I believe [Song]

Uploaded by Chuck Gordon
I BELIEVE
By Chucky Gordon

I believe in you!

Trinbago, this once blessed twin island
Godfather of the whole Caribbean
All them neighbours used to look up at we
Now they hardly taking us seriously, you see
Because we going through some hard times
The axe getting harder to grind
Although we going down a slippery slope
I would never ever give up hope.

Because I don't believe that any politician
Should succeed in dividing this nation
I don't believe in all the gloom nor the prophecies of doom
Divided we all shall fall, so time to heed a nation's call.
I say, I don't believe that the solution
Lies in the hands of the trade union
But I believe that we will come back
And I believe in the Red, White and Black
I believe that we will pull through
'Cause Trinidad and Tobago, I believe in you
Yes, my people, I believe in you.

As soon as things start getting little harder,
I see people seeking greener pastures
People who I thought woulda stay and fight
See them hustling to get on the first flight, so trite
But I not abandoning ship, no way
'Cause I on board for the whole trip, yay-yay
And I'm sure that I'm not alone
So let's work hard and rebuild our home.

Because I don't believe the preacher on the pulpit
Is more sacred than the Imam and Pundit
No one race is superior to feel they could rule forever
Using us for fortune and fame,
Making us as pawns in their chess game
I say, I don't believe my people so mad
To follow them cassa dealing their race card
But I believe that we will come back
And I believe in the Red, White and Black
I believe that we will pull through
'Cause Trinidad and Tobago, I believe in you
Yes, my people, I believe in you.

I don't believe that this nation could be held to ransom
And that no Trinbagonian has a better vision
I don't believe that my people would sit and allow evil
And no patriotic Trini put party before country

But I believe that we will come back
And I believe in the Red, White and Black
I believe that we will pull through
'Cause Trinidad and Tobago, I believe in you
Yes, my people, I believe in you.

I not pointing fingers at anybody
But it hurts when I feel and I see
How this lil Trinabgo, the land of our birth
Should be our favourite place on earth, real worth
From Africa, Europe and Asia
Trinbago gave us food and shelter
We too wealthy here to be poor
So let's ensure we settle the score.

Because I don't believe my people are losing heart
And allowing everything to fall apart
I don't believe we are so blind to give citizenship to crime
I don't believe that none of we
Will sell out for cellphone and jersey
I say, I don't believe all this corruption
Could continue in such oblivion
But I believe that we will come back
And I believe in the Red, White and Black
I believe that we will pull through
'Cause Trinidad and Tobago, I believe in you
[I believe] Yes, my people, [I believe-I believe]
I believe in you. [I believe ] You're responsible [I believe-I believe]
I believe in you. [I believe] Don't mind the trouble [I believe-I believe]
I believe in you [I believe] We well capable [I believe-I believe]
Yay! [I believe, I believe-I believe]
I believe in you [I believe, I believe-I believe]
I believe in you  [I believe, I believe-I believe]
I believe in you.

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, Chucky Gordon!

"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

Pajarillo [Song]

Uploaded by Denzil Lyons
PAJARILLO
Composed by Luis Silva
Performed by Los Alumnos de San Juan

Aaay …

Pajarito, pajarillo que cantas por donde quieras,
vamos a unir el cantar pa' cantarle a Venezuela,
la tierra que pare machos y no se dan donde quieran,
de esos que arriesgan la vida, cuando toca defenderla
como lo hizo Bolívar, el que libertador fuera,
que luchó a capa y espada por defender nuestra tierra.
Nosotros que no podemos hacerlo como él lo hiciera,
vamos a hacerlo cantado, pero con voz altanera,
que retumben los caminos, que recorran las fronteras
para mantener en alto y fijar nuestra bandera,
ya que desde muy pequeños nos recorre por las venas
amar, querer y sentir nuestra patria Venezuela.

Aaay...

Little bird, little bird, you sing wherever you want,
we'll join the song to sing to Venezuela,
the land that births men and does not give them whatever they want,
of those who risk their lives, when they're called to defend it
like Bolívar did, he who was the liberator,
who fought tooth and nail to defend our land.
We who cannot do it as he did,
we'll do it singing, but with an arrogant voice,
so that the paths will boom, people will cross the borders
to keep high and watch our flag,
because since we were very small
to love, to love, and to feel our homeland Venezuela
runs through our veins.

Aaay …

El tema voy a cambiar por una causa en reclamo,
que no se olvide el folclore, vida del venezolano.
Me voy a unir a la lista de copleros afamados
y en mi inspiración los nombro para jamás olvidarlos:
al Carrao de Palmarito por coplero vergatario,
a Luis Lozada “el cubiro”, de los llanos veterano,
Ángel Custodio Loyola, viejo cantor afamado
y el grandioso Florentino, él que cantó con el diablo,
al chistoso Simón Díaz por su famoso caballo.
Me despido por ahora para volver no sé cuando
y nombrar más cantadores que hasta vivirán luchando
por defender el folclore y costumbres de mi llano.

Aaay...

As a tactic I'll change the theme for a cause,
so that folklore, the life of the Venezuelan, is not forgotten.
I'll join the list of famous folk singers,
and in my inspiration I name them to never forget them:
Carrao of Palmarito, a folk singer and good person,
Luis Lozada, "the one from Cubiro," veteran of the plains,
Ángel Custodio Loyola, an old famous singer,
and the magnificent Florentino, he who sings with the devil,
and the funny Simón Díaz for his famous horse.
I bid farewell for now to return I-don't-know-when
and to name more singers who still will live fighting
to defend the folklore and customs of my plain.

Source of Spanish lyrics and translation. ..............................................................................................................................


A Note From The Gull

Thank you, Los Alumnos de San Juan.

"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

Songs Of Your Land [Song]

Uploaded by mightysparrowaz
SONGS OF YOUR LAND
By the Mighty Sparrow

This is not a simple song, this is not an old time melody
Yet you'll try to prove me wrong for that is your specialty
You wouldn't play in a band, you wouldn't beat a pan
You wouldn't even sing a song but you criticising all day long
You do not appreciate anything this land create
So you save up all your praise to give Isaac Hayes.

Woman of my heart, it is time you learn
To cherish your own and be more concerned
If you want to make, for your children sake
You've got to get up like everyone else and jump in a band
Singing the songs of your land.

All year long you digging funk, you spending your cash on soul records
You deem our music bunk, James Brown is your lord of lords
You wouldn't learn to jump but you could do the bump
You wouldn't even write a poem
Those who do, you criticising them
Frown your face on Carnival and the steelband festival
Then you rush to go and view Bruce Lee and Wang Yu.

Woman of my heart, it is time you learn
To cherish your own and be more concerned
If you want to make, for your children sake
You've got to get up like everyone else and jump in a band
Singing the songs of your land.

Christmas time the songs you know tells of falling snow and mistletoe
Boughs of holly, sleigh and myrrh, you hypocrite so and so
Is only mauvaise langue you throwing on parang
And then you talk about dignity,
Don't you know parang belong to we?
Certainly your foreign things so silly and out of place
Now checking out your creed and race, you're a damn disgrace!

Woman of my heart, it is time you learn
To cherish your own and be more concerned
If you want to make, for your children sake
You've got to get up like everyone else and jump in a band
Singing the songs of your land.

Everyone should do their share, everyone should play an active part
You act like if you ent care and so it does break my heart
You don't know to limbo, you don't know to bongo
And when it come to calypso, every calypsonian is pappyshow
Then you tell the steelband boys how they making too much noise
But no steelband in the town noisy like James Brown. Yes!

Woman of my heart, it is time you learn
To cherish your own and be more concerned
If you want to make for your children sake
You've got to get up like everyone else and jump in a band
Singing the songs of your land.


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, Mighty Sparrow. In Derek Walcott's poem, "The Schooner Flight", the protagonist, Shabine, ends a description of himself with the line, "...and either I'm nobody, or I'm a nation." 

