He was born in San Fernando, Trinidad. He became active in calypso in the mid-1930s, and was considered a country bumpkin by his contemporaries, because of his humble beginning. It was Grant's tailor who gave him his moniker by commenting, "I tell you, Rupert, you should call yourself Lord Invader so when you go up to the city you be invadin' the capital." With a new name, in 1937 he went to the capital city of Port of Spain and began his career in earnest.
He competed in many calypso competitions (including the very first Calypso King competition) and recorded for RCA Bluebird. Lured by Decca Records, he travelled to New York City in 1941 with other calypsonians such as Roaring Lion and Atilla the Hun to make records and promote calypso music. He wrote many calypsos; his most famous lyrics, "Rum and Coca-Cola", were plagiarised by Morey Amsterdam and became a hit for the Andrews Sisters. Invader travelled to New York and sued, eventually winning compensation, although the final settlement allowed Amsterdam to retain his copyright. Ironically, In the early 1940s, radio stations in the USA would not play his own version on the grounds of its using the copyrighted name, Coca-Cola, and its references to prostitution and alcohol. He stayed in New York for a few years because of the lengthy court case. During his tenure in New York City, he became a fixture in the local calypso scene and recorded many tracks for Moses Asch. Eventually, he won his court case, but would not see his settlement check for seven years, so he returned to Trinidad in the meantime. He opened a calypso club there and penned and recorded many original songs.
He is often credited with writing "Zombie Jamboree", although the song was actually written by Lord Intruder (Winston O'Conner), who released it on the B-side of his 1953 single "Disaster with Police". It was covered by Conrad Eugene Mauge Jr, who recorded it in 1959 and was also often credited for writing it. The confusion probably stems from the introduction of the version by the Kingston Trio, which mentions "Lord Invader and his Twelve Penetrators". At long last, Invader collected his money from his court case, and began to tour the U.S., later expanding to Britain and Europe. In the last half of 1958, he returned to New York City and continued recording for Moses Asch. He would continue to return to his homeland for business and pleasure, although by now he had, with Wilmoth Houdini, made himself one of America's most successful calypsonians. On 15 October 1961, Lord Invader died at a Brooklyn, New York hospital.
The following discs give a good idea of his work:
Calypso in New York (Smithsonian Folkways 40454), released in 2000, is a collection of Invader's recordings across his whole career.
Calypso at Midnight and Calypso After Midnight come from a live recording organized by Alan Lomax in New York in 1946.
Calypso War, Kings of Calypso, and Trojan Calypso boxed set all feature the same set of songs recorded in the United Kingdom in the 1950s.
Folkways Records also have a number of CDs that Invader recorded in the late 1950s in New York, including, Calypso (1955), Calypso Travels, and There's a Brown Boy in the Ring and Other Children's Calypso Songs (1959).
In 1961, Invader released an atypical LP, West Indian Folk Songs for Children (Caedmon Records).
Sly Mongoose
Lord Invader Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With Houdini and Destroyer,
Destroyer sang Adolf Hitler
And yet they said that Houdini was the winner, what he won with?
Sly Mongoose, All together,
Only dog know your name, sing the chorus
Sly Mongoose, everybody
Mongoose went in the White man's kitchen,
Took one of his fattest chickens,
Push it in his waistcoat pocket,
Sly Mongoose
So he then challenged the Growler,
And the Growler sang a hot number,
Growler told the Houdini,
He's goin' to win him with this melody, what it was:
Old lady
You're mashing my toe
Old lady,
Stop it isn't and yet he won him with,
Sly Mongoose, everybody,
Only dog know your name, sing it Macbeth
Sly Mongoose, everybody
Only dog know your name, yes,
Mongoose went in the White man's kitchen,
Took one of his fattest chickens,
Push it in his waistcoat pocket,
Sly Mongoose
So as I'm the Lord Invader,
I said, I can't lose my name in America,
I entered the competition
And I sang a hot composition
What it was:
Prisoner Leve
"Mete limier bai"
And yet he won me with,
Sly Mongoose, everybody,
Only dog know your name, Duke of Iron
Sly Mongoose, yes
Only
Dog know your name, yes,
Mongoose went in the White man's kitchen,
Took one of his fattest chickens,
Push it in his waistcoat pocket,
Sly Mongoose
Make the bars!
