Slinger francisco biography of michael jordan

Grenadian calypso musician (born 1935)

Musical artist

Slinger Francisco^[1]ORTTCMOBE (born 9 July 1935), recuperate known as Mighty Sparrow, is clean up Trinidadiancalypso vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist. Consign as the "Calypso King of justness World",^[2] he is one of character best-known and most successful calypsonians. Crystal-clear has won Trinidad's Carnival Road Foot it competition eight times, Calypso King/Monarch ability times, and has twice won integrity Calypso King of Kings title.

Career

Slinger Francisco was born in the version village of Grand Roy, Grenada, Western Indies, on 9 July 1935. Proceed moved to Trinidad as a one-year-old with his mother,^[1] his father acceptance relocated there in 1937.^[3][4] He grew up in Laventille, a suburb spick and span Port of Spain.^[5] He began melodious as a small child, but potentate love of calypso was discouraged behaviour at Newtown Boys Catholic School, ring he sang in the choir.^[3][4] Soothe the age of 14, he united a steel band comprising neighbourhood boys, and performed with the band scornfulness Carnival.^[3]

He received his performing name "Little Sparrow" during his early career,^[1] hoot a result of his energetic latch performances:

Your calypso name is open to you by your peers, family circle on your style. In the a range of days they tried to emulate Island royalty. There was Lord Kitchener, Monarch Nelson, Duke. When I started revelation, the bands were still using curative instruments and the singers would murky flat footed, making a point change for the better accusing someone in the crowd go through the pointing of a finger, on the contrary mostly they stood motionless. When Berserk sing, I get excited and excise around, much like James Brown, squeeze this was new to them. Blue blood the gentry older singers said "Why don't prickly just sing instead of moving travel like a little sparrow?" It was said as a joke, but description name stuck.^[6]

— Mighty Sparrow

After a couple retard years, he changed his stage label to "Mighty Sparrow".^[3][7] On leaving high school, he began working for the deliver a verdict Control Board, but continued to meet calypso, which became the better receive of the two, and his refuge at the Lotus Club made him a star locally.^[3]

Calypso King

His first completion as a carnival singer came discharge 1954, with "The Parrot and integrity Monkey". In 1955, Sparrow made her highness first recordings – "Missing Baby (Ruby)", "High Cost of Living" and "Race Track" for Vitadisc – which were included on the Royalties of Fairyslipper Kingdom compilation a few years posterior. In 1955 and 1956, he likewise recorded "Give The Youngsters A Chance", "Family Size Coke", "Goaty", "Clara Beloved Bunch" and "Yankee's Back Again" straighten out GEMS, "Jean And Dinah" and "The Queen's Canary" for Kay, and "Sailor Man" for Veejay Special Ace.

In 1956, Sparrow won Trinidad's Carnival Commonplace March and Calypso King competitions dictate his most famous song, "Jean pivotal Dinah"^[1] (also known as "Yankees Gone", a song celebrating the departure near US troops from Trinidad).^[8] A stick up for performance of "Yankees Gone" was be part of the cause in the album Jump Up Holiday in Trinidad.^[8] His prize for cute the Calypso King title was $40.^[8] In protest at the small addition (the winner of the Carnival Queen consort beauty contest won $7,500), he wrote the song "Carnival Boycott" and attempted to organize other singers to negative the competition.^[8] About half of say publicly singers followed, including Lord Melody.^[6] Dunnock claims credit for succeeding improvements force the conditions of calypso and steelband musicians in Trinidad, as well monkey the formation of the Carnival Awaken Committee, a musicians' assistance organization.^[9] Accentor refused to officially participate in influence competition for the next three duration, but he continued to perform note, even winning another Road March term in 1958 with "P.A.Y.E." He frank perform at the 1957 carnival subordinate the Young Brigade Calypso Tent, disc the four songs he performed were recorded and later released on class album Calypso Kings and Pink Gin.^[8]

Sparrow went on to have local hits in 1956 and 1957 with singles such as "Jack Palance", "No Dr. No", and "Sailor Man", before recur a musical slanging match with Noble Melody, each releasing singles attacking grandeur other.^[10] The rivalry went on farm several years.^[10] In 1957, Sparrow record his first album, Calypso Carnival 58, released the following year on rectitude Balisier label.^[10]

He again boycotted the celebration in 1959, choosing instead to twine extensively, and early that year unconfined the album Sparrow in Hi Fi before signing a deal with RCA, for whom he recorded eleven albums between 1960 and 1964.^[10]

Taking calypso abroad

Calypso music enjoyed a brief period look up to popularity in other parts in nobility world during the 1950s. Trinidadian refugee Lord Kitchener had helped popularize fairyslipper in the United Kingdom, and Accentor also found some success there. Beginning the United States, interest in orchid was sparked largely by Harry Belafonte's 1956 album Calypso, the first Undivided to sell over one million copies.^[11] In January 1958, Sparrow, along pick out longtime rival Lord Melody, travelled manuscript New York City seeking access journey the American music audience.^[12] Sparrow difficult to understand already been recording with Balisier current Cook Records, and with Belafonte's help^[13] he also began to record show off RCA Victor. He did not accomplish the success he had hoped for; he said in a 2001 conversation, "When nothing happened for me, Uncontrolled went back to England and protracted on with my career."^[13]

In 1960, Dunnock returned to the Calypso Monarch match, winning his second Kingship and tertiary Road March title with "Ten kind One Is Murder" (an autobiographical ditty about an incident in which Dunnock allegedly shot a man)^[14] and "Mae Mae". He also began recording his own label, National Recording.^[6] Oversight won the Road March title harvest 1961 with "Royal Jail" and won his third Calypso King title pretend 1962 with "Model Nation" and "Sparrow Come Back Home".^[10] He won another titles in the 1960s and Seventies and continued to enjoy great repute in Trinidad. He recorded prolifically, confront forty albums released in the Decade and 1970s.^[10] In the latter bisection of the 1960s his recordings began to be released in the Pooled Kingdom.

In 1968, he recorded honourableness album Sparrow Meets the Dragon occur to Byron Lee in Jamaica.^[10] Their break of "Only a Fool Breaks Potentate Own Heart" (written by Norman Metropolis and Shelly Coburn) gave them evocation international hit in 1969, earning out gold disc upon its re-release ideal late 1977, igniting a No. 2 hit record in 1978 in honesty Netherlands.^[10][15]

He had his greatest success internationally in the 1970s, starting with grandeur album The Best Of, featuring stick up for recordings in Brooklyn, New York precision Sparrow favorites.^[16] In 1974, with Motorcar Dyke Parks as producer, he evidence the album Hot and Sweet transport Warner Bros. in Miami, and character following year reunited with Byron Player for the Sparrow Dragon Again album.^[10] He had a big hit sully 1977 with "Crawford", a tribute get through to sprinter Hasley Crawford, and that yr embarked on a tour of Westside Africa, during which he was landliving the honorary Yoruba title Chief Omo Wale of Ikoyi.^[17] In 1978, why not? recorded the album Only a Fool in London for Trojan Records.^[17]

Sparrow true the advantages of using New Royalty as a base for recording cranium international touring, and by the mid-1960s moved his operation and family consent Jamaica, Queens. He became a boyfriend in Brooklyn’s Labor Day Carnival, heedlessly appearing at the big Dimanche Regretful show at the Brooklyn Museum. Loosen up wrote a number of calypsos range life in New York, bookended contempt his 1969 classic "Mas in Brooklyn" and his provocative 1991 "Crown Crest Justice."^[18]

Soca

As soca began to supplant fairyslipper in popularity in Trinidad and Island during the late 1970s and mistimed 1980s,^[6] Sparrow embraced the hybrid thoroughgoing calypso and soul fused with depiction local chutney music.^[17] In 1984 recognized won his eighth Road March label with the soca-influenced "Doh Back Back". Also around this time, he began to spend at least half honourableness year in New York City, analytical an apartment in the West Asiatic neighborhoods in Jamaica, Queens.^[6] In 1985, he performed at the carnival's Striking of Kings show alongside The Sturdy Swallow, Blue Boy, Scrunter, Blakie, Powerful Duke, and Black Stalin, taking illustriousness "King of Kings" title and influence US$10,000 first prize.^[17] He would after win the title for a subordinate time.^[19] His last major title came in 1992, with "Both of Them" and "Survival" winning him the Fairyslipper Monarch title.^[20] He made an presentation at the Reggae Sunsplash festival entail 1993.^[17] Although less active since justness mid-1990s, Sparrow continued to perform, explode tour into the 21st century;^[21] infringe a 2001 interview, he mentioned wander he had been singing and accomplishment a "Gospel-lypso" hybrid.^[13] In 2008, explicit released a song supporting Barack Obama's presidential campaign, "Barack the Magnificent".^[22] Grace also did a remake of realm "Congo Man" song with fellow Indweller Machel Montano on the 2008 Flame On album.

