The ultimate classic calypso anthology!
Return with us to Port of Spain, Trinidad during Carnival in 1938, '39, and '40. In 1938 Decca Records in New York shipped recording equipment to Trinidad, giving producer Ralph Perez carte blanche to record what is now acknowledged as the greatest library of calypso music ever captured! New calypsos, old calypsos, topical songs, dance bands, shango and shouter Baptist hymns, carnival chants, stick-fighter songs, and much else. The quality, variety, depth and breadth of what Perez captured was so impressive that Decca financed return trips in 1939 and '40! In all over 267 performances were recorded, and all surviving masters are included complete here on 10 CDs.
35 unissued masters are featured, many not released at the time because of restrictions imposed by local censors who became nervous when calypso bards turned to controversial and political topics; but calypso always thrived on scandal, and told the truth to those in power. And so these songs document sensational labour riots and the political fallout, together with songs that capture the gathering storm that led to World War II. Closer to home, calypsonians addressed and described adulterers, local politicians, sportsmen, thieves, gossipers, peeping toms, prostitutes, and a bevy of colourful street brawlers with names like Joe Laugher, Greasy Pole, Gumbo Lai Lai.
Track Listing
Disc 1:
- Ted Herold - Hold Your Hand Madam Khan
- Codallo's Top Hatters Orch. - Bastardy
- Various - History - Ida, Ida Let Me Know
- Various - History - The History Of Man
- Various - History - Sunny Grenada
- Harmony Kings' Orch. - Anything For Love
- Various - History - Don't Touch Me
- Various - History - Jack's Broth
- Various - History - Madam Khan
- Caresser - The More They Try To Do Me Bad
- Various - History - I Want To Build A Bungalow
- Codallo's Top Hatters Orch. - Excursion To Granada
- Lion - Ba Boo La La
- Lion - I Don't Want No Bungalow
- Atilla The Hun - Tres Bemoles
- Cyril Monrose String Orch. - Commission's Report
- Atilla The Hun - Joe Louis
- Caresser - Ruby Canera
- Various - History - I Am Going To Buy A Bungalow
- Lion - Emmalene
- Various - History - Seven Skeletons Found In The Yard
- Lord Executor - My Troubles With Dorothy
- Various - History - Clear The Way When The Bamboo Play
- Caresser - Me And My Neighbour Don't Agree
- Coggins, Joe - Will Dispute
- Coggins, Joe & Zeda - Shout All Guiana
- Scott, Ralph Fitz - Why I Killed Winifred
Disc 2:
- Various - History - Li'l, Li'l Gal
- Harmony Kings' Orch. - The Orphan Children
- Lord Executor - Rubina
- Caresser - Back To Grenada
- Harmony Kings' Orch. - The Lajebeless Woman
- Lord Executor - Theresa
- Caresser - Show Me What You Could Do
- Coggins, Joe - The Bushwoman Come To Town
- Scott, Ralph Fitz - Lillian
- Caresser - The Censoring Of Calypso Makes Us Glad
- Lord Executor - The Bamboo Band
- Black Prince - Shango
- Caresser - Deliso
- Atilla The Hun - Mr. Nankivell's Speech
- Various - History - Cicilia
- Caresser - Exploiting
- Various - History - My Wedding Celebration
- Various - History - School Boys' Adventure
- Black Prince - The Banning Of Records
- Atilla The Hun - West Indian Rhythm
- Various - History - The Governor's Resignation
- Various - History - The Horrors Of War
- Various - History - Victoria
- Cyril Monrose String Orch. - Jimpy's Ingratitude
- Atilla The Hun - Not Me With Matrimony
- Various - History - The League Of Nations
- Lord Executor - Togabo's Scandal
Disc 3:
- Various - History - Captain, Put Me Ashore
- Zeda - Give Me Back My Ring
- Coggings, Joe - Ancient Carnival
- Lion - Hojoe
- Various - History - Sa Gomes' Emporiums
- Various - History - It's A Sin T Tell A Lie
- Various - History - Heroes Of Old
- Various - History - Vitalogy
- Various - History - I Am Happy To Be In Love
- Various - History - Poppy Day
