Showing posts with label West Indian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label West Indian. Show all posts
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Jamaican Farewell
Harry Belafonte
Jimmy Buffet
Down the way where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
CHORUS:
But I'm sad to say, I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down, my head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
Sounds of laughter everywhere
And the dancing girls swaying to and fro
I must declare that my heart is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico
CHORUS
Down at the market you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their head they bear
Ackie rice and salt fish is nice
And the rum is good any time of year
CHORUS
CHORUS
"Jamaica Farewell" is a famous calypso about the beauties of the West Indian Islands often believed to be called "Kingston Town" due to its mention in the lyrics.
The lyrics for the song were written by Lord Burgess (Irving Burgie). Lord Burgess was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1926. His mother was from Barbados and his father was from Virginia. The song first appeared on Harry Belafonte's phenomenally successful album Calypso. It reached number fourteen on Billboard's Pop chart.
Though many, including Belafonte himself, have said that the song was popular in the West Indies since long before Burgess, it is believed that Burgess compiled and modified the song from many folk pieces to make a new song, and it is indubitable that it was Belafonte who popularised the song outside the Caribbean Islands. Burgess acknowledged his use of the tune of another calypso, "Iron Bar".
Other well-known singers of "Jamaica Farewell" include Sir Lancelot, Jimmy Buffett, Sam Cooke, Nina & Frederik, Pat Rolle and Carly Simon.
The term "ackee rice" found in the lyrics refers to the fruit of a tropical tree indigenous to the Ivory Coast and Gold Coast of West Africa; taken to Jamaica in 1793. It has some poisonous properties, yet if properly prepared the fruit is often used as a food additive.
This song has been translated into many languages. For example, in Bangla, there exist several translations, some of which are quite well-known. One Bengali version of the song became an important anthem for the Naxalite revolutionary movement in the 1970s and thus has significance for Bengali intellectuals in Kolkata society.
In his album "My Son the Folk Singer," Allan Sherman included a parody of the song: "I'm upside down, my head is turning around, because I gotta sell the house in Levittown!"
This song was featured in Rabbids Go Home at numerous parts of the game.
One Love
Bob Marley
One love, One heart
Let's get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying (One Love)
Hear the children crying (One Heart)
Sayin' give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
Sayin' let's get together and feel all right
Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One Love)
There is one question I'd really love to ask (One Heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me
One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning (One Love)
So shall it be in the end (One Heart)
Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
One more thing
Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One Love)
So when the Man comes there will be no no doom (One Song)
Have pity on those whose chances grove thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation
Sayin' One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right
I'm pleading to mankind (One Love)
Oh Lord (One Heart)
Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
Let's get together and feel all right
One Love/People Get Ready" is a reggae/Rhythm and blues song by Bob Marley & The Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. It was first recorded in a ska style by Marley's original group, The Wailers, on their 1965 debut album The Wailing Wailers. It has also been included on many of their compilation albums, making it an influential classic. The song contains an interpolation of The Impressions' song "People Get Ready" written by Curtis Mayfield. Marley's hybrid version is titled, "One Love / People Get Ready,"[1] and it gives co-authorship credits to both Marley and Mayfield. This song was inspired by Marley's friend Roman Selvaggio a North Caribbean painter.
A posthumous music video was created for the song in 1984 to accompany the Bob Marley "Legend" compilation album. It combines footage of a young British boy, Jesse Lawrence, in London and archival footage of Marley. It also features several cameo appearances including Paul McCartney of The Beatles, two members of Bananarama, and Suggs and Chas Smash of Madness - some of the short clips in this video are also in Madness' video for their song The Return of the Los Palmas 7. The song was also released alongside the video and gave Marley a posthumous UK hit single when it reached number 5 in June.
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