I have enjoyed watching this documentary about the calypso history. Each calypsonian had spoke their opinion on how calypso use to be in the old time days of the 1950's. This documentary was mainly about the late calypsonian Lord Melody (1926 - 1988). Harry Belafonte did a cover song of Sparrow's "Jean and Dinah" and Melody's "Mama Look at Boo Boo". I've always enjoyed Belafonte's work throughout the years of his career as a singer.
edud, if you actually take a look at the full documentary, you'll find that the people who he 'stole' from actually benefited from it. Melody did in fact get money from the covers (and much much more, since he moved around with Harry once they met) and Sparrow had doors opened for him through Belafonte's connections. Could he have done more? Probably. But he DID give back those whose music he covered.
CONt~ I also understand that around that time ppl werent ready for that type of raw talent and i dont know if we shud be grateful that he introduce our genre to mainstream america..Bc at that time white musicians were also redoing black musicians songs and singing at a different melody to appeal to a different audience(their audience)..to me Harry Belfonte did the same thing.
ah hope that nuff people buy a legit copy of this documentary for their personal collection.... this is a bit ah we history here people. long live kaiso and soca!!!
This Place is so crazy! greats like Sparrow,Lord melody,&Kitch never received such recognition in mainstream for their artistic abilities,but this guy "Harry Belfonte" redid (stole) his songs and it becomes a well known song bc of a well known person..smfh.Sh@t like this bothers me.NO disrespect to Harry Belfonte,but its the prescription that this world see's thats bothering me..at the time he was a lighter skin man/popular,attractive and ppl credited him for this song and he sulk in the fame.
@@superhuman8004 No great grand parents always talked about him and and the roots, never met him. Duke also my fam, we knew each other well, got a few family which were musicians. We got to link up before I leave, I'm in Trinidad right now, leaving soon.
Belafonte, you owe us an explanation come out and say. what happen to mello's millions Harry is a...multi millionaire new Yorker mello was a... poor man and he died a pauper tell harry for me that lord melody was calling his name all in the cemetery
