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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Kingston Market
Harry Belafonte Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or a garden blooming bright
Heard the shuffle of a thousand feet
And drums from morning 'til night?
Come we go down, come we go down
Come we go down to Kingston market
Come we go down, come we go down
Get your tamarind and sour sop,
Mangoes and casaba,
Bread fruit okra pigeon peas,
Curry goat and guava
Come we go down, come we go down
Come we go down to Kingston market
Come we go down, come we go down
Down to Kingston market
Do you know a brown skin maiden
With sunshine in her eyes?
Heard the swallow and the humming bird
Sing happy as she goes by?
Come we go down, come we go down
Come we go down to Kingston market
Come we go down, come we go down
Down to Kingston market
Have you seen the ghost of Morgan
Or heard a tale you hadn't ought to?
Have you welcomed the coming dawn
With a rum an' coconut water
Come we go down, come we go down
Come we go down to Kingston market
Come we go down, come we go down
Down to Kingston market
In Harry Belafonte's song Kingston Market, he sings about the vibrant streets of Kingston, Jamaica. He begins the song by asking if the listener has ever seen a rainbow or experienced the beauty of a blooming garden. He then describes the feeling of being in the lively Kingston market, where the sound of thousands of feet shuffling and drums playing from morning until night create an energetic atmosphere. The refrain "come we go down to Kingston market" is a call to action, inviting the listener to experience the excitement and culture of the market.
Belafonte then describes the incredible variety of fruits and vegetables sold at the market - tamarind, sour sop, mangoes, casaba, bread fruit, okra, pigeon peas, and guava among them. He invites the listener to taste the delicious and flavorful curry goat, a staple of Jamaican cuisine. Later in the song, he asks if the listener has ever met a beautiful brown-skinned woman with sun in her eyes, or heard the songs of the swallow and hummingbird. These lyrics showcase the beauty of Jamaica beyond just the market.
Towards the end of the song, Belafonte references Jamaican history and culture. He asks if the listener has seen the ghost of Captain Morgan, a notorious pirate from Jamaica's past, or heard stories that one might not want to believe. He invokes the feeling of welcoming the coming dawn with a rum and coconut water, a nod to the relaxed and carefree nature of Jamaican culture.
Overall, Kingston Market is a joyful celebration of the vibrant culture and traditions of Jamaica. The lyrics paint vivid pictures of the sights, sounds, and flavors of Kingston, inviting the listener to experience the beauty and excitement of the market for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you ever seen a rainbow
Have you ever experienced the beauty of nature and its amazing natural phenomenon like the rainbow?
Or a garden blooming bright
Or have you ever seen a garden in full bloom with a riot of colors and flowers?
Heard the shuffle of a thousand feet
Have you ever heard the sound of many people walking together, like at a market or festival?
And drums from morning 'til night?
Or the sound of music played on drums that continues throughout the day and night?
Come we go down, come we go down
Let's go, come with me
Come we go down to Kingston market
Let's go to the market in Kingston, Jamaica
Get your tamarind and sour sop,
Buy some tamarind and sour sop,
Mangoes and casaba,
As well as some mangoes and casaba,
Bread fruit okra pigeon peas,
And some bread fruit, okra, and pigeon peas,
Curry goat and guava
Don't forget to try some curry goat and guava!
Do you know a brown skin maiden
Do you know a beautiful woman with brown skin?
With sunshine in her eyes?
With bright and happy eyes that shine like the sun?
Heard the swallow and the humming bird
Have you ever heard the sounds of nature, like the songs of the swallow and the humming bird?
Sing happy as she goes by?
Singing joyfully as she passes by?
Have you seen the ghost of Morgan
Have you ever seen the mysterious and legendary ghost of Captain Morgan?
Or heard a tale you hadn't ought to?
Or heard a spooky story that you shouldn't have heard?
Have you welcomed the coming dawn
Have you celebrated the break of a new day
With a rum an' coconut water
By enjoying a drink of rum and coconut water?
Contributed by Jake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MH Graves
No body else can sing this song this way.
Peter Piper
I can come pretty close... :)
Renelle
I can
Natalija Kisačanin
Lep kao lutka, peva kao anđeo!
Tom Lingham
Calypso at its best........ Obviously from Sir Harry Belafonte
Brigitte L.
I Like Harry Belafonte The best Calypso.Wonderful!
d Ste
Best Bela song--backup band chorus uke player outstanding --understated excellence--memories as a kid/dads fav song--tru calypso imho
d Ste
Saw live in Vamcouver Canada
Edda Simon
Best version🌹❤️🍀
World Eater
This should have at least 10million views