Belafonte is perhaps best known for singing the "Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". Throughout his career, he was an advocate for civil rights and humanitarian causes.
Belafonte won three Grammy Awards (including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award), an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award. In 1989, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994. In 2014, he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Academy's 6th Annual Governors Awards and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Early Influence category and was the oldest living person to have received the honor.
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Dead Man Holler
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jump up brothers come and face the morn
Forget your aching from the day before
'Cause today we're goin' to do that and more
Lead man holler, yo oh ho
All men follow, down you go for a working dollar
Yes he holler yo oh ho, all men follow
I want de men, the women and the children too
We got a long day out we got a lot to do
We got to cut up, stack up and load the cane
You better bring a shawl 'cause it look like rain
Lead man holler, yo oh ho
All men follow, down you go for a working dollar
Yes he holler yo oh ho, all men follow
Down we go for a working dollar
Well a working man I am tired and true
I won't ask you nothin' that I wouldn't do
Well you pay today is the same as last
Your work's the same, just a little fast
Lead man holler, yo oh ho
All men follow, down you go for a working dollar
Yes he holler yo oh ho, all men follow
Down we go for a working dollar
Well I'd like to tell you `bout yesterday
You work quite well, I am proud to say
I want ev'ry man to try his will
And make yesterday look like he was standing still
Lead man holler, yo oh ho
All men follow, down you go for a working dollar
Yes he holler yo oh ho, all men follow
Down we go for a working dollar
The song "Lead Man Holler" by Harry Belafonte is a work song that is sung in call-and-response style, a method that was used by slaves and laborers to boost morale and make tasks more manageable. The lead man, who is in charge of the work gang, is hollering to his workers to get up and start the day. He encourages them to leave behind their aches and pains from the day before because there is a long day ahead of them, and they need to cut, stack, and load the cane. The lead man urges everyone to follow him to earn a working dollar.
The lyrics tell the story of the daily struggles of working-class people who have to work hard to make a living. The repetition in the chorus is a reflection of the monotony and repetition of the work being done. The lead man's hollering serves to create a sense of urgency and also to keep the workers in line. The song is a reminder of the impact of enslavement and the impact of immigration in the Caribbean, which relied heavily on the labor of human beings to cultivate sugar cane.
Overall, "Lead Man Holler" is a song that captures the struggle of the working class in America and underscores the power of unity and teamwork to achieve a common goal. It is a song that emphasizes the importance of hard work, resilience, and perseverance, and one that continues to resonate with people of all backgrounds today.
Line by Line Meaning
You hear me calling at the crack of dawn
I am waking you up early in the morning to get ready for work
Jump up brothers come and face the morn
Wake up and be ready for a new day's work
Forget your aching from the day before
Don't let yesterday's pain affect your work today
'Cause today we're goin' to do that and more
Today's work will be harder and more demanding than yesterday's
Lead man holler, yo oh ho
The leader is calling for attention
All men follow, down you go for a working dollar
Everyone must follow the leader's commands and work hard for their pay
Yes he holler yo oh ho, all men follow
The leader continues to call and everyone must keep working
Down we go for a working dollar
We are all working hard to earn our pay
I want de men, the women and the children too
Everyone is expected to work, regardless of age or gender
We got a long day out we got a lot to do
Today's work will be long and tiring
We got to cut up, stack up and load the cane
We have to work with sugarcane, cutting it up, stacking it, and loading it
You better bring a shawl 'cause it look like rain
It might rain, so you should bring something to keep yourself warm
Well a working man I am tired and true
I am a hardworking and reliable worker
I won't ask you nothin' that I wouldn't do
I won't ask you to do anything I wouldn't do myself
Well you pay today is the same as last
You will be paid the same amount as you were paid yesterday
Your work's the same, just a little fast
Your work will be the same, but you need to do it a little faster today
Well I'd like to tell you `bout yesterday
I'd like to talk about yesterday's work
You work quite well, I am proud to say
You all did a good job yesterday, and I'm proud of you
I want ev'ry man to try his will
I want everyone to work their hardest and do their best
And make yesterday look like he was standing still
I want you to work even harder today and make yesterday's work seem slow in comparison
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: IRVING BURGIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ThomasBryant
Simply classic. Wonderful
@bothcarmen9917
WONDERFUL!! 🙏❤️❤️❤️🌹🌹🌹 THANK YOU! HAPPY MOTHER S'DAY! 🙏❤️🕊️😘🌹🌹🌹💕🌟
@reginehospital3225
Merci pour cette belle mise en scène qui accompagne la superbe voix d'Harry Belafonte.
🌟💖
@polixeniagraf2636
Beautiful Video! Thank you so much! ❤
@rob_ky0216
He never fails to give me goosebumps.
@ton4347
Up to a million views for this great man!
@eddasimon1427
RIP❤️ great man🌹🌹❤️🌹🌹
@irisetpoppy9956
Perfect Harry Belafonte
@lauraknapp906
God, he is so good.
@carolinecallu802
❤❤❤