My top ten calypsoes

Debbie Jacob

CALYPSO History Month reminds us of the contribution calypsonians have played in vocalising this country’s socio-political issues. Many different calypsoes could have gone on my top ten list. I picked the ones below for their timeless messages, memorable melodies, literary merit and stellar representation of calypsoes’ various roles, including that of motivator or agitator. The chosen calypsoes are in no particular order.

Wait Dorothy by Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) – Stalin included a touch of humour in a serious message about our duty to stand up for a cause. Stalin would not write the smut his fans requested until justice prevailed in TT and the rest of the world. Wait Dorothy argues true creativity is about principles rather than commercial success. Stalin teases listeners with a preview of how his smut will sound if his demands are met.

Corruption in Common Entrance by Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins) – Known for his controversial calypsoes, Cro Cro’s socio-political commentaries show no mercy. In this calypso he argues that CXC exams were racially biased and favoured the upper classes when placing students in secondary schools. Right or wrong, Cro Cro provoked important debate about the education system. Corruption in Common Entrance shows the power of the calypsonian as an agitator.

De Stickman by Zandolee (Sylvester Anthony) – De Iron Man, Zandolee’s double entendre about his wrongful arrest for possession of iron, nearly took my top spot. In the end, I chose his witty smut about Winnie, a woman stickfighter. No one walked the fine line between creative humour and distasteful smut like Zandolee. Sometimes he crossed the line of good taste, but his wit outweighed his crudeness. Zandolee’s smutty narratives are built on extended metaphors and double entendre, Well-crafted smut is an invaluable part of calypso history. It is protest music that challenged the social mores of colonialism.

Portrait of Trinidad by Mighty Sniper (Mervyn Hodge) – This powerful, melodic tribute to Trinidad’s greatness is a timeless modern classic that evokes patriotism. Sniper doesn’t understand why people bad-talk Trinidad. In the best line of this calypso, he warns about letting crime be the definitive image of Trinidad.

Progress by King Austin (Austin Lewis) – These thought-provoking lyrics about the price of progress remain relevant today. As King Austin sings, “I see consciousness abate as we live recklessly.”

Bassman by Shadow (Winston Bailey) – I was tempted to choose Poverty is Hell for its message and Shadow’s crossover to rap, but Bassman won out for establishing the importance of the bass in soca music. He voiced the agony all creative artistes face as they challenge the status quo. “I was planning to forget calypso and go plant peas in Tobago," Shadow sings. But Farrell from hell stalks him with those haunting bass lines.

Gimme More Tempo by Calypso Rose – Rose made history as the first woman to be crowned calypso monarch in 1978, but I chose her 1977 Road March Gimme More Tempo. As Rose heads for San Fernando, she reminds us that Carnival and creativity are always on the move and never confined to any one place.

Dey Ent See Africa by Chalkdust (Hollis Liverpool) – Narrowing Chalkdust’s calypsoes down to a favourite is difficult, but this calypso about people’s perceptions of racial or ethnic identity tops my list. He sings about black people denying their history and heritage. When it comes to owning their background, Chalkdust says, “The baby black like a voodoo doll and they ent see Africa at all.”

The Ganges and the Nile by David Rudder – There’s an argument here for Rudder’s The Hammer, Calypso Music or Hosay topping the list, but the extended metaphor of the two rivers representing African and East Indian immigrants in The Ganges and the Nile captures the heart and soul of this nation. It is a message of unity and a tribute to creolisation.

Get Something and Wave by Super Blue (Austin Lyons) – It's difficult not to choose Soca Baptist, a reminder of the Baptist influence on calypso, but Get Something and Wave rallied a nation stunned by the 1990 coup attempt. Get Something and Wave celebrates the power of this culture epitomised by Carnival. A sense of spirituality emerges in this song as Mother Muriel, standing on the mourning ground, gets a vision that TT will rise again.

Hopefully, this list sparks debate. No two people should agree on any such list. Only one thing is certain: when it comes to narrowing down all the great calypsoes in our history, on any given day, any number can play.