- Lord Executor - We Mourn The Loss Of Sir Murchison Fletcher
- Various - History - The Strike
- Atilla The Hun - The Normandie
- Various - History - We Want Sa Gomes
- Carnival's Vagabonds - The Drinker And The Gambler
- Atilla The Hun & Lord Executor - How I Spent My Time At The Hospital
- Lord Executor - Peter, Go Ring Dem Bells
- Fitzjames Williams' Sextet - What Kind Of Shoes You Going To Wear
- Various - History - When Me Body Lay Down In The Grave
- Lion - Jonah, Come Out The Wilderness
- Various - History - Mamy Mine My Baby For Me
- Various - History - Ting A Ling Mi Bangola
- Various - History - African War Call
- Various - History - Play Mass, Don't Do Me That
- Al Philip Iere Syncopators - Little Gal, Mother Is Calling You
- Various - History - Fire Brigade
- Atilla The Hun - Archie Boulay
- Various - History - They Say I Reign Too Long
Disc 4:
- Lord Executor - Manuelita
- Atilla The Hun - The Beautiful Land Of Iere
- Tiger - Civil War In Spain
- Tiger - I Don't Want Them To Stand Me Bail
- Various - History - Next Door Neighbour
- Various - History - I Want A Radio At Home
- Black Prince - Where Was Butler'
- Atilla The Hun - The Vendor's Song
- Lion - Guests Of Rudy Vallee
- Lion & Atilla The Hun - Why Me Craf Vex With Me (Why Me Neighbour...)
- Emery Cournard Serenaders - Under The British Commander (The Gold In...)
- Various - History - Tina
- Lion - Tropical Heat
- Codallo's Top Hatters Orch. - Barre-A-Oh
- Williams, John & Blue Rhythm.. - Marian
- Various - History - Girls Of Today
- Lion - Man, Man, Man Peter
- Various - History - Nellie Go Out Mi Door
- Lord Executor - Down The Road
- Tiger - Darling Kimberlin
- Various - History - Senorita Panchita
- Various - History - Emilia
- Various - History - El suspiro del pobre
- Cyril Monrose String Orch. - Love Has Done For Me
- Lion - Jim Congo Myer
- Atilla The Hun & Lord Executor - Gertrude
- Tiger - Miss Marie's Advice
Disc 5:
- Various - History - Lopez Contreras
- Codallo's Top Hatters Orch. - Tierras Lejanas
- Various - History - Linda Vista
- Various - History - Mi Vida
- Various - History - Old Man
- Growler - Only Foreigners
- Various - History - Calypso Behind The Wall
- Various - History - Too Botheration
- Various - History - History Of Woodbrook Vicinity
- Various - History - Happy Man
- Johnson, George & Rhythm Kings - Hitler Demands
- Growler - Bosie Darling
- Various - History - Trinidad Loves To Play Carnival
- Various - History - The Coldness Of The Water
- Various - History - In The Morning
- Various - History - Police Diplomacy
- Various - History - The Diamond Ring For Emmaline
- Various - History - Demasbar
- Lord Invader - Ten Thousand To Bar Me One
- Various - History - Buddy Abraham
- Lion - They Talk About Nora's Badness
- Lord Executor - Who Has Done The Most For Humanity
- Various - History - Love Me Emily
- Atilla The Hun - The Five Year Plan
- Various - History - Home Sweet Home
- Caresser - Time For Man Go Home
- Various - History - So Many Women
Disc 6:
- Various - History - Fare Thee Well
- Caresser - Woman Headache
- Lion - Malicious Neighbors
- Various - History - After The Bacchanal
- Lord Beginner - Chamberlain Says Peace
- Various - History - Christmas Morning The Rum Had Me Yawning
- Various - History - Don't Tickle Me Dorothy
- Various - History - In The Dew And The Rain
- Growler - I Don't Want No Calaloo
- Various - History - Mois La Travy
- Caresser - Peggy Dearie
- Various - History - Death
- Lion - Bee
- Various - History - Sweat Emily
- Various - History - Old Woman
- Various - History - Hooray Hurrah
- Various - History - Fire Girls
- Various - History - Elsie Jambie
- Various - History - Elsie
- King Radio - Old Men Come Back Again
- Various - History - Matilda
- Various - History - John O'Carr
- Various - History - It's The Rhythm We Want
- Various - History - The West Indian Sheik
