Exploring the rich lyrical tradition and compelling rhythms of calypso's formative years - the age of the Roaring Lion, Mighty Spoiler, Lord Invader, King Radio and Attila the Hun - Kobo Town strives to demonstrate the contemporary relevance of their art by engaging the pressing concerns of our time. Domestic violence, the US war on Iraq, the paradoxes of globalization, the ongoing state of Caribbean dependency, and the bittersweet experience of immigration are all treated within their wide and varied repertory.
Calypso is an art that developed in dialogue with other musical forms. The members of Kobo Town, who come to calypso from all over the musical map, hope to continue and extend this tradition of rhythmic and melodic cross-pollination. While rooted in old time calypso and various West Indian folk musics, their music also draws heavily on dub poetry, roots reggae, zouk, son montuno, funk and jazz.
Trinity
Kobo Town Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
that bright day in the middle of december
a world away, couldn't take my mind off her
but now I wait high in the sky right above her
from this glorious height
I gazed with delight
as the clouds that covered her like a shroud
Chorus
and then I saw her standing there
bright in the morning sun
I could only stare
in silent admiration
allyuh I don't know
why dis' land does have me so
oh, I long to be
back home by my Trinity
i can still recall the moment I descended
I thought that the years of my exile had ended
face wet with tears, I ran to embrace her
but she just stared past me as if I was a stranger
closer to the ground
wheels now touchin' down
and the land I had known, claimed as my own
had moved along
her clothes were torn, and her shirt was all tattered
her eyes downcast, every hope and joy scattered
dream of my past, bright memory shattered
but I adore her still 'cause I know that all that don't matter
thunder in the sky
water in she eye
the rain soon fell as if to tell
that the tears weren't only mine
then I saw her standing there...
The song "Trinity" by Kobo Town is a touching and insightful tribute to the singer's home country of Trinidad and Tobago. The song is about the singer's return to Trinidad and Tobago after twelve years of being away from home. The singer recalls the day of his return, which was in the middle of December, and how he had always longed to go back home. He describes his journey from high up in the sky to the ground and how he was filled with joy when he saw his homeland once again. He describes the moment when he landed and tried to embrace his homeland, only to find that it had changed in many ways.
The song's chorus is a declaration of the singer's love for Trinidad and Tobago, as he longs to be back home by his "Trinity." The lyrics of the song are filled with nostalgia and a sense of longing for a place that was once familiar but no longer feels the same. The song touches on the theme of displacement and the idea that home may not always be what you remembered it to be. However, despite the changes, the singer still loves his homeland and cherishes his memories of it.
Overall, "Trinity" is a beautiful and heartfelt song that celebrates the singer's love for his home country of Trinidad and Tobago. It explores themes of displacement, nostalgia, and the evolving nature of home, and does so with a sense of warmth and affection towards the singer's homeland.
Line by Line Meaning
twelve years ago and I can still clearly remember
The memories of a day in December, twelve years ago, are still clear in my mind.
that bright day in the middle of december
The day was bright and sunny, taking place in the middle of December.
a world away, couldn't take my mind off her
Despite being far away, my thoughts were consumed by her.
but now I wait high in the sky right above her
From high up in the sky, I wait above her location.
from this glorious height
From the great height I was observing from.
I gazed with delight
I looked with pleasure and satisfaction.
as the clouds that covered her like a shroud
The clouds that shrouded her location.
parted to reveal the sight
They opened up to uncover the view.
Chorus
The repeated section of the song.
and then I saw her standing there
At this point, I finally saw her standing in front of me.
bright in the morning sun
She was illuminated by the morning sun, shining brightly.
I could only stare
I couldn't do more than simply look and gaze at her.
in silent admiration
I admired her in silence without saying anything.
allyuh I don't know
A Caribbean dialect phrase which can be interpreted to mean 'My friends, I do not know'.
why dis' land does have me so
I'm unsure why this land has such a hold over me.
oh, I long to be
I have a strong desire to return to a certain place or to be with someone.
back home by my Trinity
I long to return to my home by the sea, known as my Trinity.
i can still recall the moment I descended
I remember my descent from high up above to the land below.
I thought that the years of my exile had ended
I believed that my time being away from home had come to an end.
face wet with tears, I ran to embrace her
With tears in my eyes, I ran towards her to embrace her.
but she just stared past me as if I was a stranger
She looked onwards as if I was someone she didn't know.
closer to the ground
As I came closer to the ground level.
wheels now touchin' down
The wheels of the aircraft made contact with the ground.
and the land I had known, claimed as my own
The land I thought I knew had changed and now belonged to someone else.
had moved along
It had progressed and changed, leaving me behind.
her clothes were torn, and her shirt was all tattered
Her clothing was in bad condition, ripped and torn.
her eyes downcast, every hope and joy scattered
She seemed sad and hopeless, with all her happiness and hope gone.
dream of my past, bright memory shattered
My happy memories of the past had been destroyed and shattered.
but I adore her still 'cause I know that all that don't matter
Despite it all, I still love her and don't care about material things or appearances.
thunder in the sky
A loud and powerful storm in the sky.
water in she eye
Drops of water in her eyes, possibly from tears or from the rain.
the rain soon fell as if to tell
The rain began to pour as if trying to communicate something.
that the tears weren't only mine
To show that I wasn't the only one crying or feeling the way about the situation.
Contributed by Max W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.