Sparrow's roots are in Gran Roi, a rural fishing village in Grenada. He was born to a poor working class family. They migrated to his adopted homeland, Trinidad, when he was just one year old. He attended the New Town Boys School where he was selected to sing in the boys. choir of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. This was his initial involvement in music. The harmonics of the Gregorian Chants and the Plainsongs of the church that were embedded in him would later affect the depth and intensity of his compositions. His vocal abilities also reflect his childhood role as the head choirboy who sang baritone and tenor in Latin in the church.
Other influences included listening to American street quartets, pop tunes by Nat King Cole and Frankie Laine, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Eckstein, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald with their jazz contributions, and the early calypsoes of Lord Melody, Lord Kitchener, Lord Christo, Lord Invader (of Rum and Coca Cola fame) and the Mighty Spoiler, to name a few.
At the tender age of 20, Sparrow emerged, as the leading Calypsonian with his record-breaking hit, Jean and Dinah. (Yankees Gone, 1956 covered by Harry Belafonte). Throughout the years he managed to showcase his diversity each year with the release of at least one album dating from the catchy Jean and Dinah. in 1956 to Carnival Boycott (1957, a song responsible for the many changes and improvement for mass men, calypsonians and steelband men). This song was eventually responsible for the formation of the Carnival Development Committee. An organization to assist calypsonians, steelband men and mas men. This committee was fully endorsed by the Founding Father of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Eric Eustace Williams.
In 1958 he became the only calypsonian to have had a triple win, in the same year, in the Road March Competition. The calypsoes were P.A.Y.E. (Pay As You Earn, a song that enabled the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, to understand the importance of paying taxes). Russian Satellite (a song reflecting on the act of cruelty to animals) and Theresa (a number where, for the first time in his career, he utilized other languages). In an unprecedented move, he was awarded a cash prize by the Carnival Development Committee, for winning the Road March Competition that year.
In 1959 he released Federation, (a song that reflected his disappointment over the breaking up of the proposed Caribbean Federation). In 1960 his career continued to soar with the melodious May May and Leave the damn Doctor, Royal Jail and Ten to one is Murder followed in 1961. In 1962 he presented us with Sparrow Come Back Home and Model Nation. Dan is the Man in the Van came in 1963 and the Village Ram in 1964.
In 1965 we experienced Congo Man. In that same year Sparrow proved himself a balladeer with his remake of Arthur Prysock's original, Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart accompanied by Byron Lee and the Dragonaires. This rendition won him a Gold Record in Holland. He also recorded Frank Sinatra's My Way and Lucho Gatica's "El Reloj".
In 1966, He won the Road March Competition again with Melda and 1967 he advised the youth on the importance of Education. Mr. Walker was his hit in 1968, he won the Road March Competition again in 1969 with Sa Sa Yea and in 1970 he appealed to the people of this world to Love one Another and Lend A Hand. These songs appealed to the country for unity "Unity somehow if Trinidad ever needed you is now".
In 1971 Good Citizen followed and in 1972 he won the Calypso Monarch and Road March Competitions with Drunk and Disorderly. No Kind of Man at all was released in 1973 and We Pass That Stage (a strong social commentary in 1974. In 1975 he gave us a psychological analysis, showing where the rich is envious of the poor with Neurosis of the Rich. The Mayor of Detroit, Coleman Young, also presented him with the keys to the city.
In 1976 we got the humorous Salt Fish, and in 1977 he lead the Caribbean with a tribute to Hasley Crawford, the Olympic Gold Medallist. In the same year, during FESTAC, in Nigeria, Sparrow received the honorary title of Chief of the Yorubas, (which is Chief Omo Wale of Ikoyi).
In 1978 he paid tribute to Penny Commissiong (the first black Miss Universe) with The First Black Miss Universe, and chided Idi Amin Dada, tyrant in Africa. Kerry Packer (a song about the cricket revolution) followed in 1979 and in 1980 the Shah of Iran (Wanted Dead or Alive ). This number was covered by the popular American group, Manhattan Transfer.
