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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Round the Bay of Mexico
Harry Belafonte Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Round the bay of Mexico
Way up Suzyanna
Mexico's the place that I belong in
Round the bay of Mexico

Been to sea for a month or more
Way up Suzyanna
Lookin' forward to my time on shore

Round the bay of Mexico

The wind is high, the sky is blue
Way up Suzyanna
Bound to anchor in a day or two
Round the bay of Mexico

I can see it all before my eye
Way up Suzyanna
A big café and a bottle full o' rye
Round the bay of Mexico

Some beans and rice to soothe my taste
Way up Suzyanna
I ain't gonna let nothin' go to waste
Round the bay of Mexico

Put some kerchiefs in my bag
Way up Suzyanna
Tell a tale or two so I can really brag
Round the bay of Mexico

There's Rosita and Chiquita and pretty maid Bell
Way up Suzyanna

If I meet them all at once I'll never get well
Round the bay of Mexico

Overall Meaning

In this song, Harry Belafonte sings about his return to Mexico after a month-long journey at sea. He expresses his excitement about going ashore in Mexico and describes what he is looking forward to. The song has a relaxed and upbeat tone, conveying the joy and anticipation of going home after a long journey.

Belafonte's use of repetition emphasizes the central theme of the song: returning to Mexico. The phrase “Round the bay of Mexico” is repeated several times, emphasizing the importance of this place to the singer. The use of the phrase “Way up Suzyanna” is a nod to the African American work song "Oh, Susanna," which is also about travel and adventure. By referencing this classic American song, Belafonte is connecting his own story to a larger cultural tradition.

The lyrics suggest that the singer finds comfort in simple pleasures, like a big café and a bottle of rye, and a plate of beans and rice. He is also looking forward to meeting Rosita, Chiquita, and pretty maid Bell, highlighting the excitement of returning home and reconnecting with people he knows and loves.

Overall, "Round the Bay of Mexico" celebrates the idea of place, travel, and the joys of returning home. The song captures the excitement of a journey and the anticipation of returning to a familiar place where one feels a sense of belonging.

Line by Line Meaning

Round the bay of Mexico
I am traveling around the bay of Mexico

Way up Suzyanna
In the location called Suzyanna

Mexico's the place that I belong in
I feel like I belong in Mexico

Been to sea for a month or more
I have been at sea for over a month

Lookin' forward to my time on shore
I am excited to be on land again

The wind is high, the sky is blue
The wind is strong and the sky is clear

Bound to anchor in a day or two
We will soon anchor the boat

I can see it all before my eye
I can visualize everything in my mind

A big café and a bottle full o' rye
Looking forward to having a drink at a nice café

Some beans and rice to soothe my taste
I am craving some beans and rice

I ain't gonna let nothin' go to waste
I won't waste any food