Edited by Azizi Powell
This post showcases a sound file of "One Day One Day Congote" (Congotay), a song about wife beating by the Trinidadian group "The Love Circle's 2003 album "Home Grown". Information about The Love Circle is included in this post.
This post also includes my attempt at transcribing the lyrics to that song. I made that attempt because I couldn't find lyrics to this song online.
This serves as a companion post to http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/what-one-day-congotay-congote-means.html. That post provides information and comments about the meanings of the proverb "One day one day Congotay (Congote)".
This also serves as companion to http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/03/congotay-childrens-game-words-play.html which feature examples of and comments about the Caribbean children's game song "Congotay".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspiration, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to The Love Circle for their musical legacy. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOVE CIRCLE
From https://www.gospelreggae.com/browse/artists/the+love+circle/detail.html
Official Bio
"Since their inception in 1981, The Love Circle has earned a reputation as one of the most outstanding musical families in Trinidad and Tobago. The late great Ras Short I (Garfield Blackman), the founder of The Love Circle and father of the musical genres of "Soca" and "Jamoo", has left a legacy of musical creativity that is hard to emulate (on any level). This, combined with the extra-ordinary musical talent of group members, has put The Love Circle on the cutting edge of musical culture in the Caribbean.
Today, the group is made up of the youngest children of the Blackman family, Isaac, Nehilet, Marge, Eldon, Sheldon and their mother Claudette Blackman...
'Jamoo', the musical style performed by the group, delivers a Christian message over Trinidadian, African, Indian, and various other World rhythms. The music seeks to amplify love, to explore the ills of society (drug abuse, AIDS and oppression) and endeavors to provide solutions through meaningful Bible-based lyrics.
Early CDs by the group include "Jamoo Victory", and "Children of the Jamoo Journey". In 2003 the group released "Home Grown". Under the production expertise of Isaac Blackman, this digital masterpiece helped take "Jamoo" to a whole new level.
"Homegrown" is a clever collection of songs written and performed by the sons, daughters and widow of the legendary Ras Shorty I (Garfield Blackman), the inventor of soca music. This rustic compilation combines rootsy, acoustic jamoo sounds with syncopated digital urban beats. Jamoo is the gospel of soca -- a unique blend of calypso, East Indian and African rhythms, with elements of folk, reggae, jazz and blues. Fresh from the backyard of the Blackmans, this labor of love is packed with rich vocal textures and lush harmonies, a showcase of the tremendous talents of this musical family."
-snip-
According to this article "Jamoo" means "Jehovah's music".
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE:
The LOVE Circle [Ms.Claudette Blackman]- One Day Congote (Congotay)
majabsalu, Uploaded on Sep 22, 2008
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LYRICS: ONE DAY CONGOTAY
(Claudette Blackman)
Spoken:
It’s time to stop forever the flow of violence
Sings:
Lead –Mmmm-mmm
Yeah-eah
Group -Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai
Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai
Lead – With some men in the street, women it makes me wonder
If they fall from the sky or if they born from a mother.
They beating their woman as if she’s some beast of burden.
No love, no consideration, no kind of reason.
But I tell you
Lead & Group – One day, one day Congotay.
Lead – Which means one day you will pay.
Lead and group – Even if it is when you will get older, then
What you sow I say one day you will reap one day.
Lead & Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai
Lead- The woman bawling.
Lead & Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai.
Lead –She can’t take the beating..
Lead & Group -Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai.
It’s too much aches and pain.
Lead – Lord, the same from ever since the creation
An eye for an eye and there is no alteration.
So when you treat your woman bad, brother, please remember
The same thing could come and happen to your little daughter.
So I tell you
Lead & Group – One day, one day Congotay
Lead – Which means one day you will pay.
Lead & Group – Even if it is when you will get older, then
What you sow I say one day you will reap one day.
Lead & Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai .
Lead & Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai.
Lead & Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai .
Lead- God made woman from out of man’s body.
So they are no longer two but one flesh in matrimony.
So when you beat your woman it’s only the fool you’re playing
All the beat you are beating is only your own self you are treating
So I tell you
Lead & Group – One day, one day Congotay
Lead – Which means one day you will pay.
Lead & Group-Even if it is when you will get older, then
What you sow I say one day you will reap one day.
Lead- Oh
Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai.
Lead -It’s too much too much
Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai
She can’t take the beating
Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai
Oh God
Oh God
Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai
Lead -It’s time to stop the flow of violence
Group: Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai.
Lead- Live life [words are indistinguishable]
Group- Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai.
Group-Cry-yai-yai-yai-yai yai
[singing fades]
-snip-
Transcription by Azizi Powell from the sound file. Additions and corrections are very welcome
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EDITORIAL COMMENT ABOUT THE SAYING "ONE DAY, ONE DAY CONGOTAY" (CONGOTE)
"One day one day Congotay" is a Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, and Grenada) proverb that means "One day you will pay for your misdeeds".
A portion of the entry for the word "congotay" in Lise Winer's book Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad & Tobago: On Historical Principles [Google Books] suggests that "congotay" came from the words "Congo's Day". "Congo" here is a referent for all people of Black African ancestry and not just people of Bakongo ancestry. My sense is that Lise Winer's conclusion is that "One day Congo's Day" is a shorthand way of saying that one day justice will prevail for all the wrong that has been done to Black people. The proverb "one day one day congotay" extends that core meaning to apply to individuals who do wrong and who will one day (also) have to pay for their misdeeds.
Two pancocojams posts will be published ASAP that continue this exploration into the meaning of the proverb "One day Congotay". The first additional post presents other examples and comments about the Caribbean folk saying "one day one day Congotay" and the second post features examples of the children's line game song "Congotay".
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