Born Edric Browne in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, where his childhood was imbued with the African traditions of Shango and Spiritual Baptist Shouting, he assumed the name George E. Browne in homage to the family friend, Richard E. Braithwaite, whose library introduced him to works of black history and activism.
Browne joined a Norwegian tanker at the age of 20 and, after a brief stay in Australia, signed off in Scotland in 1941. After befriending other expatriate Trinidadians in Glasgow he relocated to London and began to earn his living as a musician. In 1947-8 he co-founded (with Bermudian Ken Gordon, uncle of newsreader Moira Stuart) the Three Just Men group and toured in Europe and North Africa with the trio the following year.
He inherited the name Young Tiger from the calypsonian Growling Tiger when in 1953 he recorded a cover version of Tiger's song "Single Man". Young Tiger's hits dating from that same year include "Calypso Be" and "I Was There" - the latter being his observations about the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - and "Mamzelle Josephine". Subsequently embracing jazz music, he recorded with a number of bands, including Humphrey Lyttelton's Paseo Jazz Band. In the 1960s he pursued an acting career for a time - he played the role of Jesus Christ in a passion play produced at the First World Festival of Negro Arts in Senegal in 1966 - and in 1970 he gave up music to open a London restaurant and health club with his then wife. When that was forced to close because of rent increases, they moved to the USA, where for a time they had restaurants in Florida and California.
He returned to the UK in the late 1980s, living in retirement in Croydon. His calypso "I Was There" featured on the 2002 Honest Jon compilation London Is the Place for Me: Trinidadian Calypso in London, 1950-1956. Following the re-release of his "Calypso Be" on London Is the Place for Me, Vol. 2 (November 2005), Browne played at the BBC "Electric Proms" festival in 2006, performing a few songs together with the London is the Place for Me Allstars.
I Was There
Young Tiger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I enjoyed myself to my heart's content
I could not follow the procession
But I was there to see the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Cornination
From the night before just to see the march
The night wind was blowing, freezing and cold
But I held my ground like a young creole
I was there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
My stoic stance soon paid dividends
For I saw them coming around the bend
Then I percieved in all her glory
The golden coach with her majesty
She was there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
Her majesty looked really divine
In her crimson robe, furred with her mind
The Duke of Edinburugh dignified and neat
Sat besides her as Admiral of the fleet
He was there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
One thousand Guardsmen marching ahead
Physicians and surgeons all in good stead
All the lords of the Admiralty
The War Office and the Air Ministry
They were there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
Navy, Army, Royal Air Force
Cheifs of Staff, United Kingdom of course
The Royal Horse Guard we chanced to see
Escort of the Household Calvary
They were there
At the Corination
I was there At the Corination
At the Corination
Troops from Dominions and Colonies
Australia, New Zealand, and West Indies
India, Ceylon, West Africa
Newfoundland, Gibraltar, and Canada
They were there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
The procession was about 50, 000 strong
It stretched for much more than 6 miles long
Millions of people, all happily
Shouting three cheers for her majesty
They were there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
As I stood looking, rapturously
A feeling of elation came over me
I felt what pleasure, such beauty gives
I shall never forget as long as I live
I was there
At the Corination
We were there
At the Corination
I was there
At the Corination
Millions there
At the Corinationnn
The song "I Was There (At the Coronation)" sung by Young Tiger is a joyful description of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which took place in 1953. The singer portrays his experience of standing along the royal procession route, braving the cold and anticipating the grand spectacle of the coronation. The song is an ode to the event that symbolized a significant moment of national significance, pride, and unity that the singer shares with millions of others. The lyrics reflect the sense of awe, wonder, and admiration for the British monarchy, a reminder of the country's rich history, traditions, and cultural heritage.
The singer's opening lines present a clear picture of his excitement and enjoyment at the coronation, despite not being able to follow the entire procession. He offers a first-person account of his experience, detailing how he positioned himself from Marble Arch and persevered through the night until the procession reached his spot. The radiant golden coach carrying Queen Elizabeth II, dressed in her "crimson robe fur-lined," and Prince Philip, follows next, making the singer feel elated and privileged to witness this grandeur. The song's cheerfulness, along with its vivid descriptions and poetic language, evoke a sense of nostalgia and reminiscence that allows the listener to immerse themselves in the story and environment of the singer's experience at the coronation.
In conclusion, Young Tiger's "I Was There (At the Coronation)" is a lively and nostalgic tribute to the grand ceremony of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It celebrates the sense of national pride and unity, the grandeur of the British Monarchy, and the historical significance of the coronation. The song's narrative offers a personal experience of a momentous event in British history while taking the listener through the different stages of the procession, capturing each element's grandeur and magnificence.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, let me tell you ladies and gents
Listen up, folks
I enjoyed myself to my heart's content
I had a great time
I could not follow the procession
I couldn't keep up with the parade
But I was there to see the Coronation
But I witnessed the crowning ceremony
I was there
I was present
At the Coronation
At the crowning ceremony
I took up my position at Marble Arch
I secured my spot at Marble Arch
From the night before just to see the march
The previous night, just to watch the parade
The night wind was blowing, freezing and cold
It was a bitter cold night with strong winds
But I held my ground like a young creole
But I stood my ground like a determined person
My stoic stance soon paid dividends
My determination paid off
For I saw them coming around the bend
I saw the procession approaching my position
Then I percieved in all her glory
Then I saw with admiration
The golden coach with her majesty
The golden carriage with the queen
She was there
The queen was present
Her majesty looked really divine
The queen looked amazing
In her crimson robe, furred with her mind
Wearing a red fur-lined robe
The Duke of Edinburugh dignified and neat
The well-dressed and dignified Duke of Edinburgh
Sat besides her as Admiral of the fleet
Sitting next to her as the fleet's admiral
He was there
The Duke was present
One thousand Guardsmen marching ahead
One thousand soldiers leading the parade
Physicians and surgeons all in good stead
The medical team ready for emergencies
All the lords of the Admiralty
All high-ranking officials of the navy
The War Office and the Air Ministry
Representatives from the army and air force
They were there
They were present
Navy, Army, Royal Air Force
The three branches of the military
Cheifs of Staff, United Kingdom of course
The top military officials of the UK
The Royal Horse Guard we chanced to see
We saw the Royal Horse Guard by chance
Escort of the Household Calvary
The cavalry that escorts the queen
Troops from Dominions and Colonies
Soldiers from the UK's territories and colonies
Australia, New Zealand, and West Indies
Countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the West Indies
India, Ceylon, West Africa
Places like India, Ceylon, and West Africa
Newfoundland, Gibraltar, and Canada
Locations like Newfoundland, Gibraltar, and Canada
The procession was about 50,000 strong
The parade consisted of around 50,000 people
It stretched for much more than 6 miles long
It was over 6 miles in length
Millions of people, all happily
Many joyful people
Shouting three cheers for her majesty
Cheering loudly for the queen
As I stood looking, rapturously
As I stood, consumed by excitement
A feeling of elation came over me
I felt elated
I felt what pleasure, such beauty gives
I experienced the feeling that beauty can give
I shall never forget as long as I live
I'll always remember this moment
We were there
We were present
Millions there
Many, many people were present
At the Coronation
At the crowning ceremony
Contributed by Savannah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alfredtheamazing
Listening to this today on the day of Charles' coronation!
@alanndevuyst6681
My father from Belgium was there too. Took the ferry all the way and then the train to London. I am so glad I found this song here thanks to an article in The Guardian today on Charles III coming coronation. I had heard it for the first time in 2003 on a Cambodian radio station, and began recording it after the first verse...but that cassette got lost, yet the refrains stuck in my head forever. I was there...
@aproragadozo2
Thank you for sharing this memory, and happy to have helped finding this song. Enjoy!
@SHEARMINATOR
GOD bless the queen of England R.I.P
@F1fan56
I love those old calypsos. That was tremendous!
@Madbrad2000
History right here.
@titobeats6276
hits differently now huh?
@aproragadozo2
Quite, post-Brexit especially.
@brigitteazocar942
Me encanta esta canción. Divina.
@jameswest7141
Quality tune, real main room banger!