Roberts was born in Arima, Trinidad, the son of a blacksmith, Stephen, and housewife, Albertha. He was educated at Arima boys' government school until he was 14, when his father died. His father had encouraged him to sing and learn to play the guitar, and he became a full-time musician. He won the Arima borough council's calypso competition four times between 1938 and 1942.
He moved to Port of Spain and had his first commercial success in 1942 with the calypso song "Green Fig" (also known as "Mary, I am Tired and Disgusted"). By 1945, he was known as Lord Kitchener. He toured Jamaica for six months in 1947-8 with Lord Beginner (Egbert Moore) and Lord Woodbine (Harold Philips) before they took passage on the Empire Windrush to England in 1948. Upon his arrival, Kitchener improvised a short song titled "London is the Place to Be", which he sang live on a report for Pathé News
He found further success in the UK in the 1950s, building a large following in the expatriate communities of the West Indian islands. His fame continued throughout the 1950s, when calypso achieved international success. Kitchener became a very important figure to those first 5,000 West Indian migrants to the UK. His music[4] spoke of home and a life that they all longed for but in many cases couldn't or wouldn't return to. He immortalised the defining moment for many of the migrants in writing the Victory Calypso with its lyrics "Cricket, Lovely Cricket" to celebrate West Indies cricket team's first victory over England in England, in the 2nd Test at Lord's in June 1950. This was one of the first widely known West Indian songs, and epitomised an event that historian and cricket enthusiast C. L. R. James defined as crucial to West Indian post-colonial societies. The song, later recorded by Lord Beginner, is rarely credited to Lord Kitchener although Tony Cozier and many who attended the Test at The Oval can attest that it was a Kitch composition.[citation needed] In England, Kitchener started out working in London pubs. At first there were difficulties with English audiences who did not understand all the words, but that did not deter Kitch, and after the BBC gave him a chance to broadcast, he moved on to club bookings, and was soon performing in three clubs every night.
Kitchener returned to Trinidad in 1962. He and the Mighty Sparrow proceeded to dominate the calypso competitions of the sixties and seventies. Lord Kitchener won the road march competition ten times between 1965 and 1976, more times than any other calypsonian. For 30 years, Kitchener ran his own calypso tent, Calypso Revue, within which he nurtured the talent of many calypsonians. Calypso Rose, David Rudder, Black Stalin and Denyse Plummer are among the many artists who got their start under Kitchener's tutelage. Later he moved towards soca, a related style, and continued recording until his death. Kitchener's compositions were enormously popular as the chosen selections for steel bands to perform at the annual National Panorama competition during Trinidad Carnival. He recorded his most commercially successful song, "Sugar Bum Bum" in 1978. He retired in 1999.
It was always important to Kitchener throughout his career to gain new experiences that could be woven into his material. This led him to performances in Curaçao, Aruba and Jamaica in the early days, and finally to London, when he was already flying high in Trinidad. Kitchener once said: "I have reached the height of my popularity in Trinidad. What am I doing here? I should make a move."
Kitchener, who created highly popular and sweet melodies, is honoured with a statue in Port of Spain. A bust is also on display on Hollis Avenue, Arima, not far from the Arima Stadium.
In 1952, he met his wife Elsie Lines. They married in 1953, and lived for a period in Manchester where Kitchener ran a nightclub. They divorced in 1968. He later married and had four children (Christian, Kernal, Quweina and Kirnister Roberts) with Valarie Green, and also had a relationship with Betsy Pollard.
He died of a blood infection and kidney failure at the Mount Hope Hospital in Port of Spain. He is buried in the Santa Rosa Cemetery in Arima.
Kitchener's son, Kernal Roberts, is also a performer, playing drums for the biggest soca band in the country, Xtatik. He is also their musical director and composer of multiple Soca Monarch and Road March titles. He is noted as being a prolific musical composer and song writer.
