad the queen." Getting away from royalty

somehow

get his foremost calypsonian

situation to take a picong

knock

have heen there in England

me own

briefly.

eye

at

him.

/ To see

/Or Lord Melody

Sparrow had to

buddy into

He was

this

this

glad to

wedding with

woulda told me

everybody knows how much Melody does he.

/And

Changes

Inevitable

It

was said that Sparrow was

estaDlisninent in Trinidaa

West Indian

69

admonisnecl by tne

and otner Englisn-speaking

islanos for not snowing discretion in tne

composition or this calypso and tnat in some islands denied airplay.

It is safe

it

was

to predict that wnile tney were

thinking repercussion, Sparrow, witn nis grassroots smarts,

was tnirLRing money. This kind of admonition and censorsnip notning

snown

new

instance,

early in nis career ne

nad

fear of expressing nis feelings.

For

to Sparrow.

had no

tnat ne

wnen

all

the colonies had a British governor

with the highly respected

of His Excellency, wearing

title

master uniform decorated with

colonial

their

From

mintary - and

was

honor - with

other medals of

many a huge

plumage stuck in their Stanley Li\dngstone-like white explorer's hats, in the role of

Her

Sparrow had the courage to

Majesty's representative,

sing ahout

His Excellency,

the Governor of Trinidad and Tohago, telling of the lechery he

showed that he had in

is

heart for the yoimg

girl.

His Excellency was supposedly seriously eye-raping a native

yoimg woman whose physical endowments were

too hormone-arousing to ignore. His

aide,

wanted to

save the star-struck governor from incurring the wrath of his wife

—

titled

Lady - and the emharrassment he could

face over his displaying of lechery for the native

soucited the help of a

pouceman

to

remove the

the scene.

But according

governor's

own mouth came the very stem

pouceman

to

lass.

lass

He

from

to Sparrow's calypso, from the

Leave her alone

Hands on, don t touch / That

's

/Do you

warning to the unaerstana?

my command.

Then he

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

70

skamelessly told her: Darling,

short little shorts It

reason

is

exact

to

Sparrow. Tkere If so,

/ oooohooooh-ooooh my dear

known

not

is

if

tke system tliouglit

some kind

tkat ke was a fellow

great deal of grassroots guile,

wko

tke

system

possessed a

situations:

krusk yourself off and get kack in tke race. wkile

didn't

and tkat ke kad tkis kekef

rekound from adverse

kis akikty to

was

against

of suck kaving keen tke case.

no doubt

know Sparrow,

fact,

tliis

repercussion

of

those

"

would kave keen proof tkat tke system

it

really

you look so sweet in

kave

migkt

As

in

Get up,

a matter of

keen

tkinking

puniskment, ke perkaps was seeing a situation tkat could yield

more

dollars

tkan tkey tkougkt.

In tkis case, censorskip would deny tke record some airplay,

kut

it

womd

censorskip, causing

also

send out tke news akout tke

more people

to go out

and purckase

tke record.

A case in point akout Sparrow's perception of wkat people tkougkt was puniskment ke was keing subjected to

can ke found in one of kis calypsoes not

muck

later

regarding a spate of pubuc criticism: It goes to

show

that they love

me more ana more /

me more puhhcity than I ever got heiore / So when they call me dirty names, I have no ohjection / They getting

It proves that

ah'm the world s greatest calypsonian - ever

horn.

Tkougk

calypso

records

were

still

not readily

obtainable in London, a uttle improvement was keing

made.

was

It

still

was

common knowledge

recording

tkat Sparrow especially

on a regular kasis. Tkose records

of kis

Inevitable

that

tliis

writer

was exposed to

Sparrow's exceptional anility was

still

Changes

71

left

no

very

much intact.

doiiLt

tnat

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

72

Otker Black American

wno

entertainers

experimentea witn calypso were

rock

n' roll great

Chuck

Berry,

left,

ana tne

versatile

rnytkm

& blues

singer/Danoleaoer

Louis Jordan.

Inevitable

im

Sparrow was well known for not

Changes

*^

73

COME

sticking to the stereotypical

calypso appearance; he liked to keep anreast of tne style too.

Ei

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

74

>

6

Calypso Benina

Starting the latter in a situation

made

—

montns

of 1961, tnis writer was trapped

Her

enlisted in

distant, because or tne

in desolate places far

society.

overlooked, eitner.

How

Tne

can

it

tlue-Deat scene can't he

be?

popmar than the calypso scene hy

of

tnat

more

away from normal

because

Army —

Army's natit of operating

tne calypso scene even

Britisn

Majesty's

it

It

far.

had become more

Whether

was forced on other West Indians

them being

whose music

it

so greatly

this weis

as a result

outnumbered by Jamaicans —

was said to be - and that they were

dedicated only to the

new mixed sound that

blue-beat,

or that

it

was

this

captivated, cannot be determined.

Calypso Behind

75

One tWg was certain, a lot of non-Jamaicans had become as cLoaictea to blue-Deat as

were Jamaicans.

Being in tne army made

The

party

life

desolate places

life significantly different.

seemed nonexistent, where the British

Army

wnen

those

operations were

in desolate places in England hut in other

no longer

comitries where the British military

had hases.

was a welcome change when, dming the

It

month

especially

training period, there

Trinidadian

who not

was a

hrief

five-

meeting with a

only managed to get hold of some

current calypso records hut a small record player also.

in

the

sound of those giant German-made

West

Indians had hack in the rooming houses

give

didn't

radiograms

London, the sound of which pounded through

reverberated from floor to floor;

than nothing

The

it

walls,

was, nonetheless, better

— not bad actually.

Trinidadian's

various calypsonians,

famihar:

It

collection

was

comprised of

some famiuar names, some not

so

Lord Bryner, Lord Nelson, Mighty Power,

Mighty Dougla and maybe two or three

others.

Of course.

Sparrow and Melody were among them. Bryner and Power were not

cjuite strangers.

Around

the time of this writer preparing to leave Barbados, Bryner

was enjoying some popularity with the

Man. The same was

true about

Power

Wasting Ya Time. Hearing Bryner

and fourth in the

USA

Rich Man Poor with

now on

his

Ya

only his third

records, his songs about the poutical problems

Congo and and the

abihty to

hit

the nuclear weapons race between the

USSR

make

it

did create a good impression of his

on the calypso

scene.

For the

others,

76

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

there

would kave to te a waiting

period, even

Dougla's song atout teing tke World's Laziest

though

Man

was

quite cleverly composed.

Sparrow was quite concerned atout the presence oi the Yankee military in Trinidad, especially controlling

Ckaguaramas, doing

He

as tkey pleased.

lamented in tke

slow calypso akout tkis sitation thus:

They say Cnaguaramas

is

theirs" ana that they

'He

kluntly refuse to leave for another ninety-nine years. "^

also assailed tke

motker country, England,

for catering to

tke needs of tke Yankees, wkile disregarding tkose of Trinidadians.

Sparrow always did vary

commentary was no

poktical spite of

some

kis subject matter. Socio-

stranger to kis repertoire, in

calypsonians' criticism tkat ke dealt witk tke

rauncky, lewd issues a hit too muck. Being controlled

He

obviously was a tking Sparrow wouldn't tolerate. wasn't going to give

put

it

kluntly.

up on varying

kis topics. In fact, to

Sparrow lihed some smut sometimes.

so as not to appear to he

making excuses

said that the reason for this

comd

he hased on his

hut what of the fact that even the actually liked

it

too and that ke

for him, let

criticizing

knew tkis to ke

\n any event, Sparrow was

now

telling

And it

he

likings,

puhkc

so?

anotker

tale

akout Lord Melody and kis wife. Supposedly Melo, as

Melody was popiJarly place called St. well,

called,

Tkomas and

kad met

tkis

kefore getting

proudly kad ker *in the chapel hy his

tke preacker tkat ke wanted ker

woman,

"she

looked so

''to

spectacula,

woman in a to know ker

side", assuring

he his hride. 'But tke "

tke

first

reaction of

"

Calypso Behind

He

people was to ^call she Maaame Dracula!'

now

Melody's wife, street

77

also tola or

''whenever ya wire is walking down the

/people immeaiately

stare

down

at she crooked

feet" It can't

be oeterminea which or these two huadies

started this particular picong duel, hut

Melody had some

things to say ahout Sparrow's wife also.

planning their wedding, Sparrow

When

called, ^hegging,

please come. 'She was harely ahle to stand

the wedding day

drinking rum.

wearing

/was

and then that

"

"

really

mask

because

made

mat

(gold) ring

outta hrass" li told

lousy marriage can

to explain that there

wear a

Melody,

on her

feet

on

cause she was stinking drunk from

And

''this

they were

was

"no

t last. "

she was

him

He went on

need lor Sparrow's

'because even without one

there

wire to

"she face still

hard like Belmont jackass.

How

the transformation from recording to writing

of Sparrow-Melody duels stand up against each other lifcely

to

recording

be

somewhat

difficult

to

evaluate,

is

but in

form the general consensus of the pubuc

favored Sparrow more often than not.

78

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Reproduction oi original 18x24 sketcli of Mighty Sparrow. Thouj created fcom a lowly oil

most melodious sound or all instru-

ments. -Portrait by

Makelah

Amani

drum, the

steel

pan perhaps produces the

Calypso Behind

By now, Sparrow unaouttealy knew u-idely regarded as tke

there was dispute.

little

tnat ne was

undisputed King of Calypso, and

cnance or

He took

79

this claim facing

any major

a treak from nis dedication to calypso to

record a few of the popular ballads of tne Black American

wno was

crooner Brook Benton, Indians.

It

certainly

so beloved ty

West

was a giant undertaking because

Benton's songs were always spoken of in lofty terms by tne great majority of people across racial lines. Sparrow's

performance, no doubt of bis smootb voice playing a big part,

covered Brook's

surprisingly,

(originals) quite

commendably. Not

be would in time cover tbe

Fool Breaks His

Own

ballad.

Only A

Heart, reputed to be bis biggest

seller,

witb major sales in Europe. Tbat Sparrow did so

mucb

better witb tbis song tban did anotber great Black

American crooner, Artbur Prysock,

speaks well for

Sparrow's musical versatihty.

Being in tbe army, particularly during tbose times of being stationed overseas (away from England), increased

was on tbe

first

nigbt of returning to regiment's headquarters in Kent

(just

tbe separation from tbe calypso scene.

outside

It

London) in 1964 from wbere be was

in tbe Mediterranean tbat tbis writer

bunk and beard tbe

faint

last

stationed

was relaxing on

bis

sound of a calypso beat coming

from tbe next door barrack room. Curiosity demanded an investigation.

Tbere was a Black a newspaper (tbe

soldier lying

on

bis

bunk reading

Barbados Advocate) while shaking

feet to tbe calypso beat

coming from a recorder

atop bis uttle bedside locker.

He

his

sitting

said that he, too,

was

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

80

from Bartailos and kad only just returned to headquarters two weeks ago from wkere ke was last stationed in Singapore.

voice from tke recording was unmistakably tkat

Tke

Tke

of Sparrow, kut tke recordings were not recognized.

reaction ke got okviously told

wken

surprised

tke

first

Dan

and ke was

tkis

was confirmed ky word of moutk.

tkougk not tkat new,

eitker.

recordings, ke explained,

Seeing tke interest skown, ke

London

volunteered tke information akout a place in

wkere kis all

sister

tke way still

It

located

was

It

Man, Sparrow Come Back Home, Robbery

Tkey were not old

V.

would

quite

time kearing calypsoes suck as Rose, Federation,

is the

With

it

kim

kad kougkt tkem and mailed tkem

in Singapore, tkougk ke wasn't sure

to if

kim tkey

ke available tkere.

wasn't long after tkat a place in Paddington was

and fortunately tke records were

availakle.

still

Of

course, tkey were kougkt, along witk a sopkisticated, easy-

to-log-around record player.

And

kakit of carefully kstening to

and studying tke

kaving developed a

records, tkese records were ustened to over

returning to tke barracks infectious soimd. records,

was

a

it

No

- and not

matter

example, tkat

appked

lyrics

and over on

kecause of tke

kow good

was important tkat tke

discipline

just

tke music of

made

sense. Tliis

to any genre of music.

Johnny Ace Memorial AJhum,

alkum made ky tke

lyrics of

For

tke only

very promising Black American

balladeer before kis suicide was purckased in Brixton,

Soutk London and

it

was played and studied

word became committed

to

memory,

until

until every

some

soldiers

Calypso Behind

got tirea of hearing If,

it.

for instance, the music

catcky tut the lyrics

worth

listening to.

maoe

Of

little

course,

one with great music such

if

acceptable.

As

on a record was very sense, the record wasn't

the record was a musical

as that

Jimmy Smith, then

organist

81

that

produced hy

would

a matter of fact, his alhum,

was accorded almost as

much

time as Ace's.

he

jazz

quite

The Sermon,

And

it

must

he mentioned that a significant liking for hlue-heat had also developed.

But hack

to Sparrow's

were played so often that soldiers to

comment

it

(new-to-me) records, they

wasn't unusual for

some white

aloud: "Take those hloody records

hack to the hloody hush."

Take Dan

is the

Man,

for example, telling of the

hooks "mother coimtry" England forced on the elementary schools in the

West

Indies, with stories so stupid, as

Sparrow saw them, they had to have heen selected for a special reason: hrainwashing;

not the teaching of reading.

Sparrow's lyrics addressing the issues, though jovially, also carried stinging criticism.

Sparrow had to have dedicated

an inordinate amount of time to the composing of calypso. If he neglected to

this

mention any of the many

nursery rhymes and supposedly hriefly written funny stories that

comprised the West Inaian Reader hocm, they

womd have to he careful

very few;

it

does seem that Sparrow was

not to miss any. This verse gives a good idea of

Sparrow's feelings:

Accoraing to the education you get

when ya small

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

82

You

will grow

up with amhition ana respect

tor one ana all

Bui in my Jays in school They teach me hke a tool The things they teach me Ishoulaa heen a hlock-heaaea lool

Tken Sparrow proceeds atout some of tkese skoe;

tilings:

Hiimpty Dumpty

to

explain,

tne old lady

sitting

on a

rermniscing

who

lived in a

wall;

Solomon

Grundy; tke ass and tke Hon skin; W^inking, Blinking and

Nod; tke aUigator trying to

trick tke

monkey to

ride

on

its

back across tke river so ke could tkrow tke primate orr into tke river tken take kis

kody kome to Mrs. AUigator

and tkey could kave a nice dinner ot monkey uver soup; Goosey, Goosey Gander; Rikki Tikki Tavi; Tom, tke piper's son; tke

cow

tkat

jumped over tke moon;

kickory, dickory dock; tkat old lady

cow on top tke kouse tke

Tom

wko

tried to

to eat tke grass growing

pusk ker

on tke

roor;

uon and tke mouse, and otkers. In anotker verse Sparrow tkrows in a mixture or

irony and paradox:

Howlgot an education this way 1 don't know This stuff hout Brer Fox and Rumplestiltskino

The English wanted to keep me down indeed

They tried hut they didn t succeed See,

mah head was duncey and until now

leant read They heat me like a dog to learn

these

Calypso Behind

83

things in school It I was hrigm,

a

I wovla still he

damn tool.

Sparrow continuea

pumpkin

atout: Peter, Peter the

men who

tied

up

ana explaining

his reminiscing

eater; tnose tiny little

(tne giant) Gulliver; a goose that laid

human

golden eggs; Twirly and Twisty, the two

who

screws

rode hihes to school.

So many changes having taken in

colonies

British

independence that

womd

calypso

it is

West

the

douhtrul

if

place in the former

Indies

since

their

the commentary in this

he recognizahle in the schools of these

former colonies. Mayhe Sparrow himself didn't see

way when he composed the

song, hut

it

this

what he did was to

an important piece of West Indian history that

create

should he required studying in schools in the West Indies today; let the youngsters study

he what now

and compare what used to

is.

Another Sparrow calypso is

of this time for which he

fully deserving of praise for its historical

significance in particmar

is

Federation.

analysis of the very short life of

Federation. Again, hy the

only to the British at that

West

West

It gives

and

lyrical

a powerful

(WlH) the West Indies Indies,

the reference

is

Indies, for the education system

time didn't relate too

much

ahout those islands in

the very area that were not imder British control; hence,

making

it

seem that they were not a part of the West

Indies.

The

topic

of England

no longer

islands as heneficial as in the past,

when

finding these

the lucrative

84

THE MIGHTY SPARROW Melody "picong"

duel:

calypso tent,Trinidad, 950's.

Tkey insult each otker song.

sugar cane industry

came under

and ikerefore wanting to

let

Calypso Behind

85

Tung

Sugar,"

tneir laDel

go of tnem

is

one too broad

to te told in a calypso or 8 lines per verse

chorus.

Not even

accompusn

tnis.

and 6 per

a poet as clever as Sparrow could

Wisely, ne opted to address tne issue oi

tne treak up of the

WlF,

a part of the wider scenario.

Jamaica, tnougn less tnan five tnousand square miles in area

—

neigntor Ciiba

its

next door

cemented tne general

feeling of

actually 10 times smaller than

— had

yet

superior giant in Jamaicans comparing islands of tne British largest

West

Indies

The

and tne smaller fact tnat

second

Trinidad was number one economically — tne

same (number) position Barbados beld educationally — did not matter.

Tne

settlement worked out by tke "motker

coimtry" England for tke as its capital site

minister.

WIF

was for Trinidad to serve

and a Barbadian

Tkis

settlement

(Bajan) as

disturked

its

prime

Jamaicans

tremendously; kence, tkeir speedy decision to relinquisk

memkerskip in tke WJUP.

It

led Sparrow to write arguakly

tke most powerful poutical song of tke area: Verse

1:

People want to know whyJamaica run

A way trom ae Federation Well, Jamaica

(repeat couplet)

had a right to speak she mind

That is my opinion

And ii you helieve in democracy You would agree

with

me

Chorus:

But if they know they didn t want federation

And they didn t want to unite as one

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

86

Inaepenaence was at their door

why didn

't

they speak out hetore?

this is no

Cause

time to he saying

That we ain 't ieaerating no more. Lite

''Dan is the

Man, Federation

many

message calypso, not liRe so

jump and wufc up beautiful

to,

musical

primarily a

is

calypsoes,

meant

in spite or the fact that

accompaniment.

Every

it

verse

to

has is

coherently written ana meaningful, hut the second verse in particular hits the nail right

on the head. This,

should he discussed in the classrooms in the

West

too,

Indies

today. These hrief eight lines can he transformed into

lengthy classroom discussions: Verse 2:

When

they didn t get the capital site

It started one hig right

When Sir Grantley Adams took up his post Matters got even worse

They hawled out, we ain

't

want no Bajan

premier

And Trinidad can 'the capitaltor here So

the righting went on

and on

And ended up in a hig referendum Repeat chorus

Verse 3

Sorry, hut no federation again

I think it such a hig shame 's

That after so much

Enough

efforts and energy

to kin everybody

Right now it's only a memory

Calypso Behind

87

We laileaso miserably So say we snoulan t nave parted But in Jamaica is where it started Repeat cnorus... Verse 4 tollows:

The federation boiled down

to simply this:

Dog-eat-dog and survival ot the fittest

Everybody now lighting for independence Singularly, Trinidad lor instance

We gonna get it too, so don t bother Though I wish

we'll learn to stick together

Not separated as we are Just because orJamaica Cnorus:

II they know they didn

t

wand federation

And they didn t want to unite as one Independence was at their door

They coulda say they were not in favor Instead ofbeha ving like a blasted traitor

Saying we don

Aaaea

t

want federation no more.

to this song's strong and relevant

can be experienced here, there

is

also

lyrics, as

the heautiml

accompanying music and catchy nuances Sparrow orten adds here and there to his songs, which

— what

cannot he experienced in writing here.

And no

that Sparrow's demise

many

is

inevitahle

a pity

—

matter

and that there

are

changes the mture will hring, this calypso deserves

to survive for

many years.

Another

significant

Sparrow calypso around

time was Slave, such a short

title

that said so

this

much, the

musical accompaniment not falling fully into the calypso

.

.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

88

genre, tut so very Leautitul. Tnis fusion of calypso teat

and tke drums

similar to tkat heard in tne juju music of

Nigeria referred to as "talking drums'

made

a kig ditier-

ence.

Having

now comes

dealt witk tke musical aspect of tke song,

tke lyrical aspect. Immediately, witkout keing

exposed to tke

lyrics,

some connection ke reiterated tkis

title will

reveal tkat tkey kave

to tke African slave trade.

kow kack

commodity

in tkat time

Again

it

must

tke Carikkean kad

very important to tke growtk or

so

Europe referred to coloniausts.

tke

Reacking

King Sugar ky tke European

as

tkis stage of

King Sugar wasn't done

tkrougk some easy and miracmous way; sugar cane kad to ke karvested. Harvesting sugar cane was a pkysically draining task, of

more

so tkan even tke karvesting of cotton,

wkick so many korrendous

Soutkem United

stories of tkis task in tke

States kave keen keard.

of course, was not rewarded in even tke

Slave lakor,

most minimal

way. Telling of tkese acts of aksolute inkiomanity in tke

Carikkean was wkat Sparrow's

set

out to do in kis

composition of Slave. Mission was accomplisked in tke

manner ke related: Frn a slave trom a land so far

Caught and brought here trom Africa.

They made me work and work all day

On Lord, no pay.

.

Many times I wanted to run But the English slave master

.

Calypso Behind

89

was always mere with his gun

Ana with the whips ana dogs Yet night ana day

I stillplanned to run

muck

Sparrow puts so

why

.

feeling into tne following four-line

statement to greatly telie question,

a way.

its

trevity. It baaly Legs tne

couldn't Sparrow nave repeated tnis very

touching statement more often throughout the song?

woula nave served tkat generates

as a great

more

pimcn

line,

It

the kind of tking

interest for tke entire song:

Oh I'm dying Oh I'm dying Oh Lord I want to he free Oh Lord I want to he rree. Nonetkeless,

togetker

bringing

touching

tkis

— witk a "Negro spiritual touck, as suck was referred to — witk tkat African talking drum sound. Sparstatement

row opting not

to utilize a full calypso keat resulted in

sometking so keautifuily difference

is

tkat Sparrow took tkis song seriously from

keginning to end, witk

same

different. Contributing to tkis

all

meaningful and powerful

as in tke case of Federation.

some

kringing

Man,

satire to

for instance,

from an skoots

is

Sparrow

even serious

is

issues.

lyrics,

famous for

Dan

is the

a serious issue akout krainwasking

early age, kut

even

as

Sparrow exposes

down witk some fun-poking. tkere were tkose wko saw Sparrow's

tkis,

ke

it

If

taking on of

tkese issues as a signal of kis intent to kead in a different direction witk kis calypso career as far as

would

select to write calypsoes

wkat

topics ke

aroimd, tkey certainly were

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

90

mistaken.

Diversity

always telieved

He

in.

man

sometliing tke

is

otviously

And here he was with Rose.

told of meeting this heautiful

yoimg woman

one of the other islands - her name the same

in

as the title

- with whom he developed such an infatuation that forced him into pleading with her: of the

calypso

Rose, girl I love you so baa

Girl I love you so baa Please

come go

wiib me to Triniaaa

Ob Rose, ob Rose Ob Rose, ob Rose. Rose, tell me wbat to do Tell me wbat to do For I'm so in love

witb you

Ob Rose, ob Rose Ob Rose, ob Rose. Heaven knooooooows Tbe only woman I want is Rose. Ii

there was such a thing as a calypso hallad, this

unusually slow calypso would epitomize category

it fell

into, the heauty of

it

it.

Whatever

could not he honestly

denied.

At

a time

when slow music was

there," so to speafc, there

the party scene

stiQ

"hanging in

could he no doubt that those on

who had

this lover's

sentiment in them

were quite pleased with Sparrow for coming out with record, with a message

this

and a slowed-d^wn heat that could

he used as a justiiiahle reason for holding on tightly to their dance partners

and wining up the lower

anatomy that much more than would he

part of the justified if

Calypso Behind

91

engaged in a waltz.

Tnat Sparrow managed to conquer, the lovely Rose

As ne said earlier in nis career about tnat Country Girl who nad come to the city playing hard to get: Bui not hard with me^ you know /Alter sul, I

was not

at all surprising.

am the Mighty Sparrow. King Fighter, around the same time

as Sparrow's

conquest of Rose, wasn't so fortunate with a young

woman

called Sufeie, according to

Up

goings-on hetween them: tell

me /How haaly she

what he sang ahout the

to last week, that girl Sukie

wanted to go nve with

me in

BG /Now oat I ready and she got mah money /Hear de nonsense she

me

tell

/ 1 must get permission

nrom she

mammy /But nrst I met up with her daddy /He pull out a revolver and went crazy.

Tnere was

also the very

funny and popular up-

tempo calypso of Sparrow's, Sparrow Come Back Home. According to him:

They started treating me very had Here in Trinidad

So Igot a plane to

the

USA

Just to get out their way.

However, a short time

up

all

after his absence a cry

went

over the island hegging:

Sparrow, please come hack home.

Tke

situation got so

bad that he

choice:

So I had to heed their

cry

That they didn t miss the water till the

well ran dry

felt

he had no other

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

92

And Iknow I ha ve to please

My fans hack home in the Tliis

money

in

making good

priority over kis

kad to take

New York

West Indies

City.

He

was even booked for

appearances at Carnegie Hall. Patriotic and considerate,

ke kurried kack to Trinidad. Even on tke day of

kis

ke was in drove tkrougk a section oi

return, as tke taxi

Port-of -Spain, relates ke in tke song, tkere was a group

reading

placards

carrying

demonstrating,

did

as

tke

skouted words from tkeir moutks: "Sparrow, come tack

kome."

Somekow

kack kome. In

tke word got out tkat ke was indeed

ke was in tkat taxi over

fact,

was

as tke information

gotten rid of kastily

verified, tke placards

and a woman

ker supporting words for

now

witk tke words ske

Just look at him.

Go on hack

tkere.

kim

As soon

were keing

seeing Sparrow ceased

crowd

to start extolling tke

angrily skouted in kis face: .

.

the aog

ya ol dirty hog.