Sparrow continued to climb the ladder of success while becoming the most popular caypsonian of all time. He demonstrated year after year, with his social commentaries that the calypsonian is really the eyes and ears of the people. In 1981 he registered his social/political Commentaries. We Like It So and his first chutney contribution Sexy Marajhin another liguistic inclusion. In 1982 he gave us Human Rights and in 1983 another powerful, State of the Union address Capitalism Gone Mad. He added another Road March title to his record in 1984 with Doh Back Back and in 1985 he demonstrated to the youth in the business that he can step up to another level when necessary with Soca Pressure.
Around this same time, Mayor Ed Koch of New York proclaimed March 18th, The Mighty Sparrow Day. He dealt with another evil of society in 1986 advising the vulnerable that Coke Is Not It. In 1987 he thrilled the world with another classic, the humorous Lying Excuses. He made another appearance in Nigeria, this time as Chief Omo Wale of Ikoyi, during his National Tour of Afirca and upon his return he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree, Doctor of Letters, from the University of the West Indies. Hence, the reason for Dr. Bird his chronicling of the event at the University of the West Indies, (using humor again as he always does She had a headache and this Dr. Bird performed a myomectamy on her) in 1988.
Manjhay, and Dutch Romance (which gave us a touch of French and Dutch languages) in 1989. In 1990 he gave us Let the Music Play and was inducted into the SUNSHINE Awards Calypso and Steelband Music Hall of Fame on June 24th. That same day the Brooklyn Borough President, Howard Golder proclaimed the day The Mighty Sparrow Day. Another strong social commentary, We Could Make It Easy If We Try and Precious a dedication to his daughter followed in 1991.
Sparrow continued to define the true meaning of "The Calypso King of the World. In 1992 with Both of Them, Crown Heights Justice and Man will Survive. All making a big impact in the Caribbean and the United States.
In 1993 he sang Put On Your Dancing Shoes and More the Merrier and in 1994 told the youth on his heels that Age Is Just A Number and Salvation, underscoring his roots as a choirboy in the church. In 1995 he gave us a course in history where once again he kept the linguistic involvement Democracy In Haiti (Liberte) and a keen sense of observation with the social situation at home This Is Madness, ("Why have we cast aside intelligence and abandon common sense with unprecedented violence for which there is no known defense"). Incidentally these gems earned him third place in the Calypso Monarch Competition. He gave us OJ (the juice is loose) and the Royal Divorce in 1996 and an assortment of Soca Ballads in 1997.
This illustrious lyricist/composer/singer/comedian/entertainer is an 11 time Calypso Monarch. This includes winning the King of Kings Competition (where every monarch in the calypso world is invited to compete against the Mighty Sparrow, each time suffering total defeat at his hands) in Trinidad. He also won the Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival Road March Competition eight (8) times, second only to the Lord Kitchener, (his songs were selected and played most often by the bands in this category). Sparrow received many other University citations and awards from Governments and organizations too numerous to mention.
Now in 1998, The Mighty Sparrow, continues to rule the Calypso/Soca world with his voice, lyrics and melodies. He is demonstrating once more that he is the King. His new release, The Supreme Serenader is full of dance, humor and facts. The first track Paramaribo is not only a beautiful rendition of how he was captivated by the girls in Surinam but it also demonstrates the depth of his thoughts and his gratitude for a land of style and grace.
Santo Domingo is a track full of dance and proof positive that the King is truly global with his music. He will be embraced by the Latino communities around the world for this one. Racism is a very powerful social commentary, both lyrically and musically. In this song, Sparrow once again deals with an issue of international concern while at the same time reflecting on those who have been in the forefront of the struggle.
Willie Dead is a humorously and classically executed double entendre, so convincing that you will mourn for Willie. Another powerful and appealing social commentary is Raperman. The King assumes the role of messenger and protector of women and underscores his position with the following tracks, Born To Love, and Don't Give It Up.
The Mighty Sparrow has proved himself as the Quintessential Calypsonian, par excellence, with over seventy (70) albums to his credit. He is richly endowed with many gifts. He possesses an amazing ability not only to put into works and tempo the exploits of society, but to crown it all with showmanship and appeal. His great contribution to the artform and our lives has unraveled the mysteries of Caribbean life, leaving the professionally trained sociologist and economist befuddled.
A combination of talent, hard work and opportunity enabled Sparrow's ascendance to Calypso King of the World. He brought honor, glory and dignity to an indigenous art form that was once scorned upon by the elite of Caribbean society. He is one extraordinary entertainer who utilizes the medium he masters not just to entertain but also to edify, enlighten, and educate.
The King is currently preparing for the new millennium when he will re-enter the World Monarch and Road March Competitions for a cataclysmic encounter with his competitors.
Without doubt, as The Mighty Sparrow, The King of Kings, is the real Supreme Serenader.
The Old Man And The Donkey
Mighty Sparrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was in some difficulty
Going Tunapuna from Port of Spain
Where they just complete a bargain
Old and feeble, he decide to ride
And had the little boy walking by he side
When he reach by Success Village
The crowd start shouting, "Advantage!"
Old may, hey you old criminal
Old man, you ain′t got no conscience at all
Get off the jackass
You too damn advantageous
You on top the ass like a king
And the poor little boy walking
Well, the old man ready to please everybody
Right away jump off the donkey
Lift up the boy, put him on the donkey
And he start walking the journey
It made him feel good, although they criticise
He gave up his ride and left them satisfied
When he reach by Morvant junction
They start calling him a stupid old man
Old man, hey you dotish old fool
Old man, like you never went to school?
The little boy young
He should be on the ground
But he on top the ass like a king
And an old man like you walking
Now the old man decide to please everybody
None of them must ride this donkey
So the next thing he do, he make the boy come down
And both of them walking in the sun
Man, they soaking with beads of perspiration
All their ambition is to please everyone
When they reach the Croisee again
The whole of San Juan start to complain
Old man, hey ease the load off your feet
Old man, you have a jackass to ride and beat
Don't hold the tail
And let it lead you, you should be in jail
You behind the ass suffering
And a bareback jackass walking
They made a last try to please everybody
Two of them climb on the donkey
But in Champfleur they met some folks up there
Who found them very unfair
"Ring the police now," somebody say,
"Or the SPCA, don′t let them get away"
The band of mercy make bacchanal
Charge the old man cruelty to dumb animal
Well the moral of the story is plain to see
Please yourself because you can't please everybody
Don't be ashamed
When them newsmongers call your name
Stay on top the ass like a king
They go talk but you still riding
The song "Old Man & The Donkey" by Mighty Sparrow tells the story of an old man, a little boy, and a donkey who encounter criticism from onlookers as they make their way through different villages in Trinidad. Initially, the old man decides to ride the donkey while the boy walks alongside, but the crowd shouts at him, accusing him of taking advantage. The man then dismounts, puts the boy on the donkey, and walks alongside him, only to be criticized again. Finally, the two decide to walk together without the donkey, but are still met with complaints from the crowd.
The song is a commentary on the pressure to conform to societal expectations and the impossibility of pleasing everyone. The old man and boy repeatedly change their behavior to satisfy the criticism of others, but are still met with disapproval. The moral of the story is that it is impossible to please everyone and that one should focus on pleasing oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Well an old man, a little boy and a donkey
An old man was travelling with a little boy and a donkey
Was in some difficulty
They were facing some challenges
Going Tunapuna from Port of Spain
They were travelling from Port of Spain to Tunapuna
Where they just complete a bargain
They had just completed a business deal
Old and feeble, he decide to ride
The old man, who was weak and feeble, decided to ride the donkey
And had the little boy walking by he side
The little boy was walking beside the old man and the donkey
When he reach by Success Village
When they reached Success Village
The crowd start shouting, "Advantage!"
The crowd started shouting that the old man had an unfair advantage
Old may, hey you old criminal
The old man was called a criminal
Old man, you ain′t got no conscience at all
The old man was accused of having no conscience
Get off the jackass
The old man was told to get off the donkey
You too damn advantageous
The old man was accused of having an unfair advantage
You on top the ass like a king
The old man was sitting on the donkey like a king
And the poor little boy walking
The little boy was walking alongside the old man and the donkey
Old man ready to please everybody
The old man wanted to please everyone
Right away jump off the donkey
The old man immediately got off the donkey
Lift up the boy, put him on the donkey
The old man lifted the little boy and placed him on the donkey
And he start walking the journey
The old man started walking the journey
It made him feel good, although they criticise
Despite facing criticism, the old man felt good about his decision
He gave up his ride and left them satisfied
The old man gave up his ride and made the crowd happy
When he reach by Morvant junction
When they reached Morvant junction
They start calling him a stupid old man
The crowd started calling the old man stupid
Old man, hey you dotish old fool
The old man was called a foolish person
Old man, like you never went to school?
The old man was asked if he had ever been to school
The little boy young
The little boy was still very young
He should be on the ground
The crowd believed that the little boy should be walking
But he on top the ass like a king
The little boy was sitting on the donkey like a king
And an old man like you walking
The old man was walking on foot
Old man decide to please everybody
The old man decided to try and please everyone
None of them must ride this donkey
The old man decided that no one should ride the donkey
So the next thing he do, he make the boy come down
The old man made the little boy get off the donkey
And both of them walking in the sun
Both the old man and the little boy continued the journey on foot
Man, they soaking with beads of perspiration
Both of them were sweating profusely
All their ambition is to please everyone
Their only ambition was to please everyone
When they reach the Croisee again
When they reached the Croisee again
The whole of San Juan start to complain
The people of San Juan started complaining
Old man, hey ease the load off your feet
The old man was asked to ease his burden
Old man, you have a jackass to ride and beat
The old man was reminded that he had a donkey to ride
Don't hold the tail
The old man was told not to hold the tail of the donkey
And let it lead you, you should be in jail
The old man was accused of mistreating the donkey
You behind the ass suffering
The old man was behind the donkey and suffering
And a bareback jackass walking
The donkey was walking bareback
They made a last try to please everybody
They made a final attempt to please everyone
Two of them climb on the donkey
Both the old man and the little boy got on the donkey
But in Champfleur they met some folks up there
But they met some people in Champfleur
Who found them very unfair
The people in Champfleur believed they were unfair
"Ring the police now," somebody say,
Someone suggested calling the police
"Or the SPCA, don′t let them get away"
They were told not to let the old man and the little boy get away
The band of mercy make bacchanal
The mercy group caused trouble
Charge the old man cruelty to dumb animal
The old man was charged with cruelty to animals
Well the moral of the story is plain to see
The moral of the story is clear
Please yourself because you can't please everybody
You should focus on pleasing yourself as it's impossible to please everyone
Don't be ashamed
You shouldn't be ashamed
When them newsmongers call your name
When the media calls your name
Stay on top the ass like a king
Stay on top of the donkey as if you're a king
They go talk but you still riding
People will talk, but you can still continue riding
Contributed by Makayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@snagapuss23
this calypso has such a deep meaning....the moral of this song is you cant please everyone so please yourself. Many good memories man!!
@bondeebryan411
Sweet memories as a boy.
Cant get enough of this guy. Sparrowwwwww
@MerlinOpeth
Thanks for the music Patrice. I wouldn't know where to find these gems of our culture.
@iamafrobella
+Amit Singh I need to post more like this! Thanks for the appreciation
@funkyfindlay13
Oh gooosh!!! Wonderful, wonderful old Sparrow!
@Lucianrider
That was an Aesop's fable, great adaptation!!
@heads48
great post and its great to learn from you own people, and even better that you put it up here and taught me something today thanks very much, you be you its always enough
@caribbeaninsighttv594
Long Live Calypso.. Thanks for your contribution Sister...come check us on caribbeaninsighttv.com
@underofficerbrandonjoseph6512
strong message
@rudolphiacorriette4495
I always love sparrow