Birdie, you are a 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

Calypso de Trinidad [Song]

Uploaded by VintageMusicFm
CALYPSO DE TRINIDAD
By Trío Montenegro

O calypso, o calypso de Trinidad, de Trinidad, oh-oh, oh-oh.
Te adoro linda tierra del calypso febril
Con tus bailes, con tu ritmo, melodiosos sin fin.
Con tus canciones de amor llenas de encanto de pasion tu me lo quese
----------  perfume te adoro de tantas flores sin igual que te embellece.
Te adoro linda tierra del calypso febril.

O calypso, o calypso de Trinidad, de Trinidad, oh-oh, oh-oh
Te adoro linda tierra del calypso febril
Con tus bailes, con tu ritmo, melodiosos sin fin.
Te adoro linda tierra del calypso febril.

O calypso, o calypso de Trinidad, de Trinidad, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh.

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, Trío Montenegro! What a sweet tribute to our calypso and what appreciation of our land from which it originated!

Some time ago, I featured the calypso, "Going To Bocas" by the Costa Rican calypsonian, Walter "Gavitt" Ferguson [94 years old] and now I am seeing that there is an International Calypso Festival named in his honour - Festival Internacional de Calipsonian -Walter"Gavitt" Ferguson, that will be taking place this week from July 11 - 13, 2013 in Cahuita, Costa Rica.

Like the Mighty Sparrow, Walter Ferguson was also a transplant - a Panamanian by birth who migrated to Costa Rica and became Costa Rican by "boat". Today, the country which became his own is acknowledging the importance of his contribution to the music of that society. The festival is being facilitated by the following: The Caribbean Cultural Corridor Program (CCC), the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), the Integral Development Association of Cahuita (ADIC), the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the Cantonal Council of the Talamanca Youth and the Municipality of Talamanca. Looking at the programme, I am happy to note that on July 12 and 13, our Chalkdust will also be participating there as an international invited artist.

I cannot help thinking also about our Mighty Sparrow and imagining how wonderful it would be if we could honour him with an International Calypso Festival named in his honour. I usually have to shake my head to disperse thoughts of the day when his voice, his laughter, his smile will only be found in recordings. It is inevitable but I cannot bear to entertain that loss because I have listened to and appreciated his music for too long to accept the thought that such genius is finite. I wonder if he knows how much he is cherished and respected all over the world?

Have we, in his own homeland, told him lately that we love him?

Uploaded by mightysparrowaz
"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

What More? [Song]

Uploaded by IsDePanInMe

WHAT MORE?
By Black Stalin

Spoken: Say thanks, say thanks! Say thanks for the blessings!
Trini! Trini, you have it, you know!
Trini, you have it! You better doh lose it!

We have a beautiful country, healthy economy
Brilliant young people, ready and able
Blessed by the Creator, no natural disaster
All these things in front we eye and we still ent satisfy.

What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?
Trini, you crazy, Trini, you mad, Trini, you crazy!
What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?
You have it! You have it! You have it!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]

You hear me!

We have the world's best batsman, netball champion
Olympic silver and gold, Miss Universe and Miss World
The smallest nation ever to make the final in the soccer
Sometimes I does want to know why the Father loves we so.

What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?
[What more?] Sing it! [What more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
Chant it one more time!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
Trini, you blessed!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
What more, what more, what more?
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]

Hear me!

Trini, you crazy, Trini, you mad!
With all these blessing, you should be glad
[You must be crazy, must be crazy, must be crazy!]
Instead of saying thanks for the blessings,
Trini, you fighting, you not uniting!
We have it, we don't know it,
Better be careful we doh lose it!
[You must be crazy, must be crazy, must be crazy!]
You got to say thanks for the blessing
But Trini, look, you not uniting!

Come, come, come, come, come, COME!!

Great mathematician, great historian
Storyteller and actor, famous musician
We invent the steelpan
Great people from this place and we still talking race?

What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?
You must be crazy, you must be crazy! Trini, you mad!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
Trini, you mad, Trini, you mad!

All these things in we favour, we still not together
In peace and harmony in this beautiful country
All the Father blessing that we keep enjoying
All the thanks we got to give just to be more positive.

What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?
Trini, you crazy, Trini, you mad, Trini, you crazy!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
Sing it again, sing it again!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
Give thanks, give thanks, give thanks for the blessings!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
Give thanks, give thanks, and stop all the fighting!
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
---- yes, we have it, we don't know it, be careful we doh lose it
[What more, what more, what more, what more could we ask for?]
What more, what more, what more...

What more could we ask for?

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, Black Stalin! I imagine the cynics totally missing the message of this song and proceeding to recite extensive lists of what more we could be asking for. I understand that you are reminding us that in our bountiful land, WE have been given all the necessities required to sustain prosperous and peaceful lives. It is what we do with our many blessings that leads us to where we are. Many made, and continue to make decisions to grab unfair portions of these blessings or to trade these blessings for "things" or to abuse and destroy these blessings. We want the trappings of "progress" and "success" at all costs. This is the baited hook that we swallow and to which we lead our children.

"Better one handful with tranquility
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind."
--Ecclesiastes 4:6

I cannot speak for anyone else but in my experience, Trinidad and Tobago is the source of the best that I have ever experienced and received in my life. Wherever I am in the world, I will continue to turn in its direction and to bow before this beautiful place.

Mama and Papa, I kiss your hardworking and loving hands. In my heart I embrace the soul of my land. I salute the hope of the hopeful. How can those of us who are grateful ever refrain from singing?

"We have it, we don't know it,
Better be careful we doh lose it!..
You got to say thanks for the blessing
But Trini, look, you not uniting!"

Again, many thanks, Black Stalin.

"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

Balgobin Ramdeen on Love/T&T's Independence [Video]

Uploaded by pedroraztercero

Balgobin Ramdeen: "I remember the day. I was in Parliament when we got our Independence and I stood in the front of the Parliament building there and saw the Union Jack come down and our flag - the Red, White and Black, go up and flutter in the breeze. And I told my wife, I said, "When I spoke to you for the first time I thought love was a bad thing because my heart was beating so much that I thought I'd die, and when I saw that flag go up I felt the same way."

..............................................................................................................................
"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

Culture [Song]

  Uploaded by cool4rocknroll
CULTURE
By Tambu
Arranged by Pelham Goddard
Album: "Culture: T&T 1988

I don't mind we practice the cultures that come from a foreign land
But we have our own thing right here
That needs even more attention...oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!
I am talking about calypso, steel pan and limbo dance
Tassa drumming is ours also, let's give their growing chance
We must show more love for the things we own
For their future is our concern.

So let we love [the calypso] and give praise [to the limbo]
And believe [in the steel pan] for the next [generation]
Let we love [our tassa], our own [people's culture]
When we look [to the future] is then we're on the road to a brand new mode.

I say a nation without a culture is a people without a soul
They'll have no identification
Like a fool in a wise man's world...oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!
It is time that we become conscious and truly accept we own
Just remember your own thing comes first and charity begins at home
We must show more love for the things we own
For their future is our concern.

So let we love [the calypso] and give praise [to the limbo]
And believe [in the steel pan] for the next [generation]
Let we love [our tassa], our own [people's culture]
When we look [to the future] is then we're on the road to a brand new mode. 

[Yay oh, bamba yay ay oh. Yay oh, bamba yay oh] Limbo, limbo like me!
[Yay oh, bamba yay ay oh. Yay oh, bamba yay oh]
[Oh ho, oh ho!]

I say the load may look very heavy and the road may seem very long
As you know success don't come easy,
You got to work and struggle on...oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!
It is hard for someone to love you if you don't love yourself
If we want we culture to break through, we got to lift the load for weself
We must show more love for the things we own
For their future is our concern.

So let we love [the calypso] and give praise [to the limbo]
And believe [in the steel pan] for the next [generation]
Let we love [our tassa], our own [we must nurture]
When we look [to the future] is then we're on the road to a brand new mode. [Yay oh, bamba yay ay oh. Yay oh, bamba yay oh] Limbo, limbo like me!
[Yay oh, bamba yay ay oh. Yay oh, bamba yay oh] Limbo, limbo like 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, Christopher "Tambu" Herbert!

"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