Banana Boat Song (Day-O)

[filmfreak11]

Harry Belafonte - Banana Boat Song Lyrics


Hi. I'm doing a folklore project and would like to know as much about this song as possible. Like are these the actual lyrics, what do some of the lyrics mean, so did workers work to pick bananas at night then rest in the daylight, why do they mention a tarantula, how much would the tally man pay, would this be exploiting the traditional folk song in a positive or negative way, what does the song mean to you, etc...? Just anything you can think of. There has been many version of this song, why do you think Harry Belafonte's version is most recognized? In the lyrics I'll put down what I learned so far. Oh, and what other type of traditional folk working song can you think of as a similarity to this, such as "I've Been Working on the Railroad...". THANKS! You could also google and let me know what you think is interesting.


Day-o, Day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Work all night on a drink a' rum (Do they drink in the day, why work at night?)
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Stack banana till the mornin' come
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana (Tally Man pays the workers)
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home

It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot BUNCH! (The lengths each banana stacks from their stems)
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot BUNCH!
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Day, me say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day...
Daylight come and me wan' go home

A beautiful bunch a' ripe banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Hide the deadly black tarantula (what does this mean?)
Daylight come and me wan' go home

It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot BUNCH!
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot BUNCH!
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Day, me say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day...
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Come, Mister tally man, tally me banana
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Day-o, day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home

[stinkerbell]

Re: Banana Boat Song (Day-O)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...nana+boat+song


What it means to me is that it was awesome on Beetlejuice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=joa3WiXDuEg

[mcow1]

Re: Banana Boat Song (Day-O)

Fun song, I've seen Belafonte perform it a few times live. From Wikipedia

The origins of the "Banana Boat Song" are often stated incorrectly. The song was originally a Jamaican folk song of unknown authorship; it was sung by Jamaican banana workers, with the familiar melody and the common refrain ("daylight come and we wanna go home"), but with many different sets of lyrics, some possibly improvised on the spot. The first recorded version was done by Trinidadian singer Edric Conner and his band "The Carribeans" in 1952, on the album Songs From Jamaica; the song was called "Day De Light". [1] It was also recorded by Louise Bennett in 1954. In 1956, singer/songwriters Irving Burgie and William Attaway wrote a version of the lyrics that was recorded that same year by Harry Belafonte; this is the version that is by far the best known to listeners today. Also in 1956, folk singer Bob Gibson, who had travelled to Jamaica and heard the song, taught his version of it to the folk band The Tarriers. They recorded a version of that song that mixed in the chorus of another Jamaican folk song, "Hill and Gully Rider", and released it, spawning what became their biggest hit. This version was re-recorded by Shirley Bassey in 1957, and became a hit in the United Kingdom. [2]
The Tarriers, or some subset of the three members of the group (Erik Darling, Bob Carey and Alan Arkin) are sometimes credited as the writers of the song, perhaps because their version of the song, which mixed in another song, was an original creation.

[Jazzman]

Re: Banana Boat Song (Day-O)

Watch, and learn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=http:...?v=Q8MmwgIY4T8

Fozzie is a God. :lol: