Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 Ma… Read Full Bio ↴Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in Harlem, NYC, on 1 March 1927; died 25 April 2023) was an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Caribbean-American pop star, he popularized Jamaican mento folk songs which was marketed as Trinbagonian Calypso musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso, released in 1956, was the first million-selling LP by a single artist.

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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Done Laid Around
Harry Belafonte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Done laid around and stayed around
This old town too long
Summer's almost gone
Summer's almost gone

Done laid around and stayed around
This old town too long
And I feel like I want to travel on

I've waited here for almost a year
Waitin' for the sun to shine
Waitin' for the sun to shine
Hopin' you'd change your mind

Waited here for almost a year
Hoping you'd change your mind
Now I feel like I want to travel on

Well, the chili wind will soon begin
I'll be on my way
Gone a lonesome day
Going home to stay

Chili wind will soon begin
I'll be on my way
Because I feel like I want to travel on

Done laid around and stayed around
This old town too long
Summer's almost gone
Summer's almost gone

Done laid around and stayed around

This old town too long
And I feel like I want to travel on

Overall Meaning

The song, "Done Laid Around" by Harry Belafonte, is about a man who has been stationary in one place for too long and feels the urge to go explore the world. He has waited in this town, hoping for something to change, but has come to realize that it is time to move on. The lyrics mention how summer is almost over, and the chill of winter is about to arrive, which adds to the sense of urgency to leave.

The singer has stayed in this town for almost a year, in the hopes that the sun would shine, and the person he's waiting for would have a change of heart. However, as time has passed, he has decided that he cannot wait any longer and must leave. This sense of longing for change and new experiences is conveyed through the repetition of the line "And I feel like I want to travel on."

In the end, the singer decides that the "chili wind" is about to begin and he needs to start his journey. He will be gone for at least one day, but has no intention of returning to this town. This decision to leave is further emphasized through the repetition of the chorus, where the singer acknowledges that he has "done laid around and stayed around this old town too long."

Overall, the song expresses the feeling of restlessness, the desire for change, and the need for new adventures. It highlights the importance of not being stagnant and always seeking growth and new experiences.

Line by Line Meaning

Done laid around and stayed around
I've spent too much time idling and remaining in the same place

This old town too long
I've been in this town for an excessive amount of time

Summer's almost gone
The summer season is almost over

And I feel like I want to travel on
I feel a strong urge to embark on a journey

I've waited here for almost a year
I've been staying here for nearly twelve months

Waitin' for the sun to shine
Hoping for happy days to come

Hopin' you'd change your mind
Expecting you to have a change of heart

Waited here for almost a year
I've been staying here for nearly twelve months

Hoping you'd change your mind
Expecting you to have a change of heart

Now I feel like I want to travel on
I have a strong desire to embark on a journey

Chili wind will soon begin
The cold wind of autumn will soon arrive

I'll be on my way
I'll be leaving this town soon

Gone a lonesome day
Spending a day feeling lonely

Going home to stay
Returning to my original home to live there permanently

Chili wind will soon begin
The cold wind of autumn will soon arrive

I'll be on my way
I'll be leaving this town soon

Because I feel like I want to travel on
I feel a strong urge to embark on a journey

Done laid around and stayed around
I've spent too much time idling and remaining in the same place

This old town too long
I've been in this town for an excessive amount of time

Summer's almost gone
The summer season is almost over

And I feel like I want to travel on
I feel a strong urge to embark on a journey

Writer(s): Larry Enrlicm, tom six, Paul Clayton, David Lazar Copyright: Figs. D Music Inc. O.B.O. Sanga Music, Freddy Bienstock Music Company, Sanga Music Inc.

Contributed by Austin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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