Tke way Sparrow

tells

tke story of tkis sudden

ckange of attitude serves as testament to tke comedian ke kas always skown kimself to ke.

As Sparrow

often displays tkis

kumorous

side as in

tke case kere, ke also displays anotker side: ego; and clear in tke calypso

Tke

Rohhery With

it is

V.

judges for tke recent carnival Calypso

Monarck

competition once again kad tke audacity to not award tke

crown to kim. Instead tkey named anotker new Monarck in tke person of

Migkty Dougla. Sparrow

ckoice to reasons otker tkat tke deserving to win tke crown to tkis

attrikuted tkeir

new Monarck

"fact"

truly

akout tke judges:

Calypso Behind

93

They want a new king They would do anything See, they don

thhe the way

How I stick up for money And ill don t get pay I won t sing tor nohody So they conspired to cup me wing

And chose an ohstacle asking

A man with no originanty, No stage personanty 'Cause they want to

make me look small.

He furtnermore states some other opinions, rew more or wmcn woula

only a

oe mentioned nere:

I am

the only one

Who stand up tor calypsonians rights

Here in

this island.

But Instead ol seeing me stand up

They would rather see progress stop.

But one

thing they learned,

Whoever have the crown

I still got the

throne.

Of course, rair to

it

woulan't be

ne opinionate here as

Sparrow's assumptions heing correct or aerivea

from

personal resentment.

Mighty Dougla seemed ready

move to much higher heights, tut life denied him

to

this at a relatively

young

age.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Out of Jamaica:

Count

Lasker,

very well witk traditional calypso.

Fab Five comes up

witn some not, runny soca.

95

>

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Tnrone Tne

was nearing

era of tne 1960's

setting phase,

its

oLviously meaning that tne dawning era or the 1970's

woula soon be appearing upon tne norizon.

By

the disappearing era, Sparrow nad

Tney

to nis credit.

good, excellent or

had left the scene neignts ne

would for

justitication

calypsonian"

rell

at

either into the category or very

Even ir, for wnatever reason, ne this time - not going on to tne nigner

in the ensuing years

disputing

on him

exile in

records

classic.

tne

— tnere womd te no

testowing

today, tnese several years

teing tne case even

from

many

or later.

hest

Tnis

considering tne return to Trinidad

England of L^ord Kitcnener

(Kitcnie) in tne

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

96

imcl-'60s

and

fully

tkrowing liimself Lack into tke calypso

arena.

Bear in mind tkat Kitchener's return had generated

rumors of

it

Leing precipitated primarily because of tke

kim

popularity of Sparrow, tke recognition or

as tke top

calypsonian in tke world.

of course, tkere were many wko relt tkat witk Kitckie now fully kack on tke scene, Sparrow's kigk-flying would ke

curtailed.

And calypso its

Kitck did get off to a powerful

Doctor Kitcn, tkougk

success

was

also kased

away from kome so

on

it

witk tke

couldn't ke determined

tkat Prodigal

now

long,

start

Son

tking:

if

keen

sudden return. Tkere

kis

was also tke issue of Kitckener's ckoice of a calypso witk lewd (sexual connotations) contents,

clearly,

lyrics.

Li spite of tke lyrical

calypso

tkis

kad

come

from

a

calypsonian of akikty. Ln any event, Kitckener's return did

And it Sparrow. How

notking major to tkreaten Sparrow's popularity.

was a certainty tkat is

tkis

known

it

would never kotker

to ke so kere? Tkis question

demands tke

tiring reiteration tkat

Sparrow kad always perpetuated an

image of kimself as a

man

kis superior talent.

witk tkis unskakakle kenef in

Tkere never was any need to create a

psyckologist-patient scenario (witk Sparrow

on tke couck)

for kis strong keuef in kimself to ke revealed. ckaracteristic in

kim was

summer West Indian

as clear as tke proverkial

day.

Tkis

sunny

Sparrow would in time put out

a calypso titled

Congo Man.

tkis writer did

not kave too favorakle a response to tke

lyrics of

Doctor Kitcn,

so

It,

it

too,

also

was quite popular. As

was for Congo Man.

Duke Get Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

Over

97

tke last few years, starting witn experiences in

London, tut more so from experiences in the army, adaea to tkese experiences an aoaiction to reading, tnis writer

tecome

had

quite

appreciation for positive lyrics increased.

lessened

quauties

these

negative

lyrics. It

the

person to he depicting the

manner Hollywood and had heen doing

culture

tolerance

seemed too

Armed

with

lewd and

for

time for a Blacfc

late in

Congo

The

conscious.

socio-politically

in that

same savage

other branches of white

all

many

years

in regards to

thought to Sparrow's

lyrics several

for so

anything (Black) African.

Giving years after he

much had

started out

on the calypso

scene,

it

was

evident that even in the heginning, and at such a yoimg

he

age,

demonstrated that

calypsonians

who

he wasn't one

wrote weak, incoherent

matter what topic he was covering, his coherent,

point:

made

calypso

component

forced

rhyming,

calypsonians;

sense.

As

for

of

those

lyrics.

lyrics

that

No

were on

important

of rhyming, there was never a sign of

as

hence,

was the there

discipline in the lyrics of

case

with

was no

Congo Man,

some other

surprise like

that

them

this

or not,

was maintained. But the hatred of Sparrow coming up with

lyrics that

portrayed Africans in that popular white

manner of heing uncivilized just wouldn't go away.

One noticeable

change taking place in calypso was that of

the picong calypso. Calypsonians getting too personal with

one another in song apparently thought the time had

come

to have

it

interred.

For

instance,

it

wasn't heard

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

98

coming from the two calypsonians one and two for aiming

tnis

Sparrow and Melody. Listed the

list

numbers

attack at each other

-

numbers one and two on and Kitchener were

of great calypsonians, Sparrow

known

never

as

iaentiiiea as

to engage in this habit against each other.

Undoubtedly, this had more to do with the changing times and different attitudes than with the baid-blood feelings

some might have assumed was the

Maybe

there

was more blood

case.

existing

between

Sparrow and those in charge or the Calypso Monarch competition, for he had not recently taken part in the

four competitions.

named

fellow

last

And so it was that in those four years a

The

Duke

Mighty

dominated

the

competition in a way no other calypsonian had previously

done — not even the great affectionately

known:

He

Birdie,

as

won

(Duke)

Sparrow was

four consecutive

times.

Of

course. Duke's being

crowned four consecutive

times didn't go without skepticism

-

increasingly so.

The

major skepticism being voiced was that Duke comd only have achieved such a feat because Sparrow was not competing.

As aforemenb'oned, it was common for calypsonians who felt they had proven their abihty in the art lorm to

issue challenges to Sparrow, perhaps

since Lx)rd

Duke

wanted to

so

Bryner had taken such a strong stand.

It can't

that

more

be determined here

if it

was for

this reason

finally got into the challenging act or that

silence his critics

who

success to Sparrow's not competing.

he

kept attributing his

Whatever the

case,

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

99

Duke's ckallenge was strong tkat Sparrow snould be

and

give

up

man

boycott ana return to tne

his personal

competition so Dufce could prove nis worth and wnip a tield or let

calypsonians tnat included tnis

nim continue

Sparrow, or

to be regarded as being at tbe higbest

level of calypso even

Duke's

man

if

be bad flown away to Mars.

confidence

of

conquering

sucb

a

field

certainly got a boost after bis recent conquest of a field

known

tbat included Kitcbener, also popularly

cis

tbe

Grandmaster. Tbis current boycott period marked tbe second time

Sparrow bad engaged in

come back

in 1960

tbis act. First, 1957 to 1959 to

and win. Now, 1968 to

1971.

would certainly make sure be wouldn't win Every situation develops

its skeptics.

by Sparrow to compete again was no tbose

wbo

said

cballenge gave really

if

wanted to but

bis great ego

Tbe

different.

Tbere were because bis

was standing in tbe way.

tbis

do sometbing be

wanted to but

really

decision

to do sometbing be

Bear in mind tbat tbat

was

CDC

be returned.

be bad Duke to tbank

bim a good excuse

Tbe

at a

time

wben be could

bis great ego

migbt

bave been standing in tbe way. Bear in mind also tbat be boycotted witb tbe indication of not competing again.

Tbere was

also tbe specmation

— not

as strong as otbers

-

tbat Duke's cballenge was not free of Sparrow's subtle doings.

Before proceeding furtber, to tbis time, very

mucb

it

must be noted tbat up

surprisingly so,

Lord Kitcbener

bad not once been crowned King of Calypso.

It

botbered

many calypso fans tbat tbis great calypsonian could be tbe

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

100

victim of suck misfortune.

How could this be so? True, he

kad won tke Road Marck crown

several times,

an konor

kestowed on tke calypsonian wkose calypso was most often played ky tke

many it

many

participating kands. True, too,

calypsonians were kappy to ke so konored, tkougk

was not

as coveted

an konor

as tkat of keing

crowned

Calypso Monarck.

At any rate. Sparrow for tke carnival of 1972.

entered tke competition again

As was

tke case in I960, ke

won kands down. As was also tke case in I960, tkis time, too, ke won kotk titles: Calypso Monarck and Road Marck. Back in I960 ke accompnsked tkis witk tke calypsoes May-May ana Benwooa Dich, kotk containing again

lewd

lyrics,

fans openly

won

witk

tke kind tke system claimed to okject to kut

skowed

tkeir love for. Tkis time around, ke

Drunk and Disorderly and Rope. Now, tke issue

wasn't akout keing lewd kut akout negative issues.

Having always proven kimself a master criticism of Sparrow's lyrics could

lyricist,

tke

not possikly kave keen

MigktyDuteJidthe impreceaented Ly

winning tke Calypso

crown lour consecutive times.

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

Lased on

lyrical

skortcomings;

it

101

must nave teen Dased on

the suDJect matter not being in step with the changing times.

As the

first

If

Mighty Duke, he not only

to

lost the

crown for

time in five years, but came in aeaa last.

Sparrow had any intention of boasting in song

about toppling Duke, he coula not have honestly said of

Duke what he sang about Mighty Dougla when he (Dougla) won over Sparrow in the early '60s: "he has no originahty, no stage personauty." Duke was known as a calypsonian who communicated with his audience like a professor to his students, a quauty perhaps coming out of his

time serving as a school teacher.

be determined

It can't

here whether or not Dougla was really devoid of these things. It

can be said of Duke, though, that he might have

helped a lot in contributing to the hanging of himselt, similar to classic

what George Foreman did to himself

boxing match in Zaire against

Duke challenge

started hanging himseil: in his pleading-like

to

competition.

Sparrow

that

By

he

should

reenter

challenging

all,

he was the king

Sparrow in

this

"He has the crown but

Even

down

in his

have the throne."

at this early stage in this story, there

doubt about

and poetic

I

at the

manner, Duke

gave credence to what Sparrow beheved deep heart:

the

He should have challenged Sparrow in more

subtle, diplomatic ways. AJtter

time.

in that

Muhammad Ali.

can be no

this writer's admiration for Sparrow's musical

abiuties.

in the Ccise of his

Regarding the negative views upheld

Congo Man, Drunk ana Disorderly d^rA

Rope, the sentiments are the same, but with

uttle Toler-

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

102

MigLty Duke, alx)ve, couldn't

te kappier, for it

was prior to

Sparrow having given up his lx)ycott of tke

calypso competition

ana came

tack to

lift

tke

crown from

kis

kead. Atleft, calypso's greatest,

two Sparrow

and Kitckener.

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

ance for tke negative tke

True, Sparrow did win back

lyrics.

Crown with Drunk ana

neitner

Duke

fitting to

this personal observation,

calypsoes.

and tnat Mignty

so prominently into tkis issue,

fits

would

Disorderly ana Rope, nut

compared with some oi ms previous

Having made

103

it

seems quite

kear kis views akout tkis issue and Sparrow as ke

relate to tkis writer

New York

some

years later in Brooklyn,

wkile tkis writer was in tke position of editor

and pukksker of tke magazine Root.

Duke

(real

name Kelvin

Pope),

wko was kom

in

Point Porting, Trinidad, said ke got started in calypso in tke early 1960's, kut tkat ke was trying kis kands at writing calypso verses since as a koy in sckool. at tke

He

recalled tkat

time ke was influenced ky Lx)rd Syncopator. Tkose

wko would

really drive

kim

into tke calypso arena later

were Migkty Spoiler, Sparrow and Migkty Cypker. spoke witkmuck elation of

kow

"great" it

calypso kistory ky keing crowned Calypso

times

consecutive

calypsonian

kad ever accompksked —

still

making

felt

Monarck four

sometking

(1968-1971),

He

no

otker

kas not.

Confronted witk tkat very kard-to-go-away claim

kad a

tkat kis four consecutive wins

lot to

do witk

Sparrow's aksence from tke competition during tkose years,

Duke jumped

to kis

own

defense: "Yes,

Sparrow

was aksent from tke scene tken kut some very good calypsonians were competing. Yes, Sparrow came kack in

1972 and

I lost

kest calypsonians ever say. It

really

Now, Sparrow is one of tke very — mayke tke kest, as a lotta people

to kim.

ain't

no skame

for

anykody to

lose to

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

104

Sparrow. But

it

wasn't

liis

greatness that defeated me.

lotta people felt tkat otkers

wkole

performances.

Tkey

kad put in

A

Letter

didn't even tkink tke quality of kis

songs were close to wkat ke usually sang.

I

didn t tkink so

And if you go Lack to my tkird win, you would see tkat a lotta people were getting tired of me keep winning. And it was known tkat after my tkird win tkey tkougkt eitker.

tkat was enougk.

Tke

stage

was

returning Sparrow to take over. tkat time Sparrow

Sparrow

tking,

survive;

make

kad

Remember,

lots of influence.

ain't like

it

too, tkat

And

most calypsonians,

ke was akle to make

a lot of

paved for tke

clearly

anotker

struggling to

to tke top, kold

money. He's an unusual

ky

on and

case in calypso; tke

man is a damn rick man. Duke continued

explaining:

Black Skin- White Man and tke

"My

strong song was

lyrics didn't

go

down

well

witk tke colonial mentauty of tkose judges. Sparrow sang calapsoes tkat were

more

pleasing:

Drunk ana Disoraerly

and Rope. Wkat tkose wko're saying 'Duke only win kecause Sparrow wasn't in tke competition' tkat in nineteen sixty-eigkt

Sparrow in tke

St.

Tkomas (US

and tkat in seventy-one

Tke Duke.

and nineteen

I

Virgin Islands) Carnival,

keat Kitckener in Trinidad."

issue of superstars in calypso

He named

ain't saying is

sixty-nine I keat

was posed to

only Sparrow and Kitckener.

Wken

pusked akout tke kest calypsonian, witk some okvious reluctance, ke indicated tkat

An

admirakle

quakty

Sparrow could ke tkat one.

displayed

ky

Duke was

tkat

wkenever warned of a tougk question akout to ke posed to

kim

tkat ke migkt not

want to

kear,

ke would give tke

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

assurance, ""Go aneaa

and

Ana

snoot, man!'

it

105

woulan't

bother Ldm

It

would te remiss to proceed into the

certainly

witkout digressing a

and

little

justify

somewhat tnat

statement tkat Sparrow's winning calypsoes carnival were not

among

best. Brier

liis

made ahout a few of his late

One

such

calypso

humorous

lyrics

ahout

involving this young

him

so

his life

much

in the 1972

mention should he

'60s calypsoes.

Melaa,

is

a

some very

with

not-so-hiunorous

woman who Sparrow

situation

claimed loved

she wanted to assure herself of her place in

through holy matrimony. Reali2dng

his objection

to such a thing, she resorted to trying to trap

the use of oheah.

Her

of the island to the next, hut

was faced with the strong Sparrow girl,

him through

search for the most potent oheah

man went from one comer Melaa,

1970's

attitude of

:

you making weaaing plans

Carrying me name to the ohean

man

But no matter what ya do I still ain t gonna many to you. In that true Sparrow humorous manner, he finally

informed her that the "most potent" oheah directed to

No

is

actually his

Money,

Johnny who loved willingly eat

No

"

man

me gran'fatha."

Love

told of the such sagahoy

much that he would make love to ker nonstop,

his girlfriend so

and drink her

out,

uve

off tke sweat of ker krow, kut couldn't

wky

ske tkougkt ke skould find a jok.

kis life

she was

understand

He got tke

skoch of

wken one day ke came kome to find kis kelongings

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

106

out in

tlie

yard and tke assurance from

Johnny, you 're really my

But no money, no more

turtle

liis

woman:

dove

love.

Mention kas already keen made

to

some

of tke great

calypsoes of Sparrow tkat are certain to stand tke test of time.

tkese were keing mentioned according to tkeir

If

impact, Mr. Walker would kave akeady keen mentioned. It will

always ke one of Sparrow's memorakle calypsoes.

Excellence must ke associated with every aspect of tkis calypso tkat

of a very cimning

tells

girl

Her

Marie.

(Sparrow, of

so deeply in love witk tkis

course) pretending to ke

komely

man

love for Sparrow

is

genuine and

goes kack a long time wken:

Sweet, sweet Rose-Marie

she promised she

And I've grown I want to see It

does

will marry

me

tired ot waiting

the wedding.

not

matter

one

kit

to

Sparrow kow

continuously

The people say she so ugly

But that don thotherme Cause she ratha got a lot o 'money. In W^alfcer's

fact.

Sparrow kecomes so oksessed witk Mr.

money tkat

seeing Marie does not ever kring ker

face into focus. Ratker, as ke explains:

Every time I happen

to take a

look

I see a hank hook. wky skould ke kave a conscience attack over kis true feeungs wken ke's so sure tkat: Into she race,

And more

tkan

tkis,

H Rose-Marie was a heauty

.

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

107

Nothing like me couldget she.

Anotker

Sparrow calypso, more up-

truly Leautiful

tempo than Mr. Walher, witk an irresistaLle teat is the English-verse and French-Creole Sa Sa Ay. Sparrow tells of this "heautiful

West

Indies)

young woman from Martinique (French

who came

Trinidad for the carnival.

to

Never hefore having seen such a

spectacle she:

Wan ts to jump ana ha ve a hall But she ain got no money at all. Mr. Nice Guy Sparrow, of course, lets it he known to her: 't

Well,

I wouldpay tor you lady

But you must spend the time

with me.

No, the young lady does not even think of

refusing,

instead:

You should hear how excitedly she hawled:

Sa sa ay, It

has

all

speaking

sa sa ay.

.

the elements to get Engush-speaking, Frenck-

—

or otkerwise

—

into a wild gyrating

Martin Luther King dedicated to tke dedicated

a

is

slow

mood.

tempo calypso

civil rigkts activist

meant for tke

Reverend

ears

and tke

mind, not tke kody. Sparrow okviously appued

special

powers in tke composition. Admirakle

as tkis

Dr. Martin Lutker King Jr.

tkinfcing

skow

of respect for Dr.

King

positive nature, tkis writer

and tke

part of

it

clask a

kit.

and tkat

it is

of suck a

must express some regret tkat a

Sparrow migkt kave given tkougkt to tke

Carmickael

frequently

is,

writer's strong socio-poutical views

tkat prior to adopting a

Stokely

It is

muck more

and

H.

Rap

do

fact

mintant attitude,

Brown marcked

witk Dr. King as memkers of tke Student

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

108

Nonviolent Co-ordinating Committee, eventually opting

more toward tke more militant philosophy of another activist, Malcolm X. It woiJd have heen hetter to

to lean

leave

them out

of this song than to

make

a comparison

hetween them and Dr. King, and portraying them dedicated to violence. to

demonstrate

liis

As

it

was

helief

characteristic of Dr.

would not have made

this

King

upholding of that

the

to

philosophy, "J^dge not less you he judged," that he

as heing

it

seems certain

comparison. This writer

heheves that Sparrow intended no harm. This

wonderful song and would even he more so

on Carmichael and Brown can somehow he

As interjecting the

if

is

a

the had rap

eliminated.

French-Creole language into the

English language brought that extra interest to the song

Sa Sa Ay, the same some

is

Sparrow's integration of

true of

Nigerian dialects into Natasha (Du

Gu Nu

Gu).

gibherish

Du Yem

and

These are not cases of where cacophonus

has heen used. Sparrow

is

not

now

the only

calypsonian to engage in this language integration, hut he

must he credited

for heing the nrst

deserves to he praised for taking in this disciplinary action

—

for

one to do

it

upon himself

it

serves a

so.

He

to engage

major purpose

oi showing the importance of up-holding high standards

—

hy learning the parts of those non-Engush languages he

wanted to integrate into

some cacophonous

example:

known

Wcis

some

to do. Sparrow has also

other languages into it

and not making up

gihherish to serve the purpose, as

calypsonians have heen integrated

his songs,

other calypsoes.

For

very early in his career he sang a

significant part of the lyrics to

Nice Senorita in Spanish.

Duke Gets Crown, Sparrow Keeps Throne

It

cannot he said

Low mucn

success

109

Sparrow wovJd

kave kad kad ke competed in tke Calypso Monarck competition during kis four-year koycott.

It

can ke

said,

tkougk, tkat during tkat period ke produced some very

potent calypsoes.

Ancestors Jamm: Tkese are tke

significantly

tke leautifil color original measuring 18x36.

reduced two halves ot Artist:

Makelah Amani.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

110

Some

Calypso Protlems

>

wouldn't be construed as a case oi ques-

tioning the intelligence or any reader, tecause so perceived to

mention nere tnat thus

coiud be

it

far the Sparrow's

calypsoes are but a few of so many, for such has aheady

been insinuated. But possibly strongly clearly

enough to

it

hais

get the fact over.

not been done

So

stating

more

might be necessary.

In those years there were calypsonians their presence felt

on the

who made

calypso scene for a brief period

only to disappear and not heard of ever again. is

it

one of the major factors that gives

the greatness of

rise to

The Mighty Sparrow.

It

And this

the thought of

must hegthe

a

Some Calypso Problems

now was he

question,

with no significant

Some presence

lull

able to maintain tnis consistency

in producing?

and soon disappeared

felt

calypsoes that actually

And

good." stage

and

who made their might have made two

calypsonians

tnose

or

111

fell

into the category of "pretty

-

the end. Others reached this

that was that

persisted heyond, hut the persistence of

some

resulted in lyrical mediocrity, including an ohvious fight

with rhymes, meaning they came hut not without a struggle to

even

if

mahe them make

tastefully sweet,

It is

Rhyming

sense.

not unusual for any writer of poetic

overcome through poetic

discipline: going

the sentence (phrase) until

it

Sparrow, as far as

it is

commonly there

is

can he

known,

didn't pursue writing

Through

his

he proved that he was in that category

descrihed thus: "hom-to-he..." "a horn one."

somehow demonstrates without

the

certainly

means

henefit

excellence

of

And

it

ahout an

is

an

in

specialized

that Sparrow

horn calypsonian."

artist

artistic

training,

indeed

"a

must he made

horn

If

who area

then

it

poet...

clear that such

could never have attained this excellence

through specialized training, not even

if

highest institution of training in this area. to have heen present in the individual age.

it

flows coherently.

truth to these descriptions

individuals

he

lyrics to

over and over

literature at the higher education level.

calypsoes, however,

this,

sounds wrong.

faced with such a prohlem sometimes. But

and

lifce

Moreover,

changing the

if

trained at the

The

talent

had

from a very young

forced efforts are consistently directed at

individual's

"hom-with"

artistic

talents.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

112

rather tkan resulting in improvement, the results will be

mental

individual's (young) funda-

and erosion of tke

stagnation

talents.

By

tke same token,

no matter kow good tke bomand pick

witk" talented are, tkey are influenced ky otkers

up

Sparrow

ideas along tke way.

is

no

exception, tor ke,

kuman. Importantly, tkougk, ke - and tkose otkers wko are so very exceptionally talented - is like

tkem,

is

also

as far as creativity in tke

overwkelmingly independent specific area is

concerned.

Putting aside lewd, dekased and otker negative

lyrics

not using tkese ckaracteristics in judging a calypso ke konestly said tkat Sparrow

it

-

can

kas consistently produced

lyrics of excellent construction, considering also

tke poetic

He

cannot ke

lacking in cokerence

side; a

is

never present.

accused of resorting to weak rkymes tkat are okviously forced.

No

doukt tkat

writing poetry faced

uterary discipline

wken

poet wko,

like tke kest lyricists, ke, too, in

some proklems. So

means

a lot to kim, for

flow,

is

it is

only suck a

and over tke proklem

feel tkat dedication

until cokerence,

smootk

ackieved.

Yet was

okvious tkat

faced witk tkis kind of proklem, ratker

tkan accept weak and forced rkymes, to go over

it is

still

it still

remains a matter of surprise tkat Sparrow

akle to continue producing calypsoes

regmar kasis

,

witk

lyrics

given

muck

tkougkt

on suck a to.

Unless

exceptionally talented, ke could not kave keen so proline

wkile continuing to maintain suck kigk standards.

From

ustening to Sparrow's records, tkere was no

Some Calypso Problems doubt tnat ne possessed anotner natural to nim,

more

113

cnaracteristic

artistic

so tnan to other calypsonians, wnicn

kas helped signincantly in enhancing the interest in of his calypsoes.

perrormance, as in

the

early

singing

the case witnessed in Toronto, Canada

and know

1970's,

was

characteristic

humor. Then you witness him in

It is

is

as

calypsoes.

no doubt

tor

that

sure

this

much a part of him as composing and He ohviously got a fcich out of

occasionally stopping his singing to It left

many

that

tell

a few funny johes.

had he not had such

calypso arena, he might have done

cjuite

success in the

well as a stand-up

comedian.

Of

course. Sparrow's jokes were often the off-color

kind, leading

about to

him

tell. It

to

tell

a joke about the jokes he was

would be an audacious one

to exonerate

himself of being a teller of off-color jokes, claiming wasn't a habit of his but that they were told to others

who

Liked that sort of thing.

with a smutty mentauty bit before telling

made

it

him by

But he not being one

sure he "cleaned

them up

a

em to my audience."

The audacity of the matter is that Sparrow had to know damn well that those famiuar with him over the years couldn't possihly have any doubts about his pro-

pensity to deal with smutty issues. This fact also created a

joke about the jokes. It

was

also in

writer, as editor

Toronto in the

early 1970's that this

and co-pubusher of Spear Magazine, was

exposed to another

artistic side

of Sparrow

through one directly connected with him.

-

indirectly

—

114

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

One

man came

a middle-aged

evening,

to

the

magazine's office inquiring about space in tne basement

where be and bis group could practice tbeir music.

from Trinidad and tbat

Learning tbat be

w£is

was Cynl Diaz,

curiosity immediately surfaced

(juestion

bis

name and a

was posed to bim: was be a musician back in

Trinidad? Yes, be was. Tben, did

tiis

of tbe prominent calypsonians? Yes.

band back-up some

Tbe most prominent

one being Migbty Sparrow. So be was tbe tbe one wbose

man Cyril Diaz;

extraordinarily infectious calypso music

used to be often beard on tbe

air

and on every jukebox

back in tbe day in Barbados. Moreover, be was tbe Cyril Diaz wbose band provided tbat pulsating music for Sparrow's calypsoes. His wasn't tbe only band of tbis kind, of course. Tbere were a few otbers tbat were very good,

but as in tbe case of Sparrow,

wbo was

as tbe best calypsonian, Cyril Diaz'

generally regarded

band was

generally

regarded as tbe best of tbese bands.

One

day, Diaz related an interesting story about

Sparrow: tbat of

all

tbe calypsonians bis band backed-up,

Sparrow was tbe only one, wbo, tbougb not a musician,

came not only witb wanted tbem, but

bis lyrics

also

and tunes

exactly

bow be

armed witb musical arrangement

ideas.

Mention bas been made earHer to tbe

blue-beat, tbe

Jamaican sound experiment started in tbe

late

1950's,

when Jamaicans dropped the calypso sound in such manner to be referred to by tbat popular phrase, "like hot potato."

a a

Some Calypso Problems

115

Witnin a few years the blue-Deat sound naa moved akead or the calypso sound ty leaps and bounds, so to speak.

As

a matter of fact, Jamaicans nad put blue-beat

tkrougn sucn a metamorpnosis that tkrougb major sound cbanges.

it

bad already gone

First, tbere

sound referred to in England

was

as blue-beat

ska; the

bad been

speeded up to a pkysically more demanding beat. W^ben as tke slower blue-beat, tbe dance

movements done

were primarily in tbe feet (bands too, but not

Tbe dance was tbe Black

called

Masb

American dance

bit of difference in that

Potato.

of tbe

It

as

to

it

mucb).

was derived from

same name. Tbere was a

while the American mashing had

the feet supping and suding back and forth, mashing to the blue-beat had the feet supping and suding mostly sideways.

Both required hard

floor

surfaces

mashers had to be wearing leather-soled shoes

and the

-

if

wanted to put on an admirable shp-suding show, that

As

the

name

blue-beat was derived from the

of the label that produced these records,

it

they is.

name

seemed that the

ska wasn't really about the sound but about the physically

demanding movements of the dance

called ska,

which

maintained some of the mash potato movements to which were added

much more flailing of the hands and jerking of

the shoulders.

Ska was followed by the slowed down, ically

less

phys-

demanding, bass-emphasized sound rock-steady.

Admittedly,

it

was a beautiful sound. Each of these

sounds ran a popularity course of four to five years. Rock steady led to reggae.

Calypso, on the other hand, just didn't experience

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

116

major metamorphoses. True, tne beat became

similar

more pronounced,

but

enough from a

wasn't

tbis

Tbe sounds

competitive point or view.

or Jamaica

bad

been penetrating tbe mainstream of international popmar music

—

slowly, but surely.Prince Buster, Derrick

Tbe Maytals

Laurel Aitfcen, Justin Hines,

and Alton

Ellis laid

and sha

blue-beat

down

eras,

(witb Toots),

tbe soud foundation from tbe

and it seemed tbat every few weeks

two or tbree others came along to build on dation, Cliff

some of them doing

and The Wailers

Morgan,

quite well at

Bob

(including

it,

their foun-

notably Jimmy

Marley). Judging by

tbe regularity of records coming out of Jamaica, those not

knowing that

it

standards) were

was

just

a small island (by international

bound to assume

that

was a big

it

hi Trinidad, the calypso foundation laid

place.

down by

the likes of Lord Kitchener, Mighty Sparrow, Mighty Spoiler,

Lord Melody and others wasn't being

as strongly as It

reiterated that

calypso was reputation. allude to this very

Having the

posed to him by

up on

it

upon

was the case in Jamaica.

must be

calypso.

built

one of the problems facing

And Mighty Duke

problem

as a

issue of calypso's

this writer,

would in time

major hold-back to lewd reputation

Duke would vehemently

in a tone laden with resentment

regarding this

wrong assumption:

Tt's so

calypso got started tied to carnival

always composed calypsoes

under the sun.

It's

a pity

it

and denial

unfortunate that

and bacchanal, which

was always about people jimiping up, wining up their behinds in the

pick

streets.

shaking up and

Calypsonians have

about everything happening

woidd never break away from

Some Calypso Problems

wkat

it

was

117

originally seen as representing."

He would

go on to explain tnat the music called

funk in America engendered more lewdness tnan calypso.

He

admitted that some calypsonians did overdo

singing sexually sugge^ve

it

as far as

He

were concerned.

lyrics

admitted that he wasn't quite innocent, hut that a check of his calypsoes

such as Black pride, social and

issues

The

would show that they covered a

variety of

political happenings.

same, he pointed out, was true of some other calypso-

nians.

Also alluded to

hy

earlier

this

writer

Jamaicans tend to give to things Jamaican exclusion of things hy other West Indians —

is

that

to the total

very strong

This ohviously helped tremendously in the

support.

success of Jamaican sounds,

which got

from fellow West Lidians. With

this,

significant support

Duke concurred and

elaborated.

Somehow, he way

lead the

assured, in the

in nationausm.

West

When

it

Indies, Jamaicans

comes down to

nationalism, they greatly out-distance the other Indians.

He

tor reggae

dedication

Jamaican.

was convinced that one of the major reasons

moving

so

Jamaicans

He

cited the

far

ahead of calypso was the

show

common

for

supporting

all

things

occurrence of going to a

Jamaican party and that no other kind of music played

West

night except Jamaican.

womd he

The same was

Jamaicans attending a non-Jamaican party and not-so-long period reggae wasn't played they

if

true of after a

womd

let

their objections he heard. If their objections were not paid

attention to, they

would soon simply

disappear.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

118

All in soca teat ty

all,

Duke was

optimistic that calypso (into a

tliis

time) was

on

its

way

to breaking into tne

mainstream of popular music. It

kad

as tke negative reputation

was true tkat

followed calypso tkrougk tke years, tke socio-pohtical

kas keen

conscious reputation

attacked to Jamaican

music, particularly reggae. Undouktedly, Duke's observation tkat an early reputation

During

it's

emkryonic

stages,

is aifficult

to erase

Jamaican music wasn't laced

witk socio-poktical, revolutionary statements as

ke in ensuing years, yet

is fact.

cjuite

it

would

often suck issues were

addressed. Imagine tkat wkile just a teenager

and

far

from

wkick would eventually engulf kim,

tke superstar status

Bok Marley composed and sang tke revolutionary-type song / Want Justice. Otker suck songs were also recorded at tke

time by otkers. But tkere were also songs witk

lyrics

regarded as not being suitable for airplay. Stranger Cole, for instance, sang

tkose

wko

some

really nice love songs, but for

liked lewd, dekased songs, tkey

knew

Stranger

Cole was no stranger to singing some kot songs of kind.

It

wasn't

known

if

tkey became so popular because

of tkeir lewd side or kecause Cole was quite a witty

And

tkis

man.

wkat about tke ketter known Prince Buster?

Yes indeed, ke did give us some tougk socio-poktical songs.

But can tke

fact

ke ignored tkat ke would some-

times kit us "from rigkt out of tke klue", witk some very

rauncky songs too?

Anotker ckange

in Jamaican music

came

in tke

form of tkat segment of mid-1970's reggae referred to "Rude Boy Music."

It

primarily reflected in a tougk

way

Some Calypso Problems

119

tke retellious attitude of the youth. There was a steady

flow

tnese

of

Among

songs,

many becoming

those primarily associated witn

Wailers (witn Marley)

popular.

quite

RBM

were The

and Desmond Dekker, tne

RBM leading architect. True, these singers of RBM

latter

touted as

vilified

ty tne system

were singled out and

as encouraging violence in society, a

condition that was growing progressively worse. tning for sure,

was making reggae increasingly more

it

gaining

popular,

it

international

certainly wasn't getting.

primarily,

recognition

Suck was tke

case in

calypso

England

even in otker western European countries

wkere Engusk wasn't widely understood, muck

complex colloquial Engusk of Jamaica known It

One

would ke remiss to

less

tke

as patois.

discuss tke issue or reggae

gaining international reputation witkout mentioning tke

major contributions of Bok Marley and Tke W^ailers and

Jimmy

Cliff.

Tke

Wallers' Burning

made

a signincant

impact kotk in tke United States and England.

alkum Wonaertul World, Beauimii People impact, knpacting even

more

also

Cliff's

made an

so were Marley's alkums

Rastaman Vibrations and Natty Dread. Tke same was true of tke classic

movie The Harder They Coine,

starring

CM. Tkey did wonders singers (notakly

for reggae.

Mainstream white

Paul Simon) started to pick up on

common knowledge

known wken tkey

keing tkat wkites are

giving stronger support to Black creations

it,

tor are

taken over ky wkites, suck as was always tke case witk

Black American

singers

wkose

great musical creations

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

120

made tlie money wlien covered ty white musicians. Tke more support, the greater the growth! Consequently, there could Le no doubt that despite the reluctance to support original Black music, reggae

stood to gain in America. Sadly, of mainstream exposure,

its

still

seemingly test chance

Black American music radio,

pursued an attitude of treating reggae quite disdainfully, easing

up on the tenign neglect only

after

young

whites,

looking for a source of rebeUion and enjoying the sound, started to give significant support to reggae.

Mainstream

white music radio, having started to give reggae some airplay,

no doubt helped

American counterparts

to

emtarrass

effort

on

Black

into relaxing the disdainrul stand.

Suffice to say, mainstream Black

help calypso, either,

their

American radio

didn't

though DJ Hal Jackson did make an

occasions.

Duke

gave his opinion of this attitude.

the problem rested in too ographics,

much

He

beueved

concern with dem-

where the music came from, not how good

it

He mentioned the West hidian Day (Carnival) Parade held on New York City's Eastern Parkway, the

was.

Caribana Parade in Toronto and the London Carnival Parade.

Each one

of these parades, he explained drew

New

crowds well above the million mark. Notably, the

York City Carnival nation) attracted

wasn't very large

two

(the biggest of all parades in the

million.

powerful and very

If

the

much

calypso

loved,

music

why such

numbers in attendance?

The name '70s this

of

Manu Dibango came

up. In the mid-

African brother had a mega hit in America,

Some Calypso Problems

primarily

among Black

people,

121

Soul Makosa. Duke

Leuevea the great success of Soiu Makosa was Dased on

its

music. E)iDango's lyrics were in nis native language tut ne

somehow came up with Ly

the so-lovea funky music aoored

many Black Americans. There was some

great-

sounding African music availahle in America that was totally ignored

radio.

hy mainstream Black American music

somehow came up with funk even

But Dibango

funkier that

American funk.

Duke's opinions were soud and, hence, well taken.

But tnere was

also the issue of

Black American radio

often giving airplay to Latino music, not only with

Spanish

lyrics,

but not with the kind of sound so

appealing to large niunhers of Black Americans.

Comd it

have heen the imagining of potential great monetary gains

from a group that

at the

time was on the hrink of taking

over from Blacks as the largest minority in the United States, or

was there more to

Li any event, the

first

it

it?

must be mentioned here that one

of

mainstream musicians to embrace the idea of

recording reggae was tbe Black American Jobnny Nasb.

He

was followed by Stevie Wonder.

that they were both given as their

rhythmn

n'

blues

It

must be noted

much airplay

and

as they

soul recordings.

also

were for

Was

it

because they produced better reggae songs than the

Jamaican reggae

original

most sang

singers. Hell, no!

Tlien

definitely about tbe origin of tbe song it.

The same

years earlier.

covering

itself,

was

wbo

discriminatory practice as witb calypso

Americans wbo did

original

it

tbeir version of calypso,

Trinidad calypsoes - as Nasb bad

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

122

kaJ done witk

original

Jamaican reggae - got the airplay

wtdle the Jamaican originals were ignored

What

is

had Trinidadians the

also equally certain,

ahihty to push calypso as Jamaicans pushed reggae, calypso

would have attracted more mainstream

attention.

of lacking in the calypso arena was in

Another area

the area of female involvement. True, female involvement in Jamaican music never

were, however,

came

close to that of males.

more involved than were Trinidadian

females in calypso. For a long time, to

name

They

if

a request was

a few female calypsonians, the only one

Calypso Rose. Years

later.

made

would he

Singing Francine and Singing

Diane - mayhe. It womd he several years later hefore the names Denyse Plummer and Singing Sandra would he later

womd he

this discriminatory situation to a

magazine

heard.

And naming

a hard

struggle.

Speaking of

any others these years

joumanst. Rose would recall that

when

she started out in

calypso everything ahout this genre was regarded as "a

workshop conducted hy the ciutural

was

insulting.

Thinking of

devil."

it

as

A woman getting involved was an

act especially deserving of heing

looked down on. She

claimed, though, that hers was a presence of respect,

meaning, no doubt, that the douhle-entendre lyrics

was

regarded as a

into.

norm

(off-color)

in calypso wasn't something she

Granted, she might have forgotten ahout one of

her most popular calypsoes relating: tor a walk

/ took me pussy

cat

/ And everybody began to tarn /Everywhere I

go they asked

me

de same question

/I got in so much

Some Calypso Problems

123

Foremost female calypsonian Calypso Rose. Sadly,

somenow very few females

made it into tke

calypso arena

over tne years.

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

24

difficulty

/ Over some o

the things they said to me:

/

what a nice pussy - pussy /And oh she

me miss,

Excuse

'

/And everybody in de city -pussy /Acting like they goin crazy - pussy. / 1 gonna put dat

looh so lovely - pussy

'

man Sparrow cat tail

he touch

(Kitckener too) in jail/ It

/ Mek he

spend he

last

penny on

my pussy

hail

/ It he

my pussy cat tail.

touch

Pussy

is

a feline,

it's

it's

also tne rude

most private part of the female

description given to tne

anatomy.

true; as true as

would, of course, nave teen more nelpful

It

if

tne complete lyrics could te written nere. But even tne partial lyrics

wnicn

snow Rose to ne dodging around tne

"pussy" sne

female anatomical

means —

tne feline kind or the private

Rose did

part.

being accused of presenting lewd effort to retain

"woman

issue of

try to save herself

lyrics,

from

and made a strong

of respect" status she claimed hy

adding at the ending of the calypso a meowing, purring sound.

Was it really a cat?

So much

for

what Rose

more important issue

Though request to

name

Loma Marcia

to tke

low in numters to males, such a

female Jamaican singers would never this

kind of difficmty. Quickly coming

mind would te Enid

sang duets witt

Now, tack

hand.

relatively

have encountered to

at

truly meant.

many

of Keitt

and Enid, Patsy (wto

of tte male singers, Hortense Ellis,

Bennett, followed ty tte more popiJar names of Griffett,

Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt,

Carlene

Davis, Nadine Sutterland, June Lodge and otters.

The involvement

of females

is

necessary to tring a

Some Calypso Problems

tne

to

difference

125

Tnis conspicuous female

situation.

absence in tne calypso arena couldn't nave teen honestly to a lack of female talent or to tneir apathy

attrituted

making a

regarding tneir fault of the

contritution.

male calypsonians who

calypso scene, not recognizing give

Tnen

totally

as part oi their duty to

it

male-female duet in Jamaican music was a with

all

make

filling.

common

The

act, as

other genres of music. Undoubtedly, such duets

for a positive contribution, a special kind of pleasant

blending. aberration.

In

the

calypso,

male-female

But thinking about

genre of music, it

was tne

dominated the

in filling a void hadly needed

some help

it

very often.

make Have

it,

male

duet

was an

singers in every

records together. Reggae singers do

calypsonians?

question to answer; but

if

not,

cis it

a mighty hard

It's

seems

is

the case,

why

not?

There was no doubt that by like

this

Sparrow had estabushed himself

time a calypsonian as

an institution in

Caribbean music, was very capable of continuing his

under

career

his usual high standards,

being able to improve on the past.

make

himself

of help

even surprisingly

And one of the ways to

more prominent was

to be the major source

toward the improvement of the calypso

art

form.

126

>

Competition in tne Arena

And rrom tne niia-1970's Tne

Migniy Sparrow continued

to prove nis prowess as a calypsonian.

Tnere needed, though, to be some major cnanges

made

ii

calypso was to compete witn reggae.

By major

cnanges, meaning as profound as those introduced to tne calypso arena ty Sparrow during nis early years and

tkrougn the 1960's. In truth, changes were heing made hut not profound enough to

Soca sound! of Calypso)

was

It

jolt

the art form.

was a welcomed change. Soca (Soiu

originally

and

hriefly called solba. It

more pronounced sound than calypso.

was a

that of the traditional

Using the S for soul in the acronym soca meant

Competition

the Arena

American

soul music. It was a change not so diirerent

from tkat made wken rock-steady krancked

off into reg-

Soca made quite an impact.

gae.

Wkatever improvements were made tke

to

127

sound contained some elements of Black

tke

ikat

in

advent of soca on tke calypso

in calypso

up

were

scene,

overwkelmingly credited to tke mastery of Sparrow. Suck wasn't tke case tkis time. kirtk of soca resulted

It

from tke experimenting of tkat

calypsonian (perkaps tke

popmarly known

as

was generally accepted tkat tke

tallest

Lord Skorty. In

would ke disputed witkout ckange

ke

introduction

found in first

on tke calypso

success.

calypsoes

came

in

tke

scene)

time, tke credit

Not only coiud ky

tall

Skorty,

calypso

in

tke

kut

its

wkick ke

advocated tkat tke time was rigkt for tkis kind of change to a

tke

more groovy heat He was even somewkat koastful

lyrics,

in

predicting tke inevitakle take over of tke sound.

He would explain kis vision tkus: Revolutionizing this sound/ That's my goal And ke told just wkat made kim .

so sure

it

was going to work:

Ah can t play or write music

/ Yet every day and night I create it /See, this spirit oi music / It possesses me entirely /Deep down within my soul. /My system is rhythm. .

.

Unlike witk tke ckanges of Sparrow, wkick calypsonians used to immediately pick up on, in tke case of Skorty, tkey skowed okvious reluctance to do tke same.

came is

It

in a silence tkat cisked,wko tke kell does ke tkink ke

to ke setting standards for us? After a few soca records

ky Skorty, kowever, tke reluctance kegan to crumkle.

Tke competition on

tke calypso scene kad kecome

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

128

very strong.

Had it Leen

a situation with, say, Shorty

and

two or tkree otker calypsonians pursuing tne soca sound, tkis competition migkt not nave tecome so intense, but tke popularity of soca

W^itk

made

years

tke

itself

manifest.

passing

faster

tkan

could

ke

imagined, tkere was a lot of yoimg klood on tke calypso-

tkem not only demonstrated

soca scene. Quite a few of great

kut also tkeir intent to stay aroimd:

potential

Ckalkdust,

Tke Skadow, Black

Stalin,

Barron, David Rudder,

Cro-Cro, Maestro.

older guards were

as strong as ever;

still

Kitckener, of course. Kitckener

young kloods akout two kack-to-kack tken

Gimme ae

especially,

of

T'ing the

Some

of tke

Sparrow and

kad served noticed to tke

kis longevity

First

classics.

Tke

Scrunter,

and kigk standards witk

came Sugar Biun-hunif

Doctor Order Me. Tke former,

making suck a popular impact, tkat even King

Pop Mickael

Jackson, wkile

couldn't control kis dancing

on

a visit to Trinidad,

moves wkenever ke keard it.

All tke calypsonians mentioned kere came from Trinidad, as was

common

tkrougk tke

years.

But

also

coming to tke Calypso arena witk tke passing years was

some potent competition

for tke Trinidadins, as never

Suck

kef ore, were tke calypsonians from tke otker islands.

was tkeir potency, in

fact, tkat it

gave kirtk to a popmar

pkrase in Trinidad aimed at tkem: "tke invasion."

Tke

accusation was especially aimed at calypsonians from tke islands of

degree,

Barkados and Antigua, kut, tkougk to a

lesser

Trinidadians were also mindful of tke tkreat

posed ky otker

islands.

A few

of tke

many

tkreats were:

Migkty Gakky of Barkados, King Swallow and Skort

Competition

in

the Arena

129

of Antigua, Beckett of St. Vincent, Migkty

Sliirt

Arrow

of Monserrat.

Wnetner

a case can be

Guyana's Eaay Grant Carittean

neavy

is

flavor

not

made

for the inclusion of

His songs naa a

certain.

(soca-calypso-reggae-pop).

wasn't regaroea as a singer of any particular genre.

whatever the

thing was sure about nis music, tnougn,

category his music

came under, some

He One

of nis songs not only

were very successful in the Carihhean hut in Europe — particularly England,

taking

before

popularity

where he nad lived for

several years

up residence in Barbados - and

would soon be

felt

in tbe

bis

American popular

Wbat is not sure is wbat role bis earner the creation of the soca sound. He did

music mainstream.

music played in

take the stand that

if

his

music of

this

time was examined,

the evidence would be sure to confirm the presence of the soca sound. His claim always raised tbe

wbo beneved

Sborty,

ire

of

Lord

bimself to be tbe sole creator of tbe

soca sound.

There was

making of a

its

also

the issue of the spouge sound

advent on the calypso scene.

It

was a

clear case

sound derived from a mixture of calypso and reggae

sounds

(half of each).

Spouge was

actually doing very well. Strangely

and somewbat paradoxically - wben

it

seemed to be

gaining significant appeal tbrougbout tbe otber islands, also

met It

its

-

it

sudden deatb.

was accepted tbat tbe spouge sound was created in

Barbcidos,

its

birtb credited to tbe vision of tbe late

Barbadian singer Jackie Opel, a credit

difficult to fatbom

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

30

since

Opel always did skow

sounding-music -

wasn't

liis

-

tkat calypso ckoice.

He

or calypso-

perhaps was tke

ska and West Indian to surprisingly kad one of tke most popmar songs of tke ska era wkile kving in Jamaica, Cry Me A River. He clearly

record

non-Jamaican

first

skowed, tkougk, tkat kis musical ambition was to ke tke leading

rkytkm

At any

n' klues singer in tke W^est Indies.

rate,

among

strong tke competition it

seemed

tkese doubts,

on tke

calypso scene kad kecome,

safe to predict tkat tkere

Sparrow akout

kis position

no matter kow

was none karkored ky

He kad two

tke top.

at

advantages working in kis favor; excluding Kitckener, ke

kad ky now keen around for some time longer tkan tke younger potential competition; ke kad demonstrated kis akinty to ke consistent as far as production was concerned,

and

kand

going

surprisingly,

in

kand

witk

was tke maintaining of

tkis

consistency,

kis kigk standards.

Calypso Rose would kit tke nail directly on tke kead, so to

speak,

wken

in

addressing

Sparrow's mastery ske

opined tkat ke needed not to write or sing anotker calypso for tke rest of kis

life.

Tke

calypsonians mentioned kere would go

tkeir

wortk in tke calypso arena. Otkers would join tkem,

on

to prove

of course.

Mentioning tke tkreat Trinidadians of tke otker islands kecause of tke great

calypso in tkese islands over tke years, tkat tkere was

somekow

is

felt

from some

improvement of

not an indication

a major kackward trend

young Trinidadian calypsonians;

far

from

it.

among

On

tke

Competition

in

contrary, the outsioe competition sent

tkat tkey were to step

But so

ma

up

the Arena

tnem

tneir stanaards.

Bartaoos, Antigua ana

St.

a message

And

Vincent.

131

tney aia.

Ana with

St. Lucia and other islands feeung the need to heep up

with Barhados and Antigua, for instance,

it

made

for

an

all-around increase in the competition.

Back

in the '50s

Mighty Spoiler had made a very funny

(laugh-till-ya-helly-hust) calypso

poking fun

at the great

lacking in "Barhados calypso." Unfortunately, Spoiler died

unexpectedly on Christmas I960 at age 31. But safely predicted here that

even

at this

it

can he

time he couldn't

have visualized the coming out of Barhados of such calypso

power

Gahhy and Red

as

Plastic

Bag (RPB)

to

dominate the calypso scene in Trinidad.

Like every aspect of to

life

of late tkat seems to ke dictated

ky tke leaps-and-komids computerized tecknology,

resulting in ckanges at a

more

so tkan even

followed

suit.

Even

25

pkenomenally

fast pace, so

muck

years ago, tke ckanges in calypso

tke soca sound specifically kad keen

going tkrougk suck ckanges.

Tke

virtual take over

on tke

popular music scene ky tke energetic, up-tempo disco keat

migkt kave played a part in kringing akout a hind of crazy atmospkere over popmar music in general. Initially,

element.

soca

maintained

still

Even Sparrow, skowed

attitude

tkat

calypso,

skowed

Indeed, kis

kis

a

strong

calypso

okviously witk an old-sckool

attackment to fundamental

kis acceptance of tke initial soca form.

25 Anniversary doukle alkum - anotker first

132

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Lord Skorty (Ras Sliorty

anJ E JJy Grant. Tliey

kad tkeir disagreements as to

wnicn one

created tne

soca soiin

I)

Competition

in

the Arena

133

implemenlea in calypso — containea mostly tne soca

He is deserving credit also for coming up

sound.

an extensive work tnat spoke well of in that

witn such

his musical

prowess

contained not even one weak song. Tnis of

it

course unlike

many

singers

who would produce

album with two or three strong songs and take care of

all

tne otner space need filling

let

a single

mediocrity

in.

Wanted Dead or Alive, a very good song, though not the Lest

on the alLum from tne opinion

to te the

most popular

nere, turned out

of the songs hy far.

