Grovetownyute74, March 10, 2013
-snip-
This version of "Jumbie Jamboree" was released in 1962
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases two sound files of the song "Jumbie Jamboree" or "Zombie Jamboree" (also known as "Back to Back, Belly to Belly".
Information about the song "Jumbie Jamboree" ("Zombie Jamboree") is also included in this post.
This post also includes the lyrics to "Jumbie Jamboree" as sung by Laurel Aitken and the lyrics of this song by The Wailers (also given as the Skatalites/Wailers").
This pancocojams post also includes a few comments about this song from the discussion threads of several YouTube sound files of "Jumbie Jamboree" ("Zombie Jamboree".)
The content of this post is presented for cultural and
entertainment purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Conrad Eugene Mauge, Jr. (Lord Intruder), the composer of "Jumbie Jamboree" and thanks to all the performing artists who are showcased in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/10/seven-examples-of-jumbie-jamboree-also.html for a 2015 pancocojams post entitled Seven Examples Of "Jumbie Jamboree" (also known as "Zombie Jamboree" & "Back To Back, Belly To Belly")
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SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLE #2: Jumbee Jamboree
Laurel Atkins, September 4, 2020
℗ 1965 Pressure Drop/Cherry Red Records
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "JUMBIE JAMBOREE"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumbie_Jamberee
"Jumbie Jamberee" is a calypso song credited to Conrad Eugene Mauge, Jr.[1] In 1953 Lord Intruder released the song as the B-side to "Disaster With Police".[2] The song is also known as "Zombie Jamboree" and "Back to Back". In the introduction to the Kingston Trio's version "Lord Invader and his Twelve Penetrators" are incorrectly credited with the song instead of Lord Intruder.
The oldest versions of the song refer to a jumbee jamboree. Jumbies are evil spirits who were thought to cause wild dancing in their victims. The song's references to Carnival also suggest a connection to the Moko jumbie, a protecting spirit figure represented during Carnival on Trinidad by stilt walkers and dancers. The switch to "Zombie Jamboree" occurred very early with King Flash's version with those lyrics coming out in 1956, only three years after "Jumbie Jamboree" first appeared."...
-snip-
I added italics to highlight the fact that in Caribbean culture "jumbies" are quite different from "zombies". In contrast, a "zombie" is a corpse that has been reanimated, especially by means of a supernatural power or spell.
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SONG LYRICS: JUMBIE JAMBOREE
(as sung by Laurel Aitken)
Oh what a jumbie jamboree took place in a Kingston cemetry
Oh what a jumbie jamboree took place in a Kingston cemetry
Jumbies from up north of the island
Some of them are great calypsonians
Since the season was carnival
They ska together in Bakanal
And what they singing
And what they singing
Back to back, belly to belly. I dont care a damn
I dun dead already
Back to back, belly to belly that a jumbie jamboree
One female jumbie wouldn't behave
Look how she jumping on the grave
In one hand'e holding a qwart of rum
The next hand shes beating congo drum
The lead singer starts to make his rhyme
while othe jambies rock their bones in time
One bystander started to say
It was a sight to see jumbie break away
And what they singing
Back to back...
Left to right things was getting sweet
A bystander mash a jumbie feet
One jumbie raise his finger to one
He said mister take care you mashing me corn
The funniest thing I have ever seen
To see jumbie eating salt fish and ackee
I never see more marpy or gingerbeer
That took place at a jumbie parade last year
What they singing
Back to back...
Source: http://www.ska-talk.org/forum/index.php?topic=12714.0;wap2
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SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SONG FROM SEVERAL YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS
The sources for these comments are given in no particular order. The comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFytKAzLDlE Peter Tosh - Jumbie Jamboree, published by nina lolitax, May 23, 2014 Peter Tosh (1944 - 1987)
"From 1965 this fine ska song was born from an unfortunate
incident that happened in late 1964 at a Wailers' concert at the Palace
theater. With the Skatalites playing and the Wailers singing, a power failure
hit the house, plunging it into darkness. A riot ensued with flying bottles,
and stage equipment and theater seats demolished. The terrified musicians hid
in the backstage bathroom. The event gave birth to two Wailers' songs.
"Hooligans" and "Jumbie Jamboree" The word jumbie means
ghost or "duppy" Remember Duppy Conqueror, the great Wailers' song
produced by Lee Perry? When a Jamaican calls a person a jumbie or a duppy he
means that person has no soul or feelings. Although the song is critical of the
rioters the Wailers end with "yes sir, me glad you come out deh." I
wonder if Bunny Wailer picked up on this
idea after he went out on his own. You
know he started each live show with the
song Old Dragon. It's a song about the devil. When asked why he chose a song
about the devil to open each show he replied it's better to acknowledge him
right off the bat, otherwise he might sneak up on you and cause a whole lot of
trouble."
**
2. diego hiraldo, 2019
"Lyrics please"
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Reply
3. Charlie Parker, 2019
"Oh what a jumbie jamboree to take place in the palace x2
They nearly mash up the theater
Because electricity had a failure
But when the hooligans them start to shout he said people??
I'll make them shut up their mouth
Everybody go why yo why why why yo and I hope you come out?
Some slip some may run some may duck some may fly
Some lick even more some lick up the eye
Grab a piece of broad board oh grab a piece of broad board oh grab a piece of broad board and cover me head
Yes sir me glad you come out deh
Woah yo me glad you come out deh
Yes sir me glad you come out deh
(Repeat entire thing)
That's the best I can make out the lyrics. Hope they help"
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YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREAD SOURCE #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzukOqoQ5Y "Lord Jellicoe & His Calypso Monarchs - Zombie Jamboree" published by Steve, Nov. 9, 2009
1. Warren Anderson, 2014
"I like this better than the Harry Belafonte version."
**
Reply
2. Battle Of Trenton, 2021
"Belafonte's version falls apart in later verses discussing
unrelated topics of Bridget Bardot and nuclear war."
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3. M. H. Nude, 2016
"This is THE version for sure/ This is what Lord Jellicoe and his Monarchs
sang at the Jamaican hotels for the tourists.
Anyone know what the lyrics are in the verse that goes, "The
funniest thing I ever did see, a zombie
____ salt fish without a key(?) ."
I got the rest but I can't make that one out// Oh,oh, this recording was
cut short and is incomplete. too bad.
**
Reply
4. AmbassadorsOfSorrow, 2016
"@ M H Nude -- it's "a zombie nyam a salt fish without
ackee" -- Ackee & salt fish is a Jamaican dish -- 'nyam' means 'eat' X"
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https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nyam#Etymology has an entry for the word nyam under the section for the etymology of that Jamaican Creole word. That entry begins by stating that that Jamaican Creole word is "Borrowed from Wolof
nyam, nyami, nyamnyam (“food; to eat”), or from Fula nyama, nyami, nyamgo (“to
eat”). Possibly via Ghanaian Pidgin English."
That entry then notes that "Many other West African languages use similar terms
for "flesh" or "meat", such as: Chichewa nyama, Efik unam,
Esimbi ɛnyimi, Hausa nama, Lingala nyama, Swahili nyama, and Zulu inyama. Also
compare Hausa nyamnyam, yamyam (“cannibal”) and Luba-Kasai nyama (“animal”)."
The word "West" in that wiktionary.org sentence is (hopefully) a typographical error since - except for Efik and Hausa and possibly Esimbi*- the other languages that are listed in that sentence aren't from West Africa. ( *I don't know where Esimbi is spoken). Excluding those languages, that sentence would be correct if it indicated that "Many other African languages use similar terms for "flesh: or "meat".
Here's the geographical locations for those other languages that are included in that passage:
Chichewa is from Southern, Southeast and East Africa, Lingala is from Central Africa, Swahilis is from East Africa and Central Africa, Zulu is from South Africa, and Luba-Kasai is from Central Africa.
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YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREAD SOURCE #3
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RixHMMTM0dQ Harry Belafonte - Zombie Jamboree (Back to Back), published by Jose Alfonso Del Rio
1. TheJonaco, 2019
"I just heard the Kingston Trio's live recording of this
calypso classic (1959). I believe Belafonte recorded it a couple of years
later. The Trio's version was very funny, but Belafonte- ever the peacenik-
added a little message at the end. Still, both honored the calypsonian
tradition by making up new words on the spot. It was Rockapella who introduced
me to this song years later on "Where In The World Is Carmen
Sandiego"- the best kids' quiz show ever."
**
Reply
2. Tawananyasha Mutekwe, 2021
"The original version was by Trinidadian calypsonian Lord
Intruder who also wrote it. Belafonte just like The Kingstone Trio adapted it
as cruise-ship calypso."
**
3. Jacob Short, 2021
"Back in the early 1990s I was a teenager watching Where In
The World Is Carmen San Diego? And the music for this children's gameshow was
provided by the acapella group
Rockapella. They sang this song and provided their own vocal musical
accompaniment. They changed the words just a little: Back to back, belly to
belly. I don't give a damn 'cause I'm stone-dead alread-eee!!! Back to back,
belly to belly, it's a zombie jamboree!"
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