Crappy Calypsoes: Composers Asleep?

Crop of Crappy Calypsoes: Composers Asleep at Piano?
By William Doyle-Marshall
Canadian immigration slipped sweetly in the annals of 2011 season of the Canadian calypso arena. Popular calypsonian Dick Lochan linked the controversial matter with a Trinidadian woman of East Indian descent who has a burning migratory desire to land in this country. Members of her family are poised to capture the first victim to fall in their path.
In typical Lochan style he tells his story in song about meeting Subatee an Indian girl from Caroni, in central Trinidad who was anxious and determined to leave the country. She wanted a husband so that she could secure permanent landed status in Canada. Subatee grabbed his hand and professed her love for him but he sensed something kinda fishy (tricky).
Subatee boasted about her ability to make good roti and invited him home to meet her mother where she could prepare him a meal. But it became clearer to Dick that the woman “jes want(ed) she Landed Card”.
Never the less he went to Caroni where the family greeted him “She father asking questions; he wanted to fix up wedding plan. Dey want to hook me into marriage so she could get her landed card,” Lochan related. Sounds funny but there are those who could testify to having similar experiences there and elsewhere in the region.
Another social issue making waves on the calypso scene is the plight of senior citizens who are on fixed income and are forced to survive on their old age pension. Newton P tells the audience being from Trinbago he is spoilt, as seniors their receive a good old age pension – three thousand dollars a month. “They treat you like people,” he boasts. The disgruntled senior reports the T&T subsistence is enough for seniors to prepare for living and for death. “But here in Canada they killing we quietly And is de ole age money supports the economy,” he laments.
Generally, the weak caliber of calypso compositions emanating from ths year’s Canadian calypso arena is disturbing. Clearly composers are ignoring Calypso’s role as an extension of literary criticism. Yes, it is used for good entertainment but that should not be the end of the cultural line. A casual glance at the range of events that have stepped in our midst between last calypso season and now -- the middle of 2011 -- is truly astounding.
Remember The Gravy Train Express that stopped at Toronto City Hall with Mayor Rob Ford and brother Doug Ford steering it along the line. Calypsonians are almost silent on the matter, except for Panman Pat who has devoted one calypso to the topic. Macomere Fifi has seen fit to tell us that the Ford nation is not good for Toronto. Did the other composers fall asleep at the wheel?
Toronto City Councillor Michael Thompson paid $300 to have his office blessed. Taxpayers’ money – he offered to repay it. Is that good or bad or no one really cares but the journalist who wrote the story. Remember the Toronto Police and G20 fiasco where many were arrested then released. How about the police officer who was not identified by his peers, until much pressure was brought to bear on the agency that investigates police wrongdoings against citizens. Yes the officer is now facing charges. Were any laws broken?
How come the Skyrocketing gas prices and cost of living as a whole are not disturbing them to the point that they are falling over each other. One would expect them to sing about that.
Canada faces two big strikes – Air Canada employees and Postal Workers – government legislating them back to work is that a good or bad thing? Either those writers and their families do not travel by air and no one delivers mail to them. So they don’t really care because they are only here for a short time and have grand plans to go back home.
The paucity of compositions poses a certain quality problem for the July 23 Calypso Monarch contest. Fans may either decide the judges will select the best of the worst so attending the event will not be necessary. Or like die hard supporters, they will go out and have some good fun regardless.
June 24, 2011