Lord Beginner - "General Election" (1950 Calypso sound file, information, lyrics, and comments)

calypzombie85, Jun 21, 2009

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube sound file of the 1950 (Trinidad) Calypso song "General Election" by Lord Beginner.

Information about Lord Beginner is included in this post along with the lyrics for this song and selected comments from this sound file's discussion thread

The content of this post is presented for information and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Lord Beginner for his musical legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT LORD BEGINNER
From https://www.last.fm/music/Lord+Beginner/+wiki  Lord Beginner Biography

Born: 1904

Born In: Port of Spain, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago

Died: 1981 (aged 77)

Egbert Moore (1904–1981) known as Lord Beginner, was a popular Trinidadian calypsonian.

Moore was born in Port-of-Spain in Trinidad. According to AllMusic: "After attracting attention with his soulful singing in Trinidad and Tobago, Lord Beginner was sent by expatriate Portuguese businessman Edward Sa Gomes to New York City, along with Attila The Hun and Growling Tiger, to record for the Port-Of-Spain label in May 1934." These recordings by Moore with other leading members of Trinidad's "Old Brigade" of calypsonians helped to spark a renaissance of the calypso genre in the 1940s and '50s, and introduce the music to the world.

 In July 1948 Lord Beginner emigrated to England with fellow calypsonians Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) and Lord Woodbine (Harold Philips) in 1948. They arrived near London on the Empire Windrush, the first of many voyages conveying West Indians wishing to start a new life in Britain. Beginner began playing clubs throughout London and was a success, recording for the Parlophone label in 1950.

Lord Beginner signed a recording contract with Parlophone in 1950. Two of his more well known calypsos were "Victory Test Match" (including the lyrics "Cricket, lovely cricket, at Lord's where I saw it") and "General Election". The first was reputedly devised on the spot following the West Indies cricket team's victory against England at Lord's in 1950, inspiring Beginner and Lord Kitchener to begin a musical march from the ground to Piccadilly followed by dancing spectators. "General Election" was inspired by Clement Attlee's victory in the 1950 British general election.

Version 3, edited by midlifefanclub on 22 June 2017"

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LYRICS - GENERAL ELECTION
(Lord Beginner)

This is a calypso about the General Election in Great Britain

Me, Lord Beginner make this calypso in the style of the old minor calypso

Which we sing in Trinidad since many years

So hit it off, Mr. Blake]

 

 

General election we had in Great Britain

Caused a sensation

Independent

, also liberal

 

It was essential

Socialists was glad

Communists was sad

Conservatives did cheer

at the results in Trafalgar square

But I was confused

Waiting to hear the news

Me and Dorothy in the rain and the cold

By Piccadilly

Two long days it was announced in the parties

with those majorities

They said that the King was listening

So nothing was missing

Traffic could not pass

Police had a task

It was the best election I'll say

Crowds wait there til the break of day

But I was confused

Waiting to hear the news

Me and Dorothy in the rain and the cold

By Piccadilly

At Piccadilly was the grand illumination

Names went up in rotation

Some said we will get more employment

Others said better house rent

Balloon went up too

I saw red and blue

For Attlee supporters roar

and for Churchill who won the war

But I was confused

Waiting to hear the news

Me and Dorothy in the rain and the cold

By Piccadilly

A poor Indian man who stood and was shouting

[?]

Me not know why so much people glad

[?]

God make the rain fall

Still they not move at all

They are loyal to them parties

All night long them body not freeze

But I was confused

Waiting to hear the news

Me and Dorothy in the rain and the cold

By Piccadilly


online source:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8KNPIl6qk8 comment by evil gay jester, 2022

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SONG FROM THE DISCUSSION THREAD FOR 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8KNPIl6qk8

This is the sound file that is embedded in this pancocojams post.

Comments are numbered for referencing purposes only.

1. AinoJar, 2009
"Thanks a lot for posting this! Been looking for this particular calypso ever since I saw Aki Kaurismäki s "Contract Killer" in 93. The Rastas in Camden Town Market had never met a white person who asked for this artist. They didn t have it. But they sold me great vintage calypso recordings, all of them political. Authentic calypso from Trinidad/Tobago is absolutely FANTASTIC!

Cheers Aino"

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Reply
2. calypzombie85, 2009
"I'm glad somebody likes it... I've been having some trouble myself locating calypso so  I figuerad I would share some of what I have found."

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3. TheRealDJGIBS, 2012
"Its based on an outsider‘s view of the events of 2-23-1950 at Piccadilly Circus.

The first Beginner/Kithcener/Blake Parlophone session was Jan 30, 1950. In which they recorded in order; Nora, I Will Die A Bachelor, The Underground Train and The Dollar & The Pound. Two subsequent sessions were held in March 1950, in which they recorded; General Election, Iere, Glendeena (unissued), Housewives and Man Smart Woman Smarter. Aside from Kitch, everyone was from the Old Brigade, hence the old style"

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4. TchikiSteph, 2012
"Not sure, but I think he says "in the style of the old minor calypso" as lots of calypso hits used minor keys"

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5. Siusaidh Chaimbeul, 2015
"Thanks TheRealDJGIBS for the context - slim re-election of Labour (way down from 1945 victory). Shortly later Tories under Churchill would be back."

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