Golden Oldies Of Calypso ..wmv
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GRJ . I cannot remember hearing "One Hand Adolphus from Tobago " but there is a guy who I would check for he has good knowledge of Calypso and quite a collection .
Long time I haven't heard these tunes. Great memories!
And I always thought Slammer was a Bajan (by the accent).
These calypsos represent another aspect of calypso comedy, where the humor was not necessarily in the lyrics, but the singer's personality and presentation.
Hey, Steve there is a calypso by Blakie I've been looking for, part of which goes :
"It have a badjohn name that they call him, Big Chet from Tokyo.
But when ah finish wid him he go be One Hand Adolphus from Tobago"
Do you know it?
The laughing man was a manikin on display in the window at Salvatori’s store on Frederick Street down town Port of Spain some time in the fifties. This was the period before malls and Frederick Street was the major shopping centre. Adults took kids to observe this manikin erupt in simulations of laughter which amused kids and I suspect many adults. I suspect that Blakie is using the opportunity to hint at the use of humour/laughter to deal with problems- a theme picked up later by Chalkdust. It is quite likely that this is a reprise done long after the laughing man had any real meaning. Relator’s mature voice as MC suggests this to me since at the time when the calypso was first sung Relator would have been too young to have that role. The audience is perhaps responding to Blakie’s antics on stage. Blakie’s voice too plus some errors in the lyrics (more in pronunciation) hints at an older Blakie.
I enjoyed the posting. Thanks.
Thanks for the memories.
If not mistaken, I think OmaJarrat was a SPC who worked mainly in the San Fernando market on Cipero Street. He was fearsome 6' 3'' and in good shape.
What is the Story Of the Laughing Man ? You asked for " Santa ", well here it is . Relator said that Slammer was the Bajan Calypso King of 1961 but his "March Monkey " was a very Big Hit here in T+T and we even thought that he made this Kaiso on the Police Man from San Fernando BKA " OmaJarrat " who it is said was the only Police to smoke in uniform . This actually was about a Police in Barbados but that we did not know then so OmaJarret was labelled "The March Monkey " . I suppose the March referred to Police marching and you would understand Monkey . Someone recently told me that this was the only Calypso that Slammer made and that he was related to Popo who was from Grenada but also a Very Big Hit here . Please enjoy these Golden Calypso Hits .