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Here's an interesting article I found online:

http://www.nalis.gov.tt/music/BAPTIS...n_CALYPSO.html

By Debbie Jacob

Sunday Express

Section 2

March 28, 1999

Pages 12 and 13



Sixty years ago, our first official Calypso Monarch, The Growling Tiger, submitted two songs to the censors entitled "What is the Shouter?" and "Shango". He wasn't allowed to sing about the Shouters.

If he had, this is what people would have heard:



"The Shango, of course, is quite disagreeable

For the drum is miserable

But the Shouters is a husband, children and wife

And they living miserable a corrupted life

If is that they call civilization

It's a disgrace to my native land."



Tiger's scorn was a far cry from David Rudder's "Shango Electric" a Carnival 1999 hit which called upon the Orisha God, Shango, to beam "Legba through the cable television to save the souls of Trinis 'fraid the face of Africa." And the underlying Baptist beat and chanting which has defined Rudder's career and endeared him to calypso fans - young and old - is quite different from Tiger's generation, which ridiculed Shango and Shouters.

Although Shango, the Orisha religion, is not to be mixed up with the Baptists, their music has simultaneously cropped up in many calypsoes in the last 60 years. The mocking/loving relationship with Shango and Baptist religions and consequently their music, can be seen as early as 1937 when, Dr. Gordon Rohlehr tells us in his book Calypso and Society, RCA sent a representative to Trinidad to record many old songs which dated as far back as 1877.

"Tiger and Lion recalled and exploited Yoruba and Shango melodies in a small but significant number of songs," Rohlehr says.

There were a number of other songs on "Shango Dance" in the early 30s, Cobra's "Shango Song" in 1937; Beginner's "I didn't know she was the Queen of the Shango" in 1937, Caresser's "Shango" in 1938 and "Amanja Soqua Me: African Song" which attempted to render an Orisha chant. Tiger recorded "Yaraba Shango" in 1937, "Shango" in 1939 and "Interpreting Shango" in 1945.

The songs, which were unanimously against the religions, must have been popular, Rohlehr says, because many existed and Lion re-recorded "Shango Dance" in 1949. In the 30s, the singers reflected the opinions of the elite, because there was a law prohibiting the Shouters.

Calypsonians, as the rest of society, mocked the Shouters.

"Tiger applauded police action in brutalizing the Shouters. The Shouters were viewed as incoherent and ridiculous devil worshippers in calypso," says Rohlehr. Caresser said the same about the Orisha.



"The Catholic make their ceremony

Which is known universally

Very charitable in the salvation

The Anglican I could understand

But the Shouters want to see Zion when they die and

Bawling Cara in bother Cico Ih

With candle and a cross and a cycle bell

Invoking Lucifer in Hell."



While calypsonians ridiculed the Shouters, they also recorded their hymns. Lion recorded "Happy Land of Canaan", which was classified as a Calypso Shouter. He performed "Where is Jonah Gone" jointly with Atilla in 1934 and Caresser sang "Do You Remember Me" in 1940.

Rohlehr says an unconscious merger of calypso and Baptist music was beginning to take place already in the 40s. This would be evident a decade later when Melody sang "Jonah and the Bake" and Sparrow delivered "Don't Touch Me". A calypsonian named Wonder sang "Follow Me Children" in the 50s, which had a Baptist-sounding chorus. All were highly dramatic extensions of Shouter/Baptist preaching.

The repeal of the ordinance against the Baptists, which prohibited their form of worship in 1951, changed the political complexion of the situation and the emergence of the PNM helped Baptists to be seen in a different light. Then came Calypso Rose, the first woman to be crowned Calypso Monarch and Road March winner whose music, Rohlehr says, was obviously influenced by Baptist rhythms.

SuperBlue, formerly known as Blue Boy, ushered in the decade of the 80s with the most famous Baptist-influenced song: "Soca Baptist".

It caused a major controversy. Baptists claimed Blue Boy was desecrating their religion. By then, the political tables had turned and a reluctant Prime Minister Eric Williams replied "Let good sense prevail," when irate Baptists asked him to ban the calypso from the radio.

The fascination with Baptist rhythms and themes continued. The religion was becoming a conscious-raising characteristic; a link between Trinidad and Africa. It worked well for David Rudder whose "Bahia Gyul" wooed a nation into following her down the road for the Road March in 1986. Rudder was also crowned calypso king on the strength of the Rudder/Pelham Goddard composition. And SuperBlue regained his Road March footing in 1991 with another Baptist-influenced song "Get something and Wave." In this song, SuperBlue consults the bell-ringing Mother Muriel, a Baptist, about Trinidad's post-coup status. Andre Tanker's Baptist-like chants in "Sayamanda" and "River Come Down" were also making powerful statements. On the other hand, Ella Andall, strongly influenced by Orisha roots, was shunned by calypso tents. Tent managers deemed her image "too African " in spite of the fact that songs like "Bring Down the Power" were well liked by fans.

Today, Rohlehr says there are a handful of singers who have truly internalized the Shango/Baptist beats, chants and structures. "There have been many who followed an imitative trend - like Preacher - but the way SuperBlue uses his voice, the chants, his overall style are a very genuine manifestation of Baptist music. And it always permeates Rudder's music," Rohlehr says. "There might be some lasting influence in [Singing] Sandra's music. We'll have to wait and see."

Today, the Orisha/Baptist connection to music is seen as a powerful force. Neither the religions nor the music, which emanates from them, are something to be shunned or mocked. Instead, they're viewed as noble faiths and powerful songs arising form the soul. A struggling nation, in search of its lost soul, welcomes and respects both.

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