Mighty Sparrow early 1960s Mighty Sparrow and Lord Melody picong duel, c. 1958 left to right: Lord Superior, Brigo, the Mighty Conqueror, Mighty Sparrow, and Lord Cristo, 1970s. left to right: Mighty Sparrow, Lord Melody, Sir Calba, Sam Bodie, Cobra, Mighty Spitfire, and Lord Cristo. Members of the the Young Brigade Tent from 1956, the year Sparrow won the crown with Jean and Dinah. 1964 Grenada Crisis Calypso Sparrow 1958 Pay as you Earn Calypso Carnival 1991 Abu Bakr We Could Make It Easy If We Try Trinidadians begging Grenada In July 1990 Yasin Abu Bakr led Jamaat al Muslimeen members in It’s a shame, it’s a shame To unite and to join up together… an attempted coup in Port of Spain, seizing the Parliament, But we have we self to blame …Free education as soon as you join up the nation television and radio stations. The army recovered control seven Because we ask for new Government Freedom of movement and a proper Government. days later after twenty-four people, including a parliamentarian, Now they taking every cent… were killed. The Doctor say to pay as you earn But Sparrow say you paying to learn Read the newspapers and find out what going on 1964 Martin Luther King for President With Abu Bakr, Abu Bakr And the father say he sharpening the axe The Outcast For when the collector come to pay off the income tax. The Mujahideen Jamaat is there with the machine gun 1981 Ayatolah Sanford Abu Bakr, Abu Bakr I was born in the U.S.A. They went to parliament brandising their armament But because of my color I’m suffering today From outa exile 1958 Federation (We Are As One) Kidnapped the government Because of my color I’m suffering today You come back in style Now depend on where you pass and who you talk to last This Is Sparrow The white man preaching democracy To chase away the Shah The Federation of the West Indies was formed in 1958 to include Abu Bakr, Abu Bakr But in truth and in fact it’s hypocrisy And you seize power ten former British colonies, with Port of Spain in Trinidad as the But the people get shoot, businesses get loot, while the city burn In truth and in fact it’s hypocrisy capital. Under the slow pace of independence from Britain, and Then set up a firing squad Bakr will stand firm rivalries between Trinidad and Jamaica, the Federation dissolved Shooting people like you mad Till the government do more for the hungrier people four years later. So we want Martin Luther King for president Shah was real horrible I am your leader, Abu Bakr. Tell the north, I go tell the south, mama But you much more wicked and terrible. Well it’s big Federation, for a new little nation Martin Luther King for president On this occasion we should have a big celebration Spread the story all about 1991 Crown Heights Justice Hot Like Fire 1956 Jean and Diana (Yankee’s Gone) So Tom, Dick and Harry 2007 Racism Barack The Magnificent Martin Luther King for president 1984 Grenada (Under Siege) King of the World In August 1991, following a car accident in which Hasidic driver I say to jump and be merry Sparrow’s Greatest Hits Join together now and shout Sparrow was born in Grenada and protested the circumstances Yosef Lifsh killed Guyanese child Gavin Cato, racially motivated I really love this country, it’s really very nice Sparrow celebrates the departure from Trinidad of American Don’t wait till tomorrow Martin Luther King for president 1982 Isolate South Africa Sweeter Than Ever that led to the US invasion of the island in 1983 after internal riots continued for three days in this Brooklyn neighborhood You don’t need to remind me, it’s really paradise servicemen who had been based there since the war. American Everybody now sing with Sparrow When Kennedy finished without a doubt conflicts had triggered an army coup by Hudson Austin and led resulting in two more deaths and many injuries. Notwithstanding its goodness dollars had become a dependable supplement to the low 1974 We Pass that Stage Peace Pipe to the assassination of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop. Cuban If you’re a damn Trinidadian, we are as one Martin Luther King for president Because of his colour, his creed and his culture And chances to advance incomes of some Trinidadian women. If they say you’re a smart Barbadian, we are as one personell based on Grenada initially resisted the American forces. Martin Luther King for president 1966 Sir Garfield Sobers The Calypso Genius The wanton consumption of alcohol A fellow human being is treated like dirt Pain and sufferin’ we have borne It hurts me to see so much bigotry and racial intolerance Get away from me you crazy Grenadian, we are as one In 1965 Garfield Sobers captained The West Indies to 2-1 home Well, the girls in town feeling bad Martin Luther King for president Just to get drunk and peddle in junk If I was a freedom fighter in this world like America I want to go back to Grenada Blacks and Jews should live as one 1996 O.J. Simpson (The Juice is Loose) No more Yankees in Trinidad I don’t care if you’re a bad Jamaican, we are as one Martin Luther King for president series victory over Australia. 1966 was a great summer for Sobers, 1978 New York City Blackout NYC Blackout I would see that my quest was under duress To teach the Cubans how to fight And celebrate Sparrow justifies his support for O.J. Simpson’s acquittal Even the police, racism including his total score of 722 runs, 20 wickets and 10 catches in With the asinine presumption They going to close down the base for good Let us join together and love one another, we are as one 1961 Present Government The July 1977 blackout affected most New York City And do my best to isolate South Africa They let America take over Here life is great following his trial for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson City Hall, highest office, racism the test against England. That man should treat woman like skunk and Ron Goldman in 1994. Chris Darden and Marcia Clark were Them girls have to make out how they could If you’re born in New York and your parents West Indian. Sparrow the Conqueror neighborhoods and provoked widespread looting and arson, Complaining about Reagan’s might 1985 Invade South Africa A Touch of Class No swastika Straight to the Hall of Justice, racism… Now that’s pure bunk particularly in Crown Heights and Bushwick. prosecutors in the case. Is now they park up in town we are as one. Sparrow blaming PNM president Eric William’s opposition 1964 Mr. Robinson and Lockjoint The Outcast Who’s the greatest cricketer on earth or Mars? Isolate South Africa, annihilate South Africa. No slave master But if mongers want to prosper and succeed as a whole (’stupid opponent’) for the failure of public services. Why can’t we forget about riot and scrimmage In for a penny, in for a pound Anyone can tell you it’s the great Sir Garfield Sobers. Ignore the old talk and gossip in the village Was a summer evening Eliminate South Africa, disintegrate South Africa… Where do psychomaniacs come from United Nations, it’s time for action Instead ah dat is endless fight In the end they say ’O.J. not guilty’… By keeping the Negro and the Latino last on the totem pole Yes is competition for so No gas today, no phone tomorrow Port of Spain got sewerage scheme This handsome Barbadian lad really knows his work In the heart of Brooklyn To create so much bachanal? Gather your army, coordinating the entire military Where we live here in Crown Heights Cochran say ’The gloves didn’t fit him, you have to acquit him’ So they hide in the bushes, racism 1958 Russian Satellite Cease the damn wastage, stop going on the rampage Trouble in town when the price drop low. What next I don’t know Well it’s now here clean Batting or bowling he’s the cricket king, no joke In this day and age, remember we pass that stage… While the sun was setting Daily lives are lost like the Holocaust Who opened the insane asylum Invade South Africa Eastern Parkway Not guilty, the juice is loose And they burn down the churches, racism King Sparrow’s Calypso Carnival No drain digging, no rubbish cleaning Lock Joint are picking up all the waste, from your place… Three cheers for Captain Sobers. I was home relaxing The superpowers sit down and they take no action And make a lunatic general? I say invade South Africa Big Labor Day People started hooting, Black Power saluting Put they hood on they faces, racism So when you bounce up Jean and Dinah A year after Laika’s death orbiting in Sputnik Sparrow protests Only corbeaux working The people they got in Belmont also Laventille Win or lose, the spectators are always pleased I was roused by screaming Showing no interest to try and stop this madness Dusk to dawn, curfew on Old Pik Botha Yuh jump an’ say When they heard it said ’O.J. not guilty’ On your lawn burning crosses, racism the needless sacrifice. We contend certain public servants are disgustingly lazy, openly Rosita and Clementina, round the corner posing The island as you see suffering politically Can’t supply Lock Joint with nothing in a quantity With the greatest team on earth, who else but the West Indies.