Mighty Panther (1921- 2001)

Native to Trinidad, Mighty Panther is a… Read Full Bio ↴Mighty Panther (1921- 2001)

Native to Trinidad, Mighty Panther is a legend of Trinidadian calypso music. He has shared the stage with numerous calypsonians including "Charmer", aka Louis Farrakhan (leader of the Nation of Islam).

The Mighty Panther, Vernon Joseph Roberts, was born in Trinidad on November 24, 1921. He was one of six calypsonians who were chosen to sing for Princess Margaret at the Governor's House during her visit to Trinidad in 1956; the others were Sir Galba, Mighty Dictator, Mighty Spitfire, Lord Melody, and Lord Viper. About two years later, Panther left Trinidad for the USA and performed in various clubs around all 50 states. He returned to New York, USA, in the early-1970s and became active in the West Indian community, later turning to social work when his singing career ended. He was frequently the Master of Ceremonies at shows held before the annual Labor Day Carnival in Brooklyn, New York. In 2001, he teamed up with fellow calypsonian King Wellington for a calypso poetry performance at the People's Poetry Gathering held in Greenwich Village, New York, from March 30 to April 1

The Big Bamboo
Mighty Panther Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

i Asked my woman what could I do
To make her happy and to keep her true
She Said only one thing I want from you
Is a little bitty piece of that big bamboo

She want the big bamboo, always long
The big bamboo grows so bold and strong
The big bamboo stands so straight and tall

The big bamboo pleases one and all
Gave my lady a sugar cane
Sweets to the sweet I did explain
Gave it back to my surprise
Said she liked the flavor but not the size

Gave my lady two coconuts
She said to me this is ok, but
I know you want to be nice to me
But what good are the nuts without the bamboo tree

Gave my lady a banana plant
She said to me this is elegant
It's much to nice to go to waste
Cause it's much too soft to suit my taste

i Knew a China man named Lip Long Lo
He went and married down in Mexico

His wife divorce him very quick
Because she want bamboo and not a ousy chop stick

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mighty Panther's song "The Big Bamboo" is a suggestive and playful innuendo which refers to the phallic symbol of the bamboo plant. The song talks about a man who is trying to please his woman and make her happy by giving her gifts like sugar canes, coconuts, and bananas. However, the woman is not satisfied with these gifts and instead wants a piece of the "big bamboo" which is a euphemism for a long and strong penis. The woman's desire for the big bamboo is so strong that she even leaves her husband, a China man named Lip Long Lo, because he cannot provide it for her.

The song has a playful and upbeat tone which makes it easy for the audience to overlook the sexual connotation present in the lyrics. The lyrics, however, are a reflection of the cultural and societal expectations of the time towards sexuality and the importance of satisfying one's partner.

Line by Line Meaning

i Asked my woman what could I do
The singer asked his partner how he could make her happy and committed.

To make her happy and to keep her true
The singer wants to ensure his partner's happiness while keeping her loyal to him.

She Said only one thing I want from you
The partner only desires one thing from the singer.

Is a little bitty piece of that big bamboo
She wants to have sex with him, using a metaphor of the bamboo to indicate his penis.

She want the big bamboo, always long
The partner desires sexual intercourse with a partner who has a long penis.

The big bamboo grows so bold and strong
The penis is described as growing stronger and larger.

The big bamboo stands so straight and tall
The penis is characterized as being erect and firm.

The big bamboo pleases one and all
Having sex with a well-endowed partner is desirable for all sexual partners.

Gave my lady a sugar cane
The singer gave his partner a sweet treat.

Sweets to the sweet I did explain
He explained that he gave her something sweet since she was sweet.

Gave it back to my surprise
The partner returned the sugar cane, which surprised the singer.

Said she liked the flavor but not the size
She enjoyed the taste of the sugar cane, but it did not satisfy her sexual desires.

Gave my lady two coconuts
The singer gave his partner two coconuts.

She said to me this is ok, but
The partner expressed that the coconuts were acceptable.

I know you want to be nice to me
The partner understands that the singer is attempting to be kind and thoughtful.

But what good are the nuts without the bamboo tree
The coconuts are not sufficient to fulfill the partner's sexual desires; she wants intercourse with a partner who has a long penis.

Gave my lady a banana plant
The singer gifted his partner a banana plant.

She said to me this is elegant
The partner found the gift to be sophisticated and tasteful.

It's much to nice to go to waste
She appreciated the gift and didn't want it to go to waste.

Cause it's much too soft to suit my taste
However, the banana plant was too soft and not sufficient to satisfy her sexual desires; she wants intercourse with a partner who has a long penis.

i Knew a China man named Lip Long Lo
The singer knew a man named Lip Long Lo who was Chinese.

He went and married down in Mexico
Lip Long Lo married a woman from Mexico.

His wife divorce him very quick
His wife divorced him quickly.

Because she want bamboo and not a ousy chop stick
The reason for their divorce was because she desired intercourse with a partner who has a long penis, not a small one.

Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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