Long ago Calypsonians told us the future of world events and what would happen to PAN the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. KING Austin (Progress), in one of his lines he told us the world would become divided between race. color, creed and class and another line said if this is progress how long will it last. it reminds me of the middle east. Sparrow (Document the Pan) he said document the Pan. it reminds me of standardizing the Pan like the piano and copyrites issues with Pans. Crazy (In time to come) in one of his lines he told us in time to come America will have a black President. Merchant (Pan in danger) in one of his lines told us ask Boogsie ask Bertie them go tell you Pan in danger. it reminds me of the eviction of Birdsong. Kitchener (No Pan) in one of his lines he told us we rump we jump to the brass band but we sure miss the beat of the steelband. it reminds me of the increasing number of bands for panorama as against the decreasing number of bands on the road on Carnival days Calypsonians told us the future of world events and Pan the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago a long time ago in Calypso Music. AH LIE ?. BLESSINGS.
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Just a word of caution before we get carried away. Calypsonians are NOT prophets. They are oral artists who give us in poetic form, using the best of our language, the common and the everyday. Many of the claimed prophetic utterances were in fact already common on the street understandings but rendered in superb poetic form. Calypsonians take the common and elevate them into works of art. The genius of “Progress” was not in the supposed prophetic vision, since the ideas were already commonplace, but in the masterly rendition of the writer and singer who gave us an accessible and memorable work of art in song.
We all know that Calypsonians and Calypo writers are not prophets and cannot tell the future, all I am saying is the predictions made by Calypsonians many many years ago have truthfully came to past. for example; Crazy's Calypso In time to come from the year 2000. he predicted America will have a black President, Trinidad and Tobago will have a female Prime Minister, Calypso king will get one million dollars and Panorama will pay for house and land. and most of his predictions came to past. NUFF SAID BLESSINGS.
Earl Richards: There are times when you have to sit back and listen and learn!!! So let us listen to what Mr. Trotman has to say!!!
Most insightful comment on calypso I have ever read on this forum!!!
Another view point…https://commentariesonthetimes.me/2012/01/09/long-live-calypso/
As lyricists Calypsonians employ all of the devices used by great poets: complex allusions, graphic imagery, extended metaphor, rhythmic complexity, double entendre, allegory, satire, parody, burlesque, pathos, bathos and symbolism. And like the Bard of Avon, the father of all poets who write in English – although Hip Hop poets owe more to the French Playwright Moliere – they tell complex tales in verse. It is difficult enough to write good poetry, but the Calypsonians’ task is complicated by the fact that they must write serious poetry to music. And all the masters have managed to pull it off marvelously!
In his narrative of life in this Trinidadian town Chalk Dust aka Dr. Hollis Liverpool, relates the saga of a nation. His performance is deeply moving. This is no accident, for Dr. Liverpool believes that the analysis of society rendered by Calypsonians is just as incisive and it should be considered on par with academically trained social scientist.
In a 2008 speech at the University of Trinidad and Tobago UTT – where he is Honorary Distinguished Fellow, he offered the following analysis. “Most governments never recognized calypsonians as being intellectually stimulating in the same way as social scientists…. governments don’t see artistes as capable of research.” But he argued that both groups analysis “depend, to a large extent, on common sense,” and that compared to the work of social scientists the observations of Calypsonians were just as “potent, authoritative, and true…and their conclusions are the same in most undertakings.”
Good read, odw. Except that very few calysonians write their own calypsoes. All that credit that Crazy and Sparrow getting (in this article) for writing all these brilliant lyrics is completely undeserving.
I understand the ever continuing need to justify and legitimize the social function of the calypsonian. But while both calypsonian and social scientist do (or should do diligent) research there is an important distinction between the two ways in which they disseminate their information. While the calypsonian has these poetic devices which they can employ as part of their poetic license, the social scientist has to provide evidence and proof of their assertions. Look at the dilemma which is created when we too easily conflate calypsonians with social scientists. Brother Marvin’s Jahaji Bai was criticized for some of its statements as if it was a doctoral dissertation and was not afforded the benefit of poetic license. Some of Chalkdust’s calypso statements although brilliant poetry may not pass muster if it had been offered as Dr. Liverpool, the social scientist.
The “economy of words”, which is the form of the calypso, imposes limitations not shared by the social scientist. As a result, the calypsonian often opts for verbal convenience rather than the possibility of nuanced exploration of a topic which is afforded the social scientist by their form of dissemination. The calypsonian sings to evoke awareness and encourage discussion; the social scientist often writes as if theirs was the final or only word on the topic. The calypsonian has a conversation with a wide popular audience; the social scientist often has a narrower audience in mind and hence writes in the esoteric language of that smaller audience. Moreover, it is not only that some of these artists have writers but also that calypsonians are also commercial artists with demanding audiences and they often prefer the well said, audience-pleasing statement than those which could stand the test of logic and evidence.
When you consider the CORE AUDIENCE of calypso, "logic and evidence" are not necessary elements in their arsenal of appreciation. Furthermore, exaggeration and reversal and word play and gossip and racism and PNMism and innuendo and street smarts and incongruity and revelation and false praise and flattery and parody and illogical evidence and sexual prowess and conquest and smartmanism ... among other cultural entertainment tools -- all contribute to the artform.
Mr. Trotman: I would like you to do a review/critique of "PROGRESS" for the forum.
Brother Marvin - Jahaji Bhai
Earl Richards: You have the makings of a good article on calypso with this topic. You should contact Peter Blood or Alvin Daniel or Dr. Gordon Rohlehr or Raffique Shah or Sharmain Baboolal and work with them for more background and development and polishing of your argument.
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