DAVID RUDDER
KAISO GONE DREAD
The words and music of BLACK STALIN
David Rudder crashed onto the calypso/soca scene in Trinidad in 1986, when he had the two biggest hits of the season - The Hammer and Bahia Girl - and won the triple crown of Young Calypso King, Calypso Monarch, and Road March. Since then he has composed dozens of hit songs, filled with poetry, stories, humor, political and social commentary. His live performances are legendary and his songs are anthems for generations of Caribbean people and soca music fans worldwide.
Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) was one of the greatest calypsonians ever - a 5 time Trinidad Calypso Monarch and the composer of numerous hits and powerful political commentary. He spoke out against racism, greed, and corruption, and for the rights of women and children and the poor. His words are as relevant today as they were in the 1970’s when he began his career. His music was unique and revolutionary in calypso music, and was pivotal in creating the modern soca sound. He passed away December 28, 2022 at the age of 81.
With fresh new arrangements of Black Stalin’s music - arranged and produced by Andy Narell - David Rudder gives us a new interpretation of Stalin’s music and words - one great poet/singer paying tribute to another.
BLACK STALIN (Leroy Calliste) - photo by Andrea de Silva
DAVID RUDDER - photo by Andrea de Silva
1 - Kaiso Gone Dread
2 - Wait Dorothy Wait
3 - Play One
4 - De Same Old Ting
5 - Caribbean Man
6 - Black Man Feelin’ to Party
All songs composed by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin)
David Rudder - lead and background vocals
Andy Narell - keyboards, steel pans, percussion
Theron Shaw - guitar
Tilo Bertholo - drums
Adriano Tenorio - congas, bongos, timbales, percussion
Jany McPherson - keyboards (1)
Felipe Cabrera - acoustic bass (1, 2, 5)
Zacharie Abraham - acoustic bass (3,4)
Regis Therése - electric bass (6)
Karla Gonzales, Noelle Archer, Anita Bonan, Zelie Auffret - background vocals
Etienne Charles - trumpet (1,2,5)
Alexis Baro - trumpet (3,4,6, solo on 1)
Isaac Narell - alto, tenor, and bari sax
Jeff Cressman - trombone
Olivier Ker Ourio - harmonica (4)
Produced, arranged, recorded and mixed by Andy Narell
Horn arrangements by Isaac Narell
Additional recording by Robin Foster, Isaac Narell, Jeff Cressman, Etienne Charles, Alexis Baro, Theron Shaw, Klase Gonzales
Mastering - Raphael Jonin
Cover art - David Rudder
Graphic Design - Liliana Ragbir-Sookaran
Thank you - Patsy Calliste, Debbie Jacob, Steven Miller, Philippe Avril, Christine Ming Rudder, Anita Bonan, Anthony Isidore Smart, Dennis Ramdeen, Dexter Charles
DEBBIE JACOB tribute to Black Stalin
I was just off the boat, so to speak, but the late, great
journalist Keith Smith decided to throw me in the deep
end when I began working at the Trinidad Express.
Keith felt my background in anthropology would keep
me afloat as a journalist in an unfamiliar culture so
when Carnival 1985 rolled around, he sent me to cover
the opening of Lord Kitchener’s calypso tent in Arima.
There, I stumbled on the definitive story of that
Carnival. The minute Leroy Calliste, the Black Stalin,
stepped on stage and sang Wait Dorothy, I knew I had
witnessed something special. The crowd erupted in
applause as Stalin sang about his attempt to write a
smutty calypso to please his fans.
In a perfectly constructed argument, Stalin presented
an entertainer’s perennial dilemma: do I choose the
commercial, superficial route to fame or choose the
more meaningful, less predictable route and stick to my
values?
He sang about sitting down to write that smut so he
could please his fans, but in the middle of betraying his
own values he remembered all the injustice in Trinidad
and Tobago along with the rest of the world.
The crowd exploded into a raucous, arousing applause
when he reached the chorus: “But once my people keep
fighting for an equal share of the cake, wait Dorothy,
wait Dorothy wait.”
Stalin drew that audience into his argument and
empowered them to think deeper and stand for
something. He acknowledged injustice, but Stalin
would not look at his people as victims. “Once my
people keep fighting with so much children life at
stake…” he sang.
Most of Stalin’s social commentaries mention the need
to care more for women and children. Stalin would
never degrade women in an art form defined by
misogynistic humour. Stalin addressed this injustice in Dorothy.
“Go to London, they call calypso rum music. They say
all entertainers today using their songs to help the
world, but the calypsonian still singing about rum and
women.”
But, Stalin sings, I am going to make sure they’re not
talking about me. Line by line Stalin builds a
compelling argument that true success comes from
standing up for your values – not caving to outside
pressure. Playfully and quite seductively, musically
speaking, Stalin offers a glimpse of what his smutty
song might have looked like, and then tells the audience
when they will get what they requested. “Any time I see
a true West Indian unity, I am going to finish the whole
calypso about Dorothy.”
But, in the meantime, he reminds us, “Four verse and
chorus is too much of lyrics to sit down and write smut
in this moment of crisis. My head saying yes, but my heart
saying no, and I follow my heart when I’m writing
kaiso.”
I returned to the office and announced, “Stalin has the
Calypso Monarch title this year. No one can beat him.”
“How can you say that?” Keith asked. “You’ve been to
one tent, and you haven’t heard most of the songs.”
I told Keith no one could pack more compelling
arguments into a calypso.
This perfect soul-searching social commentary served
as an example of calypsonians' role as an agitator.
Stalin’s power always stemmed from his ability to make his
criticism feel justified. He was never petty, mean, outrageous or angry.
Years later at the Normandie Hotel in St Ann’s he sang
at one of David Rudder’s shows. I took my children
while I covered the show. They spotted Stalin and asked
“Can we meet Black Stalin?”
When I said, “Sure,” they couldn’t contain their excitement.
Backstage my daughter, Ijanaya, said, “I love your song
Black Man Feeling to Party.” Stalin smiled and thanked her like it was
the greatest compliment he ever got. His reaction felt genuine. He took
Zino and Ijanaya aside and spoke to them. My children never forgot meeting Stalin.
I never forgot Stalin’s penchant for crossing boundaries and creating unity.
He did not divide West Indians by their religion, politics, ethnicity or race.
We will read many tributes to Stalin. No one will find a
bad word to say about this man who found a place for
all of us in his heart. A younger generation of singers
will cover his songs. His monumental body of work will
survive. I would like his work to be studied in schools as
examples of persuasive essays, satire, social commentary,
poetry and values for all of us to live by.
RIP, Black Stalin, you are the heart and soul of the West Indies.
LYRICS
Kaiso Gone Dread
composed by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin)
Until recently here in this country, everyone know
The jamming they give to Mr. Calypso
But the man give I undertake no lie give me full privilege
to come out here and give you this message
He say the things he used to take long ago
That he ent decide to take them no more
Furthermore he need some compensation
For his services to this nation
So kaiso gone dread
Kaiso gone dread, dread, dread
Go rap to dem bald heads, tell dem, kaiso gone dread
Look a drink of rum, come and sing a song
That’s one of the things
People in his country used to tell him
Invite him to their party, make him sing for free
Tap him on the shoulder
And then they callin’ the man their brother
He say you see the setta tappin’ on shoulder
Tell them he say they got to come better
He want them to know he ready to sing
All they got to do is run de thing.
So kaiso gone dread
Kaiso gone dread, dread, dread
Go rap to dem bald heads, tell them, kaiso gone dread
Some people take him and they use him
for their own interest
And never once think about he business
They take the money, build castle in the country
Make their self alright
And then they leave him alone to fight
Giving money to big institutions
Gambling and feting like them Romans
So much o’ people he give a taste
Still they na can build him a meeting place
So kaiso gone dread
Kaiso gone dread, dread, dread
Go rap to dem bald heads, tell dem, kaiso gone dread.
Bald head, bald head, bald head. Hahhh
This celebration tourists comin’ down in the Savannah
They want him as their main entertainer
When the fete over money like fire, women, classics and wine
And they pay the hard worker no mind
He say that he want dem people to know
From now on he ent singing so
Because they put the thing up on he head
He want them to pack up the thing with bread
So kaiso gone dread
Kaiso gone dread, dread, dread
Go rap to those bald head, tell dem, kaiso gone dread. Tell dem!!!
Wait Dorothy Wait
composed by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin)
1983 me fans beg for a favor
I decide to help them
So I write de soca
Last year dey come back
With a different story
They say they want something smutty
About Jean or Dorothy
Now on your fans you know your future depends
So I sit down to write this smut only to please them
But as i take up me pen
And meh piece of paper
And I write out the first verse
Listen what i remember
Oil money come, oil money go
Poor people remain on the pavement and ghetto
When Mr. Divider start to divide the bread equally
Ah goin’ and finish de whole damn calypso ‘bout Dorothy
How ah jam she, how she jam me
How we back back, and we roll back
But once my people keep fighting for an equal share of de cake,
Wait Dorothy wait Dorothy wait
I take up de challenge just to prove to de lot
I decide to show dem I Stalin could write a smut
Bout this Dorothy woman who come down to de island
And wha happen in we bachee when we come out de steel band
Look I done hired two girls to put on some short ting
Was to come on stage and show how Dorothy winin’
But is a wrong thing ah doin’
So when I strike up de first note
Suppose Jah Jah punish me with a stroke in me one throat
Because de Ku Klux Klan office still in Alabama
And in Brixton, England my people still under pressure
Any time I see that South Africans are free
Ah goin’ and finish de whole damn calypso ‘bout Dorothy
How ah jam she, and she jam me
How we back back, and we roll back
But once my people keep fighting with so many children life at stake
Wait Dorothy wait Dorothy wait
Pass in to London, and you’re sure to hear it
Dey does call kaiso music rum music
Dey say all entertainers should be using their culture
To help the people plan for a better future
In this world today of nuclear and revolution
De kaiso man still singing ‘bout rum and woman
But I just making sure that when dey running their big mouth
It ain’t Black Stalin music that they talking ‘bout
Because dem politicians still can’t form a federation
So much meeting dey holdin’, Caribbean people still suffering
Any time I see a true West Indian unity
Yes ah goin’ and finish de whole damn calypso ‘bout Dorothy
How she jam me, and ah jam she
How we back back, and we roll back
But once my people keep suffering with so many children life at stake
Wait Dorothy wait Dorothy wait
Four verse and chorus is too much ah lyrics
To sit down and write smut in this moment of crisis
Me head sayin’ ‘yes!’ but me heart sayin’ ‘no’
And I does follow me heart when it comes to writing kaiso
Now to all meh fans who want smut I’m very sorry
But me pleasure does always come second to me duty
And me duty is to make sure that my people life happy
And any time that happen we gonna jam down Dorothy
Because so much ah famine in Ethiopia
Assassinations have been going on in India
Any time ah doh have to live with dem frightful things around me
Yes ah goin’ and finish de whole damn calypso ‘bout Dorothy
How she jam me, and ah jam she
How we back back, and we roll back
But once my people keep suffering for an equal share of de cake
Wait Dorothy wait Dorothy wait
Play One
composed by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin)
Come a little closer with your pan
Le’ we have a cool conversation
Mr. pannist play me some solo
For some of me long-time hero
You see the vultures wouldn’t remember
Then is we who should get together
And praise de artists of first days
Who bring we culture here today
So come on play one for Winston Spree
A sweet sounding melody
A melody to bring back memories
Of all the beautiful things Winston did for we
Mr. pan man doh feel that I dread
I ent come out to push no dotish head
It have people here in de country
Who don’t care one blasted thing about we
Once we make tune for the Carnival
For them to make bread for the festival
When you hear it’s Ash Wednesday morning
They don’t care how the art surviving
So come on and play one for Lord Maestro
Play him a weird solo
With melodies to bring back memories
Of all the beautiful things Cecil did for we
Any part of the world now you go
People know ‘bout steelband and calypso
They does tell you the biggest bacchanal
Is in Trinidad Carnival
So people start bypassing Rio and forward into Trinbago
And the vultures have no ambition
To say any thanks to the mas man
So come on and play one for George Bailey
Sweet-sounding melody
A melody to bring back memories
Of all the beautiful things Georgie did for we.
Play de thing now
Mr. Pan Man, before you throw away
Just one more solo I want you play
You’ve got to play one for them vultures
Whose aim is to lick up de culture
You see them form themselves in committee
To destroy the art in the country
So play one and make them understand
The culture’s bigger than the man
So come on and play one sweet melody
For de Carnival destruction committee
A melody to make them wine, to wine and wine and wine and wine and shake down their behind
Jam it, jam it
Play one for Winston Spree...
De Same Ole Ting
composed by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin)
Long ago, they used to waltz in the ghetto
And listen what these people used to do
They sell we some old things for new
But nowadays we got them amazed
When they come we does tell them flat,
Man dey, we ent taking dat
We know now what’s on their mind
So from the time that we see them coming
Ghetto man ent wasting time so we start singing, singing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing they pushin’
Look how you tryin’ to turn it around
The colour was blue, you put it in brown
You fixed it up well and you changed the name
And go back pushing the same thing again but
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing they pushin’
Revolution is ghetto man action
Every day them have seance and it’s revolution they pushin’
Forward ever, backward never
So much years them makin’ we know cuss bud to go
Long ago when dey say dey t’ing
We used to jump up and demonstrate
But nowadays when we see dem comin’
We say wait, wait
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing they pushin’
Mr. I don’t care now if you vexed
I hear that same piece from Malcolm X
I could bet my last dollar without fear
That be the same preach’ in Woodord Square
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole ‘ting they pushin’
Calypsonians, the people’s spokesman
Every year it’s new tunes they makin’
But the Road March song they completin’
Cussin’ steelbands all over the islands
They say how steelbands man head and dey
Dey won’t play they tunes on carnival day
So I went and rap with those panman
Just to hear what they had to say
They say how dem calypsonians
Love too much damblay, damblay
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole ‘ting they pushin
No way you can’t fool panman no time
They try to sing the same tune in 69
All they do is change the lyrics around
Up the tempo and put in a soca sound, but
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole t’ing
It’s the same ole ‘ting they pushin’
Black Man Feelin’ to Party
composed by Leroy Calliste (Black Stalin)
Stop all housework you doin’
Tonight we going to have some fun
Ah just feelin’ to party
The way we used to when we was young
Just put on something sexy
So you’ll be free to move around
Make sure the children ok
We ent comin’ home until morning come
Tonight the black man feelin’ to party
Tonight the black man feelin’ to jam, jam, jam, jam, jam
Tonight the black man just feel to boogie woogie
Come on, come on hold on to your man
And let we do, and let we do, and let we do a little oi
Bam da bam…….
Leave we worries by the doorstep
For that tonight we have no time
We go deal with that tomorrow
Tonight we goin’ out and lime
We go do a little soca
We go do a little grind
We go do a little back-back
And show dem youngsters how to wine
Tonight the black man feelin’ to party
Tonight the black man feelin’ to jam, jam, jam, jam, jam
Tonight the black man just feel to boogie woogie
Come on, come on hold on to your man
And let we do, and let we do, and let we do a little oi
Remember when we was courting
Before we had this family
Anywhere Joey and Florence playing
Two people sure to be there was we
But since we start having children
To make them strong we give dance up
So tonight, tonight me darling
We turning back the hands of the clock
Tonight the black man feelin’ to party
Tonight the black man feelin’ to jam, jam, jam, jam, jam
Tonight the black man just feel to boogie woogie
Come on, come on hold on to your man
And let we do, and let we do, and let we do a little oi
When me fans and them tell me
They find me career going fine
I just simply have to tell them
You’s the driving force behind
You’s the one that gives me courage
You’s the one that has me great
So for that my darling
We goin’ out and celebrate
Tonight the black man feelin’ to party
Tonight the black man feelin’ to jam, jam, jam..
Tonight the black man just feel to boogie woogie
Come on, come on hold on to your man
And let we do, and let we do, and let we do a little oi