Jump in the Line with Harry

I can picture American singer, actor, and activist Harry Belafonte, who made Calypso music popular, dancing down the Milky Way in Calypso style. He died on April 25, 2023, at the age of 96 in NYC, but he leaves us with his fantastic music to be enjoyed by future generations. He is one of the few performers to have received Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards. In 2022 Belafonte was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category.

“Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” is a traditional Jamaican folk song. It is a good example of Calypso music. This is a call-and-response work song from the point of view of dock workers on the night shift loading bananas into ships. The best version of this song was recorded by American singer Harry Belafonte in 1956. Later on, it became one of his signature songs. The song was also used in the 1988 film “Beetlejuice” in the dining scene.

“Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)” is a calypso song that was composed by Lord Kitchener. It was recorded by Harry Belafonte in 1961. The most memorable appearance of this song was in the 1988 film “Beetlejuice”, at the end of the film. The song is on Belafonte’s album Jump Up Calypso. It was the inspiration for the hit single “Twist, Twist Senora” by the American band Gary and the U.S. Bonds in 1962.

“Island in the Sun” is a song that was written by Harry Belafonte and Irving Burgie (Lord Burgess). It was performed by Belafonte for the 1957 film of the same name. The song is on his album Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean. Belafonte sang the song on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1957 to promote the film. In 2017, Belafonte released the album When Colors Come Together: The Legacy of Harry Belafonte for his 90th birthday. The album was intended to foster racial harmony and included a new version of “Island in the Sun” titled “When Colors Come Together (Our Island in the Sun)” performed by a multi-ethnic children's choir.

“Matilda” is a Calypso song. It dates back to the 1930s when it was recorded by Calypso pioneer King Radio (stage name Norman Span). Belafonte recorded the song in 1953 releasing it as a single. It is on his second album Belafonte released in 1955. He often performed the song in his concerts and encouraged the audience to sing the line:

Hey! Ma-til-da; Ma-til-da; Ma-til-da, she take me money and run a-Venezuela

An example of this can be heard in his 1959 live album Belafonte at Carnegie Hall.

“Jamaica Farwell” is a Jamaican-style folk song and was written by Lord Burgess. The song was recorded by Belafonte and is on his 1956 album Calypso. It charted on the Billboard Pop Chart. The line in the song “ackee, rice, saltfish are nice” refers to the national dish of Jamaica.

“Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)” is a popular folk-style ballad. It was written by Jack Segal. The song tells the story of a small girl praying before bed for scarlet ribbons for her hair. Her father is upset all night knowing there was nowhere he could get these ribbons. The next day he sees any scarlet ribbons all around and has no idea where they came from. In 1952 Belafonte covered this song with a male vocal group. It became a success and is on his second album.

“Man Smart (Woman Smarter)” is a Calypso song. King Radio (Norman Span) recorded the song in 1936. It became popular when Belafonte recorded it. The song is on his best-selling album Calypso. On Belafonte’s album, Span is credited as the composer of the song.

“Coconut Woman” is a song that appears on Belafonte’s album Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean.