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 Slave
Mighty Sparrow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was caught
And I was brought here from Africa
I'm a slave from a land so far
I was caught
And I was brought here from Africa
Well it was licks like fire
From de white slavemaster
Weeks and weeks before we cross de seas
To reach in de West Indies
And den they make me work
Oh yes ah work
Good lord no pay
Ah toil, ah toil
Ah toil, ah toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
Yeah I'm crying...
Oh...
Oh Lord I wanna be free!
Many times ah wanted to run
But de English slavemaster
Standing dey wit de gun
Oh I know he going to shoot to kill
So ah stay, ah stay and ah pray
But ah planning still
I study night and day how to break away
Ah got to make a brilliant escape
But everytime ah tink 'bout de whip an' dem dogs
Meh body does start to shake
Because dey made me work
Oh yes ah work
Oh good lord no pay
And den ah toil, ah toil,
Ah toil, ah toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
I'm crying...
Oh...
Oh Lord I wanna be free!
In my heart, there was much to say
Ah always hope de boss
Woulda listen to me some day
Although he knew
My request was small
It was de sting ah the whip there
To answer me when ah call
We had to chant and sing to express our feelings
To dat wicked and cruel man
That was the only medicine to make him listen
And is so calypso began
Oh when dey make you work
Oh Lord you work
Good lord no pay
And den you toil and toil
And toil and toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
Yeah, oh Lord I'm crying...
Oh...
Oh Lord I wanna be free!
Times have changed in so many ways
Till one day somebody said
"Free de bloody slaves"
I was then put out on the street
Ah got no food, got no clothes
And no place to sleep
I had no education
And no particular ambition
This I cannot conceal
Forgot my native culture
Ah lived like a vulture
From de white boss ah had to steal
He made me work
Oh yes ah work
Oh Lord no pay
Yeah yeah yeah ah toil and toil
And toil and toil
So hard each day
I'm dying...
Oh I'm crying, oh dying...
Oh...
Oh Lord, Lord I wanna be free!
Mighty Sparrow's "The Slave" is a song about the struggles of a slave brought from Africa to the West Indies. The lyrics describe the conditions the slave endured, such as having to work hard without pay and being punished with whips and dogs. Despite the slave's desire to be free, they could not escape due to the fear of being shot and killed by the English slavemasters. The song talks about the only way the slave could express their feelings to the cruel man was through songs and chants, which later became known as calypso. Eventually, the slave was freed, but faced new challenges such as having no food, no clothes, and no education. The song speaks to the larger issue of the slave trade and the harsh realities of slavery.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a slave from a land so far
I'm a slave that was taken away from my homeland far away.
I was caught
I was captured against my will.
And I was brought here from Africa
I was taken from Africa to a foreign land where I was treated as a slave.
Well it was licks like fire
The treatment from the white slavemaster was very brutal, like fire.
From de white slavemaster
The person in charge of the slaves was a white person.
Everyday I down on knees
Every day I had to kneel down in submission to the slavemaster.
Weeks and weeks before we cross de seas
We spent weeks traveling across the seas before reaching the West Indies.
To reach in de West Indies
We were taken to the West Indies to be enslaved.
And den they make me work
They forced me to work without any pay.
Good lord no pay
I did not receive any form of payment for the work I did.
Ah toil, ah toil
I worked very hard every day.
So hard each day
The work was very difficult every day.
I'm dying...
The harsh treatment and hard work were killing me slowly.
Yeah I'm crying...
I cried because I was in pain and wanted to be free.
Oh Lord I wanna be free!
I prayed to be free from slavery and the harsh treatment I was receiving.
Many times ah wanted to run
I wanted to escape from slavery many times.
But de English slavemaster
The person enslaving me was English.
Standing dey wit de gun
The slavemaster carried a gun to prevent me from escaping.
Oh I know he going to shoot to kill
I knew that if I tried to escape, the slavemaster would shoot me to kill.
So ah stay, ah stay and ah pray
So I stayed and prayed for the day I could be free.
But ah planning still
I kept planning how to escape from slavery.
I study night and day how to break away
I spent many nights and days coming up with a plan to escape.
Ah got to make a brilliant escape
I knew I had to come up with a great escape plan to be successful.
But everytime ah tink 'bout de whip an' dem dogs
Every time I thought about the whip and the dogs that the slavemaster had, I became scared.
Meh body does start to shake
I shook with fear because I knew what would happen to me if I got caught.
In my heart, there was much to say
I had a lot to say in my heart about my experiences, but I couldn't express them.
Ah always hope de boss
I always hoped the slavemaster would listen to me.
Woulda listen to me some day
I hoped the slavemaster would listen to my request, no matter how small.
It was de sting ah the whip there
The cruel treatment from the slavemaster hurt very badly.
To answer me when ah call
I wanted the slavemaster to listen when I called out for help.
We had to chant and sing to express our feelings
We had to sing and chant to express our innermost feelings and emotions.
To dat wicked and cruel man
We had to sing to the cruel and wicked slavemaster.
That was the only medicine to make him listen
The only way for the slavemaster to listen to us was when we sang to him.
And is so calypso began
This is how Calypso music started - as a way for slaves to express their feelings and emotions.
Times have changed in so many ways
Many things have changed over time.
Till one day somebody said
Until one day, someone said that slavery should be abolished.
"Free de bloody slaves"
The call was made to free the slaves from their suffering and pain.
I was then put out on the street
After being freed, I had no place to live and was forced to live on the streets.
Ah got no food, got no clothes
I was left with nothing - no food, no clothes, and no shelter.
And no place to sleep
I had nowhere to sleep.
I had no education
Because of my experience as a slave, I received no education.
And no particular ambition
Without an education, I had no specific goals or aspirations.
This I cannot conceal
I couldn't keep this secret - it was a harsh reality.
Forgot my native culture
I lost touch with my native culture due to being taken away to a foreign land.
Ah lived like a vulture
I lived a life of scavenging and struggling to survive.
From de white boss ah had to steal
I had to steal from the white boss in order to survive.
Contributed by Owen C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@GrandeGordoPapa
I never understood how people underestimated the genius of this man 🙏
@Lucas-vw3cj
Sparrow is a lyrical genius, he really takes you on a journey through his mind with his music
@shotundeshotayo6274
Absolutely
@Madamnutmeg
He didn’t pen this . It was the great genius Winsford Devine
@josweetlove1537
@@Madamnutmeg matters not although it's great work by Devine but only the Mighty Sparrow could have brought it to life how he did !!
@kjun03
It was sensational when I heard this around 62/63 !
Thanks!!!
@davidmitchell3039
With music like this,Sparrow the mortal would die,but his music and legacy would forever be around.
@djisha2635
My history teacher brought me here, thanks miss!
@matajones
heard it for the first time today and love it.... the voice , the message , the emotion.. the music fantastic
@MrBruce5437
The mighty sparrow is 86 years old today, and still goin strong. God Bless the mighty sparrow