Videos

Comments

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  Glenroy R Joseph March 25, 2013 at 10:16am

  Recently, I heard Academy Award winning  music producer Clive Davis make a comment about Frank Sinatra that made me think of the Mighty Sparrow.

  Talking about singers compared to singer-songwriters, he said that the great  Sinatra, who was not a songwriter, made a point of crediting the composer of every song that he sang during his performances.

  We all acknowledge Sparrow as one of, if not the greatest of all calypso singers and composers ever, but there is no dispute the he did not compose all his material.

  This is common among the world's most talented performers, and there is no demerit.

  Of all the accomplishments of the great Sparrow, I've always been disappointed by his reluctance to credit his composers and co-writers for their contributions, as if it would have tarnished his image. 

  The greatness of Dr Slinger Francisco, The legendary  Mighty Sparrow, is set in stone.

  It is a matter of historical record, and being big enough to credit those who contributed to his success along the way will not detract from it, or tarnish his cultural contributions in any way.
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  Albert John Simon March 25, 2013 at 9:38am

  Glenroy, you have stirred up a lot of interest as a result of Dr. Bird's Video. We need a lot more of these constructive comments going forward. I thoroughly enjoy the many comments being generated on WST. It is noted that Bob Diaz mentioned Sniper's "Portrait of  Trinidad" and Baker's  "God Bless Our Nation". These are two classics and it would be nice to have these showcased on WST along with Sparrow's "A Model Nation". Whenever I perform at any Trini Charity event here in Toronto, Portrait of Trinidad and God Bless Our Nation must be included in my performance.Still a True, True Trini yuh know.
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  Mervyn Taylor March 24, 2013 at 4:15pm

  i think this question of who was the boss of the doubl'entendre might also be about who was the best creator of such lyrics. kitch wrote his own, sparrow some, not all. but whatever the case, there's hardly any doubt that the Bird was best when it came to the rendering of such songs. his subtlety, timing, phrasing multiplied the effect of the innuendos a hundred times... 
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  Albert John Simon March 24, 2013 at 2:10pm

  Glenroy, Thank you for your quick answer to my question. I agree with you that Sparrow is indeed the King of suggestive or Double Entendre Calypso. Why I asked this question is due to the fact that I was viewing a video of a Tribute to Lord Kitchener held at The National Stadium in the early 1990s and a well known calypsonian made a statement that "The King of Suggestive Calypsoes" should be added to Kitch's many other titles.My response was that is incorrect and that it might have been made in the heat of the moment.
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  Glenroy R Joseph March 24, 2013 at 11:58am

  Thank you, Michaele.

  The soca-calypso sounds of the eighties and nineties produced some of the richest, most  powerful, lyrical calysoes ever, since masters like Super Blue, Sparrow, Kitch, Rootsman, Shadow, Stalin, Scrunter Baron and many others were all in their prime.

  We sometimes forget how musically rich that era was.
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  Glenroy R Joseph March 24, 2013 at 11:48am

  Albert, Sparrow was  by far the most sophisticated calypsonian of them all when it came to suggestive or double entendre calypsos in the early days.

   To the extent that he was even chided by other calypsonians for his lyrics, though they were relatively mild, particularly by today's standards.

  I can't remember the singer, but the lyrics of a popular calypso back then expressed the feelings of many:

  "Sparrow, Sparrow, telling you as man,

  Ah like your tune, but not your composition.

  This smutty calypso singing must stop,

  For the sake of the young ones that coming up".
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  Albert John Simon March 24, 2013 at 11:32am

  Very suggestive calypso by Sparrow. I have this 33LP as part of my Sparrow Collection.Good soca tempo by Leston Paul. That Drum Machine does indeed carry a consistent tempo. I have a Yamaha Drum Machine.

   

  Glenroy, in your professional opinion, who is the king of suggestive calypso Sparrow or Kitchener? I await your answer in this respect.

  I agree with your  note on Leston Paul. 
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  Michaele March 24, 2013 at 11:30am

  Thanks Glenroy.
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  Glenroy R Joseph March 24, 2013 at 10:42am

  A fine example of the Soca-calypso sound of the nineteen eighties.