In 1916 he started his career in earnest when he began working with the African Millionaires, a large carnival group consisting of about 25 members. He arrived in New York sometime around 1927, after working on cargo ships and travelling extensively. Not long after his arrival there, he began cutting records with local bands for Decca Records, notably Gerald Clark's Night Owls. He released well over a hundred different 78s between 1928 and 1940, also under the names of Fredrick Wilmoth Hendricks (his given name), Edgar Leon Sinclair (the name on his US passport), and King Houdini. His 1939 composition "He Had It Coming" was a hit for Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald under the new title "Stone Cold Dead in the Market". The song stayed on the top of the R&B charts for five weeks, and reached no. 7 on the pop charts. Gaining a good deal of recognition, Houdini wasted no time in organizing high-profile calypso festivals and concerts around New York, quickly becoming a respected member of the Caribbean communities there.
After moving to New York (as one of the earliest Trinidadian émigrés), he was often the object of derision by the calypsonians still in Trinidad, who claimed that he was stealing their ideas and capitalizing on them in the USA. This can be seen in numerous calypsos of the early to mid-1930s, from Roaring Lion and Attila the Hun in particular, who also recorded in New York at the time. This led to Houdini's 1934 rebuttal, "Declaration of War". Towards the beginning of the 1950s he played regularly at the Caribbean Club on Seventh Avenue, New York, with his only real rival, The Duke of Iron, also a native of Trinidad.
Houdini died on August 6, 1977, in New York City, where he had lived for the majority of his life.
His song "Uncle Joe", although melodically not original, had a huge influence upon the American psyche, influencing Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz, Hazmat Modine, Bob Brozman, and C. W. Stoneking, to name but a few. He has inspired a newer generation of artists around the world, for example with his recording "Black But Sweet" covered by Mighty Dub Katz ("Son Of Wilmot"), Sabres of Paradise ("Wilmot"), Shantel ("Bucovina") and Eleftheria Arvanitaki ("Den milo ghia mia nychta ego").
Black But Sweet
Wilmoth Houdini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's black and homely, and that is all.
When men meet her, they're bound to fall,
and tell her "Mammie, girl, you're sweet, O Lord."
Go to (Saint Bonasse) and you will see
a nice black woman they call Didi.
When she press her sweet lips to mine,
I said, "Mommie, kiss poppie all the time."
Didi is the pride of my heart.
I felt so funny with her to part.
The people in the county of Caroni
can tell how Didi love Houdini.
Young boys take this advice from me.
Don't put yourself in difficulty.
For it is a positive facts,
the sweetest women in this world are black.
Don't even mind, when you get (a ball?),
if another mule kick up in your stall.
With your black baby you are going to stay.
You cannot leave her and go away.
I said Didi, I'm going away.
But no longer I cannot stay.
Mommie, yes it is a positive fact,
sweet Houdini soon be coming back.
The song "Black But Sweet" is a celebration of the beauty of black women. It acknowledges that society often overlooks women who are "black and homely," but when men take the time to get to know them, they will fall in love with their sweetness. The song tells the story of a specific woman named Didi, who is described as the pride of the singer's heart. He has a deep affection for her, and knows that other men will also be drawn to her beauty and kindness.
The song also offers advice to young boys, telling them not to put themselves in difficult situations and to remember that the sweetest women in the world are black. This line is particularly powerful, as it speaks to the often overlooked beauty of black women in a world that places greater value on white beauty standards. The singer acknowledges that sometimes life can be tough, and that other women may try to intervene in relationships, but he encourages men to stay true to their black partners.
Overall, "Black But Sweet" is a love song to black women, celebrating their beauty, kindness, and resilience in the face of a society that often does not value them.
Line by Line Meaning
She's black and homely, and that is all.
Although she may be dark-skinned and not conventionally attractive, that is all there is to say about her appearance.
When men meet her, they're bound to fall, and tell her "Mammie, girl, you're sweet, O Lord."
Despite her physical appearance, men cannot resist her charm and sweetness and express this to her.
Go to (Saint Bonasse) and you will see a nice black woman they call Didi.
In Saint Bonasse, there is a lovely black woman named Didi that one can see.
When she press her sweet lips to mine, I said, "Mommie, kiss poppie all the time."
When Didi kissed Wilmoth Houdini, he affectionately called her "Mommie" and requested that she kiss him frequently.
Didi is the pride of my heart.
Didi is someone who Wilmoth Houdini holds dear and is very fond of.
I felt so funny with her to part.
Houdini experienced a range of feelings when separated from Didi, including sadness, longing, and possibly even humor.
The people in the county of Caroni can tell how Didi love Houdini.
The residents of Caroni know how much Didi loves Houdini.
Young boys take this advice from me. Don't put yourself in difficulty.
Houdini advises young men to avoid getting into difficult situations.
For it is a positive facts, the sweetest women in this world are black.
Houdini believes that black women are the sweetest in the world, and this is a fact he strongly believes in.
Don't even mind, when you get (a ball?), if another mule kick up in your stall.
Even when there are difficulties and conflicts, one should not worry and should stay put with their loved one.
With your black baby you are going to stay. You cannot leave her and go away.
Once someone has committed to being with their black partner and having a child with them, they cannot simply leave and abandon them.
I said Didi, I'm going away. But no longer I cannot stay. Mommie, yes it is a positive fact, sweet Houdini soon be coming back.
Although he must leave, Houdini reassures Didi that he will return soon and that it is a fact that he is sweet.
Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.