Trinidad ain`t change. [Song]

Uploaded by edward spencer
TRINIDAD AIN'T CHANGE
By The Mighty Chalkdust

A friend of mine who left here in 1962
He came back home last month looking so blue
After twenty nine years away he found Trinidad change, he say
He say he couldn't even make out Maracas Bay
Chalkie, where is Tourist Annie? What happen to Butler party?
What about the POPPG and DLP?
I told the visitor, we just change names down here
But Trinidad is still the same way
Your beach at Maracas with change rooms when you were here last
Robbie put them in Tobago at Store Bay
Butler, the rabble-rouser gave way to Abu Bakr
Both end up in jail in Carrera, partner
Your party, POPPG is now NAR completely
DLP change their name to UNC.

Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange
Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange
Am I wrong?

I say, Tourist Annie, she does still dress up for so
But now she on stage singing calypso
Then he asked me for Composer, Conqueror, Power and Mighty Bomber
I say the soca boat capsize and they get lash with Rudder
Chalkie, where all them prostitutes gone?
Where badjohn Gold Teeth and Baron?
Where is Crazy Mahal, John ------ and cussbud Britain?
I say, we still have cussbuds here, they in the Coast Guard
Cussing is dey custom in that cuss guard
And them Regiment boys, like they feeding dem on cuss-tard
Mad Mahal and Russia who spoke madness in Woodford Square
Move over to the Red House to talk madness there
Prostitutes like Jean and Dinah, Boboloops and Bengal Tiger
They are now Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Doris Mark in Federation Park
Badjohns like Cutouter, Eddie Boom, Lil Axe and Dana
Hand over to today's school children dey gun and razor.

Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange... It may look strange
Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange.

He asked me for them old fowl tief from Carenage
Are those nasty, George Street pimps still at large?
I say, them fowl tief now running club
And is calypsonians now they does rob
And them nasty, long time pimps now singing rap and dub
Chalkie, where dem criminals like Boysie Singh?
What happen to Princes Building?
Whey mih duncey friends? Where dem Syrian with ... cloth selling?
Syrians still making money, they does send girls muling for them daily
And they making more records than me and Kitchy
Princes Building of yesteryear, with Ice House, Johnson and Miramar
They squeeze all ah dem them inside the Twin Tower
Your duncey friends are now at UWI, still failing English with big B.Sc.
And some of them can't pass nurses exam in a century
Badjohns like We Cyah Loss, half of them with Bible and cross
The rest of them now join the Police Force.

Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange... It may look strange
Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange.

He asked me for some sorrel, Stag or ginger beer
The La Basse and Dry River, are they still there?
Then he asked me 'bout CDC and Eric Williams' legacy
What about that lighthouse, that landmark down on South Quay?
I say, your homemade sorrel, lime and ginger
Solo and Cannings sweet drink take them over
And Carib, I swear, is now Heineken and Stag beer.
And the La Basse the same way, is only more corbeaux down dey
And they plant bougainvillea flowers to hide it away
The Dry River still divides we, the rich still live outside of the city
Race, wealth and class still rule our destiny
The lighthouse down by South Quay, all they change is the lightbulb only
And Erica want to keep Williams' legacy to rule we
CDC, your Carnival Committee, they change their name to NCC
But they still have no money, no library, no policy.

You see?

Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange... It may look strange
Trinidad ain't change, the country just rearrange.

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 Chalkdust.

"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