Happy Music

I just finished listening to a compilation CD of music by David Rudder, just about my favourite Calypsonian, not counting The Mighty Sparrow of course. The music was perfect, not just to keep me motivated as I scrap, but also because it is a grey, cold, cloudy and windy day here, and having that music in the background makes me feel as though I am on a sunny island, on the beach eating roast corn.

Though when "Soca Music Take me Back" (or is it called "Trinity Mountain"? Anyone know?) came on I about burst into tears. It starts off:

Soca* music take me, won't you take me, take me back to my island

It's sung from the perspective of someone living in a big (and no doubt cold) city and he talks about all the things he's missing, like sticky mango juice running down his chest, the strength, faith and perseverance of the people, the island breezes etc. I think the phrase I like the most goes

Don't get me wrong this big city really made a man of me,

but a concrete jungle drum can't play no calypso

He finishes off by suggesting to:

Sing a soca melody

You can sing it and be free

Sing a happy soca melody

The last thing you hear as the song fades out is the sound of children playing on the beach and the waves crashing on the sand. This is totally bittersweet for me. I'm happy that I can listen to this music I love, but it so makes me want to jump on a plane and be there! But since that isn't about to happen I think I'm going to listen to Sparrow next!

* According to wikipedia.org Soca is a dance music which is a mix of Trinidad's calypso and Indian music and rhythms, especially chutney music -- it is not, as is often said, a fusion of soul and calypso. It combines the melodic lilting sound of calypso with an insistent percussion.

Update: Georgia from Caribbean Free Radio gave me the correct name of this calypso. It's actually called Song for a Lonely Soul. Quite fitting isn't it?