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Silvertones Steel Orchestra"The Happy Wanderer"( Trinidad Carnival Road March 1955)

Posted by Glenroy R Joseph on October 1, 2011 at 12:04pm
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Tags: stars, selwyn, sello, gomes, silver
"The Happy Wanderer" was a German pop song by Friedrich-Wilhelm Möller that topped the UK singles charts in 1954.It's popularity was such that it won the coveted Road March title for Trinidad Carnival 1955, stirring up protests over a"foreign" tune being chosen for Road march.This was the only non calypso tune ever to win Road March, and could actually be considered a "Bomb" tune.Here, from the album "Road Marches through the Years(1937 - 2004) is the old Silvertones Steel Orchestra of Port of Spain and the 1955 Road March, "The Happy Wanderer"(Valdarie Valdarah).

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  • Glenroy R Joseph November 6, 2011 at 7:19pm

    I think I'll take your word for it, Neville, unless someone can prove differently.

    (Sorry, Ian Franklin)

  • Neville Muradali November 6, 2011 at 4:31pm
    About 2.30 pm today on WACK. Steve Sealy on "Pan inyour Pewefen" played this same piece and said it was "Silvertones"
  • Glenroy R Joseph November 6, 2011 at 1:11pm

    @Neville Muradali asserts that this is not Silver Stars as has been suggested. He says this is definitely the old Silvertones Steel Orchestra from Port of Spain.

    (Not to be confused with "my' WASA Silvertones from Sando)

    Does anyone have any information?

  • Neville Muradali October 9, 2011 at 6:48pm
    This is not Silver Stars, but the "Old" Silvertones
  • Vernon Peter Morancie October 5, 2011 at 12:19am

    Reminiscence of my childhood days, this tone, rhythm and melody were what gave me the fever to want to run away from home.This is nostalgia...it's a pity.... I wonder if these young pannists understand my vibes?....This was your community steelband performing in the streets of Port of Spain during Carnival Monday.J'Ouvert! Every villager wanted to be either in front the band or behind, ensuring that no other steelband or stranger(outsider,non-villager) trespass to cause mayhem and dismay.

    Yes, steelbands used to play out in all those Carnival fetes. Before J'Ouvert start, you would find out where your favourite or community steelband was performing and be there. Most steelbands would prepare a non-calypso song for the road.Notwithstanding, this song would be arranged in calypso tempo.It was called, as is still today, a 'Bomb Tune'. After the fete, your steelband assembled on the street, your head nice, your friends grouped together and your steelband 'striked up'...then the bacchanal started.

    Yes, this performance by Silver Stars Steel Orchestra brings back that feelings. Play on Silver Stars! Play on!

  • Lennox Borel October 3, 2011 at 12:34pm

    Well done, Sello. I remember this road march very well.

    Lennox Borel

  • Glenroy R Joseph October 3, 2011 at 10:12am

    Thank you, Ian Franklin, your word is good enough for me!

    And also thanks to everyone else for their input.

    That's what this forum is all about!

  • Val Seales October 3, 2011 at 12:02am

    Ooooppss we've got the answer to the band that played this tune in 1955.   Still amazing!!!!

  • Val Seales October 2, 2011 at 11:58pm
    Love it.....When I was a young girl and because of my name (Valerie) I had to sing this tune to everyone that visited our home. .....ha ha ha  I will do some research and see if someone can come up with the name of the steelband that played this Road March version of The Happy Wanderer way back in 1955. AMAZINGLY DONE!!!
  • Ian Franklin October 2, 2011 at 7:01pm

    " The Happy Wonderer" was played by Silver Stars. The arrangement was done by Selwyn "Sello" Gomes, who now in Canada.

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