The opinion

here for this teing the most popular was hecause of the

was given. There

is

also the opinion

choice for airplay was hecause

it

said a lot ahout

mainstream airplay that

its

it

the prevailing international turmoil being exposed contin-

uously by every facet of the news media, a few examples being: the forced exile of the

no

place to go

— which

Shah

of Iran

— and having

included the take over of that

nation by the tough-standing Ayatollah Khomeini; "anti- American" struggle

waged by Ortega

the

in Nicaragua;

the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa being waged

and gaining more outside support than

stronger than ever

the ugly political

ever;

aftermath in Zimbabwe

(still

Rhodesia) created by British hypocrisy; leaders in African nations being deposed and assassinated like such was "in style."

The powerfm London Bridge wasn't as popular.

on

Down

It,

too, dealt with political turmoil, but

—

the woes of England, with the "Iron

a national level

Lady,"

is Falling

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, generally

regarded as the major culprit.

A few examples were: the

1

34

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

nation's worst case of inflation; the Irish Republic

Army

(IRA) and England locked in a violent struggle against

eack otker; tke emkarrassment of a major poutical party kecause of

falling apart

and otker kig-name

leader

its

memkers keing exposed in a komosexual

scandal; Princess

Margaret kringing skame upon tke monarcky kecause ker

Tom, Dick and

sexual indiscretions witk

Harry" were

exposed to tke pukuc.

Tke akove gave Sparrow, pkilosopker,

poet,

He

parade on. differently.

great

tkis

calypsonian a calypso platform to

kandled tkese two poutical situations quite

Witk Wanted Dead or Alive ke was

serious poutical calypsonian. In a krief piece

tke situation of tke once migkty

seemingly fatal illness and

Shan has

grassroots

a short time to

wky

nve

it

ke addressed

Skak developing

didn't matter tkat:

too explosive. ...Idi

man

Amin

He

is

a

The

/ 'Cause the AyatoIIah is a

man who don t forgive / When you see church rulin /It's with such vengeance

tke

state

and hate /Situation becomes

ends tkis ckorus justifying wkat ke

a wanted man

/ Ali Bhuto

said:

was a wanted

/ The Shah ot Iran lighting hard to survive /But

he, too, is

Of

wanted dead or alive.

course, in eack verse of tke song

Sparrow

tells

of

tke corruption and otker rutkless poutical kekavior tkat

gave

rise

to tkese situations.

responsikle for tke kekavior

Tke

and wky -

faced tkat inevitakle fate of deatk

wanted dead or auve" was

verses told of tkose

still

if

tkey kad not yet

- tken

tke edict of

kanging over tkeir keads

with assured macakre intents. In tke case of

London Bridge is Palling Down,\ie

Competition

some

aaaressea

ana

135

serious issues, using a mixture or serious

satirical lyrics,

some metapnorically. He made

known form

intention

the Arena

in

England was

a

/Now EngJana is such

a

the very

mignty place in years gone by

nis

start:

/Don i ask me why /But TU quote an old

troublea place

/ Whose name is Sir Jack Union /He told me plainly in song / That London Bridge is lalling down

Engushman

/Falling down /Falling down /Falling down. Just whatever

happened that England no longer had

mighty leaders that made the British Empire so strong, kept the monarchy on a pedestal rather than, as now, falling flat

on

its

face?

And in

strong

and

heautiful poetry

he related the ugly, frightening things (supposedly) related to

him hy

strong

Sir Jack Union:

/A mean

woman

one wearing the crown

j&z

is

a land that used to he so

runnin the town '

/Another

/ 1 tell you I see nothing wrong /

With a woman wearing the crown

/But she should stop

her sister nrom runnin round. '

Sparrow throws out a utany of names of strong Englishmen

the

statues

now adorn popular

London, heroes that had the world looking on

streets in

England

whose huge

historically

as a nation ultimately strong.

situation

is

so

much

the

Today, however,

opposite

hewilderment and make people frown. After

all,

cause

to

this is the

land that huilt and controlled the mighty British Empire that ruled

more than a

third of the world,

now

they're

stranded in uttle Northern hreland. Today, instead of heroes that are strong, "Right in the

he found

/ homosexuals,

should he hung.

House or Lords can

huffoons and clowns

/

Who

136

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Sparrow doing

on

nis race.

or Sparrow:

nis tning.

Whatever he did tne look

oi certainty was

Below, tnree calypsonians

wno were around years anead

Lord Beginner,

Hun, Growling Tiger.

Atilla tne

1

n^

mm' i

--^^^.'^M '*

"^^^^flH^v ^^^^^1

^-"^r^^

Wt

ty

M ww

i

i

.

j^B^^^^^B

If.'

^9

Competition

Wkat

really stood in tne

way

powerful calypso not gaining tnat

in

the Arena

137

of this exceptionally

mucn more popularity it

deserved are tne nistorical overtones tnat nad to te

understood to generate mass

no doubt this.

And tnere

interest.

could ne

tnat there existed a lot of ignorance regarding

With

tne growing lack of interest displayed for

education by the time Sparrow produced these albums,

would come

as

no

surprise

if

it

even people in England did

not recognize the names of tne Englisn heroes - once an integral part of tne education system

made mention

of

wnom

Sparrow

in

mind

that His

of.

hi any case, Majesty, the

-

must he home

it

Mignty Sparrow, has made

clever

from the heginning that he got

his

it

clear

information and

opinions from that red, white and hlue super-patriot Sir

Jach Union,

who was

the winds and

let his

still

wishing he

comd

stand against

powers be unleashed over so many

otners.

Gu Nu

Gu, neither poutical nor as

containing

connotations,

satirical

and parodying

sexually oriented as

tne past,

it

intent.

some sucn

shouldn't be denied

the curious, beautiful young to

ima

everlasting

witchdoctor

but

one of those Sparrow calypsoes

might be regarded sexual

historical,

youth

Though not

as blatantly

of Sparrow's calypsoes of

bow

/ Ana

for).

composed with

very funny

woman. She went

/ Who proiessea

what she was searching

was

to

Tbe

it is

to Airica

houncea up

know really

tbat

this hig

the truth about

funny part of

it

was what was bis trutb and wbat transpired. Wbetber or not they were

initially

viewing tbe issue similarly, sbe was

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

38

iJtimately quite satisfiea

- and of course,

was

so

Love AJncan Style gave Sparrow's

perspective of

tke ultimate in totally-satisfied love making.

wko

tkose love

ne.

As

he told

it,

kad so long adkered to tke wkite version of

making forced upon tkem ky Hollywood over tke wkat ke

years skovJd try

freely

advocated and discover

wky tkey still remained dissatisfied all along. Sparrow is known for correcting mytks, kalf-trutks and outrigkt nes.

No

doukt tken ke composed

mind

tke idea in

tkis calypso primarily witk

on tke age-old mytk

of frowning

perpetuated ky tke wkite ciJtural value system tkat tke ultimate in love

making was

tkose "African krutes' were is

concerned,

Sparrow turned

tkem ky God;

last in line as far as

tkat

tenderness

was supposed to ke tke case witk

as

regarded

everytking

girted to

as

positive

around in

tkis

and

civilized.

tkis calypso.

He

Well,

does not

do so in tke manner of putting any otker group down, kut

kow totally

ky skowing

satisfying tke act of love

wken performed ketween —

or ky

Also deserving of muck

-

two

vikrant,

praise are Inieraepenaence

it

Sparrow

must

divert

In

lyrics.

visualizes

great

integrated

wkick

is

a kad side to

calypsoes: tke ciccompanying music keing so

meaningful

world:

is

Africans.

and Save the Worla. Admittedly, tkere tkese

making

little

tke

case

a paradoxical

of

tkeir powerful,

Save the

situation

World,

facing tke

advancements are keing made, kut are

witk

dangerously

concern

aence, again, kere

composing

many away from

skills,

is

is

destructive

keing given.

As

elements,

to

for Interaepen-

a calypso tkat proves Sparrow's great

kis akinty to use

and manipulate words

Competition

in

to convince listeners about the message ne certainly woma be

of the world

—

a big plus

if

rich

is

conveying.

particmarly those of the rich nations

interesting lesson they

-

womd

to

They womd

learn a

do not now beueve

is fact:

and poor nations cannot do without one another.

certainly

It

he could get the pouticians

usten to and internalize this message.

most

139

the Arena

It

serve a great purpose to develop a college

course with significant input from Sparrow around this calypso, for poutical science students. If their display of

being primarily interested in making

means necessary remains

money by whatever

evident, at least the vibrant beat

contained on the record will curtail their tendency to asleep in the classrooms.

fall

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

140

>

Soca Cnallenges Mainstream

Of course, wnile tne

original lonn.

So

Lord Shorty beat captured

all

an ioea does not remain in initial beautirul

it

even tne great Sparrow, and served an

calypsonians,

overall wonderruJ purpose; eventually cnanges started to

take

place.

variations.

cnange

in

Calypsonians

started

to

add

Blue Boy (soon to be Super Blue) a

popular

ana Wave. The

title

carnival

song

tneir

initiated a

Get Something

became Super Blue's punch

repeated over and over, as

is

little

necessary for

punch

line,

lines to

serve their purpose of creating major interest in the song.

His "something" to wave was a handkerchief. Before long, though, the "something" to wave response from the crowds

Challenges Mainstream

of females

Lecame

Ineir brassieres

and

panties.

141

Tney took

to relieving themselves of these under garments right

tkere

among

The "wave sometning"

tne crowd.

craze took

over tke Carihtean, took over almost everywnere a soca event was held.

Get Someining ana Wave was party song.

It

sold too

many

and other calypsonians

good

actually a very

became too popular

copies,

With

started to emulate the act.

each

new

when

the "get something and wave" urging was joined by

recording the craze would spread, especially

"jump, jump, jump, jump-up, jiunp-up, jump-up.

Apparently, Jamaicans' sudden departure from the beautiful kind of reggae once heard

Bimny

Dekker, Peter Tosh,

Wailer, Marcia Griffith,

Toots, Eric Donaldson and the rave dancehall reggae, impacted fast-growing

popularity,

cacophonous

lyrics

seemed a

from Marley, Cuff,

and

like in favor of the

it

characteristic

seemed of

that

dancehall

its

the

reggae

great change to adopt.

The

calypsonians mentioned here as relatively

to the calypso scene but demonstrating that they

potential to

Looking

at

make

it

new

had the

were actually proving their worth.

Sparrow's

prolific rate of

most

new

on the soca scene with

accompushment,

producing calypsoes thus

them

though,

far, it

his

seemed a

match him even

if

they

were fortunate to have the same longevity on their

side.

difficult task for

to

For longevity alone wasn't the only needed

criterion;

there were other criteria: production consistency and high standards.

And

indeed, they were doing quite well in

proving their worth.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

142

David Rucider kad not made a stumtling

step since

winning totk tke Calypso Monarch crown and Road

Marck

title

in tke

same carnival witk tkose two

keautiful,

powerkouses, make-a-difference calypsoes, Bania Girl dina

Man

With the Hammer. Ckalkdust,

Crown and continued

to

do quite

kad won tke

too,

well,

even gaining tke

word

reputation as possessing a great akinty ror

Barron kad proven operator,

no matter wkat kind

justified.

Skadow was

Isaac

Hayes of calypso

He

man

Stalin

Cro-Cro kad acquired

pkysically kut a giant of a

it

too,

kad won tke Calypso

was generally tkougkt tkat ke kad

took to do so again witkout

kad

also

successful witk kis

presented kimself like a cross between

Monarck crown, and it

and

stage antics.

Sparrow and Kitckener. He,

wkat

of calypsoes ke sang, was

consistent

a reputation as a uttle calypsonian.

won

tke

muck

Monarck crown.

kis multipucity of nuances, displayed

some wkat

differing

nately, passed

usage.

tkat kis reputation as a very smootk

trouble.

Black

Scrunter, witk

muck

versatinty,

from tke norm. Maestro, unfortu-

on too soon, kut

in kis skort time

was keing

kigkly touted.

Tkese were

all

But tkere were tkose

Trinidadians.

competitors from otker islands of

wkom many

dadians were growing increasingly wary, so

an earner idea of kaving a

territorial

muck

face

extra competition

It

so tkat

competition for tke

Monarck crown was now keing frowned on

And it could be understood wky.

Trini-

in Trinidad.

would mean kaving to

from Beckett, Gabby, Arrow,

Swallow, Skort Skirt and otkers. Tkey would soon ke joined ky tke likes of

Red Plastic

Bag,

Ajamu and SoSo.

Soca Challenges Mainstream

There naving not been a

Calypso activity ty

lot or

Jamaicans in Jamaica in recent years aian't art

form

there

hcia aiea there.

ana woula be

Byron Lee was

certain to

143

mean

still

tnat tne

very active

nnd tough competition. Fah

Five oia quite a hit of jumping from reggae scene to calypso scene... calypso scene to reggae scene.

Ana no

calypsonians anywhere could honestly deny the ahility of

Fah

Five, uke

Byron L^e,

powerful soca-calypso.

to

come up with some very

Though not

considered a domi-

nant force in calypso-soca, the calypsonians in the U.S. Virgin Islands can't he ignored, either

So, as

is

ohvious, the newer wave of calypsonians

from the Eastern Carihhean mentioned here were not only proving their worth in the calypso arena, hut were displaying a

among

tremendous amount of enthusiasm. From

them

came

the

promise

of

Taking

soca

international."

Thus

far, it

remains ohvious that from

Sparrow

is still

reiterate

it

And it is necessary to

regarded as the king.

here to eissure that what

this vantage point

is

to he said next will

comhat any convenient misinterpretation hy those who have grown

"tired of

Sparrow

own ideas recognized as the new king. and have

their

of

still

thinhing he's the king"

who

else

deserves to he

See, after several years at the top. Sparrow had

reached the age that

made him

quite a few years older

than the enthusiastic competitors, an age that those starting at, say, the 10-year or older old.

And

mark

consider to he

within the cmtural value system there

is

the

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

144

among

prevailing telief

nee d to step aside and

the younger set tkat "old

let

tolfc

the younger folk take over

they are incapahle of ahly

filling

-

the responsihihty.

even

if

The

attitude shouldn't hother Sparrow, for

if

he shoidd

take a retrospective look he woiJd see himself very early in his career having people

all

over the islands jumping

and prancing to that very vihrant calypso of

his in

which

women in this manner: Caroline an J Josephine they pushing mty / I'm sure without a doubt they can he me granny /yet they out at night, they prune face hke Jack Palance /Let them go to France / Step aside and give the young girls a he constantly scolded hustling middle-aged

chance

/ 1 say go

Sparrow a chance. Sparrow couldn't

would he

why

50.

to

France

Of

see the

is

now —

and give de was then

coming of the day when

And when it did come,

Sparrow having

aside

course, at the age he

youngsters think of

few years

/ Step

it

he, too,

wouldn't understand

as heing old. Hopefully, then.

at this writing

— gone

past 50 by a

ahle to tolerate the intolerance of youngsters

for "old people"

50 years

old.

So even when he was in

the age range of late '40s to

50, those 10 to 15 years yoimger were seeing Sparrow as so

much

still,

older than they; hence,

no matter

they were not seeing in him, the one

his greatness

who

could take

calypso-soca into the musical mainstream (international). Initially it

was thought that Shorty would be the one. This

thought had a short lifespan as Shorty eventually started a withdrawal from the calypso-soca scene in favor of what

many deemed

a

strange

reugiosity,

to

the

point

of

withdrawing from mainstream society, moving into the

Soca Challenges the Mainstream

kills

and bushes, tecoming a

Ras Shorty

recluse,

145

renaming himself

I.

Since winning the Calypso Monarch crown ana the

Road March

title,

calypsoes of tne

Ruooer continued

compose ana

early

Sparrow quahty or coming

nard" or "harder" the next time around, there was a

"just as

general teliet for

some time

tnat

Ruoaer would

surely te

He

did

nis presence felt there. In the long-run, though,

he

the one to take soca into tne musical mainstream.

make still

sing

same nigh standaras, tnat captivated tne

Snowing that

masses.

to

wasn't the one to totally surmount the musical

mainstream harrier of intolerance.

What

about he with the Lord Melody-like jumpy,

houncy, gravelly voiced type of calypsoes? No,

couldn't

it

be Shadow. It

couldn't be Chalkaust or Stalin.

Tne

subject

matter of their calypsoes tended to be too restricted to the

Caribbean area. Tnen, too, tnere was that

circle

of

militancy tney seemed encircled by, not necessarily a solid fact,

perhaps more so a case of an

initial

reputation wnicn

wouldn't be obscured no matter what.

Scrunter

couldn't be the one.

He

didn't possess

that charismatic image — that shouldn't really matter but certainly does — to make an international impact, in spite of tne fact tnat he at times

vibrant calypsoes, notably

came up with some very

The

Woman on

the Bass,

Nanny, Girl Ah See Ya and Every Shadow. Maybe he snowed the absence of that cnarisma album.

Tne album contained some

in bis

Every Shadow

very not and spicy

calypsoes but packaged in a jacket cover totally incapable

146

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Two very potent soca artists,

King Swallow and Super Blue.

Below is calypso-soca dreaa man" tne Mighty Snaoow.

Soca Challenges the Mainstream

147

of attracting attention.

Super Blue, while known

as

Blue Boy, aian't snow

seemed to nave reached out

a lot of cnarisma, either.

It

and grahbea him, though,

when

his career

took on the

"get

something and wave...jiunp-up, jump-up, jump-up... on tke coimt of four jimip, jump, jump'

change, his very

powerml Soca

style.

Prior to this

Baptist, with

which he

up much anger among the Christian community

stirred

for associating their dancing

and

getting into the spirit

witk the carnival-like wukking-up to soca music:

music /Just

like soca

style certainly did

like soca music.

spread wild fire-like

It's

just

Super Blue's new

among

the younger

set. It even won him the Soca Monarch crown — a relatively new title given hirth to because of growing

whether calypso and soca were the same -

conflict over

on a few

among

occasions.

It also

gained a lot of followers from

the calypso fraternity and those ahout to join

it.

Super Blue did have the recipe palatable for the so-often music mainstream. However, he didn't

fickle

qpiite

hreak

down the harrier.

At

this

time Gahhy wasn't as super-hot as he

womd

soon prove to he notahly with Doctor Casanara and Dear

Dehra

Gimme the Sugar. He was hot, though, hut was no

douht heing held hack hy himself hy concentrating too

He

much on

Carihhean-related issues.

sprecid his

wings in a manner showing his capability of

flying over

still

needed to

an international harrier - popular music's

mainstream. Beckett was direction.

He

spreading

his

wings more in this

was singing very appealing calypso-soca.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

148

United States for

tke

Living in

several

CariLLean limitation wasn't standing in his to tke issues

lie

covered in

ms

years,

way

tnat

in regards

songs. True, ne, too,

nad

taken more to tke soca sound, kut ke wasn't one of tkose

wkose

were laced witk tke

lyrics

to jimip, jump,

call

jump... jump-up, jump-up... wave sometking, tking,

wave some-

wave sometking... on tke count of four jump and

wave... one, two, tkree, four. Beckett was

muck more

tke

Sparrow type, witk tke difference keing incorporating into calypsoes

kis

tkat to

realizing

improved

Of so

some

spots

krief

no doukt

popular genre of music

tkis

utilize

of rapping,

kis ckances of acceptance in tke mainstream.

wken ke did come up witk tkat most exciting, popular Girl You Ain t Nothing But A Teaser, tkere course,

Wky it didn't quite do

was a certainty of

kis conquest.

in tke mainstream

was a mystery.

Swallow important

skow

did

conquest

Don t Stop

kis

witk

This Party.

It

kis

akiuty

ackieve

to

captivating

so

tkis

party-styled

did sear in popmarity,

kigk as Swallow in wild imagination koped

mayke for,

as

kut

certainly didn't anticipate. It didn't quite penetrate tke

mainstream, kut too,

it

made

its

presence

kad a Bok Marley

kit to

felt.

Unfortunately,

go up against and

maintained a strong second place on tkat

Going up

"Best Carikkean Songs." internationally situation.

many, kut

if

to ke

ky tke

Don t Stop

made

kere will surely ke

tke issues of fame and genre of

music could kave keen put done,

against a kit

famous Marley was okviously a daimting

Tke comparison

upsetting to

year's kst of

aside,

and konest judging

This Party wo\Aa kave keen deserving

Soca Challenges the Mainstream of

first

place.

In any case,

popularity proved the

its

ana tnat

calypsonian's great potential

149

it

was Dound to

motivate nim to strive naraer, and that penetrating tnat ultimate Larrier could be acnieved.

From early in

on going

a fellow tent that

nis career,

it

was

to the top,

clear that

an attitude similar to

wnicn went nand in hand with Sparrow's advent into

the calypso arena.

Mayhe naming

metaphor,

intentional

himself "Arrow" was an

considering

implication of an arrow (fired

the

off... shot

"straight

into the

arrow from the sugar cane growing straight eventually

Hot,

Arrow was

came up with the

Hot

It

was gradually recorded in

a matter of fact,

also

it

many more

Arrow subsequently

several

hecame very

has remained one of those

it

once-in-a-while songs that retains popularity.

have sold

Arrow

soca-calypso Feeling Hoi,

non-Engush-speafcing nations where

As

air... an

not only hecame super-popmar in English-

speafcing-nations, hut

popular.

up).

as"

It is said

to

copies than any other calypso.

spohe of his intention of

often

He

obviously didn't see the

huge success of one soca record

as representing all of soca;

"taking soca international."

he meant that the music had to attain far

this

kind of success

more than on "a-once-in-a-blue-moon" basis.

The

success of Peeling Hot, Hot, Hotrndij very well

have not been acceptable by Trinidadians. This can be understood. For so

many

years Trinidad

out at the forefront of the art form; "the

Now, from

"outta the blue"

from tiny Montserrat

had been way

Land of

Calypso."

comes a non-Trinidadian —

at that

- and

take this giant step,

making such an important mark on the

art

form, even to

150

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

"Mr. Feeling Hot, Hot,

Mighty Arrow; a soca

man as nis

expression reve,

Hot^

as tougli

Soca Challenges the Mainstream

Le regaraea as

151

me ricnest calypsonian." A reputation long

Lelonging to Sparrow. Did ne really take tne mantle from

under the King?

Not

was being

surprisingly, the description "tne Lest"

Lestowed on Arrow, mostly by tne younger

set,

wno saw

only tne present and pernaps no more tnan tnree years or the past.

was a generation-oriented

It

The same was

thing.

happening on the reggae scene. "Old-school" greats of past years were being ignored for "new-school" noisy dancehail

reggae

stars.

hi the case of the success of Arrow, quite a talented fellow, the issue wasn't primarily about being "the best." It

had a

lot to

do with being fortunate enough to have

the right hey, so to speah. Doing this thing. It less

pulsating.

punch

notably. In popular music that

on

that elusive (key)

success of a song than this very song.

"get

common

talented than Arrow. Yes indeed, the lyrics are pretty

a few very, very catchy

is

not a

might have been another calypsonian, even one

good and the music quite

hit

is

hit

ail

But a major hey was

unes: Feeling not, not, not

^ohe

of luck to

somehow

punch une does more the other

Whenever played

lyrics.

for the

A case in point

in a party the revelers

down... boogie down" and engage in whatever other

actions are

synonymous with these party

whenever the song reaches the

stage for

terms. However,

Arrow

down... boogie

An

moments

the

bawl out these very words as their

"get

leeling not, not, not, precisely at these revelers in unison

to sing

down movements" become

much "funkier" and more frenzied.

noticeably

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

52

And wky

tliis

ckange in actions?

It's

a party to whicn

all

attended to kave a real good time. They are no doubt

consuming

alcokol.

For

atmospkere, not one reveler hoi, hot, arousal;

hoi pkrase

it

as

in

sure,

fire,

- one

keen tke same in a different

An feeling

kut as in kormonal

connotation

relates a strong sexual

of

tnis

setting,

interpreting tkis

is

kot as in

international oksession

this

—

a certain

wkick would kave not

setting (atmospkere).

Tkis song got an extra koost wken covered ky tke wkite American rock singer Buster Poindexter. Tkis koost kad notking to do witk any special talent ke kad to

improve

it.

As

a matter of

faxH;,

tke deptk of Arrow's original. old kakit from

way

kcick.

Calypso

genre of music for wkick tke

kis cover version lacked

He

was weis

origijial

just

continuing an

always an appealing calypsonians got

international credit kut wkite singers covering stated, tke

same discriminatory action

visited

no

did; as

it

upon tke old

Black klues singers from tke Soutkem United States.

Tke Andrews point

regarding

Sisters represented a strong case in

wkites

exceptionally well witk Cola.

To make

covering

Lord

calypso.

Invader's

Tkey did

Rum and

Coca

matters worse, anotker wkite person also

did exceptionally well witk tke same calypso, kaving for years

assumed tke

Wketker or not

it

role as

its

composer.

A skameless

was pleasing to Invader tkat

lie.

after a long

ke was awarded a settlement of a few tkousand

kattle

- more tkan ke perkaps ever dreamed over a long career - is not known. dollars

It is also

wortk mentioning kere tkat

of

making

reggae,

wkick

kad ky now outrun calypso-soca ky an immeasurakle

Soca Challenges the Mainstream

oepenaea on wnite

distance

arena

Decome an

to

thougn

it

ginning to

and

singers entering tne reggae

fall

accepted

internationally

must be admitted during

and rock steady a

genre,

early stages of ska

its

lot or wliite Englisn youngsters

for

153

were te-

Yet, witn tne exception of Marley

it.

Cliff to a lesser degree, wnite reggae singers teing far

more acceptable

from reggae than the

tenefits singers.

to whites were reaping

The

original

excuse offered was that too

reggae was mintant (anti- white).

discriminatory excuse

and

The

fact is

more monetary Jamaican reggae

much of Jamaican

difference between

not known.

It will

no

doubt help to make the determination, however, to

examine the

Americans

fact that for years great originals

singers

by Black

were habituaily ignored by most of

white society until they were eventually covered by their

n

white counterparts. For instance, the true King of Rock Roll,

Chuck

Berry,

composed and sang such

that they were covered over

when

so covered

became a

great songs

and over by white rockers and

lot

more

popular.