- Atilla The Hun - Dem Policeman
- Various - History - La Belle Trinidad
- Various - History - Inequality Of Life
Disc 7:
- Various - History - My Life Of Matrimony
- Lord Executor - No Surrender
- Caresser - Fire, Fire In Port-on-Spain
- Various - History - If The Follow Me They Get Fever
- Various - History - Freddo
- Atilla The Hun - La Reine Maribone
- Various - History - Charming Trinidad
- Lion - Gabilan Bombay
- Atilla The Hun - Alla Nom (Go Way Nan)
- Lord Executor - You Better Let Me Go
- Caresser - I Am Free, Single And Disengaged
- Various - History - Don't Stop The Carnival
- Lord Invader - Sofie Bellah
- Various - History - Too Much Sorry And Pain
- King Radio - Joe Louis-Schmeling Fight
- Growler - Soup In Bottle
- Various - History - High Brown
- Various - History - Bad Woman Oh
- Lion - Blow Wind Blow
- Various - History - Kash Kash Kmona
- Various - History - Customs Fire
- Various - History - The Power Of The Lion
- Various - History - Where Is My Sister This Morning
- Various - History - Ara Da Da
- Various - History - Scorpion
- Atilla The Hun - The New Shop Law
- Lord Executor - My Indian Girl Love
- Various - History - Bing Crosby
- Lion - Mama I Want It
Disc 8:
- Various - History - Memories Of Trinidad
- Cabral, George - Amanja Soqua Me
- Caresser - Two Bad Men In The World
- Lord Executor - Gambo Lai Lai Before The Court
- Lord Executor - Leave Me Alone Dorothy
- Growler - Advantageous Young Girls
- Growler - Adeline
- Pretender - You Felt Me Bundle Before The Dro
- Black Prince - Hitler
- Lord Ziegfield - My Intention Is To Join The Volunteers
- Lord Invader - Hitler Demanded Trinidad
- Various - History - Romance In The Moonlight
- Various - History - Caro At Point Cumana
- Various - History - Ochro And Rice
- Various - History - The Invasion Of Poland
- Lion - Sir Neville Chamberlain
- Lion - Hitler's Mistake
- Various - History - Freedom And Liberty
- Caresser - Clementina
- Various - History - Not So Carolina
- Various - History - Finland
- Atilla The Hun - My Impressions Of Demerara
- King Radio - Sedition Law
- Various - History - Two Sisters Scandal
- Various - History - Run Your Run Hitler
- Lord Beginner - Hitler's Attitude
- Lion - Brambroocoo Dance
- Gorilla - Appetite
Disc 9:
- Various - History - Let Them Fight For Ten Thousand Years
- Tiger - Lion Oh
- Lion - Carnival Revue
- Sa Gomes Rhythm Boys & Cambul. - Do You Remember Me'
- Caresser - Second Hand Girls
- Lord Beginner - Cocoa Tea Puzzle To Me
- Various - History - No No No Miss Angeline
- Tiger - In My Own Native Land
- Various - History - When I Marry Dorothy
- Growler - Emily
- King Radio - Germany Invade Poland
- Various - History - Story Of Mr. Paul
- Mighty Destroyer - Matrimony Becomes A Papyshow
- Various - History - Lillian's Slackness
- Lord Ziegfield - Don't Worry With Me
- Various - History - Bertha I Feel You
- Growler - No, No, Marie
- Various - History - Demi Gal
- Various - History - Nazi Spy Ring
- Lion - Ah Neighbours Neighbours
- Tiger - Happy Land Of Canaan
- Lion - Suzi-Qu
- Lion - I Send My Wife To The Market
- Various - History - Shango Dance
- Various - History - Rada Dance
Disc 10:
- Various - History - La Vieja Mila
- Quintana, Luis Daniel - Carnival Again
- Lord Executor - Sambo Why You Are Go
- Various - History - Patria Preferida
- Quintana, Luis Danie - Gambie Law Ray
- Atilla The Hun - The Admiral Graf Spee
- Various - History - No Wedding Bells For Me
- Various - History - Li Li Pierrot Darrie
- Various - History - Send Hitler To St. Helena
- Various - History - Teener Have Sympathy
- Lord Beginner - The Guardian Contest
- King Radio - The War
- Various - History - Harold Change Your Mind
- Growler - Women Diplomacy
- Various - History - Orphan Home
- Lion - Ellis Nottingham
- Tiger - Policeman
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