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Ajamu, the King of St. David’s. True and undisputed even to this day. Many a time, the debate of whether he would ‘take it again’ would heat up the streets, pit neighbors one against another. At seven times a winner, nobody would question why that would be the case.
I remember nights when the whole of Pomme Rose, ‘Tehwough’ as the old folks would call it would come alive. De Marche Gras night, radios blaring, pots bubbling, drinks flowing, dogs and people in the streets. Ears eagerly tuned to the radio for the entire show, and the running commentary from the ‘boys on d block’. Many a time a young one would get a ‘shush’ and a chuck behind the head for daring to interrupt mommy or daddy when the great man was on stage. With a voice so clear and true and a genuine love for the art-form that shone through in each of his selections…who can help but be swayed by his powerful lyrics?
‘A prayer for my nation’..what phrase or what set of lyrics would better exemplify one’s love for one’s nation, than to render up to GOD a prayer,
‘Father I pray for all dem politicians, I want to beg the master to brighten their vision, give them the inspiration to look beyond the horizon’.
Seemingly simple but so powerful and obviously heart-felt. Seemingly simple words, yet ones that speak to the heart of the man and his desire to see longevity and prosperity for his nation…beyond the horizon. ‘Do it for the children ‘90’ was another of those songs that had the power to reach deep into your soul and bring forth the emotion, that will to make this world a better place…for the children. It was a song that took a frank look at the current state of affairs, relevant more today 16 years later than ever and concluded that we needed to talk some more as adults, take the bull by the horns and ‘try, try a little harder. to save the children future’.
There were the fun ones, the serious ones, the educational ones; Double tenor girl, Betty Lou, Open up the door, Double standards, Love thy neighbour and the oh so popular King Man Love ~ Tribute to an African Lady, too many to mention but all with a specific theme, a message and lyrically sound. The true celebration of a literary art-form that flows through his veins as surely as his blood does. His bold declaration, one simply of truth, ‘I’m a music man, with a Soca plan for the whole world. And they go say ah mad but ah go jam dem hard, no stopping at all.’
I remember days when the official start of jouvert in Pomme Rose was the announcement that once again ‘we take it! ‘Jamu take dem!’ You would hear the cry reverberate from the top of the hill near Teacher Phyllis shop to the bottom of Bay road, La Tante junction, La Bois and Requin….Chants of ‘D ting start!’ or ‘Dat crown heading to St. David’s again and is mass!’ Most especially so if the competition was fierce between some of the ole timers like Inspector, Black Wizard and in recent years Scholar. Children running bare feet and bare backed at 1:30am, hype not off of sugar, but of the electric atmosphere that permeated the ‘back road’.
I remember the cry that went up the year (’95) that he sang ‘On de road’ with strict battle warnings to the other calypsonians,
“when you hear my tempo ringing, clear the way because I’m not joking. I’m as fierce as an African warrior….’ And admonishing ‘Since I little boy I hear me mama saying ..when the lion is asleep you shouldn’t wake him..and when you play with puppy, puppy gonna lick yuh mouth, but when you play with big dog, big dog gonna bite yuh!”…”Tell dem, tell dem let dem know…Ajamu on d road again!!”
That year was mass for true in St. David’s, the tension was palatable the night of De Marche Gras, so thick you could cut it wid ah knife…woe be onto any likkle chile unaware enough to cross a parent on that night. Is real ‘box’ that sharing. When the results were read and the winner announced…a woman run down the street in she nightie…’Allu allu Jamu take dem again…is straight to LaBaye we heading now!”
Well truth to be told there was no need to head that far. The mass started right there, males, young and old grabbed their can of ‘ole oil’, drum, iron anything they could knock to make some noise and started around the community, celebrating. “We King win again!” “We take it again!”
Those are the memories of the power of calypso in my village that I remember. Where people took a personal pride in supporting good music and uplifting themes, what the educated would call ‘mastery of the arts’, a master manipulation of words to move a people, to unite a people. To me, that is what calypso is supposed to represent; a collective coming together of community and family, togetherness, a means of articulating the ills faced by the society yes, but also a means of educating, nurturing, culturing a people, a nation.
Bless.
I am happy for you the role you play in helping our kids of our country. People like you so we need to encourage the youths of Grenada. They need a lot of help and whatever way I can help let me know if is some school supplies I am willing to do so. We will keep in touch.