If you are looking for a catchy and witty song to jam to during the upcoming carnival season in Trinidad, you might want to check out Trinidad is Not a Real Place by Hammond Slick Bruce. This clever calypso tells a tale about how Trinidadians live every day. When family members tell these stories, expatriates on the outside are in awe. This Calypso encapsulates these stories with witty social commentary with political implications.
Trinidad is not a real place. It is a satire on the current situation in the country, where corruption, crime, poverty, and environmental issues are rampant. The song uses irony and exaggeration to mock the government, the police, the media, and the people for their complacency and hypocrisy.
If we had to sing along to the song, we could sing along and add the following: Trinidad is not a real place. It’s a fantasy island where anything goes and nobody knows right from wrong. Trinidad is not a real place. It’s a comedy show where the jokes are on us and we laugh till we cry, but we don’t want to go.
The song also references some of the recent scandals and controversies that have plagued the nation, such as the horrendous condition of the roads and the world-famous pitch lake in our backyard. The land is flooding with so much rainfall, dams, and desalination plants, yet there is a shortage of water for personal use. Gas prices are high, and we were once producers and refiners of oil and gas. "God is a Trini" was once an anthem but is no longer the case as "God" has moved on to a new land! The song is really a call to action; social and political calculations have to be made to make things right. Change is needed, but, as a people, we are mired in political wrangling and race bashing that may make certain elements of society feel good but place progress in a pool of mud that is difficult to escape.
"Trinidad is Not a Real Place" is a clever and catchy song that captures the mood and spirit of the times. It is a song that makes you laugh, think, and dance at the same time. It is a song that all Trinidadians and Tobagonians, as well as anyone who enjoys calypso music, should hear and appreciate.
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Trinidad Is Not A Real Place
Artist/Performed by: Hammond Slick Bruce
Written and composed by: Hammond Bruce
produced by: HB Entertainment Trinidad
visuals by: HB Entertainment Trinidad
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Genre: Calypso
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Trinidad is Not a Real Place: Touch De Mic Podcast with Calypso Nite.