The Source Of Harry Belafonte's Version Of "Jump In The Line" ("Shake Senora")

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest Revision: December 7, 2021

This pancocojams post showcases the Calypso song "Jump In The Line" by presenting recordings of the original version by Lord Kitchener as well as versions of that song by Lord Invader, Lord Flea, and Harry Belafonte.

Information about the song "Jump In The Line" (Shake Senora) is included in this post. Information about Lord Kitchener is also included in this post. The lyrics to Harry Belafonte's version of this song are found in the summary statement of the sound file given below as Example #4.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic reasons.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Lord Kitchener for composing this song. Thanks also to all of the featured artists for their musical legacies. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG JUMP IN THE LINE
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_in_the_Line_(Shake,_Senora)
"Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)" is a song composed by Trinidadian calypsonian Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) that won the 1946 Trinidad Carnival Road March.

Covers
Woody Herman and his Third Herd recorded Kitchener's song in 1952 on Mars Records; Herman's band also made a live recording that same year under the title "Jump in Line." Lord Invader released a cover of the song on the Folkways Label in 1955.[1] Entitled "Label Labor Day (Jump in the Line)", the tune reached mento star Lord Flea, who in turn recorded a version based on Lord Invader's interpretation.[1] Released in 1957 on the Capitol record label, Flea's cover inspired Harry Belafonte who recorded his own take in 1961 (credited to his pseudonym Raymond Bell on the disc label). It was released on the album Jump Up Calypso, and was later featured in the films Beetlejuice and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning"...

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From http://www.trinizagada.com/2011/08/jump-in-line-shake-senora-lord.html Jump in the line (Shake Señora) | Lord Kitchener, Saturday, August 06, 2011 Posted by Santiwah
..."Most people associate the song ["Jump In The Line"] with Harry Belafonte because as a singer of calypsos, written and originally sung by Trinidadians, he was able to capture the imagination of the American public. His accent and style was palatable to the Americans unlike the Trinidadians with their 'strong' Trinidad accent. Even to this day it is difficult for most Americans visiting the islands to understand the Trinidad vernacular English.

One must congratulate Mr. Belafonte for his success and for putting calypso on the World map; but at the same time, it is a crying shame that the efforts and abilities for the Trinidadian artists go in vain! This song 'Jump in Line' was written and performed by Lord Kitchener in 1946 and remade by Mr. Belafonte in 1961 with the Shake Senora caption. Now one must also take into consideration that 'Jump in the Line' was also done by Lord Invader in 1955 (Labor Day, Calypso on Folkways label 1955) and by Lord Flea (Swingin' Calypsos Capitol Records 1957); Belafonte did his medley in 1961! Lord Flea was a Jamaican Mento Singer who did a cover of the Lord Invader's version. It is interesting to note that in the 1957 version the 'shake senora' words are very noticeable. I mention this because most people identify the 'Senora' with the 1961 version released by Harry Belafonte."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT LORD KITCHENER
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Kitchener_(calypsonian)
"Aldwyn Roberts (18 April 1922 – 11 February 2000), better known by the stage name Lord Kitchener (or "Kitch"), was an internationally known calypsonian.[1] Roberts was born in Arima, Trinidad...

He moved to Port of Spain and had his first commercial success in 1942 with the calypso song "Green Fig" (also known as "Mary, I am Tired and Disgusted"). By 1945, he was known as Lord Kitchener.*

He found further success in the UK in the 1950s, building a large following in the expatriate communities of the West Indian islands. His prominence continued throughout the 1950s, when calypso achieved international success...

Kitchener returned to Trinidad in 1962. He and the Mighty Sparrow proceeded to dominate the calypso competitions of the sixties and seventies. Lord Kitchener won the road march competition ten times between 1965 and 1976, more times than any other calypsonian. For 30 years, Kitchener ran his own calypso tent, Calypso Revue, within which he nurtured the talent of many calypsonians. Calypso Rose, David Rudder, Black Stalin and Denyse Plummer are among the many artists who got their start under Kitchener's tutelage. Later he moved towards soca, a related style, and continued recording until his death. Kitchener's compositions were enormously popular as the chosen selections for steel bands to perform at the annual National Panorama competition during Trinidad Carnival. He recorded his most commercially successful song, "Sugar Bum Bum" in 1978. He retired in 1999."
-snip-
*The stage name "Lord Kitchener" comes from the name of the British general and statesman, Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener.

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
Examples of "Jump In The Line" are presented in chronological order based on when they were recorded with the original recording given first.

Example #1: 



Sokah2Soca, April 12, 2019

Jump In The Line - Aldwin Roberts (Lord Kitchener) and his Steel Band Chorus Boys
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Example #2: Lord Invader labor day (jump in the line)



LukeCageforhire Published on Nov 29, 2012

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Example #3: Lord Flea - Shake shake senora (auido)



calypzombie85, Uploaded on Mar 23, 2010

Lord Flea - Shake shake senora

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Example #4: Jump in the line - Harry Belafonte TKV



Thomas Eliason, July 24, 2016
-snip-

Here's the title of the video for this song that I originally embedded in this pancocojams post along with that publisher's summary & that song's lyrics:
Harry Belafonte - Jump in the Line (Lyrics In Description)

[video no longer available]

Hoodoo You Love?, Uploaded on Nov 28, 2008

This is my video montage tribute to one of my all-time favorite songs: Harry Belafonte's "Jump in the Line" from his 1961 album "Jump Up Calypso". This song will never get old and Harry Belafonte is a LIVING ICON. Harry is the man and you can tell just by the way he presents and carries himself that he's genuine all around. Seriously, who could not enjoy Harry's music? His music is universal and he has touched many people all over the world. Thank you so much Harry. You're truly an inspiration.

Even though some newer so called "original" artists have sampled this brilliant track in the recent years there's a reason why this version, and only this version, is called the "original." You can't beat an original! So keep rockin' on Harry!

Lyrics:

Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line
Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time
Work, work, work, Senora, work your body line
Work, work, work, Senora, work it all the time

My girl's name is Senora
I tell you friends, I adore her
And when she dances, oh brother!
She's a hurricane in all kinds of weather

Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Whoa!

Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line
Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time
Work, work, work, Senora, work your body line
Work, work, work, Senora, work it all the time

You can talk about Cha Cha
Tango, Waltz, or de Rumba
Senora's dance has no title
You jump in the saddle
Hold on to de bridle!

Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Rock your body, child!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Somebody, help me!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Whoa!

Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line
Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time (Whoa)
Work, work, work, Senora, work your body line (Yep)
Work, work, work, Senora, work it all the time

Senora, she's a sensation
The reason for aviation
And fellas, you got to watch it
When she wind up, she bottom, she go like a rocket!

Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Hoist those skirts a little higher!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Up the chim-en-y!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Whoa oh oh oh!

[break]

Shake, shake, shake, Senora
Shake your body line
Work, work, work, Senora
Work it all the time
Dance, dance, dance, Senora
Dance it all the time
Work, work, work, Senora
Work it all the time

Senora dances Calypso
Left to right is de tempo
And when she gets the sensation
She go up in the air, come down in slow motion

Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Somebody, help me!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
OK, I believe you!
Jump in de line, rock your body in time
Whooooa!

Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line
Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time
Work, work, work, Senora!!
-snip-
Notice that the publisher of this sound file mistakenly refers to Harry Belafonte's recording of "Jump In The Line" as the original. Actually, Belafonte's version was a cover of a cover of the original 1946 song.

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