Banana Boat Song

The origins of 'The Banana Boat Song' are not known completely and its the same for its author but we know for sure that this is a Jamaican folk song. The most interesting thing about this folk song is that it was originally sung by the banana field workers of Jamaica.

The melody was very much a calypso style of singing but different locals improvised their own lyrics from time to time often their most common reference "daylight come and we wan' go home". This song was also frequently sung by dock workers who worked during the dark shift loading bananas onto ships.

The first recorded version was took place in 1952 when Trinidadian singer Edric Conner who along with his band "The Carribeans" recorded this song onto his album 'Songs From Jamaica' and named the song "Day De Light". Song lyrics were written by Ivrine Burgie from the island of Barbados.

Daylight has come, the shift is over and they want their work to be counted up so that they can go home (this is the meaning of the lyric "Come, Mr. Tally Man, tally me banana/ Daylight come and we wanna go home"). 

The song is perhaps best known for being used in the comedy film Beetlejuice. In the dinner scene, the guests become possessed and sing and dance to the song.

Artist: Harry Belafonte

Song: The Banana Boat Song


    C                     F         C
I'm loadin' de bananaboat all night long
                   G7       C
Day de light and I wanna go home
                         F        C
Hey, all of the workmenn sing dis song
                   G7       C
Day de light and I wanna go home

Chorus
C    G   F    C                      G7       C
Day, oh, day, oh, day de light and I wanna go home


I'm loadin' de bananaboat all night long
Day de light and I wanna go home
Hey, all of de women sing dis song
Day de light and I wanna go home

Chorus

I'm loadin' de bananaboat all night long
Day de light and I wanna go home
Hey, all of the chillen sing dis song
Day de light and I wanna go home

Chorus

Banana Boat Song

 D                                  A7      D
Day-oh Day-oh Daylight come an' I wanna go home
 D                                  A7      D
Day-oh Day-oh Daylight come an' I wanna go home


 D
Six han' seven han' eight han' bunch
 D                    A7      D
Daylight come an' I wanna go home

Six han' seven han' eight han' bunch
                      A7
Daylight come an' I wanna go home


  D
Come mister tally man tally me banana
                     A7       D
Daylight come an' I wanna go home

Come mister tally man tally me banana
                     A7       D
Daylight come an' I wanna go home 

 D                                  A7      D
Day-oh Day-oh Daylight come an' I wanna go home
 D                                  A7      D
Day-oh Day-oh Daylight come an' I wanna go home 

"You can cage the singer but not the song."
Harry Belafonte

In writing today's post I am hoping you will not find this offensive in any way. I simply LOVE bananas and grow ice cream bananas on my ranch. I also like the song very much and enjoy hearing the children sing it with their precious smiles. Who doesn't like a banana?!

 

"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

How To Use the F6 Chord for Intro

Image via Wikipedia
 I just finished reading a great post by Yoke Wong, F6-Color-Chord-Improv

Here it is in its entirety, just in case she takes it down later on. It's a good one.

F6 Color Chord Improv

The Amazing Secrets of Chords No.1: How to use a color chord for an introduction: I have recently arranged and composed a simple melody by using a powerful chord technique: Adding a color tone to a broken chord What exactly is a color tone? Many of you know simple chord structure (basic three notes, also known as a triad).   A color tone is an extra note added to the basic chord structure. F major chord is FAC.    Adding the sixth note of F major scale to the chord makes a F maj 6 (F,A,C,D) chord.  D note is the sixth note of F major scale, it is also a color tone to F maj chord.

You are probably not too crazy about this color chord, but do you know that

many musical styles came out of this color tone? Country Western Style,

New Age music, Evangelistic style...etc, you name it.
We are only scratching the surface on this color tone on this free piano

lesson newsletter.

I will use this chord as an example of what one can do in the opening part of

any piano music.

Take a look at the music notes:

 

 

Now, assume we are not very efficient at sight reading.  All these sixteenth notes will give you a headache.  If you know the technique I am using here, all I am doing is breaking apart the F maj 6 chord in certain combinations. I  chose ADCA as a starting point, rolls down to FCAF, DAFD ....etc.  Guess what?   they all belong to FACD (F maj 6 chord).

The trick is to use the same beginning and final notes in every beat. Within the same beat I am using any of the other three notes that belong to the F maj6 chord. Get the drift?

Now you really don't need to be a super sight reader to play this music. In fact you don't even need to look at the sheet music to play the beginning of the song if you know the rule I am using. Practice this technique, and apply this trick to the beginning of any song.

Can this technique be used only in the introduction? Of course not, you can use it every time there are long measures. That is how people improvise. You are actually learning to improvise as well as arrange music.

Also, don't just practice this chord on F major, go ahead and get familiar with C maj 6, D maj 6, G maj 6.... etc.  You will not regret the exercise you are doing now. To add the sixth note to the triad, you only need to know the notes of the major scale. 

 

Improve Your Piano Playing
Access Free Piano Tutorials Here

 

I hope you found Yoke Wong's article useful. I know I did and yes, dear readers, I forgot Monday Music Quote, right after Father's Day. Hope your day was a special one.

 

"Jazz washes away the dust of every day life." -- Art Blakey

Diatonic Triads

Image via WikipediaThe word diatonic means "in the key of." In other words, the term diatonic is referring to notes that are common to a particular key based on its scale.


The diatonic triads below are a series of major and minor triads in various inversions. You might want to practice these chords in every  key. I'll start in the Key of Db.

1.  Db = Db/FAbDb


2. Ebm = Eb/GbBbEb


3. Db/F = F/AbDbF


4. Ebm/Gb  = Gb/BbEbGb


5. Db/Ab =  Ab/DbFAb


6. GbBb = Bb/DbGbBb


7. Ab/C = C/EbAbC


8. Db = Db/FAbDb

Awhile back, I wrote an article about Diatonic Harmony

And if you're looking for substitute chords in the Key of Db, try using:


DbMaj7


Ebm7


Fm7


GbMaj7


Bbm7

Songs I have posted on my other blog in the Key of Db or in the modulation:

http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2008/11/alpha-and-omega-israel-and-new-breed.html

http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2010/07/learn-to-play-gospel-piano-cece-winans.html

http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2010/03/music-and-song-requests-no-greater-love.html

http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2011/04/musicians-breakthrough-product-launch.html

Have a great Father's Day weekend!


-- LadyD

Monday Music Quote: Annie Lennox

Cover of Annie Lennox



“Ask yourself: Have you been kind today? Make kindness your daily modus operandi and change your world.” -- Annie Lennox


Maybe you like Annie Lennox music, maybe you don't but I sure do love her quote.

C F C F C F G C F C F C F G
Walking on walking on broken glass (2x)

F C F C F C F G
1. You were the sweetest thing that I ever knew
F C F C F C F G
but I don’t care for sugar honey if I can’t have you.
Am C F C G/Fadd9 Am
Since you’ve abandoned me my whole life has crushed.
Em
Won’t you pick the pieces up
F G C
’cause it feels just like I’m walking on broken glass.


Refrain 1:
C F C F C F G C F C F C F G
Walking on walking on broken glass (2x) [erstes Mal: Oooh!]

Am G/Fadd9
2. The sun’s still shining in the big blue sky
C F C F C F G
but it don’t mean nothing to me.
F F/G C F C F C F G
Oh, let the rain come down, let the wind blow through me!
Am G/H C F C G/Fadd9 Am
I’m living in an empty room with all the windows smashed
C
and I’ve got so little left to lose
C/G G
that it feels just like I’m walking on broken glass.


Refrain 1 (1x)

Bridge:
C/F B Am/F
And if you’re trying to cut me down you know that I might bleed
C/F B Am/F
’cause if you’re trying to cut me down I know that you’ll succeed.
C/F B Am/F
And if you want to hurt me there’s nothing left to fear
C/F B Gsus4 G
’cause if you want to hurt me you’re doing really well my dear.


Zwischenteil: C F C F C F G (2x)

F F/G C F
3. Now everyone of us was made to suffer,
C F C F G
everyone of us was made to weep
F F/G C F
but we’ve been hurting one another


C F C F G Am
And now the pain has cut too deep
C/G
So take me from the wreckage,
F C G/Fadd9 Am
save me from the blast!
G/Fadd9
Lift me up and take me back!
F Gsus4
Don’t let me keep on walking - Don’t let me keep on walking

I can’t keep on walking on - keep on walking on
G
I can’t keep on walking on - Don’t let me Don’t let me
C
broken glass!


Refrain 1 (2x)

Refrain 2:
C F C F C F G C F C F C F G

 
Walking on walking on broken glass 

You might be interested in learning about this music resource, 

the vocal mastery system.

Vocals

If you sight read music, here's a free download of the song, 

Walking On Broken Glass.

Annie Lennox.pdf

Best, 

LadyD

Monday Music Quote: Eddie Locke

Sometimes I  write about jazz musicians, jazz bands and jazz playlists.


I participate in Monday Music Quote meme. Last week I missed you over Memorial Day weekend.


I wanted to do something a bit different today... so here goes!

“He walked into my little studio with a tape,” Mr. Locke recalled, “and I said, ‘Well, you want to be a drummer.’ And he said, ‘I want to be a big band drummer.’ So I put him on the right track. I taught him about the old drummers. He’s a modern drummer now but he knows about Gene Krupa and Jo Jones and Sid Catlett. That’s what separates him from a lot of young drummers. He’s got the modern thing but he’s got the foundation in his head about where it came from.

“He’s a better musician than I am,” Mr. Locke continued. And when this was greeted with a questioning glance, he insisted, “Oh, yes. He’s a better musician–but I taught him to play the play the drums.” Eddie Locke (1930-2009)

 New York jazz drummer Eddie Locke, played his first club date at age 14. He became part of the Detroit jazz scene in the late '40s and '50s.

He developed a variety act with his high school friend and fellow drummer Oliver Jackson. They called themselves, "Bop and Locke." View more photos and a great interview at http://www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org

In 1958 Eddie joined the Roy Eldridge Band and played with Coleman Hawkins. His work is heard on many recordings, and his television credits include The Tonight Show, Dial M for Music and The Mike Douglas Show.


You'll find his drumming on:

Dream Dancing - Warren Vache

Jon Gordon - Things We Need CD

If you're searching for a music resource to help with your drumming, I have one to share with you. In fact, one of our drummers on the worship team has it. Check out Hear and Play Drums Collection

Chord Chart to Independence Day

G   G   C   C     G   G   C   C
[intro]

           G         G        C            C
Well she seemed all right by dawn's early light
           G               G            C     C
Though she looked a little worried and weak
    G            G             C          G
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinking again
    D                D              D      D - C
But Daddy'd left the proof on her cheek

G          G            C        C
I was only eight years old that summer
       G               G          C   C
And I always seemed to be in the way
     Em           Em          C       G
So I took myself down to the fair in town
 D     D         G   G   C   C     G   G   C   C
On Independence Day

Well, word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But Mama was proud and she stood her ground
She knew she was on the losing end

Some folks whispered, some folks talked
But everybody looked the other way
And when time ran out, there was no one about
 D     D         G   G   G [stop]
On Independence Day

             D   D   D        D         Em    Em   Em   Em
Let freedom ring,     let the white dove sing
          C           C          G       G     D      D   D   D
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
                Em7    Em7   Em7        Em7       C   C
Let the weak be strong,        let the right be wrong
C           C       G           G       D [stop]
  Roll that stone away, let the guilty pay
                   G   G   C   C     G   G   C   C
It's Independence Day

Well, she lit up the sky that Fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just put out the flames and they took down some names
And sent me to the county home

Now I ain't saying it's right or it's wrong
But maybe it's the only way
Talk about your revolution
It's Independence Day

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll that stone away, let the guilty pay
                   G   G   C           C       G   G
It's Independence Day,       roll that stone away
C          C         G   G   C   C    G.
  It's Independence Day