Calypso

by Harry Belafonte

Overview

This is the album that made Harry Belafonte's career. Up to this point, calypso had only been a part of Belafonte's focus in his recordings of folk music styles. But with this landmark album, calypso not only became tattooed to Belafonte permanently; it had a revolutionary effect on folk music in the 1950s and '60s. The album consists of songs from Trinidad, mostly written by West Indian songwriter Irving Burgie (aka Lord Burgess). Burgie's two most successful songs are included -- "Day O" and "Jamaica Farewell" (which were both hit singles for Belafonte) -- as are the evocative ballads "I Do Adore Her" and "Come Back Liza" and what could be the first feminist folk song, "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)." Calypso became the first million-selling album by a single artist, spending an incredible 31 weeks at the top of the Billboard album charts, remaining on the charts for 99 weeks. It triggered a veritable tidal wave of imitators, parodists, and artists wishing to capitalize on its success. Years later, it remains a record of inestimable influence, inspiring many folksingers and groups to perform, most notably the Kingston Trio, which was named for the Jamaican capital. For a decade, just about every folksinger and folk group featured in their repertoire at least one song that was of West Indian origin or one that had a calypso beat. They all can be attributed to this one remarkable album. Despite the success of Calypso, Belafonte refused to be typecast. Resisting the impulse to record an immediate follow-up album, Belafonte instead spaced his calypso albums apart, releasing them at five-year intervals in 1961, 1966, and 1971. ~ Cary Ginell

Product Details

Release Date:	03/09/2018
Label:	A-Wave / Del Ray
UPC:	8436563181528
Rank:	41213

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Harry Belafonte   Primary Artist,Vocals,Lead Vocals
Sherman Sneed   Choir/Chorus
Tony Scott   Conductor
Tony Scott Orchestra & Chorus   Orchestra,Choir/Chorus
Lord Burgess   Guitar,Choir/Chorus
Osie Johnson   Drums
Milt Hinton   Double Bass
Al Hall   Double Bass
Brock Peters   Choir/Chorus
Frantz Casseus   Guitar
Kelly Martin   Drums
Joseph Lewis   Choir/Chorus
Millard Thomas   Guitar
J. Hamilton Grandison   Choir/Chorus
Alexander Cambrelen   Congas
Gloria Wynder   Choir/Chorus
Herbert L. Stubbs   Choir/Chorus
Tony Scott & His Orchestra   Orchestra
Mario Castillo   Congas
Charles Colman   Choir/Chorus
Norman Keenan   Double Bass
Herb Levy   Flute
John White   Choir/Chorus

Technical Credits

Chick Crumpacker   Digital Producer
Joe Reisman   Producer
Dick Baxter   Digital Engineer
Lord Burgess   Composer
Huddie Ledbetter   Composer
Norman Span   Composer
Harry Belafonte   Composer
Henri Rene   Producer
Herman Diaz, Jr.   Producer
Ed Welker   Producer
Jacqueline Murphy   Art Direction
E.O. Welker   Producer
Norman "King Radio" Spann   Composer
William Attaway   Composer
Bill Attaway   Composer
Norman Luboff Choir   Performer
Paul Williams   Project Director