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").
Johnny Take My Wife
Wilmoth Houdini Lyrics
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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@iyioku
It wasn't unexpected that I found myself listening to this song today. For my grandparents and my parents. Beautiful memories.
@1957Hepcat
Love it! Classic West Indian tale of adultery. Other nice versions recorded by the Jamaican Lili Verona (female singer but takes male role) in 1954 and the great Bahamian, Blind Blake, ealry 1950's. Nice violin work too!
@Quelvisv
The composer of this calypso is Walter Douglas aka Railway Douglas/Chieftain Douglas. This won the Leggo (Road March) title two year in a row 1933 and 1934, many historians claimed that it was Radio with Wash Pan Wash that won the Leggo title in 1933 but 1933 was the first year there was a tie.
@donwilkie
For me, W.H. is the cream of the crop from all the early calypso musicians. I love them all but Mr.Houdini, TOP DRAWER, #1, the KING of calypso!
@mezzmezzrow426
Funnily enough, Houdini was maybe the most 'American' of the calypsonians of the era. Having not had too much success on the island he spent most of his career in the USA and it was there that he found a following and subsequently aimed his calypso to that audience, none of which went down particularly well with his contemporaries like Lord Executor as can be seen in the recorded exchanges.
@maralimperi7117
Hieno calypso..
@maralimperi7117
Voi voi Johnnya...
@afro1327
My name is Johnny and I like and disapprove of this song 😆😆😆