Merits
Winner of Carnival Road March with:
1946 "Jump in Line"
1963 "The Road"
1964 "Mama dis is Mas"
1965 "My Pussin'"
1967 "Sixty Seven"
1968 "Miss Tourist"
1970 "Margie"
1971 "Mas in Madison Square Garden"
1973 "Rainorama"
1975 "Tribute to Spree Simon"
1976 "Flag Woman"
Winner of Calypso Monarch with:
1975 "Tribute to Spree Simon" and "Fever"
Kitch
Lord Kitchener Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't like it
I want you to know
Abonis don't call me so
I don't like it
I want you to know
When you call all this sweet names stupidness
Then you leave and go and start foolish
Well hear this sweet names Boni is calling me
Kitch come go to bed
I have a small comb to scratch your hair
And to do kitch
Don't make me cry
You know I love you
You playing shy
Well when she called me
I took the chance
I went and lie down
But she want romance
I said but darling
I am misled
I thought you called me
To scratch my hair
She say but kitch boy you playing you want to hide
You the reason why I tell you come inside
I say well darling yes I think I know your aim
But why you continuing to call me by this name
Kitch come go to bed
I got a small comb to scratch your hair
Kitch
Don't make me cry
You know I love you
You playing shy
Believe I'm worrying
I can make the toll
Then she would not leave me alone
She start to turn me on and twist me so
But what she wanted it
I do not know
She say I find you stop long to understand
Well why you acting like child and not man
I say well darling I don't understand your sign
How did psychic no what's in your mind
She say
Kitch come go to bed
I have a small comb to scratch your hair
And darling Kitch
Don't make me cry
You know I love you
You playing shy
Well the lady has me in hell
For what she is doing
I shame to tell
She put her left foot on top of my spine
Kitch darling you no me mind
She said well don't you see my eyes getting red
As if you want blood to fly up in my head
I say well if it cause your death it good for you
You suffering and you won't tell me what to do
She said
Kitch come go to bed
I got a small comb to scratch your hair
Darling Kitch
Don't make me cry
You know I love you
You playing shy
End
The lyrics of Lord Kitchener's "Kitch" narrate a conversation between two individuals - Kitch and Boni. Boni keeps calling Kitch with sweet names but Kitch seems to be annoyed by it, indicating his preference for being addressed by his real name. Boni tries to seduce Kitch by calling him to bed, but Kitch is hesitant as he does not seem to comprehend Boni's intentions. Boni turns aggressive as Kitch keeps resisting her advances and the song ends on an unresolved note.
The lyrics of the song showcase the power struggle between the two characters, with Boni trying to assert her dominance over Kitch. The song can be interpreted as a critique of gender roles and expectations, as Boni is depicted as a strong and assertive character while Kitch is portrayed as hesitant and unsure.
Overall, Lord Kitchener's "Kitch" is a complex and nuanced exploration of gender dynamics and power struggles in relationships, with a bittersweet tone leaving the interpretation open to the listener's own experiences and perceptions.
Line by Line Meaning
Abonis don't call me so
I don't like it when you call me that name Abonis
I want you to know
I want you to understand that I don't like that name
When you call all this sweet names stupidness
When you use sweet names but then act foolish, it's not enjoyable
Then you leave and go and start foolish
When you leave and act foolish, it's not fun
Well darling you give misery
Your actions are causing me unhappiness and distress
Well hear this sweet names Boni is calling me
Just so you know, Abonis isn't the only one calling me sweet names
Kitch come go to bed
Come to bed, Kitch
I have a small comb to scratch your hair
I want to run this small comb through your hair
And to do kitch
And other things too, my dear Kitch
Don't make me cry
Please don't upset me
You know I love you
You know I have deep feelings for you
You playing shy
You're acting shy and hesitant
Well when she called me
When she summoned me
I took the chance
I took the opportunity
But she want romance
But she wanted physical affection
I said but darling
I said to her, my dear
I am misled
I'm confused about your intentions
I thought you called me
I believed you summoned me
To scratch my hair
To have your way with me
She say but kitch boy you playing you want to hide
She accused me of playing coy and wanting to avoid her advances
You the reason why I tell you come inside
I invited you over for a reason, which is you're the one I want
I say well darling yes I think I know your aim
I told her that I think I understand what she's after
But why you continuing to call me by this name
But why are you still using that name to refer to me?
Believe I'm worrying
I'm really concerned
I can make the toll
I can put up with a lot
Then she would not leave me alone
Then she wouldn't stop pestering me
She start to turn me on and twist me so
She started to seduce me and got physical
But what she wanted it
But what she wanted from me wasn't clear
I do not know
I didn't know what she was after
She say I find you stop long to understand
She said I take too long to get the message
Well why you acting like child and not man
Why are you acting immature instead of like a grown man?
