Christmas' Digestifs / New Year's Apéritifs: Warm up mih Soul.[Song]

Uploaded by Babytriniangelz
WARM UP MIH SOUL
By Devanand Gattoo

Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Put up a pot and make some tea
Put it in a teacup and bring it for me
Put up a pot and make some tea
Put it in a teacup and bring it for me
You know I like it, darling, I like it real hot
So give me it, honey, straight from the pot.

Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

When I feel hungry, I always come to you
You does give me so much ah food, I don't know what to do
When I feel hungry, I always come to you
You does give me so much ah food, I don't know what to do
Don't mind you does give me worries to swell up mih head
If I only lose you, I sure to drop dead.

Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Every time I go to work, I thinking of you
You have me going mad, darling, all over you
Every time I go to work, I thinking of you
You have me going mad, darling, all over you
Come, darling, come, please come to me
Give me a hug and let us live happily

Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to  warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Warm up mih soul, darling, warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul
Darling, look, I feeling cold, I want something to warm up mih soul.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance! ..............................................................................................................................
 

A Note From The Gull

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Devanand Gattoo.

I will share with you at another time how I was first introduced to Devanand Gattoo, but at this moment, as driving snow outside is making work for blowers and ploughs, I just want the simple comfort of his song to wash over me.

I cannot think of a more appropriate song to dedicate to the world. Listening to it I am returned to the deep optimism that warms us every time that we recognise our common humanity. For whatever reason, inclement weather or emotional vulnerability/need, the singer is revealing his lack by asking his darling to help him to warm up his soul. My mind returns to Nasio Fonatine's song, "Turn your Hate around" where he acknowledges the power, greater than aggressive force, that one man's positive influence can have on another's life: "Countenance of one man brightens up another." or the song "People" by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world." 

Isolation of the human being can be necessary but only for brief periods and only in very extreme circumstances. Outside of those times, despite the walls that some of us erect to protect ourselves from hurt or to blind ourselves to our ties to our fellow men, we are continuously calling out to one another, continually pinging each other, looking for the assurance of human companionship and acceptance. It is social exclusion of varying decrees which is behind most of the crimes we commit against each other and I am willing to bet that it is social exclusion which is behind most of the acts we label as terrorist. Says the terrorist as she or he unleashes destruction, "In my weakness, you did not acknowledge. respect or accommodate my humanity" and in the case of the imperialist aggressor, I imagine a Cartman-like, "Respect mah authoritah!!!!" 

And what about divine exclusion? I remember at high school, after asking the Roman Catholic teacher if I should be praying for God, that her answer firmly assured me that there was a certain irreverence in my having entertained the thought of a needy God. He was after all, omnipotent and self-sufficient, she reminded me. I never accepted her answer and continued to argue, if only to myself, that God is in fact deeply affected by divine exclusion, that is, the desecration of His divinity in His Creation. "Hello, Papa God, How are you feeling today?" is how I would begin my prayers because for some reason, I have never been able to assume that God is whistling Dixie when His world is in turmoil.

Devanand Gattoo admits his human need and is not afraid to let the other know their importance in his life: 

"Every time I go to work, I thinking of you

You have me going mad, darling, all over you

Don't mind you does give me worries to swell up mih head

If I only lose you, I sure to drop dead."

Trinbagonians do not have to seek warmth in the chill of winter so Devanand Gattoo is talking about that general warmth of well being that is sought after [or ought to be] by all human beings. The love of his life gives him food and drink and companionship when he is in need. Despite their differences, all he really wants is to enjoy whatever joy their relationship brings.

All the souls all over this world are longing for the same warmth. As I listen, I am asking myself this question and not shielding myself from the harsh judgement which I deserve, "Over my lifetime, how many souls have I callously chased away from my warmth, that warmth which was never mine to withhold, but was given to me by God to share?"

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance! 
..............................................................................................................................

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Lazy Man [Song]

Uploaded by Babytriniangelz
LAZY MAN
By Rasika Dindial

Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk.

I tell you to clean to clean de yard and cut up de grass
I tell you to clean de yard...
I tell you to clean to clean de yard and cut up de grass
You say you could do it but you cyah hold a cutlass.

Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk.

Twice for de week you going with friends in de river
Twice for de week
Twice for de river you going with friends in de river
But I have to stay home an' wuk out mih liver.

Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk.

If I ask you to take me out you does refuse
If I ask you to take me out
If I ask you to take me out you does refuse
When I start to get on you always have an excuse.

Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk.

If I step out, I have to reach back before six
If I step out
If I step out, I have to reach back before six
If I only talk is plenty, plenty licks.

Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dey only want to sit down in de hammock and rock
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk
Dem man and dem so lazy dey doh want to wuk.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
..............................................................................................................................

A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Rasika Dindial.

"Rasika Dindial born on the 8th October in the district of Caroni. Her father is the veteran classical singer, Basdeo' Lappo' Dindial and her brother the popular Jairam Dindial. Rasika, like all singers who grew up in homes dominated by Indian songs and music began her career quite early and over the years has grown to become the Queen or Rani of Chutney in Trinidad and by extension The World.

Rasika's name today is household when it comes to classical and chutney songs-no one can forget her mega hits lazyman, ratiya poosoor, goomai chalay and the monster hit Dr. Sampath." SOURCE

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Who God Bless: Interview with Ras Shorty I [Video]

G.B.T.V. CultureShare ARCHIVES 1995: RAS SHORTY I Interview with Harold Pysadee at the home of Ras Shorty I and family,
Piparo, Trinidad, West Indies. 2-27-95


  Segment #1 of 2.


Segment #2 of 2.

..............................................................................................................................

