What is Calypso? Calypso is a style of music that came out of slavery in the Caribbean and is credited to Trinidad and Tobago. While some may contest Trinidad's origins of Calypso, Trinidad receives credit for nearly all significant achievements and events related to this music genre. The fact remains that any historical record of this genre originates in Trinidad. However, before we delve into the substance of this post, let's take note of some of these achievements.
Did you know the following?
- Calypsos were first sung in French Creole then a mix of Patois and English
- The Rhythm of Calypso (beat) is done in 2/4, 4/4 time (see "Meter" at this link for an explanation of Rhythm (beats in the music)).
- The first-ever Calypso instrumental recording was done in 1912 by Lovey's Orchestra.
- The first-ever vocal Calypso recording was made in 1914 when the "Duke of Iron" teamed up with Jules Sims. “Iron Duke in the Land” is a calypso by Henry Julian (a.k.a. Julian Whiterose)
- The first-ever Calypso tent opened in Port-of-Spain in 1921 was the "Railway Douglas Tent."
- The first-ever female to sing in a calypso tent was "Lady Trinidad" in 1935.
- The first-ever female Calypsonian to cut a record was "Lady Trinidad" in 1937.
- The first-ever "Young Brigade Tent" opened in 1947 by 24-year-old Lord Kitchener, featuring Lord Melody, Mighty Spoiler, and Mighty Viking.
That was a minor historical review of Calypso. If you want to get more information, we recommend the Trinidad and Tobago government site NALIS. Having said that, you can also review our Calypso post. Link to the post here: Trinidad's Calypso Music.
Now that we have your attention, you might be reading this article out of curiosity about this site or to gather information for a project. Maybe you just love the culture and want to learn as much as you can about it, especially from Calypso, the mother of SOCA music. This article provided some information about the categories of Calypso music. Within Calypso, there are different types of Calypso songs or categories.
This post will feature the following categories: political, social, and humorous. The second post will feature the rest, Party, Extempo, and Nation Building. Now let's take a look at the six categories both post one and two will feature.
Calypso categories:
- Political
- Social
- Humor
- Party
- Extempo
- Nation Building
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Political Calypso:
If you consider the calypsonian the people's watchman or the voice of the people, then it is easy to understand the role of political songs in the politics of the nation. Calypsonians have the power to inflict bitterness and force the ruling party under their sway. The opposition NAR used Gypsy's 'Sinking Ship' and Deple's 'Vote Dem Out' to unseat the PNM government. The people's voice, the people's champion, does more damage to a politician's future than articles in the daily newspapers. Many Calypsonians sang songs that made the politicians take notice. The Mighty Sparrow, Sugar Aloes, Duke, and many others influenced the way politicians conducted business. If you want to learn more on this subject, link to this article: credit BBC The subversive power of calypso music.
The British, who ruled Trinidad during the formative years of Calypso music, tried to stifle the development of the music because the songs empowered the people. Those who were illiterate could hear and understand the songs of the day; that opposed the British government's interests at the time. As mentioned above, the first Calypso tent opened in 1921, and because of the growth and popularity of Calypso, the ruling administration wanted to take control of the lyrical content of the songs. In 1934, a daily license fee was required from the tents; the enacted law was the 'Theatres and Dance Halls Ordinance' (1934-51). The purpose of the license was control! The British Colonial government required the tent owner to submit the lyrics of all songs for review. Any song that portrayed a negative view of the government was censored and could not be performed unless any content considered damaging was revised in the interest of the colonial power. (credit 'The Sun/Domica" for this information.).
Here are some Political Calypsos for your listening pleasure:
Social Commentary Calypso:
If you want to know what is going on in society today, the internet will provide more than you really want. However, there was a time when people depended on the daily newspapers and radio to record what was taking place. Those two formats were sometimes, or most times, overlooked by the general population, but that was not the case when a calypsonian decided to address a topic that was of interest to society. The social commentary could be loaded with advice and warnings but if the tone was bitter, then the impact of the song ended up as 'the talk of the town.'
Here are some Social Commentary Calypsos for your listening pleasure:
Humorous Calypsos: