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Calypso Compilation LPs

The Word: Various-artist or anthology LPs, many from the 78rpm era issued later in a much handier format. Not to be missed!

Many are the only or best way to get rarities by top luminaries in the Trinidad tradition such as the Duke of Iron, Charmer, and Lord Kitchener. Others present the top artists of other islands, such as Bermuda, the Bahamas (great recordings on Art, especially!), and the Virgin Isles. Still others comprise English recordings or stray items on odd U.S. labels.

Links: are to artists bio/discog pages in the Hyp Records guide:

Images: accurately represent items but are not always the exact copy listed/purchased

Discount: ALWAYS try to buy more than one item at a time

Uncredited/Various: For Adults Only; Vitadisc H-43 (UK); no lyric sheet insert; pink label E/E- $50 -- Jamaican calypso (mento); the only title on the coveted UK label that we've landed more than once so far, but it's a goodie (as any record with "The Big Bamboo" ought to be); some annoying pops (pressing rather than wear) for which we've priced it low; [several song titles corrected] Give Her the No. 1, Reincarnation, The Mango Walk, Come to Montego Bay, Hold Him Joe, Take Me Take Me, Mary Anne, The Big Bamboo, Fire Down Dere, Solas Market, Brown Skin Gal, Ugly Woman

Various: Bahamas Treasure Chest; Carib LP-2016; 1961; deluxe inner-leaved/die-cut photo jacket E+/E+ $75 (or E/V+ S $35, specify) (or V+/V+ S $30, specify) -- one of the most desirable/valuable/scarce on the label (has sold for $100s and even the original price was the highest of all for the time: $6.95!), it's a magnificent survey of the top Carib artists, also prized for pages of terrific color photos (including famous ones used on other Carib jackets), extensive liners, & die-cut jacket (unique among calypso LPs); Roy Shurland: Calypso Medley, Bahama Lullaby, The Wreck of the John B. Sail, Bellamina; Eric Gibson & his Knights: Conch Ain't Got No Bone, Calypso Island, Little Nasau/Bahama Mama Medley; Peanuts Taylor: The Crow; Richie Delamore: Goombay, The Limbo; Kasavubu & Lord Cody: Gin & Coconut Water; John Chipman's Junkanoo Champions: Junkanoo

Various: Beat of the Bahamas; [Art custom for] Bahamas Airways [no #]; orange/deep groove N/N shrink S $75 (or orange/deep groove E+/N S $60, specify) (or blue/deep groove mono E/E+ $40, specify) -- calypso compilation; spectacular asset to the Art collector, as it gives you a clean, rich version of the very best of the label (best artists, lots of jazzy playing) on real vinyl (not the plastic of regular Art LPs) and in stereo for the first time (in the case of orange-label stereo copies); very colorful jacket art too; Mary Ann, Mr. Give Me De Rent (Mighty Panther), Zombie Jamboree (Harold McNair), Ask Me Why I Run, Don't Touch Me Tomato (Calypso Mama), Lizzie Carry Basket on Head (Peanuts Taylor), Noise in the Market, Never Interfere with Man & Wife, medley (Blind Blake), Sly Mongoose (Delbon Johnson), Woman Sweeter than Man (Percentie Brothers), Island Woman (Leslie Scott)

Various: Bermuda Holiday Island Cruise; Edmar LP-1041; AUTOGRAPHED (by Rogers) E+/E+ $25 -- calypso; scarce comp split 3 ways (4 songs each); Stan Seymour: Everybody Loves Bermuda, Emerald of the Sea, Radar Trap, Blue Bird; Sidney Bean: There's No Place Like Bermuda, Bermuda is Calling Me, Kasavubu Meets Mr. Lumunba, Take Me Back to Bermuda; George Rogers: Sloop John B, Women Are Smarter, Bermuda Holiday, Beautiful Bermuda

