samanthaolokki: Antiguan and Barbudan song writers

The cover of the Calypso Association 50th anniversary magazine on which I had the privilege of working as editor.

As with the playwrights and screenwriters, the listing of ~~Calypso~~ song writers may will take a good long while, building sloooowly over time as I gather information and as I find time to upload the information I already have. Part of the challenge is that while we know the names of the artistes, the writers often exist somewhere in the wings, out of the spotlight (sometimes deliberately so). Often, even today, there are no liner notes (a pet peeve of mine since well-written liner notes enhance the listening experience for me). So, more than any of my lists, this one promises to be a challenge. If you know who wrote?the classic tracks (the year and who sung them)?going all the way back, don?t hesitate to whisper in my ?ear?. I think Antigua and Barbuda has produced some classic calypsos and they dripped from somebody?s pen; and those guys and gals deserve a bit of the spotlight, wouldn?t you say?

Muerah ?Mighty Artist? Bodie?s calypsos are known for their double entendre (read: alternate lewd interpretation), earning the most humorous prize in competition a time or two. His songs include ?Vitamins and Iron?, ?Tarpan Tone Up?, ?Woman Working Under Man?, ?Me Ole Wife?, ?Pot Hole?, ?Business Dead?, ?Clap You Tongue?, and others. He?s been singing since 1972.

Marcus Christopher- over 300 calypsos written: incuding Short Shirt?s Carnival on the Moon, Beatles MBE, No Place Like Home, Parasite, Technical School, Black Like Me, and The World Needs Love; Zemakai?s Tribute to Radio Antigua and Fidel Castro; King Canary?s Gem of the Caribbean and Slapping Hands; and Sleepy?s Under the Carpet.

Toriano ?Onyan? Edwards ? One fourth of the original groundbreaking Antiguan jam/soca band Burning Flames and later a solo act and four time calypso monarch (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000); Onyan has attracted controversy for lyrics deemed offensive by some (I for instance wrote an article critical of 2012?s Kick een she back doh and there were calls by women?s groups to ban the song) and not for the first time; anyone remember such classics as Man fu Whorehouse and Baby Food off the Baby Food album? But with songs like Crazy Man, Old Fire Stick, Life in the Ghetto, Nice and Slow?and even the named controversial songs he remains (at this writing) a crowd favourite and road march winner.

Mclean ?Short Shirt? Emmanuel -?15 time Calypso Monarch (?64, ?65, ?66, ?69, ?70, ?72, ?74, ?75, ?76, ?79, ?80, ?86, ?87, ?88, ?92).?Check out this article on his 1976 album, Feeling the Ghetto Vibes.

K. Erasto

Kayode Erasto ? TBD

Joseph ?Calypso Joe? Hunte ? His classic ?Bum Bum? became, in 1970,?the first homegrown winner of the Antigua and Barbuda calypso road march title. Other well known tracks composed and (I believe) written by Joe include: 1971?s??Educate the Youths? and ?Recorded in History? with which he won the Calypso Monarch crown;?? ?War?, ?A Nation to Build, A Country to Mould?, and 1972?s ?Life of a Negro Boy?.

Oglivier??Destroyer? Jacobs? has written for both himself and his son Leston ?Young Destroyer? Jacobs. Destroyer Sr. has never won the crown, though he came close in 1971 and 1989 winning the first runner-up spot. His written songs include 1967?s ?Bring Back the Cat-o-Nine?, 1989?s ?Discrimination? and ?Message from Gorkie?, ?Back of de Bus? (sung by his son and winner of best social commentary in 2006),

Accepting a National Vibes Star Project Award

?Woodpecker Sarah?, ?Jail Cart?, ?Country Running Good?, ?All Fool?s Day?, ?Beg Georgie Pardon?, ?Ah Wha Me Do You?, ?Can?t Smile ?Bout That?, ?Ah Wonder Who Do Dis?, and many others.

King Zacari

Trevor ?King Zacari? King? (pictured above, performing)- The 1991 and 2001 monarch began writing for juniors in the early 1990s (e.g. The Zulu Will Rise Again performed by Pepperseed) before entering the arena with his?own tracks among which can be counted?Black Rights, Guilty of Being Black, Fine Ants (2001), Guilty as Charged?etc. (others TBD)

Lesroy Merchant ? TBD

Dorbrene O?Marde ? TBD

The Mighty Bottle (Percival Watts) ? Fungi, Dive Dung Low, 10 Bag a Sugar (TDB)

RUPERT ?LITTLEMAN? PELLE (pictured above with Lady Challenger)?- TBD

Rupert ?Swallow? Philo - TBD

Kobla ?Promise No Promises? Mentor?- This Guyana born?singer-songwriter broke through in Antigua with his?behind the scenes contributions (as co-writer)?on?the 2003 Wanski hit (More Gyal) before claiming the so/calypso spotlight the following year with hits like Can?t Stop My Carnival and Pon de Move; 2010?s Do Good ?and 2011?s Her Drums are?two of his more?recent offerings, the range demonstrative of an artiste not easily pigeon-holed.

Sir Prince Ramsey?is a?family physician by profession, an HIV/AIDS activist by choosing, a calypso?lyricist and producer?by calling. He has produced more than 45 calypso albums and written over 100 songs?since 1979 for artistes like?King Obstinate, Rupert??Baba? Blaize (?In Antigua?), Onyan (?Stand up for Antigua??- 1998 Calypso Monarch winner), De Bear (?My Allegiance? ? 2003 Calypso crown winner; and ?Man is Nothing but Dust? ? 2007 Leeward Islands calypso competition winner), Zero (?Protect Yourself? ? 2002 Calypso Monarch winner), De Empress (?We don?t want it here? and ?Power of a Woman? ? 2000 Queen of Calypso crown winner), Blade (?The Brink? ? 2008?Carnival Development Committee?winner for best writer and best calypso), and others (about 50 artistes in all).

Paul ?King Obstinate? Richards - TBD

King Obstinate

Shelly Tobitt ? TBD

Cuthbert ?Best? Williams

Cuthbert ?Best? Williams with Queen Ivena

has written winning tunes for Antiguan monarchs Smarty Jr. (who won the crown in 1993, 1994, 1995 with ?Never Again?, ?Role of the Calypsonians?,??What Black Power Means?, ?Cry for Change?, ?Draw the Line? and ?Follow the Leader?) and Ivena (who won the monarch crown 2003, 2004, 2005 with ?Robin Hood in Reverse?, ?Ivena?s Agenda?, ?After Lester?,??Reparation for Africa?, ?What Did Castro Say?, and ?Don?t Pressure Me?; and the? Queen of Calypso crown in 2001 ? 2005 with ?Old Road Fight?, ?Save Ms. Calypso?, ?I?m Angry?, ?Remember the Pledg?e, and the other named songs).

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