gallery

Sparrow's "Jean and Dinah"

When I first heard this song as a child, although I did not have the language to understand the sexual currency of the song, I felt concern for these two girls who, 'If you caught them broken," were willing to be taken for nothing.
Over time, the stories of Trinidad during the war, and the arrival of American soldiers made the whole thing more understandable.
There was also a need to have an illustration of the barrack yard life, to know who these people were and what the island was like?
We naturally romanticise the past. But those were difficult times for many women, particularly women with very few to no prospects. Sparrow managed with that song and many more, to capture time, place and politics.
Again,the music might seem rude or low, but the fact of the matter is that an artist is there to capture literally, on the ground, the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of the day,from the highest to the lowest without judgement.




Rum and Coca Cola by Lord Invader does this as well, and the fact that it is a much earlier song tells me that the theme was possibly very popular. It was covered as we all know and made a gigantic success by African American actor and singer, Harry Belafonte. It is also beautifully sung by the Andrew Sisters, who make it sound so folksy and almost sweet.

I have wondered why this song caught the attention of Hollywood? Particularly in light of that other song that was a huge hit,Feeling,Hot,Hot,Hot by the recently deceased soca artist, Arrow.
I wonder whether the women of my island were notorious, or whether the fact that Americans were in the islands, that the impression left was such that the song was popular to the island and then caught on in America?
When I know more,I shall post the information.