 

A Note From The Gull

Thank your, Ras Shorty I, for the example of your faith in what is good, for your patience, for your music. "Who God Bless" is like an anthem for me and I am sure, for many others. The work continues, the music lives on.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so. 

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

"Chutney In Yuh Soca" [Video]

Uploaded by NevGT

"CHUTNEY IN YUH SOCA" (The Birth Of Chutney/Soca Music Documentary)
Directed and produced by Karen Martinez
A NEORAMA Filmworks Production for the Arts Council of England
and Channel Four Television.

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

This engrossing video provides a concise overview of the origins of chutney music in Trinidad and Tobago and the syncretisation process that produced our chutney/soca music. It features inputs from Ajala, Rawatie Ali, Brother Marvin, Cecil Fonrose, Chris Garcia, Rikki Jai, Satnarayan Maharaj, Sonny Mann, Marcia Miranda, D.J. Shamoon Mohammed, Mungal Patasar, Sundar Popo, Rohini Rampersad, Savitri Rampersad, Drupatee Ramgoonai and Dr. Rhoda Reddock. In addition to the interesting commentaries and performances, the viewer is treated to a distracting procession of visual delights. Our people and our country are just too beautiful for words.

The following are some excerpts:

Mungal Patasar: "The whole concept of men coming out in chutney is an anachronism. Men got involved later, far later on, when the society became more liberal and allowed men to sing chutney songs in public and went more for the beat rather than the meaning of the song. People like Sundar Popo and so ventured into the ladies' arena of singing these songs in public."

Drupatee Ramgoonai: "In '87 we started "Chutney Soca". I did the Hindi in "Chutney Soca" and I did the English in "Chutney Soca" - the English version:

I don't know 'bout kaiso, what I go tell this fella
He say he going to teach me a different kind of soca
Mix some tassa with some conga, throw in some paratha
A little congo pepper, mango, then you have the answer
Is chutney soca, yay chutney soca, is dat wey have me wining down so
Yay chutney soca, yay chutney soca, is dat wey make me feel to limbo...

I sang Indian tunes all my life and you know I wanted to do this mixture with the English and the Hindi songs, and then I wanted, you know, to go international. You know calypso is going international anyhow, so I just mix the two sounds together and there I....finally, when I sang this monster hit, "Mister Bissessar", it went, as far as I know, it went worldwide and there is where I brought in the tassa which is now being played all over. The tassa is a fast rhythm beat which blends together with the soca beat."

Brother Marvin: "The song Jahaji Bhai in Hindi means brotherhood of the boat. The conception of the song really is that all races you know came here by boat and I decide for us to unite, let us make Trinidad and Tobago our boat and all races would be brotherhood of that boat so we'd be jahaji bhai again. It's a very personal song to me because I am of, you know, different races. I may not look so but I am of different races."

Basdeo Panday: "Chutney/soca, chutney and soca, are two aspects of culture emanating from the two major ethnic groups in our society. This present trend towards cross-culturalisation in our music is therefore a step in the direction of national unity to which we aspire. And this harmony that exists between soca and chutney is a symbol of the type of complete harmonization that must characterise our society in years to come."

Rikki Jai: "It's very significant that chutney was played on the road for Carnival this year. As you know, in past years the festival has been a predominantly calypso oriented festival and this year with the advent of Sonny Mann's "Lotala", we found it moving from the chutney market on to mainstream Carnival activities. So it's a big plus for the East Indian people of Trinidad and Tobago. It's very significant for them. It makes them feel a lot more in the Carnival than they probably felt in the past."

..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Trinbago Independence [Song]

Uploaded by UCrr-Mr3OnImYmOX-K47WMbw
TRINBAGO INDEPENDENCE
By Dave Lall

Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya
Trinidad, Tobago Independence,
Fifty years and counting with confidence
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya.

Eric Williams and Panday ----------------
No mind how we voting, we does unite together
Eric Williams and Panday ----------------
No mind how we voting, we does unite together
Trinidad is nice, it's a paradise
Rich culture, beautiful land
Divided we'll always fall, but together we'll always stand.

Trinidad, Tobago Independence,
Fifty years and counting with confidence
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya

-------- chutney and tassa, steelpan and calypso
Mighty Sparrow and Yankaran and Sundar Popo
-------- chutney and tassa, steelpan and calypso
Mighty Sparrow and Yankaran and Sundar Popo
Fifty years is gone ------------ country strong
Looking forward, not going back
Stand up tall and proud to salute the Red, White and Black.

Trinidad, Tobago Independence,
Fifty years and counting with confidence
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya
Trinidad, Tobago Independence,
Fifty years and counting with confidence
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya
Trinidad, Tobago Republic ka hai amada ho gaya

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Dave Lall.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Jubilation Time For Trinbago [Song]

Uploaded by TheMusicforlife17
JUBILATION TIME IN TRINBAGO
By Mohip Poonwassie

Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Let's celebrate today our Independence Day
It's jubilation time in Trinbago
Everyone celebrating for so
From Mayaro to Toco, Los Iros to Scarborough
We dancing to chutney and calypso.

In 1962, fifty years aback
We national flag flew as they lowered the Union Jack
United as one as the anthem was sung
For the declaration at President's Ground
In 1962, fifty years aback
We national flag flew as they lowered the Union Jack
United as one as the anthem was sung
For the declaration at President's Ground
The whole country join in celebration,
Finally independent nation
The whole country join in celebration,
Finally independent nation.

Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Let's celebrate today our Independence Day
It's jubilation time in Trinbago
Everyone celebrating for so
From Mayaro to Toco, Los Iros to Scarborough
We dancing to chutney and calypso.

Mih aji used to say, "Don't be ungrateful
For what we have today we must be thankful.
Remember Papa Willy - Father of the Nation
Sir Clark and Hassanali, men of great vision."
Mih aji used to say, "Don't be ungrateful
For what we have today we must be thankful.
Remember Papa Willy - Father of the Nation
Sir Clark and Hassanali, men of great vision
They lay the foundation years ago
For the propagation of Trinbago
They lay the foundation years ago
For the propagation of Trinbago."

Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Let's celebrate today our Independence Day
It's jubilation time in Trinbago
Everyone celebrating for so
From Mayaro to Toco, Los Iros to Scarborough
We dancing to chutney and calypso.

Asphalt and oil, sugar, sand and sea
We country's rich soil boost the economy
Our sport ambassadors and diverse culture
We culinary flavours make us so popular
Asphalt and oil, sugar, sand and sea
We country's rich soil boost the economy
Our sport ambassadors and diverse culture
We culinary flavours make us so popular
As we celebrate this Golden Jubilee,
We must appreciate our sweet T&T
As we celebrate this Golden Jubilee,
We must appreciate our sweet T&T.

Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Let's celebrate today our Independence Day
It's jubilation time in Trinbago
Everyone celebrating for so
From Mayaro to Toco, Los Iros to Scarborough
We dancing to chutney and calypso.

Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Let's celebrate today our Independence Day
It's jubilation time in Trinbago
Everyone celebrating for so
From Mayaro to Toco, Los Iros to Scarborough
We dancing to chutney and calypso.

Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Sabase nache, dholak bajaye
Let's celebrate today our Independence Day!

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Mohip Poonwassie, for this sweet song celebrating our nation.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Unity [Song]

Uploaded by Trinnilicious4life
UNITY
By Sundar Popo

Any help with the lyrics of this beautiful song would be appreciated.

Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.
Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.

Trinidad Tobago the land of steelpan, limbo and calypso
Where creed and race enjoying this place
Is chutney and tassa for so.
Trinidad Tobago the land of steelpan, limbo and calypso
Where creed and race enjoying this place
Is chutney and tassa for so.

Discipline, production, tolerance with love and honesty
Discipline, production, tolerance with love and honesty
Join the band of unity in the land of T&T.

Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.
Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.

Our government of Trinbago want you all to share
This glorious, magic moment when love is in the air;
Our government of Trinbago want you all to share
This glorious, magic moment when love is in the air.

Peace and brotherhood of man is the song we sing,
Peace and brotherhood of man is the song we sing;
Unity and harmony is the message that we bring.

Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.
Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.

When we think of the West Indies, we think of Trinidad
Our hearts are free, our minds are free
Free from being sad.
When we think of the West Indies, we think of Trinidad
Our hearts are free, our minds are free
Free from being sad.

------------------------------
-----------------------------
------------ jai jai, Trinidad.

Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.
Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.

We can boast of racial unity, international harmony
The land of sunshine, wealth and beauty
Blessed with the name La Trinity
We can boast of racial unity, international harmony
The land of sunshine, wealth and beauty
Blessed with the name La Trinity.

Warmest love and hospitality is the land of T&T
Warmest love and hospitality is the land of T&T
We can proudly stand in the Caribbean as one loving family.

Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.
Trinidadian aur Tobagonian in our rainbow nation
------------------------ Trinidad aur Tobago.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Sundar Popo!

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Sweet T&T [Song]

Uploaded by rbaboo2
SWEET T&T
By Ravi Babooram

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T

If you go America, it not like T&T
If you go to Canada, it not like T&T
If you go to Grenada, it not like T&T
If you go to Guyana, it not like T&T.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

Doctor Eric Williams lay the foundation
For T&T to be a free nation
Free from Mother England, free from slavery
Now T&T is a free society
We have we own constitution and government
The law of the land is the parliament
The Red, White and Black does drive me insane
Is pure Trini blood flowing through my vein.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

If you go America, it not like T&T
If you go to Canada, it not like T&T
If you go to Grenada, it not like T&T
If you go to Guyana, it not like T&T.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

T&T, our country is a blessed place
Here you will find every creed and race
Scholars, doctors, lawyers and musicians
In the 20th century we invented the steelpan
We also have sportsmen of the high calibre
--------- Ato Boldon and Brian Lara
The beauty of we women is beyond compare
Penny, Giselle, Wendy went where the air is rare.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

If you go America, it not like T&T
If you go to Canada, it not like T&T
If you go to Grenada, it not like T&T
If you go to Guyana, it not like T&T.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

This twin island republic boast of unity
Nowhere in the world this you'll ever see
Indian, Chinese, Syrian and African
All living in harmony in one nation
Mutual respect for each other religion
We learn to embrace each others tradition
Divali, Eid, Christmas we all celebrating
Trinidad and Tobago, oh what a blessing.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

If you go America, it not like T&T
If you go to Canada, it not like T&T
If you go to Grenada, it not like T&T
If you go to Guyana, it not like T&T.

Sweet T&T, my sweet T&T, sweet T&T, my sweet T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T
There is no other place in the world like T&T.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Ravi Babooram!

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Rising [Song]

Uploaded by CaribbeanMuzic
RISING
By Rajin Dhanraj [2012]

Fifty years now come and gone
And still, look, we going strong
We don't depend, is we money spend on our nation
We live by democracy, a self-governing body
Our one nation move as one, no segregation ...oh-oh
Now every Trini proud to call this country our own
Take a stand for our land
There is no place like home.

We country rising, we Trini rising
No criticising, we people rising
No backbiting, forward we going
We country rising, T&T rising
We proud of we past, we hope that it last
The future is up to we
Help build a better sweet T&T ...ey-ey, ey-ey
Help build a better sweet T&T.

