Uploaded by roger ramirez
MAD SCIENTIST
By Nap Hepburn
Nap: Laddy! Doh go up dey!
Laddy: Why? I ent 'fraid dem
Nap: Ah tell you, doh go dey, boy.
Laddy: I ent 'fraid dem, man
Nap: It have gun and iron bolt dey.
Laddy: I ent 'fraid dem
Nap: Alright, go up, go up. Is your constituency man, go up, go up
Laddy: Ah going, ah going, ah going
Nap: Go up man, go up.
I glad the election over and the Doctor come back in power
Well, I glad the election over and the Doctor come back in power
It was a hard fight, platform speakers saying what they like
One side was offering education and the next side revolution.
He say to arm yourself with your weapon in the Savannah
He say to burn up your ID cards down at Couva
He say to break up the voting machine
That was brought by my Government
Is the mad scientist as usual preaching violence.
Yes, from Trinidad and Tobago, the Doctor had the go
Only in the rural districts support the mad scientist
The election was at hot pace, some deceitful people vote race
But all who vote race, I have one thing to say
The Doctor come here to stay.
He didn't say to arm yourself with your weapon in the Savannah
He didn't say to burn up your ID cards down at Couva
He didn't say to break up the voting machine
That was brought by my Government
Is the mad scientist as usual preaching violence.
Election campaign is fun, I doh like how this one began
From that Sunday in the Savannah, my blood started to shiver
An intelligent man addressing a congregation
Hear what he's offering my son and daughter - is murder and manslaughter.
He say to arm yourself with your weapon in the Savannah
He say to burn up your ID cards down at Couva
He say to break up the voting machine
That was brought by my Government
Is the mad scientist as usual preaching violence.
I'm sure this man is a mad man, he threaten the trade union
I'm sure that the man is sick, always insulting the public
Down at Indian Walk, he exploit one set of sewerage talk
How he go handle the Police when he take over
And he go fire the Governor.
He say to arm yourself with your weapon in the Savannah
He say to burn up your ID cards down at Couva
He say to break up the voting machine
That was bought by my Government
Is the mad scientist as usual preaching violence.
Lyrics source: The Political Calypso: True Opposition in Trinidad and Tobago, 1962-1987, By Louis Regis. University Press of Florida, 1999, pp. 13-14.
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A Note From The Gull
Thank you, Nap Hepburn.
"Trinidad nearly descended into race war in 1961. For weeks preceding that crucial general election the air was poisoned with report and rumour of violence and violation, of threat and counter threat. Dr Rudranath Capildeo, the mathematician/ lawyer recruited by the DLP to checkmate the PNM's historian, grew frustrated with the PNM's control of state power and the conspiracy with the Guardian newspaper. By nature a highly strung character, he made several inflammatory speeches, the most infamous of which included the words: "Arm yourselves with weapons in order to take over this country . . . get ready to march on Whitehall . . ."
In response to Capildeo's harangues, Dr Patrick Solomon, PNM Minister of Internal Affairs, counter threatened, "If Capildeo incites violence, I will slap him in gaol fast . . . and he would not get out again." Thankfully, both sides stopped short of anarchy, and tensions subsided although one suspects that animosities still smouldered.
Nap Hepburn "The Mad Scientist" (1962), which draws its title from Williams' derogatory designation of Capildeo, is a strong statement on that election. A shouted dialogue between Nap and Laddy (Conrad Prescott, leader of the March of Dimes chorus group) captures the tense excitement of those days:"
SOURCE: The Political Calypso: True Opposition in Trinidad and Tobago, 1962-1987, by Louis Regis. University Press of Florida, 1999, pg. 13.
"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