Various: Calypso (Vol. I); Waldorf Music Hall MHK-33-1217; 1st/deep groove E/E- $40 (or E-/E- $30, specify) -- calypso; Trinidadian calypso, the real thing, plus some first-rate rare/collectible crossover calypso; as with the related Grand Award comp LPs and the better-known volume 2, this is a collection of old 78s originally, most of which you cannot hope to find other than on these lovely '50s hi-fi LPs, so snap it up!; The Zig Zag Quartet w/Enoch Light: Banana Boat Song, The Ink Spots: Hold 'im Joe (and Stone Cold Dead in the Market), Lord Marlboro with the Monarchs: Marianne, Paul Whiteman w/Loren Becker: Cindy Oh Cindy, Stu Philips: Come Back Liza (and Elaine from Port-o-Spain), Pat Matthews: Ugly Woman (and Man Smart/Woman Smarter and Goombay), Loren Becker with the Zig Zags: Jamaica Farewell, The Monarchs: Mona Mona Mona (Calypso Baby)

Various: Calypso Capers (Calypso--Vol. II); Waldorf Music Hall MHK-33-1220; first press N-/N- $60 -- calypso; rare superior condition!; Trinidadian calypso, the real thing!; vital for superior, original songs about Carmen Miranda, Frank Sinatra, etc.; super-scarce material by superstars Wilmoth Houdini, Count of Monte Cristo (Duke of Iron's brother), Congo Bey, Monarchs; as with the related Grand Award comp LPs, this is a collection of old 78s originally, most of which you cannot hope to find other than on these lovely '50s hi-fi LPs, so snap it up!; 1/2 by Wilmoth Houdini!!! (Moan People Moan, He Dead He Gone Already, Brave Son of America, Gravel Gertie, Bobby Sox Idol, Queen of the Amazon), Count of Monte Cristo & Congo Bey (Matilda Matilda, Zombie Jamboree, Neighbor Neighbor Leave My Door, Rum & Coca-Cola), Monarchs (Mama Look-a-Booboo, Bahama Mama)

Various: Calypso; Grand Award GA-33-352; deep groove E+/E+ $60 (or deep groove E/E $50, specify) (or E-/E- $40, specify) -- calypso; true collectors item, RARE!!!; calypso on this label is both a total delight and some of the rarest issued in the US (probably in part because of the Ink Spots and Monarchs); great color jacket art by Don Miller; great songs in heavy-vinyl hi-fi: Congo Bey & the Count of Monte Cristo (Duke of Iron's brother): Marianne, Treat 'Em Rough; Loren Becker (Jamaica Farewell); Pat Mathews (Goombay, Never Mind the Noise in the Market); Ink Spots (Hold 'Im Joe); Stu Phillips (Barrack Room Scandal--by Mighty Panther!-- Come Back Liza, Elaine from Port-O-Spain); The Monarchs (Mona Mona Mona Calypso Baby, Banana Boat Song); NB: $40 copy has masking tape on seams--nowhere near the bordered image

Various: Calypso -- Volume II; Grand Award GA-33-357; deep groove, generic jacket/E+ $60 -- calypso; true collectors item, RARE!!! (took us over a decade to find it w/the jacket); calypso on this label is a total delight and some of the rarest issued in the US (perhaps in part bc of inclusion of the Ink Spots & Monarchs); as with the related Waldorf Music Hall comp LPs, it's a comp of what were issued as 78s originally; color jacket art "Calypso Drums" by Don Miller; great, rare songs in heavy-vinyl hi-fi: Duke of Iron (Convoy, Calypsonian Invasion, Out the Fire), Count of Monte Cristo & Congo Bey (Matilda, Rum & Coca-Cola, Run Joe Run), The Monarchs (Mama Look-a-Boo-Boo, Calypso Melody, Bahama Mama), Sir Lancelot (West Indies Families, Beautiful Bermuda), Pat Mathews (Mopsie)

Various: Calypso Carnival 10"; Decca DL-5505; E-/E- $25 -- terrific, rare, authentic LP on a major label (with some European recordings) from the classic 78 era; nicely packaged with good artwork and liners; Love Love Love (Lord Beginner), Nora (Lord Kitchener), Little Mary Had No Lamb (The Lion), Man Smart and Woman Smarter (The Iron Duke with Cyril Blake's Calypso Band), Housewives (Lord Beginner), Mary Ann (The Lion with Cyril Blake's Calypso Serenaders), The Dollar & the Pound (Lord Beginner with Cyril Blake's Calypso Serenaders), General Election (Lord Beginner with Cyril Blake's Calypso Serenaders)

