L'importanza di Belafonte sul folk americano degli anni sessanta è enorme, tanto che lo stesso Dylan, che giovanissimo, suonò l'armonica su un suo disco, lo cita spesso come una delle sue principali influenze. Potrà sembrare strano che un personaggio definito "re del Calypso" possa aver influito su quella generazione di cantautori che portò in musica la protesta, ma l'ascolto attento delle sue canzoni potrà fugare ogni dubbio.
L'importanza di Belafonte nella musica americana non si ferma però qui. Questo album fu infatti anche la prima raccolta di canzoni a superare il milione di copie vendute e naturalmente catapultò il suo autore agli onori della cronaca, facendo scoppiare in tutta l'America la febbre del calypso, genere musicale che dietro ad elementi danzerecci nasconde testi di forte protesta verso la malapolitica e le condizioni sociali dei più deboli.
Belafonte, classe 1927, approda alla musica dopo un discreto successo come attore in alcuni film e musical, per cui scriverà alcune canzoni che faranno da colonne sonore e che contribuiranno a lanciarlo nel mondo musicale. Personaggio schietto e gioviale dal sorriso sempre pronto e disponibile per qualunque buona causa.
"Calypso" esce nel 1956, trainato dal successo immediato della famosissima "Day-O(The Banana Boat)", traditional che diverrà il marchio di fabbrica che lo accompagnerà per tutta la carriera. Canzone di forte denuncia razziale che stride con la gioiosità di base, originaria del Trinidad e cantanta dagli operai che caricavano le navi di banane tutta la notte aspettando che qualcuno li mandasse a casa con il sopraggiungere del giorno.
Le canzoni di Belafonte risentono fortemente dei luoghi in cui il musicista visse in gioventù, quindi potremmo trovare influenze caraibiche, giamaicane e newyorchesi. La capacità di unire il folk americano, conosciuto grazie alle sue frequentazioni al Greenwich Village, vero croce via della cultura americana degli anni cinquanta e sessanta, con le atmosfere ed i suoni delle sue origini caraibiche faranno di lui uno dei primi cantautori in grado di mischiare suoni differenti ed inglobarli in una stessa canzone. Aiutato da Irvin Burgie nella stesura dei pezzi, "Calypso" può senza dubbio essere considerato uno dei primi esempi di global music. Accanto a pezzi ballabil come "Dolly Dawn", "The Jack-ass song" troviamo la piratesca "Will his love be like his Rum?" e canzoni folk come "Come Back Liza" e "Jamaica Farewell", secondo singolo di successo. Vi è poi la spumeggiante "Man smart (woman smarter)" che può essere considerata a tutti gli effetti una delle prime canzoni in cui viene esaltato il ruolo della donna nella storia.
La battaglia di Belafonte verso i deboli e le minoranze proseguirà per tutta la sua carriera, prima al fianco di Martin Luther King, poi come ambasciatore Unicef e partecipando ad avvenimenti di carattere benefico senza suscitare troppi clamori e con discrezione.
Spesso dimenticato, la sua assenza su DeBaser può fare da esempio, Belafonte è un personggio da riscoprire ed apprezzare.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 I Do Adore Her (02:50)
When shadows fall and stars appears
A pain I feel I cannot hear
If I could relive that faithful day
I would not turn my love away
I reveal how I do adore her
Hang my heart on my sleeve just for her
All my love thru-out life assure her
If this moment I could Amour her.
When I think of her tender lips
Gentle touch of her finger-tips
Reminisce on her eyes so fair
Moonlight soft on her downy hair
I reveal how I do adore her
Hang my heart on my sleeve just for her
All my love thru-out life assure her
If this moment I could Amour her.
If some day I should see her smile
Hold her hand and me heart beguile
Feel her warmth in her earnest prayer
Darling shield me from all despair
I reveal how I do adore her
Hang my heart on my sleeve just for her
All my love thru-out life assure her
If this moment I could Amour her.
Now I'm standing alone and sad
Thinkin' upon the joys I've had
Time makes fools of men they say
Take me back to that distant day
I reveal how I do adore her
Hang my heart on my sleeve just for her
All my love thru-out life assure her
If this moment I could Amour her
03 Jamaica Farewell (03:04)
Down the way
Where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Sounds of laughter everywhere
And the dancing girls swing to and fro
I must declare my heart is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Down at the market you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear
Ackie rice, salt fish are nice
And the rum is fine any time a year
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Down the way
Where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
(chorus)
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town
Sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town.
05 Dolly Dawn (03:15)
Look, Look at Dolly,
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty dolly
Oh here she come, here she come, here she come
Pretty, pretty Dolly
When Dolly hear them sound the drum
Up she jump she holler: ”Here I Come”
Cause she gonna dance, she gonna sing
She gonna cause the rafters to ring
Cause she gonna dance, she gonna sing
She gonna cause the rafters to ring
Don’t stop her when she hear the call
Dolly don’t goin’ to have herself a ball
When Dolly start to shake an shout
Clear the floor cause she really move about
When Dolly go into a turn
All men jump and their eyes begin to burn
Soon Dolly go into a fall
Turn an’ spin then she starts to climb the wall
Soon Dolly go into a fall
Turn an’ spin and then she climb the wall
06 Star-O (02:04)
Star-o, Star-o Star a come and I carry me load
Stars, this a stars, this a stars, this a sta-a-ar-o
Star a come and I carry me load
Star a come and I carry me load
Star a come and I carry me load
Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Star a come and I carry me load
Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Star a come and I carry me load
Sta, this a sta-a-ar-o
Stars, this a stars, this a stars, this a sta-a-ar-o
Star a come and I carry me load
Sta, this a sta-a-ar-o
Stars, this a stars, this a stars, this a sta-a-ar-o
Banana ripe it smell like honey
Star a come and I carry me load
Woman sweet she take your money
Star a come and I carry me load
Sta, this a sta-a-ar-o
Star a come and I carry me load
Stars, this a stars, this a stars, this a sta-a-ar-o
Come Mister tallyman and tally me banana
Star a come and I carry me load
Come Mister tallyman and tally me banana
Star a come and I carry me load
Sta, this a sta-a-ar-o
Star a come and I carry me load
08 Hosanna (02:39)
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
House built on a weak foundation
Will not stand oh no
Stoics stall thru all creation
Will not stand oh no
House built on a weak foundation
Will not stand oh no
Stoics stall thru all creation
Will not stand oh no
Hosanna, well come wash it down
Sun come burn it up
Storm come blow it down
This house could never be
This house could never be
It would be weak you see
House built on a weak foundation
Will not stand oh no
Stoics stall thru all creation
Will not stand oh no
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
House built on a rock foundation
It will stand oh yes
Stoics stall thru all creation
It will stand oh yes
Hosanna, well come wash on it
Sun come shine on it
Storm can't blow it down
This house will always be
This house will always be
It will be strong you see
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
Hosanna me built a house, oh
09 Come Back Liza (03:06)
Every time I’m away from Liza
Water come to me eye
Every time I’m away from Liza
Water come to me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
I remember when love was new
Water come to me eye
There was one but now there’s two
Water come to me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
When the evening starts to fall
Water come to me eye
I need to hear my Liza’s call
Water come to me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Standing there in the market place
Water come to me eye
Soon I’ll feel her warm embrace
Water come to me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
In the shadow I stand awhile
Water come to me eye
Soon I’ll see my Liza’s smile
Water come to me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Come back Liza, come back girl
Wipe the tear from me eye
Every time I’m away from Liza
Water come to me eye
Every time I’m away from Liza
Water come to me eye
10 Brown Skin Girl (02:42)
Ev'rything to keep me from sleepin'
A lot of sailor boys they were leavin'
And everybody there were jumpin'
To hear the sailor boys in our chorus singin'
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
I'm goin away, in a sailing boat
And if I don't come back
Stay home and mind baby Now de Americans made an invasion
We thought it was a help to the island
Until they left from here on vacation
They left de native boy home to mind their children
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
I'm goin away, in a sailing boat
And if I don't come back
Stay home and mind baby
Now I tell you de story 'bout Millie
Well she made a nice blue-eyed baby
And dey say she fancy the mother
But the blue-eyed baby ain't know she father
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
I'm goin away, in a sailing boat
And if I don't come back
Stay home and mind baby
Now de Americans all have their pleasure
While the music played to their leisure
Everybody there they were jumpin'
To hear the sailor boys in our chorus singin'
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
Brown skin girl stay home and mind baby
I'm goin' away, in a sailing boat
And if I don't come back
Stay home and mind baby
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