Calypso folk songs Pt 2

The fourth Calypso Folk Song is “Invocation” by Massie Patterson and Lionel Belasco with free transcription by Maurice Baron. The introduction reads in part “‘Invocation’ is a Shanto chant. There is an African Deity called Shanto whose name means ‘bewilder’ or ‘strike violently’. Shanto is also known in Haiti and Cuba.”

It begins, “O ken Karanga, Karanga, Karanga day, / O yo yoi, O bore bo O ken Karanga day / O yo yo yoi yoi, bore bo / Zoyeh, Zoya, O yo yo yo yoi, bore bo / Zoyeh, Zoya. Pedarean de Jumbie man / Pedarean de Obeah man / Pedarean de Zulu man Pedare-” and so it goes.

The grandfather of the modern calypso, Wilmoth Houdini who was born in Trinidad and moved to Harlem in the 1730’s, wrote the words and music for “Gin and Cocoanut Water.” Here it is, “Honey come and go with me, – back to the West Indies, – / Baby can’t you see I’m losin my pep and energy / What I need is the Gin and cocoanut water / Gin and cocoanut water / Gin and cocoanut water / I cannot get in America.

“Medical Centre what you think / The doctor told me I’ll have to drink, / They said “Take this advice from me Houdini and go back to the West Indies”/ What I need is the (Chorus “Gin. . .) I remember when I was young, / I was husky and very strong, Now I am feeble and weak my knees knockin when I walk the streets / What I need is the . . (Chorus). My friends I would be glad the day that I get back to Trinidad / I know my people would be glad to see me like a monkey climb a cocoanut tree./ What I need is the Gin . . (Chorus)”

“Arima Tonight, Sangre Grande Tomorrow Night” also by Wilmoth Houdini is the next calypso mentioned. A sentence in the introduction states, “The carefree spirit of the calypsonian is evident in this song.” The first stanza goes, “Arima tonight, Sangre Grande tomorrow night, come go! / It’s a delicio, – this is what I want you to know, come go!”

The fourth and last stanza is, “Arima tonight, San Fernando tomorrow night, come go! / It’s a delicio, this is what I want them to know, come go! / Just leave it to me, this is sweet Papa Houdini, come go! / I don’t want you here it must end in a thoroughfare, come go.”

“I Need a Man” is the seventh and last calypso which is also by Houdini. I presume the female calypsonian would start, “I need a man. (Repeat) But I don’t want no good-looking man” and so on, then Houdini would come in with “Madame, you are not looking for me,/ They call me Sweet Houdini, ‘ Now since nineteen twenty-three / Me and work could never agree; / Work is my biggest enemy, / I don’t work for any body,/ You need a man, that will work and support you / And that’s a second hand man.

“You only try to make me a fool, / And you usin me like a tool / But that would never do, / Mamito, I must say to you, / Woman, leave my house and go, / Tell the world I want you no more, / You need a man, that would work and support you, / And that’s a second hand man.”

The speaker told his audience: “I have often regretted my words, never my silence.”