Wilmoth Houdini (Frederick Wilmoth Hendricks, November 25, 1895, Port of Sp… Read Full Bio ↴Wilmoth Houdini (Frederick Wilmoth Hendricks, November 25, 1895, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – August 6, 1977, New York, USA) was a prominent calypsonian.
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").
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").
I Need a Man
Wilmoth Houdini Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'I Need a Man' by these artists:
Amanda Lear Night is coming to give Her silent mystery Now I’m going to…
Charlene Girl, you need someone to hold For just a little while Take…
Crystal Shawanda I know I drive you crazy sometimes I know I throw…
Eurythmics Hey, is this my turn? You want me to sing now? Okay Wow! I…
Foxy Brown (feat. The Letter M) [Intro: Foxy Brown (M) {7 Aurelius}]…
Grace Jones When I'm feelin' lonely Someone telephone me It's gettin' ha…
Hver Gang Vi Møtes I drink a glass of wine And let my hair fully…
Ike & Tina Turner Oh, I love the songs you sing me And I love…
Lear Amanda Night is coming to give Her silent mystery Now I’m going to…
M.B.C. Yeah I heard 'em Laughing it out, tagging 'em out I heard 'e…
Man To Man You're all that I need, I'll be there for you If…
Maria Mena Hver gang vi møtes I drink a glass of wine And let my hair fully…
Pointer Sisters Something's wrong Things aren't right And it turns into a si…
Prince Whoa-oh-ooh Whoa-oh-ooh People say you got big money, tell …
R.I.P. Productions Your numbers up you have to go The system say's…
Sam Evian I need a man I can trust A hand to hold A…
Steve and the Jerks You don't realize how much I need you Love you all…
The Manhattan Transfer Roof over my head, keep out the rain Food on the…
The Pointer Sisters Something's wrong Things aren't right And it turns into a si…
Tina Turner Oh, I love the songs you sing me And I love…
various artists I don't need to be a musician In fact, I don't…
Vickie Winans I need a man who lives The way that i…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Wilmoth Houdini:
Black But Sweet She's black and homely, and that is all. She's black and…
Bobby Sox Idol Ah Frankie Sinatra Ah Frank Sinatra Frankie me boy you don't…
Bobby Sox Idol (Frank Sinatra) Ah Frankie Sinatra Ah Frank Sinatra Frankie me boy you don't…
Rum and Coca Cola If you ever go down Trinidad They make you feel so…
Rum and Coca-Cola If you ever go down Trinidad They make you feel so…
Uncle Jo' Gimme Mo' Ah, Uncle Joe, Ah Uncle Joe Gimme mo', gimme mo', gimme…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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