People, they calling on we, time to do our duty
Is blood, sweat and tears throughout the years of pain and sorrow
Our fathers may be ---------,- their price was heavy to pay
Our base is strong, we moving on for a better tomorrow ...oh-oh
I look around and I see soldiers of a country
Now we sending a message to all troops
"Rally for T&T."

We country rising, we Trini rising
No criticising, we people rising
No backbiting, forward we going
We country rising, T&T rising
---------------- so answer the call
You say that you's a Trini
Help build a better sweet T&T ...ey-ey, ey-ey
Help build a better sweet T&T.

Trini, we second to none, let's serve our humble nation
'Cause we want to be the best we could be for the future
Our leaders play a part, they give all their soul and heart
We get a start, now do your part to take us further ...oh-oh
Look how T&T strive fifty years, how we free
We fighting hard to stamp out the bad in the society.

We country rising, we Trini rising
No criticising, we people rising
No backbiting, forward we going
We country rising, T&T rising
United is all, divided we fall
You say you love your country
Help build a better sweet T&T ...ey-ey, ey-ey
Help build a better sweet T&T.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Rajin Dhanraj!

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Welcome To T&T [Song]

Uploaded by CaribbeanMuzic
WELCOME TO T&T
By Ramdeen Maharaj a.k.a Falco (2012)

Welcome, welcome to T&T - the land of soca and chutney
Where everybody live happy, unite like on big family
You'll find a Chinee woman marry an Indian man
You'll find an Indian woman marry an African.

You will find love, you will find joy
You will have fun under the sun
You will make friends, it will be fine
Yes, you would have a real good time.

A hot doubles will start your day
Pelau will take your breath away
A bake and shark, you'll want to stay
You'll want a roti everyday
Maracas beach and our sexy ladies, they will blow your mind.

Welcome welcome to Chaguanas where you will shop until you drop
Then take a trip to the country, so many cultures you would see
You will love the parang people when you go to Paramin
And meet the Amerindians - a nation tradition.

You will find love, you will find joy
You will have fun under the sun
You will make friends, it will be fine
Oh, you would have a real good time.

Respect every religion, Hindu, Islam and Christian
Take part in all celebration, never discriminate no one
Though we have problems, we always resolve them among ourselves
And when election time is here and racial tension fill the air
A party get their victory, we come back like a family
And everybody living like one big family
Yes, everybody liming like one big family.

You will find love, you will find joy
You will have fun under the sun
You will make friends, it will be fine
Yes, you would have a real good time.

We celebrate at Carnival, no one can miss this bacchanal
When soca music hit the street and people moving to the beat
When masqueraders parade through the city, steelpan fill the air
And every nation meet as one under the warm Caribbean sun
The rich the poor, the old, the young
The black, the white 'til morning light
And everybody living like one big family
Yes, everybody liming like one big family.

You will find love you will find joy
You will have fun under the sun
You will make friends, it will be fine
Yes, you would have a real good time.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Ramdeen Maharaj.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Trini All The Way [Song]

Uploaded by CaribbeanMuzic
TRINI ALL THE WAY
By Heeralal "HERO" Rampartap [2012]

31st of August 1962, Independence day was achieved for me and you
Fifty years of independence, come let's rejoice
Fifty years of independence, come let's rejoice
Our nation owned its freedom and liberty of choice
Trinidad and Tobago, zindabad
Trinidad and Tobago, zindabad.

And no matter where I go, I representing Trinbago
And I don't care what they say, 'cause I'm a Trini all the way ...ey-ey, ey-ey
We celebrate Trinbago ...oh-oh, oh-oh
Red, White and Black we display ...ey-ey, ey-ey
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way.

Let us never forget who lay the foundation
To achieve an independent twin island nation
Doctors Eric Williams and Rudranath Capildeo
Doctors Eric Williams and Rudranath Capildeo
We salute your memory for your contribution
We salute your memory for your contribution.

And no matter where I go, I representing Trinbago
And I don't care what they say, 'cause I'm a Trini all the way ...ey-ey, ey-ey
We celebrate Trinbago ...oh-oh, oh-oh
Red, White and Black we display ...ey-ey, ey-ey
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way.

Today we stand together, proud of our diversity
Our people food and culture blended in harmony
We must defeat all the evils, this we should believe
We must defeat all the evils, this we should believe
'Cause together we aspire, together we achieve
'Cause together we aspire, together we achieve.

And no matter where I go, I representing Trinbago
And I don't care what they say, 'cause I'm a Trini all the way ...ey-ey, ey-ey
We celebrate Trinbago ...oh-oh, oh-oh
Red, White and Black we display ...ey-ey, ey-ey
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way.

Our music brings us together, unifying everyone
Just look at Carnival and equality under the sun
Display your national colours to the world, show it proud
Display your national colours to the world, show it proud
Long live Trinidad and Tobago and sing the chorus loud
Long live Trinidad and Tobago and sing the chorus loud.

And no matter where I go, I representing Trinbago
And I don't care what they say, 'cause I'm a Trini all the way ...ey-ey, ey-ey
We celebrate Trinbago ...oh-oh, oh-oh
Red, White and Black we display ...ey-ey, ey-ey
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way.

We must take a stand against all the crime and hate
This is a cause to which we must ourselves dedicate
Let's bring back our paradise called sweet T&T
Let's bring back our paradise called sweet T&T
The time has come to take back our beloved country
The time has come to take back our beloved country.

And no matter where I go, I representing Trinbago
And I don't care what they say, 'cause I'm a Trini all the way ...ey-ey, ey-ey
We celebrate Trinbago ...oh-oh, oh-oh
Red, White and Black we display ...ey-ey, ey-ey
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way
'Cause I'm a Trini all the way.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Hero!