And this was

never an aberrant practice.

The hit.

issue at hand, though,

is

Arrow and

his big soca

Fortunately for him, he didn't have to suffer the kind

of exploitation as suffered

by so many

others, for

he

possessed another important Sparrow characteristic:

a

good sense of business acumen. Considering the propensity of calypsonians over the years to

challenge

Sparrow's supremacy, the younger

Arrow having made such an impact could have viewed as a

reason

much more

justifiable

it

than others had to adopt

a bragging position. Listead, he maintained a position of

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

154

\

Above, *^r. Ragga, Ragga

Wself Red Plastic :

Bag (RPB).

Inset,

\

Scrunter can be narder than kard.

i

Soca Challenges the Mainstream

modest)',

unless

his

promise

regular

could Le viewed as an

intemational

wliicn cannot be said here.

It

to

155

soca

"take

egotistical toast,

was more a case oi Arrow

longing to see tne genre oi music ne loved so

mucn rise

to

tne same popularity as reggae.

Sparrow certainly was this

Age

great.

didn't lake

away from nim, though there were those turning

into a factor regarding hig leap forward.

man

still

He

why Arrow was

was

still

ahle to

make

it

this

the calypsonian at the top, a

of fundamental calypso at heart.

with fundamental elements in

If

calypso

composed

mind could he taken

intemational, he would he the calypsonian most ukely to

do the

joh.

World, was

The still

description of him, Calypso King of the justified.

Not

solely

on

his significant past

contributions to the art form but the fact that he

continued to

make

this contribution, that

it

was

still

more

still

consistent than that of others.

Fundamental calypso has always told a form of poetry, has always been

theme and a covered these

related conclusion.

grounds in

story in the

uterary, with a build-up, a

Sparrow has always

exemplary manner. These

quauties are not always found in soca; very often primarily

it is

about forcing a display of energy, keeping

excessive noise, with almost total disregard for

elements very

much

good

lyrics,

appreciated by the younger

set;

hence, would almost certainly have to be present in such

songs

for

mainstream.

them

to

Would

break

into

the

popmar music

a calypsonian of Sparrow's abinty be

willing to ignore the intellectual elements of

fundamental

calypso tor a chance of being recognized as King of Soca?

1

56

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Very aoubmil.

Noboay

ever tnougnt tne greatest Dallaxleer, Nat

King Cole, would sing

NoDoay

will

Little

Ricnards rock

songs.

ever expect Sparrow to emulate Ajala or

Mackel Montano. In

fact,

even Arrow, a oeaicatea soca

because he's one of the soca's good

lyricists

man -

tut

- mignt not

nave an easy time repeating tne same success Feeling Hoi, Hoi,

Hoi

Drought him. For, as

stated, hitting

on those

very important punch lines that usually play the major role in the success of popular

chance thing.

music

hits, is

a luck

and

157

>

Sparrow Braves tne Storm In one or nis very early calypsoes, Sparrow resorted to nis

young calypsonian ego country said,

girl

had

who came

in singing about tnis teautiful

to uve in the city. All the guys, he

their eyes glued

was that their such

city

on

her.

What

ways wouldn't

the relatively "hack ward" country

girl,

they didn't get

know

them over on

ror she

had come to

the city well armed with the advice or her mother against

them:

Me mamma tell me Don t ever

houtyou

city stranger

getinya motor car

With you pretending there 11 he no danger

But planning to drive me

too lar.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

158

And

to the ckagrin of tke male city slickers, ske kept

kerself well

armed against tkem.

Sparrow did

get tke

news akout ker supposedly

impenetrakle armor. His reaction was to treat disregard certainty

and laugh so hard. But ke of succeeding also

fell

tried

and

apart.

it

witk total

tried

He

and

kis

was more

emkarrassed tkan disappointed; emkarrassed tkat tke guys

would

get to

know

tkat ke, too, was rejected.

ke:

I just got

am

the Mighty Sparrow.

aksolute need

to succeed with .

And so,

her somehow /Alter

Tken ke went on to

.

for tkis success keing tkat

said all I

explain tke

ke could never

That Sparrow is

accept tkat tke otker guys would keueve

an ordinary lellow like them.

To kave keen

following Sparrow's career, keeping

akreast of kis actions over tke years,

ke migkt kave keen mostly engaging in tke

tkat, wkile

usual grandstanding

as keing a part oi tkis

calypso, ke indeed wasn't

one of tke ordinary

epitomized grassroots strengtk,

He

kad to kave revealed

common

kind oi

fellows.

sense

and

He

pride.

wouldn't kesitate to take a stand against wrong,

witkout fear of tke consequences keing detrimental to kis aspirations.

He decoded very well wkat was going on,

anticipated

tkem kappening. Seemingly, ke tkougkt

kigkly of kimself tkat even

would

still

instance,

ii

ke was

at tke

even so

kottom ke

feel assured of kis akinty to rise to tke top, for

kecoming a poet muck more superior to otkers

(eutists... intellectuals)

in

West Indian

society

wko would

never accept tke fact of tkis ackievement ky one of very kiunkle, deprived upkringing in comparison.

Witk

innate ckaracteristics suck as tkese,

it

would

Sparrow Braves the Storm

159

te impossiDle for Sparrow to take a step tacfewara; tut to struggle naraer,

on tne

contrary.

from

over

taking

calypsonians

So when

tne talk of other

Sparrow

piched

up

momentum he continued to produce powerful alhiuns. Sparrow: Sweeter than Ever contained calypsoes the

that

party

couldn't

types

resist

shaking up dey hody."

It also

contained a few

strong socio-poutical ones, notahly Isolate seeing that this nation was

which Mandela would

still

More

resist.

from Lord Fimny, "could

appropriately, to steal a phrase

not

possihly

still

South

AJn'ca,

a hastion of apartheid in

he imprisoned for a few more

years.

As

if

to shut the

mouths

of his detractors (the put-

him-downers). Sparrow soon followed up with another

album, a superior one, particularly from the party-type perspective:

Vanessa.

What

especially stood out

Somehoay in the Party. Vanessa Wiluams, who had made

were the

songs Vanessa and

United States

as the first

Black

woman

history in the

to he

Miss America in the 51-year-old heauty contest certainly

might not have liked

perspective

it

this

crowned history,

song hecause from her

couldn't have heen flattering in spite of

Sparrow's praise of her physical endowments and sexual desirahility.

The song

also told of her misfortune of heing

stripped of the title not long after

leading nudie magazine

it

was awarded to

had uncovered some

her.

A

unflattering

nude photos of her taken with another female

prior to

taking part in the Miss America competition. But the

music was so

jumpy,

houncy and funky, even the

emharrassed Vanessa might have jumped and hounced to

.

160

it

THE MIGHTY SPARROW were quite provocative and

privately. Also, tke lyrics

funny in tkat unique Sparrow way: Verse

1:

I see Miss America in

this magazine

That picture other was the hardest I ever seen Ifyou see the tact, without any clothes Vanessa completely relaxed

With

all she

fanny exposed

Cnorus:

There she is, with she hody naked and hare

Miss America

From

the maga2dneyou could see

she mammy She granny She lanny

She honey

And hairy Miss Mary.

.

All of Vanessa exposed for we

to see.

Verse 2:

When

the pageant officials took the

title

hack

Ihawled mey don't like she cause she hlack."

I thought it was racial grudge But with a head attacking a tail IfI was a judge I woulda put all o dem in jail '

Cnorus

repeat.

Verse 3:

Sexy

Vanessa,

I want you

to understand

Hove the pictures and I'm ya greatest fan I'm not upset with you, hut jealous,

I'll admit

Sparrow Braves the Storm

161

of what you went and do But it wasn t me you aid it with

Not

cause

Cnorus

repeat.

Verse 4:

You so dainty and neat Yes,

you look so sweet

And now we know ya good to eat Ilove bacchanal so when ya ha ve a next session Please don Vanessa,

At

t forget to

can

your wish is my command.

tne end or tne

last

cnorus tne very pulsating

music continues, along with tne Deautiml voices oi tne back-up Vanessa It

girls:

Ay,

ay, ay!

Vanessa ay, ay, ay! Oi,

oi, oi!

oi, oi, oi!

certainly

will

be construed as tne neignt or

audacity ror anyone to te correcting Sparrow as rar as

composing calypso tnat audacity

incorporated the

concerned. However, tne nead or

is

must te

more

chorus lines

raised here.

Sparrow should have

or the voices or the hack-up

and the musical

whenever the chorus

lines end.

With Vanessa

manner would have strengthen the

into

coming

interludes

a heautiml calypso, emphasizing this catchy this

girls

heing such

punch

line in

already-present

strong potential or the song to hit the very top. For, as stated, in all

forms of popular music punch

lines

are used) very often play a very important role in

song a super-hit.

Nor

are these

two

(how they

making a

issues to he ignored or

forgotten; super hits in popiuar music are created hy the

huying power of the youth; catchy (punch) lines the attention of the youth

more than do

attracts

overall lyrics,

no

162

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

David Rudder showed suck

talent,

it

was a

foregone conclusion tnat he

was the one

who would take soca

totke top.

Rootsman is not keard from as often as fans wisk, kut

wken ke is

keard

from, ke really is.

Sparrow Braves the Storm

now meaningtul

matter

Tne

or well constnictea.

here can te stretcnea a tit

more by

saying tnat

163

auoacity it

might

have aooed to the enhancement or Vanessa hitting the top

in the musical interludes

ii

Sparrow had integrated

voice with the voices oi the hacfc-up

girls

his

and repeated a

few times the sexy Vanessa description he used only once. After

all, it is

this albuni

with

a fact that in America, for instance

was produced - there

anything

sex-related.

this great obsession

is

Who

knows what

would have resmted by

difference (for the better)

change: Ay, ay, ay, sexy Vanessa! Oi,

There was

oi, oi,

a

big

this uttle

sexy Vanessa!

also the party-type song with the equal

Vanessa of making

of

potential

- where

to

it

the very top,

Somebody In The

Party. True, detractors looking for a

reason to be

would point

critical

to another song of "more

party lyrics" as a justifiable reason. However, the type of

song

is

not the issue here; the issue here

potential of the song to

make

it

mainstream of popmar music. This inclined toward

what

is

writer, though, is

lyrics,

the importance to the singer to "make

monetary

gains,

most

hits.

And

and

lyrics that are

the best

for getting hits

more not a

lyrics,"

he yet recognizes it;"

likely to materialize

way

about the

to the top, into the

labeled "positive

utany of party-type (or negative)

is

is

make

it

as in

through having through music

most appealing to the majority

of

record buyers.

A

classic

calypso genre.

example can be found outside of the

The

great African- American rock n' roller

Chuck Berry composed and

sang some of the best rock

songs starting from the mid-1950's.

They covered love,

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

164

and

social,

1970' s tkat

^ong

But

political issues.

ke kaJ a mega

wasn't until the early

it

kit witk a frivolous

Tke

sexual connotations.

lyrics

song witk

were composed in

suck a way tkat constantly kad kim in a situation forcing

kim

to nola

put

it

on

My

—

stage, tke

to

—

ke

as

jovially

and eupkemistically

Wkerever ke appeared on

Ding-a-ling.

audience would respond normally to kis major

songs kut got entkusiastically out of control to singing

"My Ding-A-Ling.

"

wken ke

got

Imagine, even tke females

in tke audience reacted witk like entkusiasm, carrying like tkey, too,

muck money original

kad a

Tke song

ding-a-ling.

on

generated so

for Berry tkat in time ke tampered witk tke

composition to give tke females a reason for

kolding on to tkeir

own

ding-a-ling.

very popular for a long time. In

performances today, ke

Tke soca genre

man

a

situation is

is

still

no

concerned.

Tke song remained

fact, in kis

occasional

performs tke song.

different as far as tke calypso-

Nokody

as perceptive as Sparrow.

ever kad to

He

tell tkis

to a

kandled Somehoay in

the Party as ke tkougkt kest suited kis purpose, telling of tkis

pkysicaUy well endowed

woman

young male in attendance and ske

tells

in tkis setting:

Ah come in here to party An come in here to lete Ah come to shake up me hody But ah never seen

things so yet

Every time Iiorce lean tee] a man hand Pulling at me clothes

at a party

witk

many

of ker experience

Sparrow Braves the Storm

165

Making personal aeinanas Cnorus:

An gonna ieuman mammy An gonna tell man aaaay Thai somebody in ae party

Want to touch me honey. Just cause I look so sexy Don t mean they must harass me. Somehoay in ae party Want to touch me honey.

..

When ae music hit me Ana I shake me hoay Somehoay in ae party Trying to touch

me honey.

Well, they arink

anareehng homy.

Sparrow proceedea wiln

young laay in the

armorea regaraing

poet ne

is,

his story of the unsuspecting

party, each verse containing similarly

suggestive lyrics, lyrics or iously

.

young men with minds this laay.

lasciv-

Being the very

slich

while Sparrow's lyrics primarily aaaressea the

lecherous young males, he yet paints the complaining

young woman

as enjoying the males' attention

more than

Ana

or course,

her complaints ana objections suggest. there

is

the chorus that follows each verse, where the

punch fine In

are usually found.

this

Ccise,

Sparrow

Somehoay in ae party / Want effectively

used

to touch

than was done in Vanessa.

tnougn, might (repeat mignt) nave

Where tne

his

made

punch

lines,

me honey, more

A

small cnange,

a big difference.

musical interlude took over and the voices of

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

66

tke tack-up

girls

kept repeating tkat one word, somebody,

wky not (ahemately) instead: "Jamaican rude toys party / sagatoy Trinis in de party... Smart Bajans party. .GT's in de party. .tig-spending .

.

party

Yankee Boys

in de

in de in de

/ want to touct me toney. Sparrow stowed tte

futility in

trying to stop a

master from continuing to prove tis mastery of an area of

wtict te

is

master ty following up not long after witt an

altimi tetter ttan Vanessa:

ttan

ttis, it

One Love, One Heart. More

tettered tte altums of otter calypsonians

tte market at tte same time.

Tte popular Jamaican

jockey and lawyer Jeff Barnes

(New York's

felt

WLTB

on

disc

Radio)

compelled to announced ttat Sparrow's display of

talent of ttis cautre

made tim "proud

to te a

West

Indian."

Only two songs from tere.

But tte

calypsoes are:

entire

altum

tte altum will te discussed

truly

was a winner. Ttese two

SweetJenniier and Lying Excuses.

Again, Sparrow used a party setting for Jenniier witt

irresistitle pulsating

rtyttms and

cause tte arousal of tte tormones:

Everybody in de party watching she Exciting everybody in de party

Ipretend to ignore her Tben sbe walked rigbt over Wanting

Why you

to

know. Mister Sparrow,

watching me scP.

Cnorus: Iiit's action

You come

you want — baby

into the right place

lyrics

tound

to

Sparrow Braves the Storm

You come into

Ana you You

167

the right place

talkin to the right man

talkin to the right man '

'Cause you can get it right here

Right on, right away - hahy

Bh,ehYou gonna love it Back-up

vocals:

You come into

the right place

Sparrow: Yeah,

you gonna love it

Back-up

Ya talking to the right man

vocals:

Sparrow: Girl, ir you looking lor action Bacfe-up vocals:

Sparrow:

Back-up

You come into

the right place

Uuummmm! It you want satisfaction vocals:

You

talking to the right man.

Verse 2:

Somehoay hetter talk to Jennifer Before she endup in hot water See, she might think it's easy

Tangling with

me

But ten she Is

a

man don t mek fun

Idmek she grah she nightie and run.

Ana

Sparrow continuea the otner verses — lollowea ty

tne chorus and the pulsating musical interludes similar hormone-arousal lyrics.

out to

compose

principles or

this

calypso

mndamental

— with

Sparrow might have not

utilizing

hilly

set

the

calypso. Conspicuously ahsent

in the chorus are his usual heautiml rhymes.

But

it

matters not. For as those famiuar with his calypsoes will attest

to,

makes up

when he drops something he for

it

hy picking up something

automatically

else,

hi this case,

168

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Singing Francine,

one or tne females to penetrate calypso's

male tastion in tne late

1960

Sparrow Braves the Storm

169

tnose frequently used nuances aid a Deautiiul substitute

He

joD.

also

empnasized

his

which has already heen touted

punch

the usage or

lines,

as perhaps the hest

But

or taking a popular music song to the top.

borne in mind that nothing was said of

it

chance

must he an

this heing

assured thing; luck plays a hig part too.

It

would seem that when Sparrow

compose Lying Excuses —

out to

set

much

containing

of

the

principles of fundamental calypso - he did so with a dual

purpose in mind: hot music for those primarily partytypes; satirical lyrics for those with love

calypso that

resisting still

he a

is

not as hard-driving

- even

shaking

affection for

a story, that conveys a message.

tells

while the music

and

gyrating

-

And

as that for Jenniier,

the hody to

it

womd

difficult.

The humor

is

typically

The kind

Sparrow's.

expected from a top rated comedian.

Not

as hlatant as

would he expected from Lord Funny. In this calypso, poor Sparrow

is

the proverbial Mr.

Guy whose continuous good deeds are unjustly rewarded. Of course, some of the things he considers to he

Nice

honorable are questionable. But no matter

how

tionable his acts seem, he has excuses to offer.

with his "Darling, sugar aumpiing"

He

ques-

pleads

named Maggie not

to

be so quick to misunderstand any questionable situation she happens to see

him

ra with another

woman. Rather

than being so quick to get so mad, thinking that he uniaitniui to her, she should instead give to explain.

Here

is

one such

situation:

him

s

being

a chance

1

70

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Chorus:

The woman you catch me with in hea Didn t have a place to rest she head Business closed down, she lost she work Disappointed, she went into shock

Ibrought her home

to relax and cheer up.

Tm exhausted, "she said to me. "Oh I'm so tired and sleepy. Casually, she sat

"

on the hed

And had me to massage she head.

.

That's all, that's all, that is all.

In one verse Sparrow cautions his Maggie about those trouble makers,

now

causing contusion.

tney liRe to spread rumors and enjoy

Ana

of course, Maggie woula te wise

not to take them on. Sne snoula instead he

know that

and

woman ne would never deceive and so, or man she should never disbelieve.

sne

he's the type

trusting

is

a

Sparrow next explains another questionable

situa-

tion thus:

The woman you saw me with

the other night

She and she husbandjust had a right

Irind it was looking so bad The way he pelt she clothes out in the yard That she acted like she was going mad.

The two thousand dollars I then gave

to she

Was to buy a sandwich and a coffee Not another thing didn t happen Me and the woman didn t do nothing.

.

That's all, that's all. That is all.

In another verse Sparrow

is

forced to continue his

.

Sparrow Braves the Storm

171

cautioning to his Maggie. Sne was to te a strong

woman,

not weak ana

Snow

let

people get her jealous ana comusea.

aisregard lor

total

newsmongers

just

wanted

tnem ana

tnem

to

nave a chance to come in ana snack didn't

have tne sense to turn ner

Dound to end up

in a situation

tools singing the hlues.

women aon t stop

And

He

ineir news.

mash up up.

tacfc

And.

ana

if

Maggie it

was

like

two

refuse,

making tnem look

also

lamented over why these

their nasty hahit of trying to set

dearly wished they

Tne

so tneyil

would cease

me up.

their trying to give

her the impression, something is happening when nothing was going on.

The

questionable situations Sparrow gets caught in

become more and more complex, hut he

is

either sucker

than the complexities or his ludicrous explanations are true

he can find them whenever he needs to

that

exonerate himself of the charges, as in the following:

The woman I was leaning on on the lamppost

Don t he

vex cause I was holding she so close

Iheard she was a

tier from

hack east

And decided to hold she for the police. The reason me hand was in she hosom

Was to see ifshe waspackin a gun She had no gun hy she chest That's why / was searchin down under she dress.

.

That's an, that's all, that is all.

Undoubtedly faced with situation,

his

most questionable

red-handed perhaps, won't prevent the suck

Sparrow from looking for an excuse out of it. There seems

no

possible

way he could convince

his

Maggie

this

time

-

.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

172

as far as tliose is

lie's

singing nis story to, that

concemea, nowever,

it's

a aiirerent story.

regards liimseli as tne slickest situation can he so

As tar as ne He otviously

is.

man around and as

such no

complex and questionable for nim not

to find an excuse for. It has to Le because he's sucn a nice

guy

some

that

way,

somenow he

always find himself

trapped in a row. There has got to he something had in his

hmnanitarian gestures of constantly helping out people. not, then

why

does

it

always get me in trouble?^ ndXever

the reason, he's convinced about this

now,

it

so

much

he will no more allow. His philosophy

now on

let

But there

someone trouble

tnem help

else.

and

is

so that

that

From

themselves. Leave Sparrow alone.

take their problems to

also the choice to

is

If

Helping out people has caused him untold coniusion; in

concludes, especially

fact,

knowing

much

too much, he

to myselt I'm

an innocent

man.

And how philosophy

new

can anyone hlame Sparrow for his

after

he explains

his

most

recent,

most

questionahle situation to his "sugar diunpling," Maggie:

Iknow you 11 hear about me ana Miss Leach That we were seen making love on Maracas Beach. Well she had on red bikini panties

And was attackedby African bees That's

why I covered she

with

me

whole body

Then she locked me neck and hold me hand

Andpulled me down in the sand Bees started stinging me on

me behind

Icouldn 't help it, I really had to wine. That's all, that all, that is all.

.

Sparrow Braves the Storm

Along witn the musical

173

interlude after the last

cnorus enaea, Sparrow naving concluaed nis singing, lent nis voice

witn a lengtny tout of mischievous laughter -

perhaps more miscnievous than tnat of the Joker in tne

Batman movies.

Sparrow improved the calypso art-torm directly

one

and inoirectly;

inoirect

way was

through his dress code or ordinary to sophisticated.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

174

>

11

Calypso up Against

Tntemational Language"

There are many who,

lifce

Mytn

tnis writer, recognizes Sparrow's

production consistency on tne calypso scene over tne years, tne hign stanaaras

he has maintained within

consistency, the positive changes

more

so than otner calypsonian

for bringing to the art form.

believing

it's

only

don't think one leel better to

— ne

nas been responsinle

Tnere are those wbo, wbile

fair to give credit

man

this

and contritutions -

wnere

snould be so bigbly

credit is due,

commended and

engage in sbort-cbanging tbe person:

He

was

Tbe impucation

really

good during

tbat

subsequent to tbis era tbere were competitors fully

bis first ten years.

deserving of being as bigbly praised.

is

Calypso up Against International Language Myth

would be

certainly

It

foolisn

175

and aownrignt

womd also Le very wrong, too, to witn- nold just dues on a common attitude: damn, tnat guy has been around forever - at the top. And discriminatory not to admit to

tnis. It

not only ignoring the fact that he was tne one standard tar in the

first

who

wrapped in

tne

place hut continued to play a

(perhaps the) major role in the raising of that har. a har

set

subjectivity,

then

it

If it

was

could he said that the

douhts could he accorded credence, hut that the evidence is

clearly there standing in defense of itsefr, is

an objective

situation.

Throughout the

no one -

For

it is

(s).

has aheady heen mentioned that Kitchener was

Sugar Bum

It

wasn't surprising therefore

Bum jumped so far ahead of the field

in the mid-1970's that other

vigorously

against

it

calypsonians complained

heing allowed into the carnival

Calypso Monarch competition. They had conclusion in their minds that cry

only natural

regular front runner

highly regarded in calypso. that his

is.

open to improvement, occasionally others

jump out ahead of the It

Sparrow took a hackseat to

generally speaking, that

that in a field will

1970's,

went out that

it

it

this foregone

would win; Hence, the

wasn't calypso hut soca. Kitchener

maintained his position out front hy soon coming strong again with

Audrey Gimme

Mention has

also

heen made ahout the impact of

Arrow's Feehng Hot, Hot, he

the Thing.

Hot And who

can pretend to

unaware of the out-front impact Beckett would

sometimes spring on the calypso scene? Barron has done it,

so has Gahhy,

Red

Plastic Bag,

David Rudder, and

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

176

Rootsman, to name a few. But the major

issue remains,

for wkatever reasons, the ball of consistency

anywhere near

tkeir court

never in

is

as often as in tne case of

Sparrow. It

must

be recallea tnat

also

Dube naa

also saia tnat

were some very hot calypsoes with very gooa

there

potential of

making

music

were

hut

it

into the mainstream of popular

falling

mainstream radio

victim

disc jockeys of

that

to

now

not

attituoe ho," hut

of

from

where the songs and singers of them originated. difficult

It's

wrong in

to see

this assessment.

how Duke could kave keen What good reason could there

have heen for mainstream disc jockeys not to play

Sparrow s Sweet Jenniter, RPB's Ragga, Ragga, Beckett's Teaser,

Gahhy s Doctor Casanara,

Kitchener's Sugar

Bum, Melody's Sugar Jamm?^nQ^Q;

Bum

few very

are hut a

infectious ones quite capahle of penetrating other cultures.

Of face

course,

it is

not

at all

unusual that rather than

up to and admit to truth heing

truth

is

told, the teller of the

accused of having no real understanding of the

actual truth.

Hence, there

is

no doubt

the object of this kind of accusation.

added another truth to

his observation, that of

jockeys' egos being too big.

prove that they

-

support;

they

make

Duke will be Duke shomd have that

So much

some

so that they

disc

must

-

know what their usteners will or will not will - or will not - make it. And

what records

mind

also that

must be kept

inflated,

decisions accordingly. Bear in

some have egos

so inflated, that

they promote themselves more than they do the recording artists.

.

Calypso up Against International Language Myth

It is really

tkere

is

177

a case or sickening prejudice, seeing that

no wiaespread

making major ckanges.

expectation of tne mainstream

A

maximum

or as uttle as 10

percent integration or tke music tkey regard as too foreign

witk excellent potential of making

(too etknic), but

it,

womd te acceptable Instead, there

is

this sad excuse

sometimes given for

the discriminatory practice: calypsonians use too patois terminology that

much

not widely understood. True,

is

years ago calypsonians did exhihit a propensity for doing this,

hut

with

the

possihiuty

mainstream in their minds'

eye,

breaking

of

many

overwhelmingly use standard Engush. they will go that terms.

patois

fcir

the

into

now

calypsonians It is

douhtful that

as to totally eliminate the use of

In spite of the fact that Sparrow, for

example, sings calypsoes that have no Engush language harrier,

using

he ohviously maintains

his

Carihhean pride by

still

some patois terms. It feels safe

to predict here that Sparrow

knows

that

to totally eliminate patois terms wouldn't change a thing.

This excuse was once used against reggae. Reggae went on to

surmount the mainstream

use of standard Engush. In

bias without resorting to the fact,

patois usage in reggae than ever

there was always

more

was in calypso.

Jamaican patois can be a separate language, often seeming to have no connection to the broken Engush said to be.

Today, not only do speakers of what

as standard

Engush fluent

is

it is

regarded

in the use of the Jamaican lyrics

primarily used in reggae, the

same

Engnsh-speaking nations for

is

true of people in non-

whom

English

is

a second

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

78

mind

language. Bear in sjtanJarcl

muck

wken mainstream

ostracizing reggae music.

was

wasn't

Cliff, for instance,

known

for tne use

patois in kis songs, especially during kis early

reggae days

^ar

not in reference to

is

Jamaican English as taught in schools in Jamaica.

Jimmy of

tnat tnis

still

At

radio programs were

tkat time

wken

still

tke Vietnam

going on, one of tke songs composed and

recorded ky Cliff was

Vietnam.

It

was simg in tke

standard Engksk Cliff learned at sckool in Jamaica, tke

same Engusk taugkt in

West

speaking

and

songwriters

all

singers

and Bruce Springsteen

socio-poutical

- notakly Bok Dylan, Joan Baez — praised Cliff's song as one of tke

many

very kest of tke

tke sckools in tke Engnsk-

Mainstream

Indies.

songs

made

pertaining to tke

Vietnam War. However, wkile mainstream migkt

kave

skared

tkeir

sentiments,

treatment of tke song was very Less

it

muck tke

skould ke ignored,

it

not tke

fair

to pusk tkeir foremost art

kas long keen

passion,

no

known

form

skould again ke

among

still

wondering as to

different genre of itselt,

to

was up to

Trinidadians

(calypso music), for

wkick

skown

Even

for ska-rock

as late as tke 1970's

Trinidadians tkis wkining and

kow reggae managed to take over.

One good unto

side only for a

tkey love witk a tremendous

steady-reggae ky Jamaicans.

tkere was

it

so tkan tke love

less

air-play

tking to do. Trinidad keing tke

acknowledged center of calypso,

it

tkeir

opposite.

acknowledged tkat tke klaming of one failure is

disc jockeys

case in point was

wken

tke stars of

music were getting togetker, eack group

make records and donate tke proceeds from

Calypso up Against International Language Myth

tnem toward tne famine-related proDlems

When

all

already

made monetary

Africa.

groups were well into the process, having donations, calypsonians were

lingering at the planning stage.

was hardly an

alhum

in

179

issue

When

anymore, then came the calypso

Calypso ror Alrica.

effort,

still

the donations idea

No

less

than three

reggae alhums toward this objective had already heen

done.

Calypso lor Alrica was an exemplary alhum. could hold

own

its

Ritchie initiated

It

with the Michael Jacfcson-Lionel

We Are

album

the World, produced for

the same purpose. True, this mostly African- American project

had the input of some very highly regarded

names

international

in

singing.

This

didn't

mean,

however, that they were capable of giving a superior

performance to Sparrow or Kitchener, whose great talents were among the compilation of several other calypsonians

on Calypso lor Alrica.

At any play

it

rate,

deserved.

relatively late

Calypso lor Airica didn't get the

That

it

was made available to the pubuc

begged the question, was the lateness of

excellent recording the reason for

it

(foreign) issue

The real

—

bias plain

crying

it

is

latter,

shame regarding the perpetration

coming from the hypocritical tongues of people: "Music

an ethnicity

and simple? The

this ugly situation ues in those beautiful

all

this

not accorded due

recognition by the mainstream, or was

doubt.

a:ir-

no of

words always

disc jockeys

-

of

an international language."

This leads back to Sparrow.

He

is

certainly

no

stranger to the African- American entertainment-singing

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

80

arena.

For one, countless picture posters

of

nim

are always

seen kere, tkere and everywhere advertising his appear-

ances at various venues. advertised

His appearances are regularly

on Caribbean music

radio,

on wmcn

nis

music

wasn't ke invited to add kis

New York City. Wky voice to tke We Are the

World alkum? As a matter

of fact, ky virtue of kis

is

also often played.

He

longevity, consistency

lives in

and major contrikution

to calypso

— a klack musical art form performed pnmarily in Engusk — and ke tkerefore keing an institution in Black music, wky do African- American skows practice kias against kim? He is not, say, Ceka Cruz, tke Cukan-kom Queen of Salsa, against great singer,

Over different

wkom

tkeir excuse can ke justified on:

no doukt, kut

sings only in Spanisk.

tke years. Sparrow kas skared stages witk

popular

African-American

always proven kis greatness. kis

Wken

tken wife Winnie made tkeir

jail

and kas

Nelson Mandela and

first visit

to tke United

from serving 27 years

States soon after Mandela's release in

singers

as a pohtical prisoner-freedom figkter in kis native

Soutk Africa, Sparrow was among tke many invited to sing for

kim on

a

wonderful and interesting skow. it

kecame more

Sparrow

TV It

program.

was

clear,

singers

was a

It

tkougk, tkat

so tke case to tke miUions of viewers

came on and put

in

a

wken

performance

tkat

dominated tke skow. It

was during Mandela's

popular kost of

visit

tkat

Ted Koppel,

tke

ABC-TV program Nightline conducted a

comprekensive interview witk Mandela, part of wkick questioned kis association witk leaders America deems

its

Calypso up Against International Language Myth

181

enemies: Fidel Castro, Knaaaii and Yassir Ararat.

To tnis,

Mandela responded witn Koppel in

him know

his place, letting

wnen America,

years

uncharacteristic anger, putting

Britain

and

apartheid auve in South Africa

tnat during the

Israel

— and

helped to keep

kept him, Sisulu,

Gowan Mheki and other fceedom fighters locked up (isolated) for many years, the men he cited as America's enemies were supporters of Black South Africans.

And it

was Castro's sending of troops to Southern Africa (frontline nations) that played

capitulation

of

the

racist

an important

apartheid

role in the

system.

Koppel,

perhaps one of the few American joumausts to see these things as fact, felt dictated to ask nonetheless.

And

Sparrow, a

perception to pick up

man who

on worthy

repertoire of songs, picked

with

it

has always shown the

add to

issues to

up on the interview and

powerfully in calypso-soca form.

It

his

dealt

did wonders in

strengthening Mandela's put-down of Koppel's suggestion that he should view proven supporters of his as his

enemies for whatever reason the United States view them as such. Sparrow's calypso

defended Mandela

as did Sidney's Poitiers role as

Mandela ana aeKlerh

Mandela

as strongly

in the

movie

(next to Michael Caine in the role

asF.W.deKlerh). It

wasn't just a case of what a great joh Sparrow did

in his defense of Mandela, or

show

how

very touching was his

of appreciation for Mandela's courage

on

that

TV

show, but Sparrow had to have also touched Mandela, perhaps the world's most respected time.

human

heing at the

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

82

So

the

in

true,

past

Munammaa

heavyweignt toxing cnampion

most recognized person

was often

it

in tne world, out

said

Ali

that

was tne

was tne world's

respect for Ali equaled to tne respect tne conscience or tne

world

felt

was a debt

True

also.

it

was compelled to pay Mandela?

Sparrow's popularity

is

not likely to reach

that of Mandela's. However, that which he

he given.

When

it

is

mentioned that

popular music's mainstream

not

is

on

due should

his standing in

as high as is deserving

because of hias hased on ethnicity, readily assumed, hias hased

is

it is

not, as might he

color alone, for sadly,

mainstream African- American music radio can he almost as guilty of hias against

Sparrow hased on nationauty.

And not only radio. The

African- American magazine Ehony, the most

popular of such magazines in the world, hahitually have the photos of Black entertainers adorning true of

its sister

puhhcation

50 alhums to his Letters

keys to

credit,

For

Jet.

a Black

won

praise

covers, as

man who

is

has

was awarded a Doctorate of

from the University of the West cities,

its

Lidies, given the

and had days

in his

honor

declared hy city mayors, declared a chief in Nigeria,

entertained crowds in several nations

domination of the calypso

art

— not to mention his

form — why has Sparrow's

photo not adorned the cover of these magazine?

183

I

>

12

Back

or not Sparrow

is

to tne Front

nnally released from tnat

prison oi tias against etnnicity and justly rewarded ty

—

no matter now much adulations nave keen given him tnus far - evidence

popular music's mainstream

jailers

ror

of tne over-anundance of dues ne nas paid over tne years will

te there

still

standing out conspicuously on the

calypso-soca scene.

He

mignt

not

be

the

calypsonian

reputation of having sold the highest

number

with

the

of a single

album, or transforming calypso into the soca sound, but

what of

-all

the significant changes he brought to the

lagging calypso art-form?

For

years he was the calypsonian

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

184

otker calypsonians were trying to eaten up with. His standards were so liigk to Leg tne question,

how

signifieant

would kave teen tke changes in ealypso had Sparrow not laid

down sueh

a soud foundation and sueh high standards

that inevitahly foreed others to reach higher? It

time

must

when

also he

taken into consideration that

at a

calypso an art-form almost solely associated

with Trinidad, no one thought of a non-Trinidadian taking a hold of

it

and taking

changes. See, Sparrow

is

it

forward into these major

not a bom-Trinidadian, as was

Leueved during the early years of actually

horn in Grenada.

in a village called

Gran

He

his career.

He

was

was horn into a poor family

Rio, where fishing was the most

popular way of making a Hving. This

may

very well he

regarded as hearing nttle relevance to his growing up and taking hold of the reins of calypso and leading

it

direction his aLinty dictated, for his growing actually in Trinidad.

up was

His parents migrated there when he

was harely a one-year-old. Bear in mind,

when

in the

natives of the W^est Indies were

this

was in 1936

nowhere near

as

famihar with one another as they would hecome in the

coming

years.

People from the other Engush-speaking islands of the

West

steadily

Indies

started migrating

to Trinidad

than was the case with any of the other

The reason

for this was hecause

Grenada Leing

opportunities

there

closest to Trinidad,

largest nurtiLer of the migrants.

islands.

Mother Nature had

Llessed Trinidad with large deposits of oil

Employment

more

were

and

pitch.

simply Letter.

Grenadians were the

The

situation wasn't a

Brief

harmonious one.

As was

tne people's editorial,

tne society.

Look Back

to the Front

was always

said earlier, calypso

telling or everytning

Tne put-down

calypsoes

happening in

composed and sung

about tne migrants were endless. Suirice to

Sparrow had

nis extra

185

problems growing up

say, then.

— poor and

Grenadian.

According to Sparrow (wnose Francisco),

real

name

Slinger

ne grew up in a place called Belle vue in

is

St.

He first attended Mucurapo Boys Scnool. Next, he went to New Town Boys School. He eventually figured

James.

out that he nad a special talent that might help to erase the pangs of poverty.

It

got

its little initial

push Ly the

dipping into tne milfc supplied to tne scnool by tbe music

wno would use it as rewards Not surprisingly, Slinger turned

teacner

to get students to

sing.

out to be tbe top

milk winner.

Initially

be sang reugious songs,

as

be was

encouraged by tbe music teacber to do. However, as be

grew older, autonomous tbinKing started to take over and started pusbing bis singing talent in tbe direction of

calypso. resist

For

as

be would usten to tbe radio be couldn't

being influenced by tbe songs of calypsonians,

particiuarly

Lord Melody and Small

Island Pride. His

next promotion was singing witb tbe boys on tbe block. Ironically,

brougbt

Slinger's

bome tbe records to

fatber,

play

wbo

liked

calypso,

on tbe gramopbone, but

discouraged bis son from Kking calypso too mucb. His

motber, on tbe otber band, perbaps seeing tbe early talent of Slinger, calypso. It

could see notbing wrong witb bim liking

would bave made no

difference

if

sbe did

anyway, Sunger bad already visualized bimself being in

1

86

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

tke calypso arena.

So

as is the usual case or a youngster

growing older and tne need to pursue aspirations more

and karder developed,

in time, Slinger left the

Boys Choir

or the Catnolic Cnurcn. His initial involvement in music,

a position gained for

mm

tnrougn tne

New Town

Boys

School, wasn't as strong as his calypso inclination.

In spite of the great difference hetween calypso

music and the Gregorian chants and plainsongs of the church, Slinger would in retrospect see

how

singing in the

church helped to strengthen his calypso endeavors. especially helpful, in his opinion, that

It

he was elevated in

the church to head choirhoy, a position that required to sing haritone

No

and tenor — in Latin

him

at that.

douht his father didn't view

toward calypso as a

was

his inclination

move forward when he

started getting

involved with other youngsters, intent on following on the road traveled hy Lord Melody, Small Island Pride,

Lord Kitchener, Mighty Spoiler and Lord Invader. However, he made

his initial step

on

this

road with some

of his buddies: Zartoo, Balance, Skeptic, Parfcie,

"Bow" Gilnan, Smihe, Mannie,

and

Aaron

Norman Task" WiUiams

otkers.

Eventually, ke formed tke group "tke Destroyers" and, otker tkan kis singing, did a

commendahle

joh

on the

tune hroom. Thanhs to the owners of a local gas station

whose tolerance for them practicing station held up.

And

the

at the

hack of the

more the young Sunger heard

the calypsoes of those akeady mentioned, the

more

intent

he was to foUow on the road they had traveled. Calypso was Sknger's

first

choice of music, of course,

Look Back

Brief

He nad

tut certainly not a limitation. tallaaeers as

Not

Sinatra.

Nat King Cole, surprisingly,

to the Front

187

a thing for sucn

and Frank

Billy Eckstein

witn western movies so very

popular at the time, he also nad a tning for some of the singers of tnis genre of music: Frankie

name

Autry, to

impressed

especially

As

two.

witn

Lane and Gene

for female singers,

Sarah

he was

Vaughan and

Ella

Fitzgerald.

There was a place on Nelson Street Cluh. Calypsonians frequented natit of frequenting the Spike

minute of

Clun

called the Spike

Slinger got into the too.

He

loved every

listening to the calypsonians sing. In fact, witn

the transportation system then

buddies

it.

womd

often miss the

cjuite lacking,

last

he and his

hus and had to sleep at

the cluh.

Sparrow

also tells a story of his first

meaningful chance to display his called the Dirty

called

talent. It

and most

came

at a cluh

Jim Swizzle. That night he sang a calypso

The Parrot ana the Monkey (1955). He won hands-

down and collected the first prize Slinger Francisco

of forty dollars.

hecame The Mighty Sparrow.

One year later he won the prestigious Calypso

crown with

the most popular calypso in several years, Jean ana Dinah. It

was

later

covered hy Harry Belafonte.

Sparrow's singing career just

moved forward and

kept moving in this direction without wavering, unlike

what any other calypsonian had previously experienced.

Sparrow has never heen known to have engaged in any

underhanded

activities regarding his fast career

growth.

188

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Tkrougk natural procedures he kept moving forward such a pace tnat

lert

other calypsonians

- even

those

at

who

were on the calypso scene years ahead or him - hehind.

Even Melody,

a major estahushed calypsonian, found

himself in a struggle to keep up. Sparrow would hecome so

dominant that when

the great Kitchener

Trinidad from 15 years of exile in England,

rumored that

it

to the forefront

it

would he

was a move precipitated hy Sparrow move

and

Kitch's henef that

would have to he "doing

in Sparrow, he

returned to

if

he were to rein

his thing"

at the

very center of the calypso arena— Trinidad. Jamaica's

Byron

'the

anJ rock steady to

Dragon" Lee surprisingly switched horn

calypso-soca. His

land Lecame more

popular.

sfca

189

>

13

Sparrow-Cnalkaust Duel? Sparrow nas won tne prestigious Calypso Monarch crown

—

previously Calypso King crown until remales started to

compete — a record eignt times. His

closest rival to date

is

Cnalkdust, also called Cnalky. It is

important tnat

when Sparrow years.

be noted that there were times

didn't enter the competition ror a lew

His most recent entry was 1990 when

The Both of Them and hack on his head. great

it

man

Crown;

He had

Kitchener

won

he, too, opting

It can't

Man

his entries,

Will Survive put the crown

laist

entered in 1975

his very first

when

the

Calypso Monarch

not to compete again.

he pinned

down

as to

how

Kitch, this great

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

90

1

man

On

of calypso feels aLout nis status in the calypso arena.

tke contrary, with Sparrow, there

whether or not he

is

is

no douht

that

competing, whether wearing or not

wearing the crown, he uves with that old heuef of himself,

He

of which he sang so poignantly hack in the mia-1960's,

won

the crown but I still have the throne.

Unaouhtealy, some Calypsonians see in

Sparrow

as

downright arrogance; hence, the challenges

they have always laid

down

at his doorsteps.

challenges were ohviously hased

these

this attitude

on

Some

ego;

of

some,

however, were ohviously laced with some elements oi resentment.

When it was learned in 1992 that

Sparrow woiud he

returning to the competition, rumors started to fly aroimd that the once financially well-off Sparrow was

and was desperately in need of money.

that well off

The crown

no longer

prize

money and

for the winner of the

gifts

had increased tremendously

over

Sparrow did return and did conquer the

the

years.

large field of

competitors.

One at

of the competitors

Sparrow, implying that he

The

who is

openly takes po-tshots

arrogant,

is

Chalkdust.

of

"Supreme Calypso King of the World," used

to advertise

and promote Sparrow seemed to have upset

title

He

Chalkdust.

didn't react to

it cis if

should he regarded as Sparrow's pose

the

question,

Kitchener?"

he was the one who

ecjual. Instead,

"Why must

it

he

he would

him and not

There came a time when Lord Shorty

also

make his differences with Sparrow known. The problems these two fellows were having with

started to

Sparrow-Chalkdust Duel?

Sparrow were not tne same. Some

tninfcers

191

mignl nave

seen in CnaLRaust's jealousy cloakea in that Brutus-lifce

manner

that oian't give Caesar an inkling of an idea tnat

ke was about to be "done

in"

by Brutus. Otners mignt

kave seen in Snorty a case based on the few-years-old mystical rengiosity.

sensitivity of nis

Anyone knowing

of tke

goings-on in tke arena of calypso-soca going kack a few years, surely

knew

tkat tkis

man

Skorty,

witk coming up witk tke soca sound, years of kis career

wko

wko

is

credited

during tke early

composed and sang some lewd and

dekased calypsoes tkat were quiie popular, kad kecome a reugious recluse, espousing a totally

Apparently, for

still

it

told

kim

new

value system.

tkat Sparrow skould ke castigated

skamelessly composing and singing lewd-message

calypsoes.

Unless tkere

is

seemed tkat Sparrow

evidence not availakle kere, felt

more kurt ky

it

Skorty' s attack

tkan ky CkaiRdust's. Wkatever tkeir reasons. Sparrow

kad

certainly raised tke ire of

two of tke top calypsonians.

Also getting into tke act was tke Barkadian calypsonian (former Barkados Calypso King) Adonijak.

tke latter seemed not so serious.

kim using tke presence

It

Tke

issue witk

seemed more a case of

of Sparrow in Barkados at tke

time as an excellent way to create some publicity tkat

would

result in a stage "confrontation."

certainly created as

Tke pukucity was

Sparrow ckose to respond to tke

younger Adonijak.

Wkat must utation

cis

be mentioned kere

a potent

PkD, tkougk kis

lyricist,

a

man

reputation as a

is

Ckalkdust's rep-

of words.

lyricist,

He

earned a

kowever,

is

not

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

192

tased on

tliis;

he kaJ

doctorate. W^kat

reputation Lefore studying for a

tliis

must

mentioned

also be

is

tnat ne nas

done notliing so spectacular to Le considered a lyricist

but

tnan Sparrow, whose doctorate was not earned,

an honorary one.

is

This

writer's first

knowledge of Chalhdust came

around 1977 in Brooklyn, radio

tetter

and he came on

Having become very lyrics

New

York, hstening to the

singing a song entitled Juia Dubai.

interested

in

what hind or message

conveyed and how they were conveyed, undivided was paid to

attention

this

The

calypso.

lyrics

were

coherent and meide a lot of sense. They told of his beuef that he was robbed of the calypso crown at the

and how: That's the

talk

you

will

hear

ail

Savannah

over Port-oi-

/ Ana you're sure to lose it you go hack there again. / Ii you want to win that crown / Certain things must he in your song / Words uke lete ana bacchanal /

Spain

And

Sex, ana people drunk at the carnival dare leave out such negative issues,

should you

The CZ^CT (Carnival

Development Committee) wiU never crown you in century.

Not only

did the composition of the lyrics

impress, but Chalkdust's criticism of too still

in the calypsoes

this

was agreed with.

much

It

negativity

was an overall

strong song. Chalkdust's (message) lyrics continued to impress.

One

shortcoming was eventually discovered,

though. In spite of the

lyrical

obsession here,

seemed a lacking in terms of melody. that once there was this lacking ke was

It

there

seemed certain

bound

to lose the

interest of

some; hence his intended objective to educate

and

would

agitate

suffer.

Sparrow-Chalkdust Duel?

One wnicn haa

oi Cnalkdust's later altums containea a song

mm

Too many quacks ana

singing atout

invalias in tne calypso arena.

of tne

193

yoimg calypsonians

the calypso arena.

Tne

from Cnalkdust's

failure

Monarch crown,

It

was in reierence to some

make

trying to

song's idea

in

might nave resulted

again

to

mark

tneir

win tne Calypso

a feat ne had already accomplisned.

And

admittedly, this writer wasn't in total disagreement with

nim

for snowing

contempt for tne works of some of tne

young calypsonians witn

lyrics of

(soca artists), for

some were coming up

suck limitation to make tnem appear to he

semi-iluterates.

Yet tne "quacks-and-invauds"

excessively narsn.

For one,

it

label

seemed

disrespected tne pnysically

handicapped douLly.

Back

in

tne

Sparrow,

mid-'60s.

complaint and sang more subtly: personality

/ Snow no

make me look small. Tne "quacks and

originality

nad a

similar

They nave no

/

invalids" issue

They

just

stage

want

was discussed with

tbe calypsonian Brother Valentino. He, too, tbougbt

barsb description.

And

as to the explaining that

Cbalkdust's socio-poutical reputation tnat of statement so unacceptable,

it

to

made

it

tnis

it

a

was kind

led to a joke being told

about a calypsonian attacking Cbalkdust's reputation: Tf he's as black conscious as

himself Chalkdust,

it

he thinks, instead of naming

shoulda been Ashes."

Cbalkdust's album Total Kaiso seemed so different, the

music being very melodious,

much

especially so in

the case of Carnival is the Ansaw. But after getting over the melody and taking on the

lyrics, it is

discovered that

194

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

Sparrow-Chalkdust Duel?

195

Ckalfey gave miraculous powers to steeltana ana calypso:

/ The steelhana ana the calypso / As part oi carnival / teaches us to love pal ? So we / There'll never he peace in don't have connict at Aighanistan /Men will light like heast in Iran / There'll always he war in El Salvador / For young man, these lands / Ain t got no steelhand.

In Triniaaa ana Tohago

all.

Cnorus:

Only when

now

then

calypso reach Nicaragua

to one another

/Human rights will

/ These lands need so had /

Our carnival Our carnival. Our Carnival Verse

3:

/ Alricans and Asians for so /

In Trididad and Tohago

Along with Europeans hug and dance when they meet/

On

Carnival

more

Day when

in the street

lighting in the Philipines

their teens /Iraq and Iran like

/IRA

/But

there'll

he

killing soldiers in

two Doherman

But understand, they don thave steelhand. Cnorus:

Only when

calypso reach to Gorhachev

Will true peace now hetween right andlert love,

/ They win see

pal /At our carnival /At our carnival /At our

carnival

Cnalkaust snoula nave asked mmselr, so wnat "Africans

ana Asians

for so

meet on Carnival Day

nug ana dance when tney

in the streets?"

change the animosity that normally

when

there's

no

Does

exists

it

help to

hetween them

carnival atmosphere? Emphatically not!

This entire calypso hateful confncts,

if

all

is

laoen with situations of aeaaly,

of which, ciccoraing to Chalhaust, can

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

96

he

easily solved

tnrougn calypso, steeltana ana carnival;

the same calypso, steeltana ana carnival

mat

has done

notning to solve Triniaad's and Guyana's African- Asian (East Inaian) racial problems.

Credit snoula te given where

Kaiso that

said of Total

Calypsoes:

Obeah.

due.

So

must be

it

contains two very wonderrul

Twenty Years ana Twenty Strokes and Try

In the latter Cnalfcdust sings an interesting story

about tne judge.

it

it is

He

man wbo must

be Trinidad's most no-nonsense

bas obviously bad

phenomenal

tbe

rise in

criminals in tbe land.

it

way "up

number

Once

of

to bere" witb tbe

"don't-give-a-damn"

tbey are found

guilty,

tbe

judge's tougb-love pbilosopby (unyielding) manifests itself

in accordance witb tbe cborus: Cbalkdust:

Back-up

For all dem law-breahing folbs

Twenty years ana twenty strokes

singers:

Cbalkdust:

Back-up ;

All dem big tiers oat leave you broke

Twenty years ana twen ty strokes

dem rapists wbo rape andcboke Back-up.' Twenty years and twenty^ strokes Ckalkdus^.' All dem blokes caugbt selling coke Back-up.' Twenty years and twenty strokes Ckalkdusf.'

All

Cbalkdust;

He

Back-up;

waste no time witb borne work

Twenty years and twenty strokes

Cbalkdus t: Criminals better know be makes no jokes Back-up

& Ckalky; Twenty years and twenty strokes.

Of course, tbere are tbe verses that bave a lot more to tell. As for Try Obeab, it migbt even be a more interesting story,

somewhat more subdued both musically and

lyrical expression.

In

fact, it is

in

somewhat of a sad song hut

Sparrow-Chalkdust Duel?

as

197

suck very well presented.

Ckalkaust

of

tells

now

disappointea

it

was teing

far

away in London and teing conrronted ny so many

wno were

Trinidadians uving tnere,

with

very disappointed

hack

the deteriorating political situation

own

Trinidad. However,

some

eventually dissipates

wken ke meets an

woman tke kest

from

recovering

pertaining to tke

way

or kis

same

own

ker

kome

old

Trinidadian

disappointment

Ske kad come up witk

situation.

to solve tke proklems in Trinidad, gave

kim and implored kim

to pass

it

in

disappointment

on

it

to

to tke prime minister,

as tke ckorus states:

The answer to all our proDiems, Mr. Robinson

We must all return

to

our people's great traditions

Stop stretching out hands, hegging Washington It's

only oheah can save our nation.

Oheahl Oheah! Oheahl Oheah. It's

.

only oheah can save our nation.

Again, tkere are tke verses tkat kave a Ckalkdust's

lot

more

okjective witk tkis calypso was to

state of sadness in kis people's kearts,

to

tell. Ii

instill

a

perkaps to hring

— depending, fence tkey stood —

tears to tke eyes of tke poutically conscious

of course,

on wkick

side of tke poutical

tken ke succeeded.

Tke

calypso

on

tkis

album

concentrated on was Carnival surprise, considering

it

tkat tke disc jockeys is

the

Ansaw.

Not

a

being so infectious and tke subject

matter not being looked at more tkan superncially.

As

a

poktical

calypso

overtones, Carnival is the

of

Ansaw

major

international

kas tke potential to

1

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

98

rival

Wanted Dead or Alive. And mayLe

Sparrow's

tnere

was this kina of competitive tning intenaea, lor totn

on problems around tne

calypsoes quite seriously take

ms aim

worla.

If so,

in

witn a

lyrical

hlena of

no doutt

for the top, Cnalkaust

aiming for a

also

ana

political reality

more

little

came up

social idealism,

lyrical

complexity,

sometning tne intellectual community regards as teing so important. Fundamentally, nis idea was a wonderful one,

Dut

it

didn't quite

work because of too many

On

not-quite-factual

statements.

Sparrow, tbe great

lyricist (grassroots)

tne

conflicting,

band.

otber

be always was, opted

to empbasize only tbe facts tbis times witb

Dead or Alive.

Cbalkdust did not win.

Cbalkdust could redeem bimself somewbat, tbougb, if

Ansaw

Carnival is the

could be placed in tbat category

of calypsoes accorded superlative lyrical treatment

not to be

fact,

but because of

tbe topic tbe calypsonian

bow

known

strongly connected to

In tbis case,

let it

be

assumed tbat Cbalkdust's intent was to sbower

praise

on

feels.

tbe steelband as tbe instrument tbat produces tbe most

melodious sound.

As a result,

exceptionally strong compels sensationalism,

sucb

as

cLCComplisb tbings over

considering

tbat

tbis

bis feelings about

bim

tbis

it

being so

to stray into areas of

melody being

and above tbe

instrument

is

able

ordinary.

to

Tben,

indeed tbe most

melodious of instruments, tbere sbould be no problem accepting tbe miracmous accomplisbments Cbalkdust says it is

capable

between

of.

In sucb a case, to

tbis calypso

make

and Sparrow's

A^Ve wouldn't make mucb

a comparison

Wanted Dead or

sense, for Sparrow's

is

most

Sparrow-Chaikdust Duel?

commentary. Tne

certainly serious down-to-eartn political

tnougn,

Delier nere,

compose

tnat Cnalkdust

is

calypso

a

aicl set

same

the

or

199

out to also

serious

political

commentary.

As

to tne issue of the steelhana, that

or, paradoxically,

drum — and as

so melodiously tuned, qualifies

and development have heen

island of Trinidad, Trinidadians

pride in

rocfc-steady

and now

it

oil

to he listed

And

since

its

attrihuted to the

shomd have had such

greater than that Jamaicans

it,

aid grow out

something that was nothing — an

one of the wonders of the world.

discovery

it

reggae, for this

is

showed

for ska,

fundamentally and

truly a real Trinidadian creation.

Having

tried

to

some

give

understanding

to

Cnalfcdust's miraculous expectations of the steelhand's

most melodious soimd,

it

must heg the mentioning of a

conspicuous omission on his part: not even a single note

from this instrument It

is

heard in this entire calypso.

would he remiss not

to

mention that that

style of

composition Sparrow utilized years ago in his very popular

Ten

to

One is Murder

did a lot for Chalkaust's Twenty

Years ana Twenty Strokes.

Assurance should effort here to portray

also he given that there

Sparrow

aheady heen mentioned that prohlems

some

as

Mr.

is

Perfect. It has

this writer has

had a few

of low tolerance for Sparrow's perspective

issues.

no

on

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

200

>

Up Against tne Age Barrier No matter now adept one is at what one does test, tnere is no

perfection, not

even Sparrow

calypso. Admittedly,

ne has so

at

composing and singing

lar

heen portrayed here

mostly as calypsonian par excellence. However,

not

this

does

mean perfection. Another

Sparrow, he

is

thing, also a

among

other high descriptions or

mighty clever man.

Going hack through the

years individual calyp-

sonians have represented themselves areas or calypso: the

most

social

humorous; the most positive

as

nest" at certain

conscious; the

lyricist;

most

the one with the

sweetest voice; the hest stage presence. Sparrow has

made

Up Against the Age

no such

claim; his

Barrier

one claim was always to teing the

What

preeminent calypsonian (King or Calypso).

means

is

this

no matter which calypsonian thinks he

that

Sparrow was

hest in whatever particular area, overall king.

201

Woula he

still

is

the

ever he "caught" engaging in a

dispute with Barron or Sugar Aloes deienaing his right to

he regaraed as having a "sweeter voice" than they? Highly

The hestowed on — unlifcely.

description "sweet voice" was never one

or coveted hy

— West

Indian males.

It's

an

accolade given to females. There certainly are not that

many

female calypsonians around even today for this

accolade to carry any real significance. significance

on the reggae scene

It

would he of more

in Jamaica where

more

females are involved. Considering the strong tendency

toward machismo in Jamaica, such an accolade would hardly he appreciated hy males. Judging hy

many

of

Sparrow's calypsoes, there can he no douht that this

macho tendency

is

not auen to his nature,

would no douht appreciate heing descrihed perhaps factual

-

as

either.

He

- what

is

"the smoothest voice."

Leave the "sweetest voice" thing to the utes of

rhythm n hlues

singers

Anita Baker, Roherta Flack and

Nancy Wilson. In any event,

with

all

the positive changes in ca-

lypso that have heen attrihuted to Sparrow,

it

will

no

douht seem unconscionable to harhor the thought of the possihiuty that there remains

room

for

him

to do more.

Already, areas of lacking in calypso have heen cited, suggesting that years

had they not heen

so neglected over the

would have helped in the enhancement of the

art

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

202

mainstream of

as far as gaining a footnola in tne

form

is

lacking cited

musical tlending.

is

One

concerned, as aid reggae.

popular music

area oi

In every genre of music, for instance, duets are popular,

especially

tne male-female version. Tnis has

Even

always been a rare tning in calypso.

today, witn

ansence naving been paid more attention, not

its

much

is

being done to correct tne situation.

Of

60 albums Sparrow bas made, bow many among tbem? Tbere woiud bave to be a pitiful tne

duets are

few. References to

mucb

women

of bis calypsoes.

utilized

bave been

Tbe

at tbe center of

feeling bere

some major duets witb women

is

tbat

bad be

in bis repetoire

would bave been very belpful to tbe growtb

it

of calypso,

wonderful for tbe support of women, and an extra bonus for bis image.

Tbere

is

no doubt

tbat tbe preferred duet

male-female version. But tbe all-male duet

much

No

liked. It's a

common

act in reggae

and

need to mention tbe male-female

versions gain for hip-hop stars (rappers) fortime.

How many

this area?

is

euphemism

for this creative lacking;

failure plain

and if

is

the

also very successful.

version.

Both

much fame and

calypsonians have experimented in

Very few indeed. There

Imagine

is

is

no need it's

to find a

tantamount to

simple.

Sparrow and Kitchener had spent some

sessions blending their great talents?

Think

of the days of

picong calypso, especially those duels between Sparrow

and Lord Melody, the two calypsonians whose song generated the most

interest.

attacks in

Why didn't these two

Up

Against the

Age

203

Barrier

spend some sessions Dlenaing tneir great talents? Sparrow's chosen genre oi music was calypso, not the genre most

lifcely

to gain ror any singer the highest

level OI international popularity as

is

the case with other

forms OI popular music. Considering the restrictions

imposed on calypso, though not quite surmounting the mainstream.

the

of

walls

managed to reach

has

nonetheless

quite a distance up, especially relative to

He

other calypsonians. hilling

Sparrow

has shared stages on an equal

with some of the top names of popular music. In

regards to the years in the future,

undoubted preeminence in

and considering

his genre of music,

it

his

would he

a wonderful thing for his voice to have heen blended

records with

some

of these singers

and donated

on

to the

years ahead.

As Calypso King definitely

assumed

He has not yet, Black music. as "Reggae

of

the

his rightful place in the calypso arena.

however, heen allowed his rightful place in

Boh

Marley, for instance, assumed his role

King of the World," hut he was

a major player in Black music. fully

World, Sparrow has

— and equally —

also regarded as

The Mighty Sparrow

is

deserving of similar inclusion.

A famous British poet many years ago wrote some potent words about

must

Time and

the tide wait on no one."

They

certainly ring a bell of facts in Sparrow's ears today,

looking back to the days of Jean anaDinan, Mr. Herbert,

May-May,

Village

Ram and some other popular calypsoes

of his, realizing that

45

years have slipped by so very

faist.

Yet he must have gained solace in knowing that the same

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

204

as

many

ne has survived,

others rrom back in tne early

days of nis career nave too, ana that their memories of

him uve

on.

know damn his

They

stiE

recognize

well that he can

getting-up-there

Number. Yes, even

still

popular

him

do

it,

as the

as

master and

he insinuated in

Age is Just A where so many youngsters calypso

in a nation

think "old" people (those approaching 50) should he in an old-folks

home.

Sparrow has

knows the nmnber.

fact

If

just hit the age of 70.

about aging.

Age

is

really

Undoubtedly, he

more than

just

a

not, "new school" values wouldn't differ so

much from "old school" values. The new school

generation

wouldn't habitually "down" on old school generation.

Sparrow certainly must know the story of a calypsonian

from back in the '30s and '40s known

as

Lord Executor.

He was perhaps the most popular calypsonian

of the time.

But when age and bad luck

up on him,

started to catch

yoimg calypsonians not only disrespected him by

singing

picong calypsoes against him to his face and behind his back, they wouldn't even

let

him

some younger calypsonians out

there

Are

sing in the tents. there,

who

for

whatever reasons, would wish for the same for the Calypso King of the World,

push

who even

time can't seem to

off his throne?

At one

New York

of those

summer music

concerts held in

City parks. Sparrow and the yoimg soca

Ajala appeared together in Central Park.

As

artist

usual.

Sparrow gave a high-class performance - including some of his

the

most recent up-tempo

many yoimg

songs,

no doubt because

of

people there. Ajala came on stage and

up Against

livea

up to

nis reputation or

the

Age

Barrier

205

jumping from one comer or

the stage to the next, swinging nis shirt ahove his head,

snouting and extoUing the audience to "get something and

wave" and react in the same energetic, acrohatic manner. Ohviously, he wanted the show to end spectacularly. Li the midst of the shouting, waving and other high-energy acrohatics, Ajala pleaded with stage.

Mayhe

it

Sparrow to return to the

was to prove to the audience that Sparrow

comdn't jump, shout, wave and perform high-energy acrohatic the

way he

would perhaps

could. Failing this test

no

serve as his proof that: "see, he ain't

King of

real

Calypso."

Well, Ajalya did succeed in coaxing Sparrow hach to the stage.

Vhen Sparrow saw what he was coaxed into,

his reaction, the

was thinRing:

I

look on his

came here

face,

showed

to perform

clearly that

and this guy

is

trying

damn fool of myself. A clash of school-new school values — even if not a serious one.

to

make me make

This writer

a

still

has faith that Sparrow can

up with a song to knock that mainstream he must take

this advice:

Continue to

what he cidvocated in the song Age hear in

mind

punch

repetition;

old

come

wall over.

But

internalize as fact

is

Just

A

Number;

that youngsters are not that concerned with

things such as strong coherent

catchy

he

lines

and

lyrics;

come up with

emphasize

them

a few

through

look hack to early in his career and study his

very popular song Ten to

One is Murder -

the lyrics of

which should he changed hut not the style — and compose songs similarly. Concentrate also on the calypso Baa Johns,

hased

on

his wildest

imagination of heing the

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

206

macko-tough-guy personitied. Yes,

man

it

will

be

difticult tor a

much on

so lyric-conscious to stop concentrating so

lyrics.

As

case

does not serve tke purpose, work simultaneously on

it

some

tack-up for tkis calypso-soca experimenting, in

tallaxls

ana rkytkm

n' tlues.

But continuing witk

calypso-soca overwhelmingly? Emphatically no!

Tooay, Sparrow claims that age has not changed him, even

composed a

calypso,

Age is Ju^ A Number.

It certaiiJy

he foolish to expect him to physically take over a stage

way he oia up

to only

10 years

very nigh-class performance.

ago.

However, ne

still

would

now the

gives that

207

»

>

Could Spoiler Have Blockea Sparrow? For those not knowing, tnere must be straigntenea

is

an important

issue tnat

out. It pertains to Sparrow's status as

Calypso King or the Worla...tne greatest calypsonian.

UndouLtealy, there are those who thinh that descriptions are relevant to the time of his career.

Descnhing him

as the greatest calypsonian

there was never a calypsonian ever

aemonstratea calypso

abilities that

— aead

these

Not

means

or alive

so.

that

— who

coula measure up to

Sparrow's.

Such questions,

oistinction is

is

so mighty that

this really so?

it

Not even one

must beg the other calyp-

sonian was better or possessed even equal ability?

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

208

Duke ana

Prior to meeting with Mignty praise for a fellow callea

Mignty

hearing nis

Spoiler, this writer aid

hear of the name, hut in such a fleeting way to not even result in lingering

minor thoughts oi the same.

memory would even

tell

of hearing a calypso or

Later,

two of

his

heing sung hy calypso lovers, hut not knowing at the time

with which calypsonian to associate them.

Not

luitil

hecoming involved in a

serious calypso-

related conversation with a Trinidadian of ahout 50, in

New York sometime later did the name Spoiler

Brooklyn,

come up

again.

Meeting with one who had such good

knowledge of calypso history hut knew so

ahout

nttle

Spoiler, the Trinidadian insisted that such a person it

to himself to

that

until

availahle,

know more

recently

there

owed

ahout Spoiler and explained

were no recordings of his

hut thanks to the research

eflorts

Eddy

of

Grant, an alhum of those recordings that could he found

was

now availahle. The Trinidadian turned out

expert; hence, the discussion

hack in time, ahout

to he a true calypso

hecame

lyrics,

importance of high standards,

quite indepth, going

the hest calypsonians, the

why

calypso was a heautiful

genre of music hut was leaning on hard times. that

Sparrow

who

if

and

Kitchener

were

But he then mentioned

calypsonians.

He was sure

the

two

top

this fellow Spoiler,

he had not died too early into

his career,

"would

have given Sparrow and Kitch a run for their money." In the course of the discussion, another Trinidadian

happened hy

.

He, too, was a calypso

He turned the He (Trinidadian

huff.

discussion into an argument somewhat.

Could Spoiler Have Blacked Sparrow

209

#2, agreed with nis compatriot (Trinidaaian #1) about tne great potential Spoiler

naa to te a tough rival

He agreed, too, calypsonian. He wouldn't ana Kitch.

for

Sparrow

that Sparrow was a master

have

when

however,

it,

Trinidadian #1 declared that Sparrow was quite a few

ahead of Kitch and was actually the hest calypsonian

steps

of

all

time, Trinidadian

#2 was

ecpially

adamant in

his

stand that they should at least he judged equally, or that

Kitch was the one a few steps ahead. justified

He felt

was

his stand

hecause Kitch, ahout 12 years older than Sparrow

and — hy Sparrow's own admission - was an influence on

him in

earner times.

When

Trinidadian

#2

departed, Trinidadian

#1

expressed his hehef in Kitch's greatness, hut was convinced that Sparrow

had heaten him into second

place.

He

gave

assurance that he wasn't giving Sparrow the edge hecause

knew

he

him

from

many

furthermore, that there was

hack.

years

He

no douht ahout the

influence Kitchener, Spoiler, Pretender and

said,

early

Melody had

on Sparrow. However, he knew Sparrow

before he was

Sparrow and the evidence was there from

early that

he

Dom to he a calypsonian and woulda turned out to he what he is even if none 6 these fellas ever existed." He went on to express other opinions. He told of

was

Sparrow having heen horn in Grenada and even though he

left

there

when he was only

a year old

Trinidad, there are Trinidadians

who

and was raised in

can't forgive

him

for

not having heen horn in Trinidad, hut was ahle to come

and dominate

calypso.

Well, the research on Spoiler got started almost

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

210

Consioering

jdiately. iinnie(

how many records Sparrow and

Kitckener kad to tkeir credit over tke years (since I960

wken

suddenly

Spoiler

comparisons could ke

kad

improved

died

difficult indeed.

in

significantly

production, as in everytking

unfavorakle to

age

at

Spoiler,

else.

tke

making

31),

Tecknology, too, area

music

of

Tkis would ke quite

considering tkat

some

of tke

recordings ke would ke judged ky were produced in tke

mid-1940's.

Eddy

Grant's interest in preserving old calypso

music, unfortunately, didn't result in tke finding of Spoiler's recordings. akle,

some

As ke

all

searcked everywkere imagin-

copies were located kere

and tkere.

In any event, armed witk tke Grant-produced

22 calypsoes ky wky ke was so kigkly

CD

containing only

Spoiler, tke eveidence

kecame

regarded,

kis

clear

time f amikar witk kis works

still

wky

tkose of

kad tkat kigk regard

for kim.

Spoiler was a griot-like poet, a grassroots-kind of

calypsonian

wonderful

endowed

lyrics,

witk

tke

come up witk

akility

suktle

produce

to

kumor and kandle

so very well tkose otker elements of tke time ckaracteristic

of fundamental calypso:

meaningful rkyming, well con-

nected

perspective.

lyrics,

ckaracteristics

proper also

played

a

Possessing

major part in

tkese

creating

Sparrow's greatness. Spoiler,

of course,

wasn't messed witk tke time

Sparrow kas keen klessed witk, kut wkere ke was kecuding

seemed a

would ke

certainty.

kest,

True, experiencing tke real tking

kut tkose not privy to Spoiler's

CD migkt

Could Spoiler Have Blocked Sparrow

be able to get a

good idea atout

fairly

tbe following briefs of Spoiler went to police in tbe islands

nis abilities

211

tbrougb

bis:

Panama wben women was

in tbe role of

a rare, but not so rare in

still

Panama. Immediately, witb tbe

assistance of bis male-

cbauvinist upbringing, be approacbes a female police,

wbo

and

Wcis pretty

pbysically well endowed,

displaying

Dove ana Love. Very soon, The woman almod Jsill me aeaa /

bis intent of Turtle

clearly

bowever, as be

relates.

With some hlows husting up side me head.

He

bandied so bumorously and cleverly tbe case of

mean

tbe very

colonial judge in a Trinidad district.

bad to toe tbe

natives

line regarding tbe law.

Tbe

Even tbe

most minor of mistakes was punisbed to tbe maximum.

But tbere came tbat day wben a decided

it

(native)

was time to give tbe magistrate a summons for

always driving drunk and too

fast.

Natives flocked to tbe

courtbouse to observe tbe proceedings. sole representative of tbe law

tbings started to

fall apart.

his looking glass

words of

would be

And

trying bimself

fast.

different.

crying

He

.

As

The magistrate made a dash to For

bis tougb-on-natives

years be

poucemen.

was on tbe receiving end be saw tbe i

be being tbe

/ And himseli told himself / Ya

drunk or driving too i

pouceman

He looked at himself in

wasn

t

bad taken tbe

Now

tbat be

situation totally

de mirror and hust out

/ And tell himseli those pouceman always lying.

tbougbt of

if

tbe policemen

knew bow

to

tell

tbe

now look /I have a mind to throw 'way ya hcense hook. He never did care bow mucb problems tbe natives bad getting money to pay

trutb,

and Himseli sternly tell himseli,

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

212

Unfortunately

Mignty Spoiler maae an untimely departure at a relatively

young

age.

Many wno were lamiliar with him telieve tnat ne is

tne one

who woula

nave matcnea Sparrow,

more

so tnan even

Kitcnener

Lord

I

Couid Spoiler Have Blocked Sparrow

tne extra debts he brougnt

on tnem. But now, His honor

/ tell himseli he must pay

went back to he mirror aoUar

213

ten

/ Then himseli ten himselihe must he kind/ take

as long as you want to pay the nne.

Where out, hut

Spoiler got the idea h:om

he envisioned

hard to figure

is

this conspiracy oi

women

against

men to he carried out in the form of speaking in their own language so men wouldn't understand what they were The language would he made up

saying.

words, the only difference heing that

of

all

Engush

would he spoken

it

For instance, when a woman wanna leave she man / She would tell she mend so he wouldn't understand / She wouldn t say, Mary-Anne ah gonna leave this man /Instead: man this leave gonna ah Anne-

backward:

Mary.

It

would have been almost a normal calypso had

Spoiler only used two or three such examples and avoided extra responsibihty falling lines.

But there

are

on him by adding more such

more than

and more complex.

It

he was able to memorize them. The

tremendous

interest in the calypso

calypsonian, not as

memory required to

much sing

In the calypso

Hollywood

for

it

Cream;

he's

latter

how

alone generates

and admiration

for the

for the composing as for the

it.

Tarzan, Spoiler took a turn

name who was bom

yet, his hair is

on

/ Spoiler

in the midst of

sucked down with Bryl

always so clean shaven;

speaking almost nuently

Dictionary

also get longer

stupidity in bringing to the screen this

"ape-man" of the same

an African jungle

They

a few.

boggles the imagination as to

/Like he just

can't ligure out

Sometimes he eat

up Wehsters

how it was done /

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

214

Taizan

and

mate Jane toimd a

his

Taizan driving a

car,

son ?

(white)

not swinging on rope

Saw

/Saw him

washing he race with Palmouve soap. In the Spoiler's is

calypso

Bedbug, reputed to te one or

most popular (perhaps the most

so very amusing as he

yo' hurial

He had

Long

after ya death

and

/ You 11 he horn agen as an insect or animal

.

questioned a lot or people ahout what they want

rehom

to he

tells or:

popular), Spoiler

He

as.

got a variety or answers,

he adjudged as roohsh compared to

come hack

as a

his.

He

mule or a horse /and made

all

or

cfcu t

which

want to

to carry loads

and get heat hy ya hoss /As a wood ants ya get only dry wood to eat /But as a hedhug every night ya can teed on a dilierent woman meat/ Everyone must helieve me, so 's

help

me Mess / Til he a hetter hedhug than all the rest. He

issued a death threat to, "AJl those

men who so damn last

andhresh /And would ask Spoiler to hite their uesh.

The ahove

is

a mixture nrom dirrerent verses and

choruses or this calypso. There are ones; perhaps the runniest his assurance or

even go

other very ninny

and most potent one

not hiting only ordinary

those thought to he so

womd

many

"respectahle."

after princesses

women

hut also

In this quest, he

and duchesses:

Spoiler was done satisrying their thirst

relates to

And when

/ They would

go

around calling me King Bedhug the First. Spoiler also sang ahout the predictions of the Scientist. Predictions that

even though Spoiler's

when him

last

Mad

today don't seem so mad, not contact with

him was

that time

the pouce husted into Spoiler's house and arrested

(the

mad scientist) and

Spoiler begged

them

so hard:

Could Spoiler Have Blocked Sparrow

Please aon

me

fella is

t arrest

nim Mista Policemen

vest rriena.

Ana

215

/ This scientist

tne policemen assured nim,

He ain t no scientist, hut a real louse /A mad man who ran away from the mad house. Quite a tew years nave elapsea since

Spoiler's

CD

recoroing was brougnt to tne attention oi tnis writer. Until

now it is

still

played occasionally and each time listened to

witn imdivided attention, tne same as in tne case of wnen playing the records or

Nat King Cole, Brook Benton,

Nancy Wilson, Mignty Sparrow and matter there

how

is

old,

a rew others.

and though very tamihar with their

that something ahout

them

No

songs,

that dictates ustening

with undivided attention. In the case of Sparrow and Spouer, the poetry plays a major dictatorial role. It

must he

especially so with

The musical hacfc-up available to him at any time his career — the start especially — just wasn't on par

Spoiler.

during

with the hach-up music available to calypsonians

later.

Judging Spoiler's calypsoes would have to he done

with a lot of attention focused on his poetic,

lyrical,

presentation ahiuties. His eyes for what was going

around him

(in

the world) were as keen as an eagle's

looking for prey. his

And

what

mind and then conveyed

way. All of which

is

his eyes captured

when

was fed to

own unique But how is a

to others in his

also true of Sparrow.

master calypsonian with no more than credit to he

on

30

songs to his

compared with another master calypsonian

with hundreds of songs to his credit? Just how?

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

216

>

On Sparrow

has alreaay teen said about

mat meeting with

Mighty Dufce some years ago when he expressed some opinions ahout Mighty Sparrow. session

primarily

It

was a most

hecause Dufce was the calypsonian

Sparrow had to go up against in 1974 to do Calypso

interesting

Monarch crown.

