Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Calypsos -Too Hot To Handle


This rather warped copy of "Calypsos - Too Hot To Handle" on the Monogram label was found a fewyears ago but I forget exactly where. The rather risque songs are typical of the calypso of the time which dealt also with social issues and local politics, in fact anything that was news worthy in the West Indies at that time.

"Calypso rhythms can be traced back to the arrival of the first African slaves brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad. Forbidden to talk to each other, and robbed of all links to family and home, the African slaves began to sing songs. They used calypso, which can be traced back to West African kaiso, as a means of communication and to mock the slave masters.

Trinidad was colonized by the Spanish, received large numbers of French immigrants, and was later ruled by the British. This multi-colonial past has greatly impacted the development of calypso in Trinidad. Many early calypsos were sung in a French-Creole dialect called patois ("pat-was"). These songs, usually led by one individual called a griot, helped to unite the slaves.

Calypso singing competitions, held annually at Carnival time, grew in popularity after the abolition of slavery by the British in the 1830s. (It was the French who brought the tradition of Carnival to Trinidad.) The griot later became known as the chantuelle and today as the calypsonian."

Discover more about calypso HERE.


Duke Of Iron - I Left Her Behind For You

Hayden - He like It, She Like It

Marie Bryant - Don't Touch Me Tomato

Duke Of Iron - Music Lesson

Duke Of Iron - Postman


These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lots of fun. I've been looking for my Maya Angelou as she did a whole album of Calypso before being the Poet she is today! And the photo on the cover, not what you'd think. Cheers!

Russell CJ Duffy said...

Calypso has lost none of its fun and charm. Sadly the same thing cannot be said about a lot of modern pop music.

sylviasometimes said...

What a great fun listen, Michael!
And, as I've said before, I really like that you take the time to put background on this site...this was particularly interesting!
and now you've given me a smile, cuz...I like it, you like it! ;-D

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks all for your good feedback. Glad to hear these were enjoyed. I shall try and put some more calypso and related Caribbean music on here again soon.

S.P. said...

Sorry to find this a year late, but did you know that The Charmer is really Louis Farrakhan? I kid you not...

Wastedpapiers said...

Thanks for the extra info. Sid.. I did recently find that out when some kind person uploaded a whole Louis Farrakhan album onto their blog. I think it was Baikanage? ( see links )