50 years ago: Harry Belafonte’s Calypso hit #1 for 1st of 31 weeks

First posted 3/25/2008; updated 9/29/2020.

Calypso Harry Belafonte

Charted: June 16, 1956 Peak: 131 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 1.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: world music

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. The Banana Boat Song (Day-O) (2/23/57, 5 US, 7 RB, 2 UK) I Do Adore Her Jamaica Farewell (10/20/56, 14 US) Will His Love Be Like His Rum? Dolly Dawn Star-O The Jack-Ass Song Hosanna Come Back Liza Brown Skin Girl Man Smart (Woman Smarter) Total Running Time: 31:23

Rating: 4.347 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings) Quotable: “This landmark album…had a revolutionary effect on folk music in the 1950s and ‘60s” – Cary Ginell, All Music Guide Awards:

About the Album: “This is the album that made Harry Belafonte’s career. Up to this point, calypso had only been a part of Belafonte’s focus in his recordings of folk music styles. But with this landmark album, calypso not only became tattooed to Belafonte permanently; it had a revolutionary effect on folk music in the 1950s and ‘60s.” AMG “The album consists of songs from Trinidad, mostly written by West Indian songwriter Irving Burgie (aka Lord Burgess). Burgie’s two most successful songs are included – Day O and Jamaica Farewell…as are the evocative ballads I Do Adore Her and Come Back Liza and what could be the first feminist folk song, Man Smart (Woman Smarter).” AMG “Calypso became the first million-selling album by a single artist, spending an incredible 31 weeks at the top of the Billboard album charts, remaining on the charts for 99 weeks. It triggered a veritable tidal wave of imitators, parodists, and artists wishing to capitalize on its success.” AMG “Years later, it remains a record of inestimable influence, inspiring many folksingers and groups to perform, most notably the Kingston Trio, which was named for the Jamaican capital. For a decade, just about every folksinger and folk group featured in their repertoire at least one song that was of West Indian origin or one that had a calypso beat. They all can be attributed to this one remarkable album.” AMG “Despite the success of Calypso, Belafonte refused to be typecast. Resisting the impulse to record an immediate follow-up album, Belafonte instead spaced his calypso albums apart, releasing them at five-year intervals in 1961, 1966, and 1971.” AMG Notes: A 2005 reissue added bonus tracks “Venezuela,” “Kukla-Mu,” “Sylvie,” “Baby Darlin’,” “Hello Everybody,” and “Melda Massi.”

Resources and Related Links: Harry Belafonte’s DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG All Music Guide review by Cary Ginell