"Today we stand together, proud of our diversity
Our people food and culture blended in harmony
We must defeat all the evils, this we should believe
We must defeat all the evils, this we should believe
'Cause together we aspire, together we achieve
'Cause together we aspire, together we achieve."

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Land Of Paradise [Song]

Uploaded by CaribbeanMuzic
LAND OF PARADISE
By Rooplal G [2012]

Is fifty years and we happy, celebrating 'cause we happy
Is fifty years and we happy, celebrating 'cause we happy
So hold your heads up high, put your flags in the sky
High, high, high, high!

Trinidad and Tobago, land of paradise
Trinidad and Tobago, so nice, so nice
Trinidad and Tobago is the place to be
Trinidad and Tobago, here for you and me.

It's a celebration of our nation,
Sweet T&T, [Sweet T&T] land of unity [land of unity]
It's a celebration of our nation,
Sweet T&T here for you and me.

Two little islands side by side
One nation so full of pride
From the slave ship and Fatel Rozack
We never think about going back
Things may be hard but still so nice
'Cause all ah we know how to sacrifice.

Trinidad and Tobago, land of paradise
Trinidad and Tobago, so nice, so nice
Trinidad and Tobago is the place to be
Trinidad and Tobago, here for you and me.

It's a celebration of our nation,
Sweet T&T, [Sweet T&T] land of unity [land of unity]
It's a celebration of our nation,
Sweet T&T here for you and me.

People with a natural rhythm
The beat of the tassa and the oil drum
From Arrival to Emancipation
On the way to a great nation
This land we build with sweat and tears
So the ship could sail another fifty years.

Trinidad and Tobago, land of paradise
Trinidad and Tobago, so nice, so nice
Trinidad and Tobago is the place to be
Trinidad and Tobago, here for you and me.

It's a celebration of our nation,
Sweet T&T, [Sweet T&T] land of unity [land of unity]
It's a celebration of our nation,
Sweet T&T here for you and me.

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!

..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Rooplal G! Beautiful sentiments and a captivating, energising chutney/tassa/latin beat.

"Two little islands side by side
One nation so full of pride
From the slave ship and Fatel Rozack
We never think about going back
Things may be hard but still so nice
'Cause all ah we know how to sacrifice."

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Interview with Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming [Video]

"Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming was born in Trinidad in 1960. A mechanical/building services engineer and part-time college lecturer, she now lives in Nassau, Bahamas. As well as writing poetry and short stories, she draws and sculpts.

Her poetry and short stories have appeared in From the Shallow Seas; The Caribbean Writer, Womanspeak, Lignum Vitae, Pelican, At Random, Sisters of Caliban, Mango Season, Writes of Passage, SAMAR, Voice, Memory, Ashes: Lest We Forget.

Her work explores issues of gender, sexual orientation, abuse, the place of Indo-Caribbean culture and spirituality within a pan-Caribbean setting." SOURCE

Why do you write?

Interview with Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming Part I | For tongues of the ocean by Asha Rahming

What are your poetic influences?

Interview with Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming Part II | For tongues of the ocean by Asha Rahming

What is the role of the poet in society?
Is poetry written for the page being supplanted by the spoken word?
What do you dream for tomorrow?

Interview with Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming Part III | For tongues of the ocean by Asha Rahming

"Immortelle and Bhandaara Poems" by Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming
Published by Proverse Hong Kong
Distributed by The Chinese University Press, 2011
ISBN 978-988-19321-3-6

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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming for sharing yourself with us through this interview and your work. I always find interviews with our artists exhilarating. Lelawattee's beautiful poem "Parang Serenade in Two Parts" was featured on this blog last year.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Sweet Trinbago [Song]

Uploaded by superavinashmaharaj
SWEET TRINBAGO
By Avinash Maharaj [2012]

Avinash! Trinidad and Tobago! My country!

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso.

In this land they have so many races
Which is not common in many places
Here we have a unique culture
We couldn't find a place that was better
In this land they have so many races
Which is not common in many places
Here we have a unique culture
We couldn't find a place that was better
Everybody, they singing so happily
And that is why Trinidad is such a beauty.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

Trinidad is such a wonderful country
We produce some of the biggest names in history
Sundar Popo and Machel Montano
Brian Lara, Hasely Crawford and Sparrow
Trinidad is such a wonderful country
We produce some of the biggest names in history
Sundar Popo and Machel Montano
Brian Lara, Hasely Crawford and Sparrow
Trinidad has done so much good things for we
And that is why we all love sweet T&T.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

When people come to this country they feel welcome
By the beats of the tassa and the steel drum
T&T could be called a melting pot
Because a lot of fusion we surely got
When people come to this country they feel welcome
By the beats of the tassa and the steel drum
T&T could be called a melting pot
Because a lot of fusion we surely got
T&T is a place where you will want to stay
From this sweet country you wouldn't go away.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

Trinidad and Tobago, how we love you so
The land of sweet chutney-soca and calypso
Trinidad and Tobago, kitna pyar
Kuche kitna hum tesh besumar.

Trinidad and Tobago get ready to wave
Trinidad and Tobago get ready to wave....

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Avinash Maharaj for bringing your youth and energy and talent to this celebration of your homeland. I am not sure that I got the Hindi right so please let me know if there are errors.

It is refreshing to see the chutney giving T&T love. While I say this, I do not neglect to recognise the fact that chutney in itself is a product of T&T love. What I am welcoming is the love being put into words. We have come to expect that most nationalistic songs will be composed in English and in the calypso or soca genres so it is wonderful to hear T&T being loved in a different rhythm and language.

