Tuesday 26 June 2007

My Pick of (Mighty Sparrow)

The BBC radio programme “Desert Island Discs” invites weekly guests to name his or her choice of the 10 records of music that they would take with them if they were to be shipwrecked on some desert island. I have always imagined that they, along with the radio producer, were most likely to have made “their” choices with the aid of a pin. Why?, because it is such a very difficult thing to do!.

For instance, is there any calypso fan out there who can honestly select 25 of Sparrow`s titles as being their definitive all-time favourites and yet not have some very serious second thoughts about changing many of those choices the very next day?.

As usual, bearing in mind that “if Sparrow say so is so” you will realise his title *Blame it on me* says it all. Of course he`s right, if he had not written and performed so many of these brilliant calypsoes over these past 50 years then the task of making selections would certainly have been that very much easier! but then, who`s complaining? - not me!.

Well, for what it`s worth, here are my 25 titles at least for today.

Selections made by - Graham Johnstone ....30 June - 2007

In no particular order.

Steelband music
The bomb
Obeah man
Cuatro man
Don`t hold me
Slight mistake
Don`t trust Jamaican man
Same time, same place
How you jammin` so
Music and rhythm
Sol fish
Pan jam fete
My little sister
A mothers love
What`s the use of getting sober
Carnival woman
Don`t rain on my parade
Manjhay (mange)
Sa sa ya
Sparrow dead
Mas in Brooklyn
Anniversary (100th)
Bermuda girl
Love African style
Ah gotta have you




Sparrow`s 581 different titles are listed :-

http://www.grenadamusic.demon.co.uk/