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"
Old Lady Walk a Mile and a Half
Lord Kitchener Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waye aye aye, waye aye aye and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
(Waye aye aye, waye aye aye, and she tay lay lay
Waye aye aye, waye aye aye and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Up the hill, down the hill was Miss Betaudier
She was walking the distance to Point Fortin
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
(Waye aye aye, waye aye aye, and she tay lay lay
Waye aye aye, waye aye aye and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay)
She left home from Arima at 6:30
When she reach to Arouca she bazodee
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
(Waye aye aye, waye aye aye, and she tay lay lay
Waye aye aye, waye aye aye and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay)
With a Martiniquan towel she tied her head
In a basket she had two cassava bread
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
(Waye aye aye, waye aye aye, and she tay lay lay
Waye aye aye, waye aye aye and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay)
Lord Kitchener's "Old Lady Walk a Mile and a Half" is a calypso song sung in a Caribbean style with repetitive rhythms, catchy melodies, and lyrics that tell a story of a woman walking a considerable distance. The song is about an old lady who is determined to walk one and a half miles. The chorus is a repetition of "waye aye aye" and "she tay lay lay," which creates a singalong feel to the song.
The first verse talks about Miss Betaudier, who is also walking up and down the hill to Point Fortin. The second verse mentions that the old lady left her home in Arima at 6:30 am and had already become exhausted by the time she reached Arouca. The old lady ties a Martiniquan towel around her head and carries two cassava bread in a basket throughout her journey.
Through the song lyrics, Lord Kitchener emphasizes the hard work and determination of the old lady who does not give up and continues to walk this distance, showing the strength and perseverance of older women. Even though the walk is not easy, the old lady continues along her path to reach her destination, and the song praises her efforts.
Overall, "Old Lady Walk a Mile and a Half" highlights the importance of perseverance and determination. The song tells a story that reflects the way of life in the Caribbean, where people often have to work hard to achieve their goals.
Line by Line Meaning
Waye aye aye, waye aye aye, and she tay lay lay
A repeated chorus expressing amazement at the perseverance of the old lady on her journey.
Old lady walk a mile and a half and she tay lay lay
The old lady walks a significant distance despite her age and physical limitations.
Up the hill, down the hill was Miss Betaudier
The old lady passes by Miss Betaudier on her arduous walk.
She was walking the distance to Point Fortin
The old lady is traveling a considerable distance to reach Point Fortin.
She left home from Arima at 6:30
The old lady started her journey early in the morning.
When she reach to Arouca she bazodee
Upon reaching Arouca, the old lady becomes disoriented or dizzy.
With a Martiniquan towel she tied her head
To protect herself from the sun, the old lady has tied a towel from Martinique around her head.
In a basket she had two cassava bread
The old lady has packed two cassava breads to sustain her on her journey.
Contributed by Connor F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
kdewconcepts@yahoo.com
on Love In the Cemetery
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