Various: Calypso Jazz; Cook XX-2; E-/V $15 -- calypso/calypso jazz; "a riot of actual on-the-scene recordings from the capitol of calypso...Trinidad and the sultry Caribbean"; excellent sampler featuring 14 unabridged cuts from nine of the rarest and most desirable Caribbean Cook LPs, incl. Calypso Kings & Pink Gin, Haiti Confidential, Le Jazz Primitif, Dance Calypso!, Jump Up Carnival in Trinidad..; w/Lord Melody (who sings his original "Mama Looka Booboo"), Mighty Sparrow, Rupert Clemendore..; unique jacket alternative is heavy paper in heavy plastic

Various: Calypso Kings & Pink Gin; Cook 1185; single-sheet jacket E+/E- $30 -- calypso; "Behind his own fence every dog is a lion"; one of the great Cook LPs featuring classic. "on-the-scene" road-recording sets by the greats at their early best: Mighty Sparrow (Dear Sparrow, Situation in Trinidad, Sailor Man), Lord Melody (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Jonah & the Bake), King Fighter (Silly Meal-Coocoo Soup), King Solomon (Mornin' Time, Belafonte), Nat Hepburn/March of Dimes Quartet (Senorita, General Election), Chang-Kai-Shek (Naughty Boy), Lord Cypher (P.N.M. Balisier), Young Brigade Tent

Various: Calypsos from the West Indies; Monogram 834; green jacket/orange label E+/E+ $75 (or green jacket/green label deep groove V+/V $25, specify) -- calypso great rarities on of the greatest titles on the super Monogram label by The Charmer (Gene Wolcott a.k.a. Louis Farrakhan!!!): Back to Back (Zombie Jamboree), Is She Is or Is She Ain't (about a tranvestite!), Stone Cold Man, Trinidad Road March; Duke of Iron: Merengue Jenny, Wide Screen, The Naughty Fly, Tie Up Me Dress; Lord Beginner: Mama Me Belly It Hurt Me, Louise; Mighty Terror: Chinese Children

Various: Calypsos Too Hot to Handle; Monogram 837; E-/E- $60 (or V+/E- $50, specify) (or deep groove V+/V+ $40, specify*) -- THE BEST CALYPSO LP EVER "puts life in your party"; ultimate original, naughty-calypso comp and classic party LP featuring mostly the very best work by Duke of Iron, Charmer/Farrakhan, Kitch, and others; Duke of Iron: The Big Bamboo, Parakeets, I Left Her Behind for You, Music Lesson (originally "Mandolin Jive"), Postman (not on Don't Touch Me Tomato!); The Charmer (Gene Wolcott a.k.a. Louis Farrakhan!): Is She Is or Is She Ain't (about a tranvestite!), Don't Touch Me Nylon; Marie Bryant: Don't Touch Me Tomato, Mommie Out de Light; Lord Kitchener: Kitch, Muriel & the Bug; Hayden: He Like It She Like It; *$40 copy has a pressing defect in "Postman," otherwise fine!

Various: Caribbean Calypsos; Capitol T-10071; green label N-/E- $20) -- top comp of great, classic, authentic Trinidad songs by Lord Beginner, Tony Johnson, The Torpedo; wonderful jacket/photos/liners; well worth getting clean!; I Will Die a Bachelor, Pretty Woman (answer to Ugly Woman), Love Love Love!, Syncopation, Africa, Mattie Rag, Lazy Janie, The Dollar & the Pound, Queen Elizabeth Calypso..

Various: Caribbean Dance Party; Gateway GSLP-3544; 1977; N/N shrink S $60 (or E+/E S $40, specify) -- caribeat/disco/voodoo/mazurka/beguine/cadence-lypso; hip, modern, funky LP that few know about (packaged as a limbo-instruction record but sure isn't!!!); very impressive, versatile mix of Haitian voodoo, drums, disco, reggae, mazurka; Gateway is a STRANGE label w/awesome titles of many kinds--this is one of our favorites!; w/Ti Emile (Chaud I Chaud, Fanmi Grand Gile), Gramacks (La Vie Disco, Take Good Care), Johnny Grey (Se Fe Local, Moin Ain Min 76), