“Banana Boat (Day-O)” is said to have originated around the turn of the 20th century in Jamaica. Tunes like “Banana Boat (Day-O)” were meant to be started by one worker and repeated by the rest in refrains to make the work day less mundane. There, he learned the tradition of the call-and-response work song. at eight years old and returned to his mother’s native Jamaica. Though Belafonte was born in Harlem, he left the U.S. To fete the late-great musician, we’re uncovering the meaning behind “Banana Boat (Day-O).” Check out the inspiration for this fun ditty, below. From movies to covers to interpolations, the irresistible earworm that is “Banana Boat (Day-O)” is still firmly stuck in our minds decades after Belafonte’s version was released. The store in my hometown is now a Macy's.Even those unfamiliar with Belafonte or Calypso will likely know this song thanks to its pervasiveness in pop culture. "The Bon" was very prominent in the Pacific Northwest, which is where I live and was taken over by Macy's some years ago. Darrell from EugeneA variation of this song (a sample is "Day-O, One-Day Sale, Sunday Only at the Bon Marche) was used in sale commercials for the now-defunct Bon Marche high-end department store chain (also famous for Frango candy) for many years.My dad played it often when I was growing up so it reminds me of my childhood. It's the same tune except the dock workers are starting their shift. Lalah from Wasilla, AkThe first song on the B side of Calypso is called "STAR-O".Rob from Detroit, MiShouldn't the lyric read: "Hide the deadly black.Kombucha Mushroom :) from Millihole, AustraliaHa ha I first heard this song on Beetlejuice :) yeahah hide the deadly black tarantula.Megan from Stevenson, AlThis is such a classic loved by everybody. It goes, Day O Daylite come and we drop the bomb ! Come Mr Taliban turn over bin Laden ! Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaDuring the ensuing war on terror there was a modified version of the song circulating on the internet which poked fun at then President George W Bush, Collin Powell and Osama bin Laden.The name of the group is The Tarriers (not Terriers). Steve from South Central, FlIt is a Jamaican mento song, not calypso (Trinidad and Tobago).Barry from Sauquoit, NyOnDecember 23rd, 1956, two versions of "The Banana Boat Show" entered Billboard's Top 100 chart the Fontane Sisters version peaked at #13 and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100 while Sarah Vaughan's version reached #19 and stayed on the Top 100 for 14 weeks.Jack from Burlington, NjWhen initially recording the song, being asked for the title, Harry (spelled) named it, "Day Done Light".Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 20th 1957, the Tarriers performed "The Banana Boat Song" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'.Īt the time the Tarriers' original version was at #7 on Billboard's Best Seller in Stores chart and one position higher at #6 was Harry Belafonte's covered version of the song.įor what it's worth the song at #2 was "Young Love" by Sonny James, while at #3 was Tab Hunter's version of the same song.Īnd holding down the two bottom positions of the Top 10 was Fats Domino his "Blue Monday" was at #9 and his "Blueberry Hill" was at #10.He co-composed "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", and on February 14th, 1957 Harry Belafonte's original version of the song peaked at #5, and Stan Freberg's parody version reached #25 on the Best-Sellers in Stores chart.Īcross the pond in the United Kingdom, Shirley Bassey's version peaked at #8 in March of 1957. Barry from Sauquoit, NyIrving Burgie, who went by the name Lord Burgess, passed away at the age of 95 on November 29th, 2019. Worst of all was that so many of them were killed on the job from being literally worked to death-and treated as expendable. And theirs were extremely hard lives, filled with especially cruel treatment from their bosses and/or forepeople.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |