It is natural for people to love their places of birth, and to express that love in various forms. One of the ways in which this love is expressed, is music; songs that extoll the beauty that people see in their respective lands. It is not strange, therefore, that Kittitians are exactly the same.
Over the years, different artistes have penned songs that, as Kittitians, we have identified with as a means of expressing our love for this little jewel in the Eastern Caribbean. I am sure that there were others that came and went before our time, and before we had the technology to record them but one of the earliest that I remember hearing and singing along with, was done by Leonard “Lord Mikes” Harris, if my memory serves me.
Part of his song said:
ST. KITTS IS ME BORNIN’ LAND I SAY
ST. KITTS IS ME HOME IN EVERY WAY
NO MATTER WHAT KITTITIANS MAKE IT
THIS IS WHERE I’M BOUND TO LIVE
ST. KITTS IS ME BORNIN’ LAND I SAY
Len Harris was also a cricketer of regional standing. He represented St. Kitts, Leeward Islands and the Combined Islands. As a matter of fact, he was captain of all three teams. An extraordinarily good bats man, he was someone upon whom any team he played for could have depended for a good result while he was at the crease. One of the shots he played very well is one that has effectively disappeared from the game these days; the late cut. He mastered it.
As time went by, other crooners came along and hit us with bombers that still ring well in our ears. I am thinking about De King Arrow’s “Arise”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-NmRmLYCos. Back in the 1990s, the Foundation for National Development (FND) hosted a King of Kings competition at Carnival Village, and Arrow participated. It was my first opportunity to meet one whom I had idolized for quite a while, because by that time, he was living abroad but came home to do this.
When his turn came to hit the stage, he hardly had to sing the song because the crowd knew it so well that they sang along with him.
Some of its profound words are:
CITIZENS, LET’S UNITE
AND STAND UP FOR OUR RIGHT
ALL OUR LIVES, HARMONIZE
LETS US REINTEGRATE
AND FORGET OUR MISTAKES
REUNIFICATION, BUILDING A BRAND NEW NATION
WE MOVE ON TOGETHER HAND IN HAND
RISE, CITIZENS, ARISE
THIS COUNTRY IS YOURS
ALL YOURS
STLL YOURS
The Maestro, Elston “King Ellie Matt” Nero, songwriter and arranger in his own right arranged the musical Arrow’s song and, if you listened carefully, you can hear his voice in the background vocals.
To his credit, Ellie has also sung a number of tunes that express his love for his country. The first of two that we will look at, is: “St. Kitts is good enough for me”. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9S_xg819Zk&index=1&list=RDs9S_xg819Zk). The first two lines of the refrain drew upon the words of Lord Mikes’ “St. Kitts is me bornin’ land”, but it goes on to say that, if it is good enough for a number of expatriates he named, it is good enough for him. Those whom he referred to were:
“…the Trinidadian in Dan Dan…”
“…Antigua-born Lucky Ann…”
“…de Golden Lemon Yankee…”
“…de Bajan PS called Haynesie…”
“…me good ‘fren’ Ramchandani…”
“…McEachrane in TDC…”
“…de English fellow called Oldham…”
“…me pardner Fairview Lam…”
“…de Chinese Dr. Charlie…”
In his last refrain, he said:
I WILL DO ANYTHING I CAN TO DEFEND MY COUNTRY
I WILL DO ANYTHING I CAN TO PROMOTE MY LAND
FOR WHEN TROUBLE COME NO ONE CAN DARE DEPORT ME
CAUSE ST. KITTS IS GOOD FOR ME
Apart from the deep sense of patriotism, there is a ton of history wrapped up in that tune because everyone he mentioned lived, or is living for much of his/her life in St. Kitts; many spent the rest of their lives here.
Ellie’s other patriotic tune is one that resonates even more deeply with Kittitians. Although it is listed in cyberspace as “I Love St. Kitts, its true title is “Viva St. Kitts”. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXcPeEiWWCo).
Ellie says:
I’ve travelled far and near
Been almost everywhere
No place that I’ve been could touch
The cradle of the Caribbean
Talkin’ ‘bout where I born
Where I come from
Natural beauty, blessed land
Pretty waters, clean sand
Oh God!
St. Kitts I love you
Love you all the time
No matter where I go
No matter what I do
You’re always on my mind
St. Kitts I love you
Love you as my own
You are so dear to me
That’s why you’ll always be
My home sweet home
I love St Kitts
You love St. Kitts
She love St. Kitts
He loves St. Kitts
Long live St. Kitts
Viva St. Kitts
Viva! Viva!
The words notwithstanding, the music is breathtakingly orchestrated.
To this point, all of the songs that we have looked at are of the calypso/soca genre. However, of late, a number of artistes in St. Kitts have been venturing into other genres, like Hip Hop. One of them is an up and coming, super talented young man from the metropolis of Cayon. His name is Kirvin Benjamin but he goes by the stage name, Infamus. His tune “Me Love St. Kitts Bad” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqgdjvTM20A) is currently burning up the airwaves because, while it is simple, it is not at all simplistic, and profoundly expresses what many of us as Kittitians feel. It is succinct; to the point. The young man says:
Fly go ah New York
St. Kitts people cyarn done
Florida, Canada
Big up every Kittitian
When me fly go ah England, Europe
Me have fun cyarn done
But everybody know
Ain’ no place like home
Me no know ‘bout you
But me love St. Kitts bad
Me no know wha’ dem a talk ‘bout
When dem say St. Kitts mad
When everywhere in ah de world have problems
Everywhere me God
Tell dem “easy no man”
From you love St. Kitts bad
What is particularly appealing about this song is the fact that Infamus seems not to care one bit if no one else loves his island. If he is singular in his commitment to this little jewel, it does not matter. His love is not predicated upon what others do or think; it is deep seated and personal for him.
If only in its lyrics, it has glimpses of Ellie Matt “St. Kitts is good enough for me”, given that it makes reference to those foreign lands to which Kittitians have traditionally resorted but goes on to gush about his love for his place of birth.
We do love the rock and can always appreciate a piece of music that digs deep into our hearts, pulling out the things that we would say, were we to express our love.
So, let us “Arise”, bid a hearty “Viva St. Kitts” to the land of our birth and boldly proclaim: “Me love St. Kitts, bad!”
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