Regretfully, I do not have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the music being created in T&T, so if readers are aware of homeland loving songs being composed in Arabic, French, French Patois, Hindi, Chinese, Spanish, Nigerian, Filipino or any of the languages of the many immigrants who are continuing to make T&T their home, please let me know.

If you have any ideas to add to this discussion, feel free to comment. In the meantime, I continue to celebrate the increase in comfort and the appearance of more varied cultural inputs into celebrations through song and music of the treasure that is our national community.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Parang Serenade in Two Parts [Poem]

PARANG SERENADE IN TWO PARTS
By Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming

I
It wasn't your song.
No Rio Manzanares did you beg,
"Dejame pasar" neither
Did you open the door
When paranderos cajoled,
"Abreme la puerta! Abreme la puerta!"

Los esposos Maria y Jose
Van desde Nazareth,
But you climbed
Onto a donkey cart,
Burrowed deeper into tall, tall,
Sugarcanes La Paille, Caroni, Morong.

Quatro y mandolin Din Din Din,
Es hora de partir,
Did not rouse you from a coir mattress
Sleep that only Cannes Brulees
Sweet smoke sugarcane fire
Could rouse you awake in Petit Careme.

Las maracas Clap Clap Clap,
Bottle and spoon Ping Ping Ping.
Daisy Voisin Parang Queen,
Sereno sereno her pagnol rhythm
As foreign as ground-beef pastelle.
You never ate sacred Mai Gaay

Nor did you speak espanol.
Your lights weren't candles at Christmas
But deyas at Divali.
El nino Jesus was no Baby Krishna blue
And Jesus' birthday went with rum,
Curry manicou and chutney.

II
But I have songs for you my mothers
In my blood. I take you with me
My Ajee, my Nani, my Mowsee
My Kaakee, my Daadee, my Phoowaa.
I serenade "Dejame pasar Rio Caroni,"
On my way to Chacachacare,

"Dejame pasar Rio Valencia,"
On my way to Toco,
"Dejame pasar Rio Ortoire,"
On my way to Guayaguayare,
"Dejame pasar Rio Guapo,"
On my way to Icacos.

I sprinkle your ashes on every corner
Of this Iere, Land of the Hummingbird.
I absorb parang through my pores.
I partake of pastelle and puncha creme.
I understand, "Din, din, din,
Es hora de partir."

"Din, din, din, camino de Belen,
Los esposos van desde Nazareth."
I know the Christmas story,
The gift of Baby Jesus born in a manger,
And how in his name Guanahani
Became San Salvador,

Then sugar became king.
They crossed you over the Kala Pani,
But when you cried, "Darvaza kholna prasann!"
No one understood you.
All they knew was, "Abreme la puerta!"
And they kept the door closed.

Pero ven, ven aqui mi Ajee, mi Nani,
Mi Mowsee, Kaakee, Daadee, Phoowaa.
Come, walk with me,
I have opened the doors for you,
Vaya con Dios, "Shubh Christmas,
Naya saal mubarak ho!"


Glossary:

- Rio (Spanish): river
- Dejame pasar (Spanish): please let me pass
- paranderos: parang (Spanish-influenced Christmas music in Trinidad and Tobago) musicians and singers
- Abreme la puerta (Spanish): open the door for me please Los esposos Maria y Jose/Van desde Nazareth (Spanish): the husband and wife, Mary and Joseph, leave Nazareth
- La Paille, Caroni, Morong: names of villages in Trinidad
- Quatro and mandolin Din Din Din: Spanish musical instruments melody
- Es hora de partir (Spanish): it is time to leave
- Cannes Brulees (French): Cane Burning reenactment
- Petit Careme (French Creole): short dry period after the start of the rainy season
- Las maracas (Spanish): hand-held clappers
- Sereno sereno her pagnol rhythm (Spanish): sing, sing, her Spanish rhythm
- pastelle: Spanish-influenced ground-beef and cornmeal turnover, Trinidadian Christmas delicacy
- Mai Gaay (Hindi): Sacred Cow
- deyas at Divali (Hindi): small clay lamps lit during the Hindu Festival of Lights
- Ajee (Hindi): paternal grandmother
- Nani (Hindi): maternal grandmother
- Mowsee (Hindi): mother's sister
- Kaakee (Hindi): paternal uncle's wife
- Daadee (Hindi): father's elder sister
- Phoowaa (Hindi): father's younger sister
- puncha creme: Trinidadian Christmas drink similar to eggnog
- camino de Belen (Spanish): on the road to Bethlehem
- Kala Pani (Hindi): literally black water, referring to the dark ocean
- Darvaza kholna prasann (Hindi): open the door for me please
- Pero ven, ven aqui (Spanish): but come, come here
- Vaya con Dios (Spanish): go with God
- Shubh Christmas, Naya saal mubarak ho (Hindi): Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming is a Trinbagonian poet, essayist, and fiction and creative non-fiction writer who lives in Nassau, The Bahamas, where she is a practicing Mechanical/Building Services Engineer. Her poetry, stories, and artwork have appeared in numerous publications in The Bahamas, the Caribbean, USA, and Europe. She has won poetry, essay, and art awards in the Bahamas. Internationally, she has won the David Hough Literary Prize from The Caribbean Writer (2001) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association 2001 Short Story Competition. Her first book of poetry, Curry Flavour, was published in 2000 by Peepal Tree Press, Leeds, England. SOURCE

COPYRIGHT 2008 Journal of Caribbean Literatures.
COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale, Cengage Learning

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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming for this riveting insight into the the experience of your ancestors as new arrivals in our homeland. Coming after a previous post, "Parosin," this poem stands in stark contrast. It reminds us that we have come a long way together.

In "Parosin" Heeralal is asking a descendant of our Spanish ancestors to dance with him to a music that is a melding of more than just the two cultures. Franny is full of praise for the skill of the dholak players and the sweetness of the drums. And not only that, Heeralal is also addressing her with words from the language of his ancestors..."parosin" and "ladki" without any fear that he will not be understood or denied or rebuffed.

But I am blown away by Lelawattee's beautiful poem...

"I serenade "Dejame pasar Rio Caroni,"
On my way to Chacachacare,"

They crossed you over the Kala Pani,
But when you cried, "Darvaza kholna prasann!"
No one understood you.
All they knew was, "Abreme la puerta!"
And they kept the door closed.

The exclusion and sadness is palpable but with "Parosin" ringing in my head, I want to shout back down the corridors of time to our East Indian ancestors, "Hold on! Don't give up! It will get better! Cocoa payol and East Indian will make sweet chutney/parang/soca together!"

Go forward, T&T!... never, never backward. There are many, many more miracles to be wrought in this land.

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Parosin [Song]

Uploaded by IsDePanInMe
Spoken: Well this is a chutney/soca/parang in a combination style with Franny from Los Dinámicos and we Heero from Shakti, the mashup crew!

In a big parang fete in Moruga, I meet Heeralal, mih niehgbour
He tell me the parang so sweet, he just could not resist the beat
He say, "Parosin, give me your hand.
Let's not waste the music of this parang band."

"Parosin, dance with me, ladki, dance with me!
The parang so sweet, I want to move up mih feet
Parosin, dance with me, girl, dance with me
The parang so sweet, parosin, dance with me."

Musica!

As it was approaching midnight, a dholak player came into sight
If you see how dem fellahs playing, the rhythm was just hypnotising
Heeralal tell me, "Girl, time to chunkay!
I hearing the dholak bachaway."

"Parosin, dance with me, ladki, dance with me!
The parang so sweet, I want to move up mih feet
Parosin, dance with me, girl, dance with me
The parang so sweet, parosin, dance with me."

Jam de dholak, jam de dholak, jam, jam, jam, jam ey!
Roll up de tassa! Roll up de tassa! Roll it! Franny, roll it here!

It was about three in the morning and the Heero just could not stop dancing
He say, "Franny, come dance again! This tempo driving me insane."
He say, "Ladki, we having fun.
Leh we dance this one before the party done."

"Parosin, dance with me, ladki, dance with me!
The parang so sweet, I want to move up mih feet
Parosin, dance with me, ladki, dance with me
The parang so sweet, parosin dance with me."

The beat of the dholak was rising, the mandolins sweetly climaxing
The music was touching mih soul and the Heero was losing control
He say, "Franny, heat in the place!
That dholak putting rhythm in mih waist."

"Parosin, dance with me, ladki, dance with me!
The parang so sweet, I want to move up mih feet
Parosin, dance with me, girl, dance with me
The parang so sweet, parosin, dance with me."

Chunkay! Chunkay!
Camara tu lah way, camara tu lah way
Chunkay! Chunkay!

Ay ay aye! Fuego! Fuego! Mucho fuego!
Chunkay! chunkay!
Camara tu lah way, girl, camara tu lah way!
Roll up the tassa!
Roll up the tassa!
Roll up the tassa!
Roll up the tassa!
Ay ay aye! Move it! move it! move it! move it!

"Parosin, dance with me, ladki, dance with me!
The parang so sweet, I want to move up mih feet
Parosin, dance with me, Heero, dance with me
The parang so sweet, parosin, dance with me."
"Dance with me, ladki, dance with me!
The parang so sweet, I want to move up mih feet
Parosin, dance with me, Heero, dance with me
The parang so sweet, parosin, dance with me."

Aye!!!

Source: The lyrics posted on this blog are often transcribed directly from performances. Although it is my intention to faithfully transcribe I do not get all the words and I have a knack for hearing the wrong thing. Please feel free to correct me or to fill in the words that I miss by dropping me a message via e-mail. I'd be forever grateful. Thanks in advance!
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A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Franny and Heeralal for what in my opinion is a glorious chutney/soca/parang song. And why do I love this song so much? It is Heeralal's joyful and persistent, "Parosin, [neighbour] dance with me. Ladki [girl], dance with me."

In this song it is the music that inspires expression and communion and sharing, but in our homeland there are so many other opportunities for realising that at the very heart of things, we do not want to be alone. When the non-essentials are peeled away by common joy, common sorrow, common need...hands reach out, whether urgently, tentatively or tenderly, they do reach out to share.

I don't ever want to refuse the hand that is offered, whether it is requesting my assistance or coming to my rescue.

Paros, parosin, dance with me!

"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

S-O-K-A-H = Soul Of Calypso + Chutney

"Indrani"[1973] By Shorty from the original 7" recording. Uploaded by canchozl
Today I came across an article on soca music at NPR Music written by Baz Dreisinger. His refreshingly accurate description of soca reminded me of Mungal Patasar's recollections in the book "Mobilizing India" by Tejaswini Niranjana, which I have provided below and before the NPR article. I thought that others might find his thoughts interesting, especially since many do not know much about the East Indian influence in the genesis of this music genre and so do not always acknowledge it.

p. 88 -- In the 1980's a new form called soul-calypso, or soca, emerged, claimed by its inventor Lord Shorty (later Ras Shorty I) to have its inspiration in East

p. 89 -- Indian music. Shorty's songs "Indrani" (1973) and "Kelogee Bulbul" (1974) provided the genesis of the soca, marking clearly the Indian influence on calypso. In "Kelogee Bulbul," East Indian instruments like mandolin and dholak are used. The Trinidadian sitarist Mungal Patasar, an important experimenter with fusion music, provided this background:

