Mento is often confused with calypso, a musical form from Trinidad and Tobago. Although the two share many similarities, they are separate and distinct musical forms. In part, the differences stem from the differing colonial histories of the two West Indian Islands, as Jamaican music lacks the Spanish influences found in other Caribbean musical styles.
Mento draws on musical traditions brought over by African slaves. The influence of European music is also strong, as slaves who could play musical instruments were often required to play music for their masters. They subsequently incorporated some elements of these traditions into their own folk music. The lyrics of mento songs often deal with aspects of everyday life in a light-hearted and humorous way. Many comment on poverty, poor housing and other social issues. Thinly-veiled sexual references and innuendo are also common themes. Although the treatment of such subjects in mento is comparatively innocent, their appearance has sometimes been seen as a precursor of the slackness found in modern dancehall.
The golden age of mento was the 1950s, as records pressed by Stanley Motta, Ivan Chin, Ken Khouri and others brought the music to a new audience. In the 1960s it was overshadowed by ska and reggae, but it is still played in Jamaica, especially in areas frequented by tourists. It was repopularized by the Jolly Boys, in the late 1980s & early 1990s, with the release of four recordings on First Warning Records/Rykodisc and a tour that included the United States.
Day-O
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Work all night on a drink of rum
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Stack banana 'til de mornin' come
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Daylight come and me wan' go home
A beautiful bunch o' ripe banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Hide the deadly black tarantula
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o, day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
The "Banana Boat Song" by Harry Belafonte is about Jamaican dock workers who stack bananas during the night shift and eagerly wait for daylight to arrive so they can go home. The song's repetitive chorus of "day-o" serves as a call-and-response between the workers as they laboriously load the banana cargo onto ships. The verses describe the workers' toil and the dangerous creatures they encounter while on the job, such as the "deadly black tarantula" that hides among the bunches of bananas.
The song's melody and lyrics reflect the traditional Jamaican folk music style, which involves using call-and-response techniques and incorporating elements of storytelling. In addition to capturing the essence of Jamaican culture, the song has become a beloved anthem of the Caribbean and has been covered by various artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Day-o, day-o
Early in the morning the singer wakes up and hears the sound of the rooster crowing.
Daylight come and me wan' go home
The singer is working through the night and is asking for the daylight to come so that he can return home.
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
The singer is feeling tired and recites a chant to keep himself awake.
Me say day, me say day-o
The artist continues the chant so that he can finish his work and go home.
Work all night on a drink of rum
The artist has been working all night without rest, fueled only by a drink of rum.
Stack banana 'til de mornin' come
The singer's job is to stack bananas until morning comes.
Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
The singer is asking the person in charge of counting bananas to tally his work so that he can go home.
Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
The artist is physically lifting bunches of bananas that are six, seven, or eight feet tall.
A beautiful bunch o' ripe banana
The artist is describing the bananas as a beautiful bunch that is ready to be harvested.
Hide the deadly black tarantula
The artist is warning his coworkers to be careful and avoid the dangerous black tarantula that could be hiding among the bunches of bananas.
Lyrics © SEMI, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Irving Burgie, William Attaway
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@samutoma99
Who is here after Beetlejuice 2 Trailer
@kaishawnique
Me😂
@franticgamezhd
I was looking for the version they use in the Beetlejuice 2 trailer 😆
@biglui
🙋♂️
@sethjesusvillegasesquivel1729
Me 😊
@gags6340
Hahah!
@vivienofosu-hene4219
Who is here after watching the 'we are the world ' documentary?
@asawanichiyong9174
Me!!!
@Getasss
Same here 😂
@johnpaulnjomiobaseikoe3605
I! I was just watching we are the world rehearsals and the lot where singing this great piece of belafonte. Immediately I searched and lo!