Daughter of Titan Atlas Calypso [ka-lip-so] which means 'Hidden or Hider' was a nymph in Greek Mythology. She lived on the island of Ogygia. In Trinidad and Tobago the indigenous music form is Calypso and it's variations. Some debate of it's modern usage of the word seems to be a derivation of an West African word, 'Kaiso' (a shout of encouragement, Bravo) while others state it came from Spain's 'Caliso' which is a tropical song. Whatever the terminology, it Definitely arrived in Trinidad with the African Griots with a mixture of the French Carnival.
The first recording of a Calypso song was in 1912 by Lovey's Orchestra. Originally it was the voice of West African slaves who would deal with the French patois. It finally gained momentum when the English defeated the Spanish in the Battle for the Island that Calypso assumed its permanent
place in Trinidad, since everybody now spoke just one language. The slaves of Trinadad were not allowed to talk during work but they could sing. The Lyrics were used in the music to deliver teases or commentaries of social issues (aka Gossip) or political figures of the day (called Picong) to converse while working. The true calypso of today, the kind heard in Calypso Tents during pre-Lenten Carnival has a slower beat and it is characterized by the very commentaries of the lyrics. Calypso music is deemed as the World's most happiest music which is probably why the first watered down Calypso LP (Bellefonte) in the history of music to sell more than 1 million copies!
The Calypso dance in Trinidad originally was the Bamboula and or Chica of the 1880's, while today it is referred to 'Jump Dancing' during Carnival in the Port of Spain. Later the Ballroom version (c.1956) was tailored after the Rumba Box Step (when the music is slow) or the Samba (when the music is faster, Soca) with a splash of Bolero thrown in. It became popular in the 1950s due to Belefonte's crooning in the States but most of the music after was not true Calypso music as it is reported that true calypso music needs to be in 2/4 time not the American songs in 4/4.
The name Calypso is also used for a certain plant found in Alaska which the Flower Pods look like the costumes the dancers wear. There was also a Calypso playing card game, copyright 1955 by the United States Playing Card Co. Also the song 'Calypso Breakdown' was featured in the movie 'Saturday Night Fever' Soundtrack.
Trinidad, West Indies
1883
n/a
Banana Boat (Day-O)
$ Banana Boat (Belefonte)
$ Hot, Hot, Hot
Calypso Land (1957)
$ Brown Skin Gal
$ Ipo Eats (Presley)
Slow Waltz and Calypso (1955)
Calypso Bop (Emanons)
Jamaica Farewell
Calypso Breakdown (SNF)
$ Mama Look a Boo-boo
Man Smart, Woman Smarter
$ Marianne (Mary Anne)
Pretty Girl
$ Rum And Coca Cola (1915)
Calypso Twist (Bonds)
$ Soca Salsa
Calypso Mama
$ Star-O
$ Caribbean Party
Take Me To The Carnival
Cha-Calypso
Tie Tongue Mopsy
Chouchounne
De Bombo Man
High Society Calypso (1956)
$ Hold Em Joe
... $ Original Calypso Music from 1912 to 1937
Calypso Nightclub (L. A.)
Barbados
Crystal Palace Tent (1935)
Caribbean
Jamaica
Palumbo's Cabaret (1949-PA)
Railway Douglas Tent (1921)
Puerto Rico
Redhead Sailor Tent (1920s)
San Domingo
Trinidad
1905 - Île de Calypso: Ulysse et le géant Polyphème, L'
Calypso (1999)
Fosse
Cristobalito, the Calypso Colt
High Society (1956)
$ 1956 - High Society[DVD]
Odd Couple - Trip or Treat
Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat
$ 1956 - Manfish (aka: Calypso)
1957 - Bop Girl Goes Calypso
1957 - Calypso Heat Wave
The Odyssey (Homer)
1957 - Calypso Joe
1957 - Calypso Magazine
1957 - Rock Around the World
1958 - Ay... Calypso no te rajes!
6/1957 - Modern Teen Magazine
1958 - Calypso
1958 - Calypso Saari (aka: Isl. Women)
1962 - Calypso Cat
$ Carnival, Canboulay & Calypso
1987 - Podwojne Calypso
$ Caribbean Carnival: Songs of
$ 1963 - Dr. No [DVD] (Songs)
$ Calypso Nightclub (Los Angeles)
1977 - Saturday Night Fever (Song)
$ Jean & Dinah: who .. (Tony Hall)
Calypso Rhythm
$ Kaiso: The Trinidad Calypso:
$ Elvis Gift Set
$ Women in Calypso (Ottley)
$ West Indian and Calypso Songs
$ The Political Calypso: True Oppo
Bacchanal
Cha Cha
Jockwaist
Merenque
Samba
Bamboula
Chalypso
Jump Dancing
Pachanga
Shovalong
Big Bamboo
Corbeau
La Conga
Petro
Skip Jack
Bomba
Crab
Leggo
Quelbe
Voudon
Bossa Nova
Chica
Limbo
Rock De Boat
Winer Girl
Botay (Bote)
Lock Behind
Rumba
Cake Walk
Dingolay
Mambo
Sad Sack
Calenda
Gombey / Calypso
Marrico
Saga Thing
Camel Hop
Irie Dandy
Martinique Beguine
Sailor Dance
Ann Margaret
Charles Walters (Choro - High Society)
Guyanese Vaudeville Troupes
Elvis Presley
August 2, 2006
http://www.Streetswing.com/histmain/d5index.htm
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Atilla the Hun
Andre Toussaint
Baha Men, the (2000)
Andrew Sisters
Calypsonians of Trinidad
Duke Ellington
Harry Belafonte
Duke Of Iron
Josephine Premice
Harry Belefonte [$ Rare CD]
Lady Trinidad (1935)
Houdini (1930s)
Mamie Van Dorn
Calypso Mimosa perfume by CELLE
Jules Sims (1914)
$ Calypso Cafe (Cook Book)
Larry Clinton Orchestra
Lord Flea
Lord Kitchener (CD)
Louis Armstrong
Lovey's Orchestra (1912)
Roving Brigade (1942)
The Emanons
Link: Calypso Pioneer's
Ballrooms