Chinese Never Had a VJ Day
Lord Kitchener Lyrics


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Try and remember
The 10th of October
Just try and remember
The 10th of October
Some kind of Chinese memorial
Ending revelry on the Carnival
Townpeople got afraid
With the Chinee people there down to Port of Spain

Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day
Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay...

Sleeping in me cachop
In a dream I hearing a echo
Poor Kitchener sleeping
But the Chinee have me bazodee
I jump off me bed when I feeling ill
I bounce off a bassa nose in your street
And then I get to laugh
I find myself in the arms of a Chinee crowd

Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day
Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay...

This I want to mention
A joke with a Chinee lion
Big men frighten like fire
Thinking there's a true lion come from China
Just when a mistaken lion groan
Jump on the case of a saxophone
People got misled:
It was a Chinee playing Mas in a lion head

Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day
Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay...

This was disagreeable,
I can't understand we people
The boys cry how they hungry,
The Chinee decide to take off a chinkee
As soon as the waitress bring de dish
The guy have missed me a slice of fish
I didn't forget to hide
They make a real black Chinee go outside

Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day




Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Lao pongtang ee ay...

Overall Meaning

Lord Kitchener's "Chinese Never Had a VJ Day" is a calypso song that highlights the mistreatment and discrimination experienced by the Chinese community in Trinidad and Tobago. The song is a critique of the celebration of Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) in Trinidad and Tobago, which overlooked the contributions of the Chinese community to the war effort. The song's catchy refrain, "Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day," emphasizes the fact that the Chinese community was not recognized or celebrated during the VJ Day celebrations.


The first verse of the song describes a Chinese memorial that was held during the Carnival season, but which ended in terror when the town people became afraid of the Chinese people in attendance. The second verse talks about Lord Kitchener's dream of the Chinese taking over his consciousness, and his encounter with a Chinese crowd. The third verse is about a case of mistaken identity, where people thought a Chinese lion was a real lion and were afraid until they discovered that it was actually a Chinese man in a costume. The final verse is about the mistreatment of a Chinese waiter and the exclusion of a "black Chinee" from a restaurant.


Lord Kitchener's "Chinese Never Had a VJ Day" was not without controversy. At the time of its release, some critics argued that the song was racist and inflammatory. However, supporters argued that the song exposed the widespread discrimination faced by the Chinese community in Trinidad and Tobago. The song also served as a call to action, demanding that the Chinese community be recognized for their contributions to the war effort.


Line by Line Meaning

Try and remember
Recall this event


The 10th of October
Specific date to remember


Just try and remember
Emphasize the importance of not forgetting


The 10th of October
Recall this specific date


Some kind of Chinese memorial
A commemoration related to China


Ending revelry on the Carnival
Bringing festivities to a close during Carnival


Townpeople got afraid
The locals became scared


With the Chinee people there down to Port of Spain
Chinese people present in Port of Spain


Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Repeating phrase in Chinese and English


Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day
Chinese never celebrated a Victory in Japan Day


Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Repeating phrase in Chinese and English


Lao pongtang ee ay...
Repeating phrase in Chinese


Sleeping in me cachop
Sleeping in my bed


In a dream I hearing a echo
Hearing echoes in a dream


Poor Kitchener sleeping
Kitchener is sleeping


But the Chinee have me bazodee
Chinese people have me confused


I jump off me bed when I feeling ill
Jumping out of bed when feeling sick


I bounce off a bassa nose in your street
Bumping into someone in the street


And then I get to laugh
Finding the situation amusing


I find myself in the arms of a Chinee crowd
Being surrounded by a crowd of Chinese people


This I want to mention
Bringing something up to discuss


A joke with a Chinee lion
A humorous interaction with a Chinese lion


Big men frighten like fire
Grown men are scared


Thinking there's a true lion come from China
Believing there is a real lion from China


Just when a mistaken lion groan
The supposed lion made a noise


Jump on the case of a saxophone
Jumping on a saxophone case


People got misled:
The people were deceived


It was a Chinee playing Mas in a lion head
Chinese person playing Mas in a lion costume


This was disagreeable,
This was unpleasant


I can't understand we people
The singer does not comprehend their own people


The boys cry how they hungry,
Boys complaining of hunger


The Chinee decide to take off a chinkee
The Chinese man decides to take away a dish


As soon as the waitress bring de dish
Once the waitress brings the food


The guy have missed me a slice of fish
Someone did not receive a piece of fish


I didn't forget to hide
I made sure to conceal myself


They make a real black Chinee go outside
A black person of Chinese descent was forced to leave


Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Repeating phrase in Chinese and English


Lao pongtang ee ay, Chinee never had a VJ Day
Chinese never celebrated a Victory in Japan Day


Lao pongtang ee ay, Lai Fook Lee lousy-ay
Repeating phrase in Chinese and English


Lao pongtang ee ay...
Repeating phrase in Chinese




Contributed by Jeremiah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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kdewconcepts@yahoo.com


on Love In the Cemetery

highlight

Very good interpretation of this classic. Lord Kitchener had a way of putting things across. He took a simple encounter with a woman and made it so interesting. If he played that game of cards with that ghost and lost, well, that would've been the end of him. At the end he was still comforted by a dead man. But what became of the woman?

Slow.dog


on Redhead

This argument I have daily, the blonde and the brunette lady
This argument I have daily, the blonde and the brunette lady
Speaking candidly, they don’t interest me
You can take your blonde and brunette away and give me the redhead girl every day
So it is the redhead, redhead, ohhh that is what I said
Just give me the redhead, redhead, I must catch a redhead before I dead

I travel to many countries and study the three young ladies
The blonde is merely false beauty, the whole world can see it plainly
They keep their hair dyed, using peroxide
So I don’t care what the people say, I rather the redhead girl everyday
So it is the redhead, redhead, ohhh that is what I said
Just give me the redhead, redhead, I must catch a redhead before I dead

The brunette is plenty trouble, to fathom them is a puzzle
Today they are dark as ever, tomorrow they become ginger
It is critical, too artificial, so don’t be mad when you hear me say
I’d rather the redhead girl every day
So it is the redhead, redhead, ohhh that is what I said
Just give me the redhead, redhead, I must catch a redhead before I dead

To speak of the redhaired lady, a woman of natural beauty
She keeps to that natural passion, no changes to cause attraction
She appeals to me, through simplicity
If it’s the last thing I got to say, I need the readhead girl everyday
So it is the redhead, redhead, ohhh that is what I said
Just give me the redhead, redhead, I must catch a redhead before I dead

Anne Fridal


on Steel Band Music

i really need to get the lyrics to steelband music for my kitchener tribute at movietowne coming soon also when a man is poor and ole lady walkj a mile and she taylalay

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