Mary Ann

This is a traditional calypso song about a sailor looking for his lost love in Trinidad.

Lyrics:

All day all night Mary Ann
Down by the seaside sifting sand
Even little children love Mary Ann
Down by the seaside sifting sand

Sailing down through the islands man
I am searching for me Mary Ann
Sailing down through the islands man
Searching for my Mary Ann

Day Dah Light


This is an old Jamaican folk song. It was first recorded on an British disc by Edric Connor “Songs From Jamaica” in 1952. Its origin is unknown but is believed to be a banana loaders song from the late nineteenth century. Harry Belafonte had the most recognizable hit with it in 1956 but the Tarriers had a top ten hit with it as well. Alan Arkin (now and actor) sang lead on their version which incorporated another Jamaican folk song “Hill and Gully Rider.”

Lyrics:
Key of E

Day O Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day O Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Come mister tally man tally me banana
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Come mister tally man tally me banana
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day N Day Day N Day Day N Day Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day N Day Day N Day Day N Day Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Six hand seven hand eight hand bunch
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Six hand seven hand eight hand bunch
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day N Day Day N Day Day N Day Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day N Day Day N Day Day N Day Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Work all night on a drink of rum
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Work all night till the morning come
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day O Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Day O Day O
Day Dah Light and me want go home

Wild Mountain Thyme

Wild.jpg

Back in Greenwich Village, in 1963, I experimented by putting this song to a rock beat. The result was the folk rock sound of the Byrds. Now, I thought it would be fun to try this traditional Scottish love song. with a reggae beat.
Lyrics:
[G] O the summer time is coming
And the [C] trees are sweetly [G] turning
And [C] wild mountain [Am] thyme
Blooms [C] around the purple heather
Will ye [G] go, [C] lassie, [G] go?

If you will not go with me
I will surely find another
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the purple heather
Will you go lassie go?

Chorus:
And we’ll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the purple heather
Will ye go, lassie, go?

I will build my love a bower
By yon clear and crystal fountain
And on it I will place
All the flowers of the mountain
Will ye go, lassie, go?

Chorus:
And we’ll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All around the purple heather
Will ye go, lassie, go?

Delia's Gone

This was originally an American Honky-tonk song but has returned to the United States by way of the Bahama Islands.
Lyrics:
[D] Tony shot his [G] Delia
[D]’Ton a Saturday [D7] night
[G] The fist time he shot her [Em] Lord
[A] She bowed her head and [D] died

[A] Delia’s gone, one more round, [D] Delia’s gone
[A] Delia’s gone, one more round, [D] Delia’s gone

Called for the doctor
The doctor came too late
Called for the Minister
Take Delia to her fate

Well they took my Delia
Dressed her all in Brown
Took her to the graveyard
And then they laid her down

Delia oh Delia
Where you been so long
Everybody’s talking about
My Delia’s dead and gone