Soca really originated from chutney. Ras Shorty I, who is the father of the soca, was singing calypso, and he went to practice in the bandroom, and the music arranger was playing reggae, and when he asked him how come you playing reggae, because there is a little thing about reggae and calypso, reggae taking over in Trinidad, although reggae originated in Trinidad. That much I can tell you, if you study the beat. Anyway, the guy say "Calypso is dead now, man, let's go for reggae." And that hurt him[Shorty] in a way, so he went back home. But he grew up amongst Indians, and he had a neighbor who used to play dholak and dhantal and ting. And he called me - that time I had a band called Sangam Sangeet in La Romain - and there's a drummer named Robin Ramjitsingh who used to play dholak, and he called me asked for a dholak player, and I sent Robin, and he did his first recording with Robin Ramjitsingh. The bass guitarist was trying to imitate the dhol, the left side of the dholak, and in trying to do that they created the beat with the bass guitar out of the dholak, and that's what they call "soca." The word was "so-k-a-h," the soul of calypso and an Indian beat, They used the word "kah" because it was the first letter of the Indian alphabet...The Africans try to say it is "soul" and "calypso." But it is not that. It is soul of calypso and Indian chutney. That would be the definition of soca.

Shorty, too, spelled the name "s-o-k-a-h" to indicate the East Indian influence, but the spelling did not stick, and other singers and those who wrote about music - disinclined to mark the East Indian input and suggesting instead a derivation from the African American musical genre soul and from calypso - assigned the new form the name "soca." Soca is different from calypso in that it is usually seen as music to dance to and for the most part, and unlike one of the key strands of calypso, does not talk about the political situation.

SOURCE: Mobilizing India: women, music, and migration between India and Trinidad. By Tejaswini Niranjana. Durham : Duke University Press, 2006

Soca: The Music Of Trinidad's Carnival.
By Baz Dreisinger
NPR Music | March 4, 2011 06:30 pm

Listen to the story:

Machel Montano performing in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in February.
Sean Drakes/CON/LatinContent/Getty Images
Carnival season on the Caribbean island of Trinidad boils down to one thing: fresh soca music. Consider it Red Bull for your ears, or music with a purpose.

"The intention of the energy of soca music is to really uplift people; really make them smile; keep them happy; make them celebrate even in the toughest times," says Machel Montano, soca's biggest star. "The economy is down — you hear some soca music, you're gonna want to go out and party, even if you have to borrow the money."

Soca stands for "soul of calypso," and it was pretty much invented in the 1970s by Trinidadian artist Lord Shorty, who claimed that the soul of calypso was as multicultural as his island's African and East Indian descendants. To set this post-colonial hybrid to music, Shorty sped up calypso and gave it an Indian twist.

In the 30 or so years since its invention, soca has evolved into the club-friendly, studio-produced music of a younger generation. Soca artist Kees Dieffenthaler explains it this way: "It's kind of like calypso's young, teenaged bad son," he says, "it's really a younger sound, more vibrant than calypso."

Soca artists record, release and perform music at a frenzied pace during carnival season, when the whole country is partying to the same soundtrack. Every year, performers campaign in a kind of musical election — competing for two titles. "The Road March song" is a people's choice award—it's the most-played song during the grand parade held the day before Ash Wednesday. "The Soca Monarch," on the other hand, is crowned at a massive concert held just before carnival. One contender for this year's crown is Fay-Ann Lyons.

"Soca Monarch is something like American Idol but on a different scale. It's grand; it's extravagant; it's flamboyant; it's bold — it's like everybody does a piece of Las Vegas, with all the costumes. Imagine seeing that from 10 different competitors, all expressing and presenting their songs to the judges, trying to win first prize."

Lyons calls her own sound "aggressive and tomboyish." She has a strong track record, having won more titles than any other female soca star. In 2009, she won both Soca Monarch and Road March—while 8 months pregnant.

Lyons is soca royalty: her father is calypsonian Superblue and her husband is soca star Bunji Garlin — call them soca's Beyonce and Jay-Z. Garlin says he tries to set his music apart by looking back to soca's roots in calypso. "One of the other names of an ancient calypsonian was a poor man newspaper," he says. "They would be the person to bring the news of what happens today or what happens tomorrow. The calypsonian is the person who have the information and will bring it to the people."

He's recorded songs about rape and politics, and once won Soca Monarch with the rare soca song that isn't about dancing or drinking — "In the Ghetto," a song about poverty and government failure.

Every year, though, the favored candidate is Machel Montano, a soca icon, known for being obscenely good at what Trinidadians call wining: gyrating to the music.

"Basically I think my talent is really reaching out to people and talking to them," says Montano, "getting them in a good mood; make them laugh; make them wine; and still make them jump."

Montano is 36 years old, and has released 35 albums. He's been a star since he was nine, when he won a local competition with the song "Too Young to Soca."

The song quickly landed him on the stage of Madison Square Garden and on Star Search. He's since collaborated with Janet Jackson and Doug E. Fresh, but he says he still hasn't achieved his ultimate goal: to carry the energy of soca beyond his island.

"I love a lot of pop dance, electro music because I can even see the spirit in the beat," he says. "I can see people in the club singing about love, singing about limits, singing about world peace, singing about coming together, singing about lettin' go troubles. And somewhere in there I see where soca music could find a space, could find its place."

Right now, its place is Trinidad, where a local election is underway. The candidates are stumping; the voters are jumping; and the new campaign slogans — hot new soca tunes — just keep on coming.

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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare