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Things Caribbean
Ah Wanna Fall - Calypsos from Trinidad & Tobago
Selected Lyrics
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Went To College
I had the privilege last year to buy books and go to college, mama
The Spoiler had the privilege, last year to buy books and to go to college
But when it come to subjects like grammar, mathematics
And thing so they beat Spoiler
But anytime I spell people say I mad
But I am the best speller come from Trinidad
Hear my spelling KAPPOLAIN - aeroplane
MAPPOSPANE - Port of Spain
ANEYPAL - That's Carnival,
AGTYBRAL - Is Cathedral
It comes to subjects like Spanish
I know more of that than I know the English
I know si is yes, papel is paper
Madre is mother, padre is father
Beside that I use to collect my money well
For fun the pupils use to pay me to spell
And the teachers use to give me back my school fee
They thought me too bright to take my money
Because I spelling KAPPOLAIN - aeroplane
MAPPOSPANE - Port of Spain
ENNEYMEE - enemy
JOGGRAFEE - geography
It came to examination
They decided to ask me a couple questions
The first question was what is grammar
I told them the wife of my old grandfather
The second question was what is a clause
I told them the nails on the pussy paws
Well the teacher told me I should be in hell
But I ain't business with he, I know I could spell.
Hear my spelling KAPPOLAIN – Aeroplane
MAPPOSPANE - Port of Spain
KANDLESTYK - candlestick
KRIKKMATIK - Arithmetic
It came down to the vacation
They decided to have some prize distribution
Tommy got special prize for Literature
They hand me my prize, it was neatly wrapped
You can imagine how I felt everybody clapped
But when I open the prize what you think in it
A dunce cap and a revolver with one bullet
Because I spelling KAPPOLAIN - aeroplane
MAPPOSPANE - Port of Spain
ENNEYMEE - enemy
JOGGRAFEE - geography
Portuguese Dance
CHORUS:
Visk ke visk ke vo
The Pharaoh jump in a Portagee dance
While the music is playing
If you see how Portagee he jumping Lord
I jump for a part
For the very number to break down my heart
I mean the both of them on the programme
Every Portagee buy a ten round
One pick up a guitar
To play a Portagee rhumba
While the people dancing
If you see how Portagee grinning, lord
I dip for a part
For the very number to break down my heart
Sometimes he throw too much flour
Well I thief a Portagee mooma
Tell me King Pharaoh I love you
Please what I going to do, lord
So do understand Pharaoh I want to romance
Man please have a care
The girl want to touch me with a goose flare
Man In The Wardrobe
I am aware
That something is there so bring out the key
And open the wardrobe in front of me
CHORUS
A man in the wardrobe Vio
Why the hell it shaking up so
A man in the wardrobe Vio
This two foot rat I would like to know
In front me eye
You telling a lie
But darling I know
Is more than a rat that shaking up so.
CHORUS
A man in the wardrobe Vio
This two foot rat I would like to know
A man in the wardrobe Vio
Open de wardrobe before I go
The mister inside
You told him to hide
So open the door
Before ah buss a lash in he jaw
You had it plan
To bring in a man
But you didn’t know
That I would have come back and catch you so.
You did it to me
In 1950
I’ll never forget
When you hide a man in the cabinet.
Death Is Compulsory
Up to now I haven't seen the sense
Why we should be grasping at opulence } repeat
You can have money in quantity
Like England, Japan and Germany
Death is compulsory
Six feet of earth and you gone to eternity.
CHORUS:
For the young at heart
Action is guaranteed from the start
Come and dance the marico
And hear your favourite singers of Calypso.
Professor Kitchener
I am giving my opinion very candidly
About calypso singers and their ability
The Spoiler for ideas he is the best
And by a long long way he surpass the rest
Melody is clever in his bounce and tune
And I really like to hear the way that mister croon
But calypso wouldn't be complete so far
If you leave out the professor Lord Kitchener
Lord Pretender the whole world know
He is the master of them all in extempo
The Skipper is good as a musician
I also recommend his composition
For real jocular singing Viking is my choice
And we can't ignore the Terror the man with the voice
But calypso won't be complete so far
If you leave out the professor Lord Kitchener
The Young Kitchener, that singing bird
He is the best renderer I have ever heard
And for popular singers, you all should know
Pride, Zebra, Dictator, and King Pharaoh
The Wonder and the Zigfield they come poke a poke
At times when they are singing they may crack a joke
But calypso won't be complete so far
If you leave out the professor, Lord Kitchener
Last but not least, this I have to say
It shock me when I heard Killer pass away
A great entertainer in every case
A singer that we can hardly replace
When he sang that murder song in 1945
Could you believe in '54 Killer wouldn't be alive
Well he gone to eternity
But his music and his words in my memory
He sang -
I am tired reading cases about murderers}
Everyday, everyday upon the newspapers} Repeat
Is either Sam kill Johnny or Johnny kill Joe
Is like a murder competition everywhere you go
We are in need of professional Scotland Yard
Detectives in Trinidad
Woman Police
They should have woman police in Trinidad }
Bet your life Spoiler would be more than glad } Repeat
I only waiting till one keeping duty
I running right away and I kissing she
And when she snatch on to me I wouldn't say a word
But I hugging up my police going down the road
And all the time I pulling away from she for she to hold me tight
The woman police must hold me tight
And I doing all that for spite
For she to hold me tight, tight, tight
A feller told me they would be more bad
Than the male police we have in Trinidad
But I don't care, they can be hard like a cobra
Don't talk when you see I drink my liquors
And I butting from west to east
I walking right away and hug up my police
She can hold me round me neck
And squeeze me till I dead
But I kissing from she waist right up to she head
And when she carry me inside the charge room
I coupling up me police like a bridegroom
When the female sergeant ask me anything
Is a heap of doodoo darling I answering
Honey chooks my love please forget
I know by the way she would start to fret
But she can beat me, she can butt me
Tear down my clothes
I ain't retreating, I advancing for my blows
I'll be a real nuisance in the place of course
If they really want to have woman police force
Give them tommy guns, give them hand-grenades
Bet your life I ain't fraid, I making the grade
Yes I going through the battle zone
Just to hug up Lucinda, Polly and Joan
They can shoot down Spoiler I might die no doubt
But with the print of a lipstick on top my mouth
Ah, Bernice
Ah, Bernice don't call me so}
I don't like it, I want you know } repeat
When you call me all this sweetname stupidness
And you leave me and you gone I stop dotish
Well darling you will give me misery
Hear the sweet names that Bernice calling me
Keetch, come go to bed
I have a small comb
To scratch your head
Keetch, don't make me cry
You know I love you
You playing shy.
Ramgoat Baptism
If you is a Baptist well pray for him
Because I feel that the man committed a sin
Brother Willie, pray for him
Because I feel the man committed a sin
Between the mangrove down in the swamp
Oops Lord they pick up that boldface scamp
Luckily Mr. Haba search for food in the Labasse
And hear when the poor goat blast
CHORUS:
Meh eh eh, Brother Willie } Repeat
It was a preacher in the mang
With a candle in his hand
Giving a ramgoat baptism
That morning I was down in town
Busy like a bee but nothing to come
Christmas Eve not a cent in hand
So I run down on the Labasse searching for ham
I get some onion and potatoes
A few heads of cabbage and some ochroes
So then I dump it in my bag
And went searching for crab
Then I heard the ballad
Aha, the goat like a lamb
And the preacher with a big candle in his hand
Brother Willie going wild
If you see how the gentleman making style
Simi dimi and shipshanti for so
And if you hear him with this eku, eku o
When Willie push him in the stream
He realise what he was in
Ramgoat start to scream
The day of the case
You could imagine how people flock up the place
Brother Willie from Tableland
Yes sir yes sir I am the man
My honour this ramgoat got too much sin
Just how he smelling just so he doesn’t pass a thing
He butting his mammy, his granny, he shooting butt for me
Baptism good for he
Cat Brain
Well my sister was suffering with she brain}
And went for operation in Port of Spain } Repeat
Well the doctor took the brain right out of my sister head
For wickedness put in the cat own instead
And the brain she had he put it right inside of the kitty
So she turn the cat and the cat turn she
Well in the night is when the trouble start
She up and down the house
Ramsackling the bedroom looking for mouse
And the cat with she brain
He cozy on the bed
Bussing kiss on top of she husband head
When my mother by the table with the rice and beef
The tomatoes the eddoes and salad leaf
The cat would sit down on the chair of course
And in cat language he calling for pepper sauce
That time my sister ain't business with no table at all
She only looking for the few grains of rice that fall
Otherwise she in the kitchen with another ugly cat
Bussing down some cockroach beetle and rat
One day I see my sister not looking well
What was wrong with her friends I couldn't tell
She only vomiting and sweating out of the bed
The girl getting so fat I say she go dead
Well I moving I couldn't watch my nieces and nephews
If you see kitten lying down inside my shoe
Well my mother gone down Venezuela
She couldn't afford to be no kitten grand mother
Chinese Cricket Match
I had a read on yesterday's papers
A cricket match with some Chinese players (repeat)
They say the Indian people name funny
Nothing to beat the Chinee
As though the Chinese does get their name
By the beating of the steelband in Port of Spain.
CHORUS:
For is Ling King
Bowled and caught by Loong Ping
And Wing Ping
Got cleaned bowled by Poon Pang
And the whole Oval shout
When Loom Lum get Wang Poon Ping Pang Poon out.
I was in a lacouray
I reading 'bout the thing yesterday
I bit my tongue on several occasions
To make the right pronunciation
You must be graduated in China
To pronounce these Chinese names proper
'Cause, as I understand
They get their names to the sounding of a tin pan.
Wing Ping Sing one of the umpires
He made a sign to the scorers
He said,'ling ling ling pang ping loom long
That meant that they made a short run
The Chins started a fighting
Saying the umpire was stealing
And friends, you could believe me
When I finish read, I was talking Chinee.
Beat Of The Steelband
Well I heard the beat of the steelband
Boys I couldn’t understand
It was hard to make a distinction
Between Poland, Bar Twenty and John John.
CHORUS:
Pung Pang ba duba do bang }
Pung Pang ba duba do bang }Repeat
Port of Spain nearly catch afire
When the band was crossing the Dry River
Zigelee leader of the Ping Pong
Had people jumping wild in the town.
Black James, Fish Eye and Barker
Bar Twenty leading kittle-beater
I jump until I couldn’t jump again
Was sweeter than George Smith from Edwin Payne.
Bitter-Man, Pops and Battersby
Chop in with a semitone melody
When they start their contrary beat
White people jumping wild in the street.
Well the boom was beaten by Ossey
A foreman boomer from Bar Twenty
The vibration near break down a wall
An American say, “Joe don’t stop at all”.
Chamberlain had me going crazy
I thought we was still fighting Germany
When the man blow the bugle call
I said “Well, like the war ain’t finish at all!”
Hindu Wedding
This is really true,}
I decide this year to marry a Hindu} Repeat
So is hundreds of Indians gather
Yes in my teloke in Marabella, aha
Man Pooran get crazy
When they start with the sweet melody
CHORUS:
Singing jago jago sheylam, jago jago sheylam
Ot ki ki dingah da dam ki ka dam
Things now getting sweet,
And fling a set a dhal back for me to eat
Lord, is pepper like fire
I can’t stand the burning I bawling for water
So big-belly Ramlal, come
With a coolie drum and a dhantal
Singing every time I passing gal you grinding massala} Repeat
Grinding massala, grinding massala
And every time I passing well she grinding massala
I can’t get a chance,
Ramsingh scrambled me we started to dance
Lord, Ruth, Soojan and Boodie
The three maharajh in the ceremony
So Facil and Pharaoh
They drink they grog, they start with they leggo
Singing bombay say doolahini di array dabouji } Repeat
So these few apaches,
Took part in the ceremony
Well yes is Apang, Bachan, Ahir,
Goondir, Ramdan and Sookhir
Lord, I had to laugh at Palchan
These guys playing American
CHORUS:
Singing tousan Amelican landed in Port of Spain
Some come by battle ship, some come by yaeroplane
Cake-Sticking
A wedding reception is a nice nice thing
But they have a right to cut out the cake sticking
The other day I took my wife to a wedding
And they called on she for cake sticking
I growl like a tiger when I see she
Sticking the cake with a feller nicer than me
CHORUS:
I mean to say
If he kiss she on she cheek for about half second
I can understand
But the man he hugging and kissing
Like chewing gum stick on to a warm piece of iron
Some husbands will agree deceitfully
For they wife to go and stick the cake with Harry
That time they grinding like a sugar mill
And fuss they angry yes they want to kill
Don't talk 'bout if the feller is a better kisser
They fouty collapse they with yellow fever
More fever friends yes this ain't no fun
When they finish if he see all she lipstick gone
The other day at my tantie Dursie wedding
Don't talk 'bout they had a nice gathering
They call on a feller they call Mr. Blake
And another feller woman to stick the cake
The feller believe he didn't have reason
Jump off he chair and say never happen
Put me out if you like this foolishness
Let he get he own girl if he want to kiss
No joke I making I want you believe
The next wedding I go to with my wife name Eve
I feel they go put she out of the place
Because she wearing a iron mask on she face
And if they call on she for cake sticking
No objection friend no joke I making
When the feller go to kiss he wouldn't be fresh
He would be kissing the iron and not she flesh
No Crime No Law
The government of every country
Should pay a criminal a big salary
And when they commit a crime
The law wouldn’t give them any long time
The police should be glad when one break a door
Lock a neck, buss a face or break open a store
They should be merry when somebody violate the law
For that is what the government is paying them for
CHORUS:
And if somebody don’t buss somebody face
How the policeman going to make a case?
And if somebody don’t dig out somebody eye
The Magistrate will have nobody to try
And if somebody don’t kill somebody dead
All the judges going to beg their bread
So when somebody cut off somebody head
Instead of hanging they should pay them money instead
Green Fowl
Big trouble with a rooster that I had }
And a parrot where I live in Fyzabad } repeat
You know I never see that since I born
I had to stop giving any rooster corn
The drake new in the yard, rooster kill he dead
And now like he planning to capture me parrot head
The parrot say, be careful, be careful, be careful
How you getting on when you belly full
For if you rush me as the duck
You go get your death
Because I sure that you never see a green fowl yet
Every morning and evening where I living
Me neighbours complaining
Lord, sometimes 'bout them pigeons
Or them little baby chickens just born
What a funny rooster
He ain't passing nothing once it got feathers
I stand up in the yard, I watch till I fall
But when he karray at the parrot, the parrot bawl
Big trouble that I had last Saturday
With a turkey that I bought from Garroway
You know how these turkies big and strong
You should see how my rooster knock him down
A child in the yard crying out 'Daddy!
Come and see how the rooster kill the turkey!'
The parrot upstairs he watching everything
And when the bacchanal done he start to laugh and sing
You fix up, you fix up properly
Last time it was duck, this time is turkey
But when you come at me you go get your bet
For I sure that you never see a green fowl yet!
Just Dey
Well a domestic servant from San Souci }
Meet me on the beach last Sunday } Repeat
I put in a little old talk
She agreed and so we started to walk
But when I met the first mile post
A car came up and ask us if we want a drop
CHORUS:
Don’t worry to take any taxi Figs
It ain’t far I going just dey
I does walk this journey home almost every day
It ain’t far look is right dey
Well I walk a mile and a half again
This time well my back in pain
But to every mile post that I past she go say
It ain’t far again just dey
I always hear how these Toco girls can walk
I didn’t believe the talk
Man she take off that day just like Ashe
I fighting my way
Partner when I meet a mile and a half
I couldn’t even spot the craft
My eyes get dark my body in pain
And I perspiring like rain
Well I walk till I met the Government school
Panting like any mule
But the woman with her deceitful speech
Darling we almost reach
A giddiness held me and I fall
I wake up in the hospital
When I revive the nurse say the doctor say
I was still twenty miles away
My Shadow
(Stanza 1)
Partner yes I want to know
Tell me why my shadow does get on so
Partner yes I want to know
Tell me why my shadow does get on so
Because when I wake in the morning
If I only scratch my shadow scratching
I go to only Mandey I telling you
And as I lift up my head he lift he own too
I vex I really vex yes I want to know
Tell me why my shadow does get on so
I make a joke and I kiss my neighbour monkey
And my shadow kissing too mocking me
CHORUS:
(Stanza 4)
Partner but Mr. Wilfred
He tell me how to cut off my shadow head
Oh Lord
He say half pass one
To go and put my head just welcome the engine
That's all I have to do and I feel he right
So my head on the train line tomorrow night
(AT GRAVESIDE)
Name the next singer
His stories frank yet laced with humour
His Hindi songs brought him fame
Like Indian Girls with Them Creole Names
My Wife Gone
My wife left me in November
To go with a yankee soldier } Repeat
She said Kitch I am so sorry
But you can’t afford to make me happy
I told her darling come back to me
She shook her head so pitifully
CHORUS:
And told me Kitch don’t look so sad
I may join you back in Trinidad
I have made up my mind to go
You can’t support me on calypso
I turned and said to my darling
Why it is you are leaving
She said you might not believe me
But the yankee has plenty money
And since I have him as my boyfriend
I get a lot of money to spend
So Kitchie darling you must agree
That is what you can’t give to me
So I sat my wife on the sofa
To see if I can influence her
I said dear you should know better
Than to fall in love with a soldier
A man who lives like a hermit
And hires himself as a target
She says your criticism is fine
But you cannot make me change my mind
I don’t care what you think of me
Tomorrow I bound for New York City
Follow Me Children
They got a lot of preachers that is preaching round the town
If I was a police well I was sure to take some down } repeat
Ah for the man that say he's Christ
Mama well he always dress up nice
So much a pretty gown
Don't talk about his golden crown
Fooling people in town.
CHORUS:
Follow me children you will never die
Wai yai yai look water in me eye
Follow me children you will never die
Remember Noah in the Ark
And you bound to do your part
Follow me children you will never die
Those scamps wouldn't shave they moustache or they beard
They wouldn't trim they hair well if you see those people head
And fuss I love to hear those monsters croon
They really got some sweet calypso tune
Then the garment very nice
For carnival they sure to get first prize
They got the song and they got the pretty gown
Is trouble in town.
One night I take me fastness and I went up Hill and Hall
When I reach the door they wouldn't let me pass at all
I had to use the password which is peace be unto you.
A fellar with a sword then let me through
Yes I did fraid the mallet man
He pose off like the Killer in the band
A woman with a big glass of water in she hand
Wetting down the smart man
Young Brigade Song
Young brigade again
We young and we got the brain
Tell them we ain't fraid
We go mash up the Old Brigade.