It

nattle" for the

was one oi the most

important or these hattles hecause Sparrow had not entered the competition for several years, during which

time

Duke accompushed

the

unprecedented feat of

winning the crown four consecutive times. There was extra interest hecause Dufce felt disrespected hy

"put-downs" aimed at

all

also

the

him ahout his accompushment heing

others on Sparrow

on

based

Sparrow's

atsence,

ana he

was

217

on

bent

aispro\ing tnii assumption, ir^parrow, on the other hand,

was Lent on pro\ing Veil, results

it

was

right.

worth repeating that Dnhe

it is

oi the tattle lor

However,

at

enaed

it

aidn't like the

Sparrow's ravor.

in

the time or the interview in which this issue

was oiscussed, Duhe, though

still

thinking Sparrow was

not deserving or heing crowned again in 1974, was yet

man enough

to speak highly ot Sparrow's cah^so abuit}',

even expressing his Lenel that the description of

him

as

the hest caK'psonian was justined.

Also already mentioned was the

Toronto

several years ago

^ith the great Trinidadian

calypso handleader Cyril Diaz, pro\icle that inrectious

in the 1960's.

dirterence

forward.

whose Land used

music ror Sparrow

s

to

cah^soes Lack

worth mentioning here again that EHaz

It's

was very high in

hriet discussion in

his praise or :?parrow, in

rrom the

Not only

ver\'

start.

A

whom he "saw

motivation to

a

^

did he always have his songs ready, hut

in spite or not Leing a musician, he

came up with many

ideas in this area.

A chance meeting with King Fighter in Broohl>Ti was very

much

appreciated Lecause of the fond memories

or nis calypsoes in the 1960's, not so proliiically produced

but

ver\'

Sparrow

s

catchy

when they

were.

An\^'ay the

place in caK^so was put to Fighter, a

in his 70's,

who had

man now

only minutes earner engaged

Lack-oown-memory lane Louncing around on

He

issue of

in a

stage as he

was known

lor.

back in

heyday there were some good caK^sonians,

his

responded without hesitation that

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

218

tkal even

now

with so

just "keeping a lot

were

of the young calypsonians

o noise witn

some talented

still

many

tnis soca tning,"

ones. Sparrow, ne saia, "always oia

nave tnat sometning extra on tne nonest opinion Sparrow was In a hrief in

New York

tnere

stiQ

Ana

rest."

ahead of

all

in Fignter's

the others.

phone conversation with Lord Kitchener

City, the great

man haa no

hesitation in

acknowledging Sparrow's greatness, though there was ohviously some hesitation in acknowledging greatest.

him

as the

There were a few other calypsonians along the

way who had tremendous

talent hut didn't

make

top, Kitch assured, for reasons having nothing to

inahiuty, hut circumstances

heyond

it

do with

their control.

Sparrow," he assured, would agree with

to the

"Even

this.

In spite of the great talent Sparrow and Kitchener possessed, the issue of

they are credited on

them

all

writing

achievement such

their calypsoes, as

their records over the years

hecause of this heing so well done istic

all

as

tliis

—

said that a

- and

major

art-

needed addressing, for even

great singers-songwriters in other genre of music have

often credited others for their assistance.

No

matter

how good one

is,

the Grandmaster

responded, to do something consistently over a long period of time with excellent results requires some kind of

input other than your own. "Even Sparrow," Kitchener repeated,

though heing the major contrihutor,

to have benefited

One uttle

he, too,

had

from the extra input sometimes.

(key) thing that couldn't

go unnoticed was

Kitchener's use of that "even Sparrow" description. Little,

hut a key description indeed; not one of malice, ridicule or

others on Sparrow

excusing or

self,

219

out one or aamission tnat Sparrow was

wno was the major rigure among calypsonians.

inoeea ne

tne

interviewing

In

Valentino, best

known

Brother

socio-political

for nis popiuar calypso Stay

Zunhahwe, ne readily acknowleaged Sparrow's major in nelping

up tne calypso

art

form.

He naa no

Up role

problems

with admitting to nis greatness, tnougn ne obviously had

some concerns witn tne many smutty

calypsoes in his

repertoire.

Having nad sucn a

it

working relation-

Sparrow during the mid-1950's to the mid-

snip with

1960's,

close artistic

would have served

there were

if

some words from Lord Melody. Unfortimately,

Melody passed on some

The

this particular topic so well

late

years ago at age 62.

Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley

wasn't a calypsonian, hut he had such a sound knowledge

ahout the history (the goings-on) in the British West Indies.

Words from him, spoken

or written, were most

profound, even in brevity taken from a hook: "...Even the greatest of all calypsonians.

Manley heueved

The Mighty Sparrow.

." .

that in spite of his greatness,

Sparrow couldn't quite do for calypso what Marley did for reggae. better,

And

it

had nothing to do with anyone being

but that reggae, though

much younger than calypso

was birthed on a stronger foundation: revolutionary. Unlike in the case of reggae where a stand was taken, calypso, while addressing issues reggae addressed, tended

to

poke fun

at things undesirable.

that Marley was seen as a (revolutionary).

man

Sparrow has made

And

so

it

turned out

representing a cause it

clear that

he sees in

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

220

reggae's taller

ska, If

jump anead

or calypso the case or a cnila growing

tnan the parents. He's also or tne conviction tnat

rock steady ana reggae are

tne cnilaren or calypso.

all

in later years tne changes in the sounds

more

went more ana

in the direction of African- American

rhythm

n'

hlues, initially they contained elements of calypso.

This writer has spofcen to several calypsonians, hut never Sparrow, occasions

on

stage.

the fact that

him on

several

this has a lot to

do with

having

despite

Undouhtedly,

on the occasions

seen

of speahing to the other

down

calypsonians he was holding

and puhnsher of a puhucation and

it

was of importance to

With Sparrow, on

interview them.

seeing him, not only was he

had aheady

the positions of editor

on

those occasions of

hut the puhucations

stage,

was no

fallen into defunct status; hence, there

reason to pursue an interview. It

would have heen wonderful

Sparrow told

me

what

to write here

of himself. This not heing possible does

though, negate the telling of his feelings ahout

not,

himself as calypsonian,

no more than

it

did ia the case of

the late Prime Minister Manley, with

have heen exchange

West

Indians,

characteristic,

their

words

it

if

either.

they

hy

shared

the

words

For hoth these prominent

would he that

felt

whom no

hut

their

puhnc

one

common

penchant for making regardless

of

the

circumstances under which they were used. What's more, in the case of Sparrow, those of the public familiar with

him hnow self

of that

macho

feeung, that ego, that beuef in

he harbors to accept as

"gospel" Sparrow's attitude of

his position in the arena of calypso

through his words read

others on Sparrow

and

elsewnere, "I

am

Drierly repeated here:

the busiest oi

still

the calypsonians.

all

up on entering calypso competitions hecause jealousy. I

still

interesting for

enough to

come out with new music

many

retire,

people.

will

or too

that

they can expect

me to

only

if

fill

I

gave

much

makes uie

Those who think

good calypsonians come through who can There

221

I

am

old

one or two

my

shoes.

never he another Sparrow. Such a person has

And

not heen horn.

the

woman who was

to he his

mother, she dead."

Sparrow did have some very

positive things to say

ahout Kitchener.

Away from

medium of silence than words - Sparrow can also

the words to the

action speaking louder

make profound statements through it. A foremost case in point: when the government of Trinidad and Tohago was giving rewards to

its

outstanding citizens and the nation's

highest medal (the Trinity Cross) was awarded to the poet

Derek Walcott, with the second highest to

Chaconia Gold)

Sparrow and Kitchener, the proud Sparrow hluntly

refused to accept

From his

(

stand.

this

it,

giving uttle explanation why.

vantage point. Sparrow

Nohel Poet Laurete or

is

applauded for

make than Sparrow — or not,

didn't

Walcott a more outstanding

citizen

Kitchener, for that matter.

His Honorary Doctor of

Letters

from the University notwithstanding, Sparrow

is

the foremost poet of the English-speaking Carihhean. Ja-

maica awarded Marley

Tohago

justify its

Sparrow -

as

its

highest medal;

let

Trinidad and

reason for not doing the equivalent for

he himself no doubt

felt

he deserved.

222

M

S

I

P

A

G H

R R

T Y

O

w

>

Sparrow Keeps on Keeping on! Sparrow has used calypso to portray nimseli characters.

guy,

Great lover, for

sure; fearless,

years

ago

he

portrayed

witchdoctor in the calypso Witcnaoctor.

himself It

as

a

wasn't one of

meaningful calypsoes; instead, one of his gihberisn

ones, characteristically filled with

himiorous comments. But in it

macho tough-

most aefmitely. Several

his

as a variety of

WcLS

still

some very outlandish

spite of its gibberish nature,

quite an interesting calypso:

They call me the witcnaoctor I'm from a land afar

An specialize in ohean

.

Sparrow Keeps on Keeping on

223

Me rem name is Papaga w When

the anunshegin to play

Ana an ring me hell Everyhoay hetier

clear out

'Cause ah ready to cast me

me way

spell.

Cnorus

Hear me... Rojay, rojay, rojay, una haaanga

Enay, enay, enay, ahracaaahra

Me lire hlazin

'

anaae water so hot

Ohlawd! It 's time to put something in

ae pot

Hmmn! What ah gonna put?

A white rat A crappoe (rrog) tongue, a hvin little

hat

Muahrom ae graveyard, one black stone Stir it up with a

duppy (deadperson) hone

Andii things go nne Every woman hound to he mine.

.

Whoever did me wrong Getting the worst sore root in town.

Tnis,

oi course,

is

but a Drier part or tne lengtny very

runny calypso. Tne accompanying music, witn

its

ana

very

mesmerizing

Sparrow's

macno numor ana

nimselr as the very important, Yes, Sparrow

The

ract

is,

complement

harmonies

meant

it

though, Sparrow

strange

strange well

descriptions

or

no nonsense witch doctor. to be

is

humorous

gibberisn.

indeed a witcn doctor, not

tne kind or witcn doctor as described by bis

lyrics;

not tbe

witcb doctor wbite colonialists and Hollywood producers.

.

THE MIGHTY SPARROW

224

with racist intentions, used in depicting Airicans as

and

unci\alized, savage,

The

trutn

ne

is,

human

certainly not quite

who

fools,

tney cast in the role or witch

doctor was actually very deep into psychology, was very

aware ol the meaningml relationship hetween the mental

and the

Physical

physical.

results

aimed

someone, can very often he achieved hy that person (mentally) that

procedure

is

from

ii

first

convincing

can he done. Whether the

carried out in a sophisticated setting, or the

poorest most humble one so than

it

not the major

is

issue,

the person attempting the convincing

intellectual hoofcs, or

is

trinhets in a dirty sack; the

ohjective of convincing

man they man they

That from the

demonized

Hundreds

from

for,

and

is

no more

is

reading

dancing around and shaking

most important thing

is if

the

achieved.

called witch doctor

called

was no

different

hush doctor, who was

dehumanized

hy

white

also

coloniausts.

of years later white medical experts are in

agreement that the herhs the hush doctor used for curing

have the same curing

effect they

had then hut were

said to

not have. Today's highly trained psychologist knows like

that,

him, the witch doctor years ago envisioned this very

important connection hetween mental and physical.

And

so

it is,

then, that Sparrow can he proud of

heing also like one of those wise

men -

whatever their

true description was, hut "original psychologist" here

—

who were mahgned as "witch doctors." Sparrow

could

have

heen

regarded

today

for

accomplishing other positive things. After dominating the calypso scene for so long, he should have opted earuer to

Sparrow Keeps on Keeping on

more on rnytmn n

concentrate

has teen doing or

late.

was widely praised tor also

nis

blues (Dallaas), sucn as ne

very early in Lis career ne

smooth

voice,

which eventually

proved to he almost unlimited in range.

Somewhere

recently an article in the mainstream

media referred to him

A

From

225

flattering

over

many

Frank Sinatra

as "the

or Trinidad."

comparison considering Sinatra's popularity Hoperully this was the connection the

years.

joumaust intended to make.

If so, it

appropriate one, hut not so hased

would have Leen an

on their

Sinatra was a very good

singing.

hut there was

singer,

nothing that extraordinary, so unique ahout his voice. Li the calypso arena. Sparrow became the calypso, the

Nat King Cole

of

Ray Charles and the James Brown. Cole

because of his gold dust smooth voice; Charles because of his almost unlimited voice range;

early

domination of the

that adage "Age

wine

is

stage,

just a

Brown

and that

as

because of his

he aged, he used

number" in the manner of "aged

is finer."

However Sparrow

Wnat

determined here.

really sees the

seems

adage can't be

certain, though,

is

that

while he uves, he will continue to fly around and over the calypso arena

And

if it

—

a sparrow with the presence of an eagle.

happens that there

is

no crown on

his head,

he

can always land in his rightful place - on the Throne. these imaginary marks will always be engraved

After

all,

there:

The Mighty Sparrow... Calypso King or the World!

And

after his physical expiration:

The Mighty Sparrow.

.

The King is aeaa. .Forever uves the King! .

###

6

226

3

Index

Ace, Johnny 80, 81

Cypher, Mighty 103

Adams, Granlley 86

DeClerk181

Adonijah 190

Dekker,

Aitkens, Laurel

Desmond 119, 141 Destroyer, Mighty 13

1 1

Diaz, Cyril 114,

204 Ajamu 142 Ajala Ali,

Dibango,

Muhammad

Andrews

52

1

217 120, 121

Domino, Fats 63 Donaldson, Eric 141

101, 182

Sisters

Manu

Arafat, Yassir 181

Armstrong, Louis 25 Arrow, Mighty 129, 142, 151, 152.

Dougia, Mighty 76, 92, 101 Duke, Mighty 28. 78. 99. 100. 102 104, 116, 117, 118. 120, 121. 176

208,216,217 Dylan, Bob 178

153,156 AtillatheHun 13 Autry, Gene 187 Baez, Joan 178 Baker, Anita 201 Barnes, Jeff 166 Barron 128, 175,201

Ecstein, Billy 187,225 Ellis,

Alton 21, 116

Ellis,

Hortense 124

Executer, Lord 204 Fighter, King 22, 43. 99, 217,

187

Beatles 57

Fitzgerald, Ella

Beckett129. 142, 147, 148, 175 Beginner, Lord 13, 59, 186

Flack, Roberta 201

Belafonte, Harry,

Bennett,

1 1

,

44,

50

Loma 124

Benton, Brook 25, 79, 215 Berry,

Chuck

153,

163.164 21,41,42

Blakie, Lord 13, 20,

Blue Boy 140 Bomber, Mighty 13 Brown, James 225 Brown, H. Rap 107, 108 Bryner, Lord 198 Burgie, Irvin 56

Buster, Prince 116,

118

Tubal Uria 42 Caine, Michael 181 Calypso Rose 122, 124.130 Carmichael, Stokely 107, 108 Butler,

Castro, Fidel 181

Foreman, George 101 Funny, Lord 159. 170 Gabby, Might 128. 131. 142, 147. 175

Eddy 129, 208, 210

Grant,

Marcia 124 Growling Tiger 1 Griffith,

Mines, Justin 116 Invader, Lord 13,59, 152 Jackson, Hal 120 Jackson, Michael 128, 179 Jones, Anthony Armstrong 67 Keith and Enid 124 Jordan, louis 63 Khadafi 181 Khomeini, The Ayatolla 133 King, Martin Luther Jr. 107, 108 Kitchener, Lord 13, 20-23, 58, 96, 98, 104, 116,128, 142,175,179,

Chalkdust, Mighty 128, 142, 146. 189. 190, 191, 192, 193, 195, 197. 198 199 186,189,190,202,208-210,218 Koppel 180 Charles, Ray 225 Laine, Frankie 187 Charmer, Mighty 47 Lee, Byron 143 Chrlsto, Lord, 13. 22 Lodge, June 124 Clay, Cassius 44 Cliff,

Jimmy

119, 141, 153, 178

Cole, Stranger 118 Cole, Nat King 25, 35, 156, 187

215.225 Cooke, Sam 48, 63 Count Lasher 65 Cro-Cro 128, 142 Cruz, Celia 1 80

Maestro 128, 142 Mandela, Nelson 159, 180-182 Mandela, Winnie 180 Mbeki,

Gowan

181

Malcolm X 108 Manley, Michael 50, 219, 220

Bob 118, 119, 141, 119. 141 153,203,219,221

Marley, 148,

I |r

Index

Marley, Rita 124

Maytals.

The116

Shah

227

of Iran 133

Shirt Shirt 128.

142

Melody, Lord 13, 22, 23, 41, 42, 43.

Shorty, Lord 127-129, 140, 144,

50,53,68,75,77,98, 116, 145, 185.186,202,209 Montano, Machel 156 Morgan, Derrick 116 Mowatt, Judy 124 Nash, Johnny 121 Nelson, Lord 75 Opel, Jackie 129 Patsy 124 Plummer, Denyse 122 Poindexter, Bob 152

190, 196 Simon, Paul 119 Sinatra, Frank 187 Singing Diane 122 Singing Sandra 122 Sisulu Walter 181 Small Island Pride 185, 186

Sidney 181 Power, Mighty 75 Pretender, Lord 13, 23 Poitier,

63

Price, Lloyd

Princess Margare 67, 1 34 Prysock, Arthur 79 Ras Shorty 145 Red Plastic Bag 131. 175 I

Jimmy 81 Sobers, Garfield 44 So-So, Winston 142 Spoiler, Mighty 103, 116, 131. 186, Smith,

208-211.213-215 Black 128. 142.146 Sugar Aloes 201 Super Blue 147 Sutherland, Nadine 124 Swallow, Mighty 128 Syncopator, Lord 103

Stalin.

Terror. Mighty 13

179 Roaring Lion 13 Rolling Stones 57 Rootsman 176 Rudder, David 128, 122. 145, 147, 175

Thatcher, Margaret 133 Tosh, Peter 141

SPARROW, MIGHTY (ON ALMOST ALL PAGES)

Wilson,

SPARROW (Slinger Francisco)

Wrangler, Mighty, 13

Scrunter128, 142. 146 Shadow 128

Viper, Mighty 13

Ritchie. Lionel

Toots (and The Maytals) 141 Waiters,

Bunny 141

Walcott, Derek 221

Vanessa 1 59 Nancy 20, 215 Wonder. Stevie 121 Williams,

Vaughan, Sarah 187

228

PICTURES

Mighty Sparrow, 14, 18, 24, 73, 78. 136, 173,

194,206

Sparrow and Lord Melody, 84 Sparrow, Small Island Pride, 84 Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, 1 02 Lord Melody, 45 Lord Blakie, 45 King Fighter, 45 King Radio, 52 Roaring Lion, 52 Lord Invader, 52 Harry Belafonte, 54 Nat King Cole, 54 Chubby Checker, 54 Lord Kitchener, 60

Chuck

Berry,

72

Louis Jordan, 72

Count Lasher 94 Fab Five, 94 Mighty Duke, 100,102

Calypso Rose, 123 Lord Shorty, 132 Eddy Grant, 132 Lord Beginner, 136 Atilla the Hun, 136 Growling Tiger, 1 36 Mighty Swallow, 146 Super Blue, 146 Mighty Shadow, 146 Mighty Arrow, 150 Beckett, 150 Red Plastic Bag, 154 Scrunter, 154 David Rudder, 162 Rootsman, 162 Singing Franclne, 168 Byron Lee, 188 Chalkdust194 Mighty Spoiler, 212

BOOKS By AUTHOR: JOURNEY THROUGH JAILHOUSE JEOPARDY: A Good New York City Teacher ends Up Down In Bad Rikers

Island Jail:

and published

little over a year before Mighty Sparrow, the

Written

author, a recently retired

New York

City high school teacher, attacks

the ugly

downward

spiraling out

of control trend plaguing

New York

City schools in a

manner

(no-nonsense) as perhaps never previously done. Especially captivating in these 285 pages is the lengthy account he gives of the 15 years he taught the many adolescents always "locked down" in infamous, volatile Rikers Island Jail.

The devoid-of-common sense

New

York City Board of Education

insisted they

were "students;"

the Department of Correction insisted they were "criminals

(animalescent inmates);" the adolescents thoroughly intemalized the belief that

any place

in

a penal

was jail and anyone "locked down" there was an inmates. Hence, setting

they structured their behavior accordSo harsh a story, it will often make you gasp; yet containing humor that will also Make you laugh. $15. ing to their beliefs.

Black British Soldier: Reprint of the 1970 first British Army story of its kind. Racisnri was all over London; it was in the army, too, with its working-class soldiers, Snobbish upper-class officers (all white), along with ban^ack room brawls, alcoholism, sex. Trapped in that ugly civil war in Cyprus didn't help. Soul In The Wilderness: Reprint of the poignant 1971 book. Just out of Her Majesty's Army and back to civilian life in London, not the gullible teenager he was when he signed on for nine years, but aware and angry, he struggles with the present, looks back on the past, contemplates the future. $10 each.

& Rockstones: These four novellas about Caribbean and Canada will have you crying one minute and laughing Back To Penny Hole Forever: A serious and humorous mix

Raining Ruins, Roses immigrants

in

the

USA

hysterically the next.

of short stories

and essays, much about the author's experiences living in different boyhood in Barbados; especially about his poor village $10 each.

nations. Very touching is his

Penny Hole.

laCK

TO

Penny Hole ForeveT ~

Odimumba Xwamdela p/

Niggers This Is Canada: Reprint of the 1972 non-fiction-fiction novel. For so long consistently labeled "controversial" in Canada was the original edition to defy it

much later label "underground classic." Whatever the labels given, the story contain much humor. Soul Surviving Up In Canada: Many have found an interesting it

story unto

Written several years after "Niggers This as "the final chapter" of the much older book.

itself.

yet refers to

it

Is

Canada." the author $1

each.

I-

Down

Inna Southern Africa: The author documents his 1998 and bordering nations in such a manner that gives readers the feeling of being here with him sharing this most interesting experience. Small Black Book of Big Thoughts: The author presents some of his Afro-centric philosophies in a manner that says he is indeed the Prophet with the solutions to the unique problems faced by people of African ancestry. $8 each.

Searching Soul sojourn in South

Africa

Poetry by the Author The first three titles are t)ooks, the fourth, a CD/album; utilizing

common

all

characteristics

of the author: perception, pride,

humor, and the Power-of-the-

Word concept Books

$8;

CD; $12

Poetry

CD

(Soulful rhythms

AffVyfiiHWI

dubbed)...

PHILCSCPHSi'POWr/

Behold! The Grassroots Philosopher-

XlVAAAI>fU (J./\shton Brothwaite)

Poet:

A powerful Poetic experience from the turbulent sociopolitical

conscious '70s

when Kwamdela was refenred to as "the rapsession poet" because, unlike other poets then who read their

poems-before the advent of rap l

singers~he delivered his poems solely from memory. On this CD: 65 minutes of 1) Righteous Blackman, 2) Mother Earth, Blackwomarir'^) Burn Babylon Bum, 4) Great Lumumba of Congo, 5) Bajan in the Big Countries, 6) African Roots People, 7) Back to Penny Hole Forever, 8) Ham's Blues, 9) Death and Birth of A Prophet: Martin Luther King Jr., 10) Return of Sodom and Gomorrah, ^^)The Red, the Black and the Green, 12) The Poor Revolution, 13) Return to Barbados. 14) Brixton on Fire, 15) Jewel in the Mud, 16) Shadow of Death, 18) Extinction of A Root.

INFORMATIONj

$12.

US currency. Add $3 for mailing. Money Order/check accepted in the USA. Money order if foreign (US currency). NO cash. Send to: Kibo Books, P. O. Box 21442, Cadman Plaza, All price

quotes

in

Brooklyn, New York 11202, USA. E-mail: [email protected] Ph. + Fax: 718-859-5881. Web: www.kibobook.com. Orders promptly mailed,

IT"

X

B

C9 books

Also Availabe from Kibo Books:

Mystery Man by Derek Reece. Convicted black

serial rapist Burke London's cops and what transpires in the courts of London beg consideration of his emphatic "not guilty" plea.

TTie

seems so

guilty,

yet the attitude of

Journey Free: The Eighth House by Makelah Amani. This slim volume of poetry epitomizes so well the adage, "Good things come in little packages."

Key Visions 1.00: The Poetic Ranting of Makelah Amani. contains some of her typically hard-driving poems, accompanied

This

CD

by soulful

rhythms.

The Lost and Found Poetry of Alkamal Soul by Alkamal Jemmott. You might not have been fortunate to experience his powerful stage performance, but reading him would also be a wonderful substitute.

No Apologies

by Kofi Casisi (Cecil Cummins). Poets

publishers to rescue

poets

like Kofi to

them from

rescue

it

obscurity;

like Kofi

need more

the art of poetry needs

more

from dying.

-^am WORKING TOGETHER FOR OUR FUTURE

snare

CANADA'S LARGEST ETHNIC NEWSPAPER

658 Vaughan Rd., Toronto, Ont.

M6E 2Y5

Fax: Editorial (416) 656-0691

Internet

www.sharenews.com

•

• Tel. (416) 656-3400 Advertising (416) 656-3711 E-mail: share

BOOKS

Even those «g of ttie World, and authored by an accomplished it

I

Caft)bean writer. -Sfedson **RPB'* W^s/i/ra, Bmtados B-tkrm Calypso King, composer-lynast.

The Mighty Sparrow wouM be the subject of a book bf been blessed for years to listen to the great Mighty Sparrow. Now we are blessed with Kwamdela's vision and interpretation of his contribution to the world of mu^c. It

was

inevitabto that

Kwamdela.

We

haste

Shakton

Taylor,

PhD^ Africart-Canac^an

histonan, lecturer, writer.

was known to n^, knowing the author is a and his sut3^ here, IMglity Sparrow, is not only a calypso giant but a poetic one also. Even before reading

this story, its interest

poigruint, captivating writer

-S. Ariderson Edwart^

New

York Lawyer, former high school writing teacher.

wilt doubt the great Merest of a book about The Mighty If any, then not many Sparrow, a man with the reputation of Calypso King of the World that has survived unwawtng for many years. "Brookfyn Couner News

UntM

I

left

my native

Los Angeles

in

the 1970a and set-

Toronto among many Caribbean Black foHcs. knew little about The Mighty Spanow, little more about calypso, nothing about J Ashton Brathwaite g.

"Norman

Xnis'* Richmond, Share Weekly,

CKLN RaOo.

The AUTHOR

»

us $15