Wow! Doing some research on the origins/credits for Belafontes Jump in the Line, I have discovered a wealth of wonderful true, original Trinidadian Calypso from the first half of the 20th century. Some very creative lyrics and a great amount of true protest music with spirit and flavor and fun speaking out against specific laws or events carried out by the colonial British government then in place. Go to iTunes and look for Atilla the Hun, Lord Executor, Lord Beginner, The Caresser and many other 1930s and early 40s Calypsonian musicians. So cool. So Jump in teh Line was based on a song called Calypso Behind the Wall, by most accounts, yet this one track I cannot find available for purchase digitally, though many others by the artist are part of collections on iTunes, such as Trinidad Calypsos Recordings 1935-1940 ( https://itunes.apple/us/album/trinidad-calypsos-recordings/id369271046 ) and Calypsos from Trinidad - Politics, Intrigue & Violence In the 1930s by Various Artists ( https://itunes.apple/us/album/calypsos-from-trinidad-politics/id415278273 ) Track 18 on the latter, for example, is brilliant in so many ways. Also listen to track 21 on the former of these two albums, called Commisioners Report. Several different tracks by different artists refer to the same specific events and laws/protests. These are amazing recordings just for the fact that they capture so well the music, culture, pride, outrage, condition, and moment in history of these people let alone that they are pretty good quality live type recordings from so long ago. Also of note is that one articl I have found says that Woody Herman may have recorded a version of the song before it became known as Jump in the Line as well. Some of the musicians on these albums did come to NYC in the 30s.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 19:04:21 +0000
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