She take me money and run Venezuela.
I attended junior high school in the town of Barberton, Ohio. Shout out to their famous chicken restaurants. There is nothing like Barberton Ohio chicken. Anyhoo, when I was there, there were a couple of guys who created their own Harry Belafonte fan club. Yes, that’s correct. It was the early 1980s, and these fellow band mates weren’t making a group about Michael Jackson, Duran Duran or Madonna, mind you, nor were they paying homage to any of the heavy rock and roll greats from the previous decade. No, these peeps were all about Harry. I think because of their shenanigans, this was the first time I really knew about Mr. Belafonte. I suppose I had heard Day-O, and my grandparents had a greatest hits collection on 8 track of his that I may have been familiar with. Still, I haven’t forgotten about the Harry Belafonte Fan Club back in the day.
Further back in the day, Harry Belafonte performed two shows at Carnegie Hall in April of 1959. At just 33 years old, Harry takes the audience on a cultural trip through song exploring the plight of the American Negro, visiting the shores of the Caribbean, and singing a folk songs from a variety of countries. Who else but Harry could give you such a varied set list while subtlety sending the message of the importance of civil rights, justice equality and acceptance of all peoples? His genius is that you have no idea that there is even an agenda. His selection of music speaks volumes. This recording opens with Darlin’ Cora; a song that talks of a man on the run from law because he “whopped that man and he fell down where he stood.” He wants to see his love Cora one last time before he leaves town: “Been working for my pay for a long, long time, how come he still calls me boy. Well I’d rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollowed out log than to hang around in this old town and be treated like a dirty dog.”
Harry continues with Sylvie, John Henry, Cotton Fields and the always fun The Marching Saints. One of his most famous songs, Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) begins our tropical trip to the islands, mon. Many are found of Jamaica Farewell, but I have always enjoyed the tongue and cheek Mama Look a Boo Boo. And if you are a Dead Head like myself, you will recognize Harry’s take on Man Smart (Woman Smarter), “That’s right the women are smarter.”
With tunes like Hava Nagila, Shenandoah, Cucurrucucu Paloma and Danny Boy, Belafonte touches on three continents and four different heritages. The final song of the evening is the show stopper, Matilda. The same college friend that I mentioned in yesterday’s AOTD post, and let us just call her Crane, used to say that when Harry says “everybody” in Matilda, that it indeed meant everybody and you were to join in the singing festivities immediately. I still do to this day. With Matilda, Belafonte holds the audience in his hand. They eat it up when he asks certain sections of his band and then members of the crowd to sing the chorus. For example, Harry asks for “just the big spenders, or those people on scholarship” to take a turn singing; roars of laughter and applause enuse. And then like clock work he pleads, “everybody.” He is also not shy about pointing out when the audience just can’t seem to stay on beat, “there’s quite a lag isn’t there,” he states. At the same time, he encourages them after they have just sang their parts with words like, “Splendid, Delicious and Scrumptious. And…..”EVERYBODY!”
One of the facts about the legendary Harry B that I believe gets over looked is that he is a phenomenal singer. From the opening notes of the concert , he brings the goods. And if you hear his version of Danny Boy on here and you are not impressed, then you should consider making an appointment with your ENT, to have your ears checked. He could hold his own with any crooners of the day. His phrasing, tone and timbre are really something. We tend to forget what a talent he is because of the multi-dimensional career and life that he has had. At 87 years olds, hats off to you Mr. Belafonte for such an extraordinary life well lived and fought for, and for today, a thoroughly thoughtful and enjoyable record.
365, Album of the Day 2014 