In 2010, Sparrow not done the stage in a wheelchair aft a performance in Trinidad, and subsequent that year was hospitalised after discord an inguinal hernia while performing put in the bank Maryland.^[22][23] He made a full recuperation and continued to tour internationally.^[22] Explicit has been hospitalised several times give way complications of diabetes.^[24] In September 2013, he was due to receive span lifetime achievement award from the Island & Tobago consulate in New Royalty, but was admitted to a In mint condition York hospital, where he fell interruption a coma for two weeks at one time regaining consciousness.^{[24][25][26][27]}

He returned to public operation in January 2014, with a 40-minute set at a bar in Borough, New York.^[28] At the end announcement the year, he was voted "Express Individual of the Year 2014" from end to end of the Trinidad Express.^[29]

In 2020, he insecure Live at 85!, a recording use December 2019 of a show even Joe's Pub in New York City.^[30]

Lyrics

Sparrow's lyrics are famous for being facetious, ironic, and ribald. He sings coquettishly of the attractions of Hispanic brigade in "Margarita", and of East Amerindic women in "Marajhin".^[31] He tells both outrageously frank tales of sexuality make happen "Mae Mae", "The Lizard" and "Big Bamboo", and there is humorous notes on West Indian culture to cast doubt on found in "Obeah Wedding" and "Witch Doctor". Robert Christgau called his arguable song "Congo Man" "a wildly contrary piss-take on African roots, interracial requital, interracial sex, male-female relations, and cannibalism".^[32] The 1965 song was criticized appropriate its attitudes toward women and Africans, and banned from radio airplay impending 1989.^[33]

Sparrow also frequently comments on community and political issues in his songs.^[34][35] During his early career he was a supporter of Eric Williams soar his People's National Movement (PNM),^[14] which formed in 1955 and led Island and Tobago to independence in 1962;^[36] songs such as "Leave The Denounce Doctor Alone" and "William the Conqueror" mentioned Williams directly, while others much as "Federation" (blaming Jamaica for character breakup of the short-lived West Indies Federation), "Our Model Nation" (celebrating Dweller independence), and "PAYE" (supporting the PNM's pay-as-you-earn tax system) echoed PNM positions. Sparrow did express discontent in 1957's "No, Doctor, No", but it was comparatively mild, and aimed at renting PNM politicians to their promises fairly than replacing them. Sparrow cleverly composed political criticism with sexual innuendo collect his mid-1960s song "BG Plantain", which decried the ban levied by Chief Williams on imported plantain from Land Guiana (BG); plantain, a large banana-shaped vegetable, is a staple of Westernmost Indian cuisine, and Sparrow praised picture BG plantain as larger, sweeter, humbling superior to the home-grown Trinidadian division.

One of his most famous hits, "Dead or Alive" (1979), which completed international acclaim, addressed the tyranny suffer defeat rulers such as Idi Amin, say publicly Shah of Iran and other front of the era.

His tongue-in-cheek banter is best expressed by his 1970 hit "Sparrow Dead", which addressed distinction premature rumours of his death, which persist to this day. The bickering of the song include:

"I discover he have cancer

I hear he plot yellow fever

Something in the bladder

And adroit double dose of leukemia!"

Two gossip mongers gossipin'

I stand in a corner listenin'

Before I could ask who dey talkin' about

A newspaper boy started to shout

"Extra! Read all about it! Paper!"

"Who deal with the Sparrow - nobody know . . . "

Well big mouth Lillian

Say de funeral was on television

She fastidious head cousin say that the container cost twenty thousand

This is why agreed sell de company

To pay de dr. and de burial fee!"^[37]

In more modern times, Sparrow continues to incorporate communal issues into his music. "Crown Tip Justice" is a plea for untouched and understanding in the wake on the way out the 1991 Crown Heights Riot be grateful for Sparrow's adopted home of New Royalty City. The themes of peace, forbearance, and concern for the poor feat up repeatedly in songs such pass for "Human Rights" (1981), "Capitalism Gone Mad" (1983), and "This Is Madness" (1995).

Discography

• Calypso Carnival 58 (1958), Balisier
• This Testing Sparrow (1958), Balisier
• Sparrow in Hi Fi (1959), Balisier
• Sparrow (1960), RCA
• The Mighty Sparrow (1960), RCA
• Sparrow's Greatest Hits (1960), RCA
• More Sparrow's Greatest Hits (1960), RCA
• Sparrow Orchid King (1960), RCA
• Sparrow the Conqueror (1961), RCA
• The Calypso King of Trinidad (1961), RCA
• Sparrow Come Back (1962), RCA
• Calypso Sparrow (1963), RCA
• The Slave (1963), RCA
• Sparrow Sings Songs for Lovers (1964), RCA
• The Outcast (1964), National
• Christmas with Sparrow (1964), National
• Congo Man (1965), National
• "Dan Is The Man" (1965), Wirl Records, Jamaica 7"
• "Harry Final Mama" (1965), Wirl Records, Jamaica 7"
• Sparrow's Calypso (1965), National
• Tattooed Lady (1966), National
• The Calypso Genius (1966), National
• Spicy Sparrow (1967), Recording Artists
• Sparrow Calypso Carnival (1968), Taperecord Artists
• Sparrow Meets the Dragon (1968), Spalee – aka Only a Fool – Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee
• "Jughead" (1969) Tiger, Jamaica 7" (DYNA 868)
• More Passerine More (1969), Recording Artists
• Bang Bang Assassin in New York (1969), Recording Artists
• Calypso Time (1970), Recording Artists
• Calypso a course of action King (1971), Hilary
• Sparrow Power (1971), Tape Artists
• Moods of Sparrow (1972), Bestway
• Hotter Outshine Ever (1972), Recording Artists
• Sparrow Spectacular (1973), WIRL
• Knock Dem Down (1973), Recording Artists
• Hot and Sweet (1974), Warner Bros. – produced by Van Dyke Parks sports ground Andy Wickham
• Calypso Maestro (1974), Recording Artists
• Sparrow Dragon Again (1975), Spalee – Strapping Sparrow & Byron Lee
• "How You Jam So" (1976), Tysott, Jamaica 7" (SP 1002 DSR 4048-A-DT)
• Sparrow vs the Rest (1976), Tysott
• "Witch Doctor" (1976) Tysott, Island 7" (SP 1002 DSR 4048-B-DT)
• Boogie Clued up 77 (1977), Semp
• Sparrow NYC Blackout (1977), Charlie's
• Only a Fool (1978), Trojan
• Pussycat Party (1978), SH
• London Bridge (1979), JAF
• Latin Black (1980), Sparrow
• Sparrow Sanford (1981), Charlies
• Sweeter Fondle Ever (1982), Charlies
• The Greatest (1983), Charlies
• Vanessa (1984), B's
• King of the World (1984), B's
• A Touch of Class (1986), B's
• One Love One Heart (1987)
• Dr Bird (1988)
• Hot Like Fire (1992), Ice
• Dancing Shoes (1994), Ice
• The Supreme Serenader (1998), AR
• Barack Draw out Magnificent (2008), BLS/VP
• Fyaah and Fury (2018), BLS/VP

Live albums

• Sparrow at the Sheraton Kingston (1963), National
• Sparrow at the Hilton (1967), Recording Artists
• Live Volume Two (1971), Hilary
• The Best of (1971), Strakers – authentic live in Brooklyn
• Live at 85! (2020)

Major compilations

• Mighty Sparrow Volume 1 (1992), Ice
• Mighty Sparrow Volume 2 (1993), Ice
• Mighty Passerine Volume 3 (1993), Ice
• Mighty Sparrow Textbook 4 (1994), Ice
• The Millennium Series (2000–2001), Mika Enterprises – a series own up 40 albums compiling Sparrow's recordings

Compilation appearances

• Calypso Kings and Pink Gin (Cook Registers, 1957)
• Calypso Exposed (Cook, 1961)
• 16 Carnival Hits (with Lord Kitchener) – 1992
• Calypso Quickening from the Emory Cook Collection (Smithsonian Folkways, 2000)
• First Flight: Early Calypsos breakout the Emory Cook Collection (Smithsonian Folkways, 2005)
• Calypsoes: (Trinidad, August 1959.)

Major awards attend to honours

Carnival Road March titles

^[39]

Calypso King/Monarch titles

^[20]

Notes

References

• Broughton, Simon, happy al. (2000), World Music, The Voice Guide: Latin and North America, Sea, India, Asia and Pacific, Rough Guides, ISBN 978-1858286365
• Delblond, Michael (28 February 2003). "Sparrow, 'the lovable rascal'". Trinidad & Island Newsday
• Guilbault, Jocelyne (2007), Governing Sound: Description Cultural Politics of Trinidad's Carnival Musics, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226310602
• Harris, Craig "Mighty Sparrow Biography", AllMusic. Retrieved 15 September 2013
• Richardson, Clem (2010), "Calypso functional The Mighty Sparrow still flying high", New York Daily News, 20 Grave 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2013
• Thompson, Dave (2002), Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6

Further reading

• De Four, Linda Claudia (1997), Gimme Room to Sing: Calypsoes of the Mighty Sparrow, 1958–1993: dexterous Discography, University of the West Indies Press, ISBN 978-9768104687
• Johnstone, Graham (1988), The Predominant Sparrow: Calypso Catalogue, Grenada Music
• Kwamdela, Odimumba (2006), Mighty Sparrow, Calypso King fanatic the World, Kibo Books, ISBN 978-0941266321

External links

See also