Yes, it is the Invader!
Felix orchestra!
Lord Invader's song Sly Mongoose tells the story of a mongoose who goes into a white man's kitchen, steals one of his fattest chickens, and puts it in his waistcoat pocket. The chorus of the song emphasizes the secrecy and cunning of the mongoose, as only a dog knows its name. The verses detail a competition between different singers in America, including Houdini, Destroyer, and the Growler, each of whom sang different songs in an attempt to be declared the winner. Lord Invader entered the competition and sang a composition called Prisoner Leve, but despite his efforts, he too was defeated by the sly mongoose.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a competition in America
With Houdini and Destroyer,
Destroyer sang Adolf Hitler
And yet they said that Houdini was the winner, what he won with?
There was a singing contest taking place in America, competing were Houdini and Destroyer. Destroyer sang about Adolf Hitler; however, despite this, Houdini was declared the winner. Lord Invader questions the basis on which Houdini was declared the winner.
Sly Mongoose, All together,
Only dog know your name, sing the chorus
Sly Mongoose, everybody
Only dog know your name, yes,
Mongoose went in the White man's kitchen,
Took one of his fattest chickens,
Push it in his waistcoat pocket,
Sly Mongoose
The lyrics 'Sly Mongoose, All together,' are the start of the chorus following each verse. The verses refer to a mongoose sneaking into a white man's kitchen and stealing one of his largest chickens, showing off its slyness. 'Only dog know your name' suggests that the mongoose is quite cunning, and even though everyone may be aware of its actions, it's hard to catch. 'Sly Mongoose, everybody' refers to the popularity of the mongoose as it is known by a sense of fame, due to its sneakiness in the white man's house. The mongoose is well known while also being unseen. 'Push it in his waistcoat pocket, Sly Mongoose' implies that the mongoose was so cunning that it even managed to carry off the stolen chicken unnoticed.
So he then challenged the Growler,
And the Growler sang a hot number,
Growler told the Houdini,
He's goin' to win him with this melody, what it was:
Old lady
You're mashing my toe
Old lady,
Stop it isn't and yet he won him with,
The lyric describes the Growler's challenge to Houdini. The Growler sang an impressive song with the lyrics lines like 'Old lady, You're mashing my toe, Old lady, Stop it'. Lord Invader suggests that Houdini won by using the same tune used by the Growler, but with lyrics that made no sense, meaning Houdini won with more luck than melody or tune.
So as I'm the Lord Invader,
I said, I can't lose my name in America,
I entered the competition
And I sang a hot composition
What it was:
Prisoner Leve
"Mete limier bai"
And yet he won me with,
Lord Invader suggests he did not want to lose his name in America and participating in the singing competition. He performed an excellent piece titled 'Prisoner Leve,' with the lyrics 'Mete limier bai' in his best efforts to win the competition. However, he was not successful as someone else had triumphed with 'Sly Mongoose,' showing that despite his efforts, Invader lost to this worthy opponent.
Sly Mongoose, everybody,
Only dog know your name, Duke of Iron
Sly Mongoose, yes
Only
Dog know your name, yes,
Mongoose went in the White man's kitchen,
Took one of his fattest chickens,
Push it in his waistcoat pocket,
Sly Mongoose
The song returns to the chorus verses where 'Sly Mongoose' is once again sung to demonstrate the mongoose's popularity. 'Only dog know your name' shows that while the mongoose is well-known, it can go by unknown and unseen. The line 'Duke of Iron' acts as a reference to another calypsonian of the same name. This last verse repeats the story of the mongoose stealing the fat chicken and proudly slipping it into its waistcoat pocket,
Make the bars!
Yes, it is the Invader!
Felix orchestra!
These lyrics suggest a closing where Lord Invader requests the band musicians to play a final tune; referring to them as the Felix orchestra. He finishes the song by saying that it was the Lord Invader who's singing to an applauding audience.
Writer(s): Traditional
Contributed by Abigail H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.