I say well darling I don't understand your sign
I told her that I don't understand her intentions
How did psychic no what's in your mind
How could anyone know what's going on inside your head?
Well the lady has me in hell
This situation is causing me great anguish
For what she is doing
Because of her actions
I shame to tell
I'm embarrassed to even say it
She put her left foot on top of my spine
She straddled me and pinned me down with her foot
Kitch darling you no me mind
Kitch, dear, don't mind me
She said well don't you see my eyes getting red
She said that I should be able to tell from her expression that she's getting angry
As if you want blood to fly up in my head
It's like you're trying to provoke me
I say well if it cause your death it good for you
I said that if her behavior leads to her own demise, that's not my problem
You suffering and you won't tell me what to do
You're causing your own misery and can't control me
Contributed by Gabriella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@FunkyPsychoClub
Verse 1
I am not a qualified physician
And I don't want to give this injection
I am not a qualified physician
And I don't want to give this injection
Dorothy is begging for trouble
She insist I should give her this needle
But, darling, one thing I want you know
Don't blame me for where the needle go
Chorus
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
Dr Kitch, you're terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle
Verse 2
She lied on in such a position
It was difficult to give this injection
She start holding on to the needle
Making me so uncomfortable
I said Darling can't you be steady
I'm going to have it done very shortly
She said Dr Kitch I am sorry
But the size of the needle frighten me
Chorus
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
Dr Kitch, it's terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle
Verse 3
She still wouldn't lie down quietly
Constantly moving her body
So I slap her in the face with vexation
And I went on giving the injection
She screamed Doctor stop! I can't stand the pain!
I don't think you're inside the right vain
I said It's your own fault you wouldn't be told
The needle must be stick in the wrong hole
Chorus
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
Dr Kitch, it's terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle
Verse 4
I pull it from that hole and start again
I have the needle now in the right vain
The needle just gone in half a inch
The stupid young lady start to clinch
Suddenly she ball, it is hurtin'
Doc I can feel the penicillin going in
I said You little fool what you do
You talk until the needle breaking youI push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
Dr Kitch, it's terrible
hehehe
@koalaparklaundromat6197
Singalong? :D
I am not a qualified physician
And I don't want to give this injection
I am not a qualified physician
And I don't want to give this injection
Dorothy is begging for trouble
She insist I should give her this needle
But, darling, one thing I want you know
Don't blame me for where the needle go
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
"Dr Kitch, you're terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle"
She lied on in such a position
It was difficult to give this injection
She start holding on to the needle
Making me so uncomfortable
I said "Darling can't you be steady
I'm going to have it done very shortly"
She said "Dr Kitch I am sorry
But the size of the needle frighten me"
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
"Dr Kitch, it's terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle"
She still wouldn't lie down quietly
Constantly moving her body
So I slap her in the face with vexation
And I went on giving the injection
She screamed "Doctor stop! I can't stand the pain!
I don't think you're inside the right vain"
I said "It's your own fault you wouldn't be told
The needle must be stick in the wrong hole"
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
"Dr Kitch, it's terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle"
I pull it from that hole and start again
I have the needle now in the right vain
The needle just gone in half a inch
The stupid young lady start to clinch
Suddenly she bawl "It is hurtin'
Doc I can feel the penicillin going in
I said "You little fool what you do
You talk until the needle breaking you"
I push it in
She pull it out
I push it back
She start to shout
"Dr Kitch, it's terrible
I can't stand the size of your needle" :D
@emmanuelsekyere7930
Who's here to listen to this in 2024❤
@nanaadwoa6427
2020 who’s here?
@ianbenson21
ME
@Kofi_rich
Who is listening to this masterpiece in 2022
@BreedersSyndicate
I love the judge dress version
@kennyucheagwu6168
2023 here
@kingki23
Still 2023
@josweetlove1537
@@kennyucheagwu6168 also here in 2023...classic calypso by the Grandmaster, Lord Kitchener.
@sharonqueen7872
Listening to it in 2023
@applelynch6980
And dey talking bout we young people music 😂😂❤️ yes .