crude calypso

We’ve been on holiday! More about that later when Ben brings me his USB turntable and I can convert some of the vinyl I’ve been listening to. But before this, lets have a bit of calypsonian comedy… 

The subject matter of calypso often differs from much of popular music due to its origins, it began as a way of transmitting news between the islands, and as such often tells a story, such as Lord Invader’s Hurricane In Ghana, and open with something along the lines of “now listen carefully…”. But equally as often it is factual, funny, political and opinionated. Satire features heavily, and comedy is often rude.

As such, there are lots of rude calypso songs, and these are some of the most lewd or hilarious, comprising thinly veiled metaphors for the sexual act, often telling of something that now, would be utterly inappropriate, such as a bunch of 16 year olds getting into somebody’s sausage: 

Baldhead Growler – The Sausage

Or the painful administering of medicine through an enormous needle: 

Lord Kitchener – Dr Kitch

Or sometimes, a lady wants a taxi driver to take her on a pleasure ride, and “funny things start happening” when he starts his fast driving….

Small Island Pride – Taxi Driver

For a further calypso fix, get yourself a copy of Honest Jons’ London Is The Place For Me (Vol.1), from one of the folks on the right, or check out Muriel’s Treasure, Irwin Chusid’s old program for WFMU, which you can still listen to on the archive page.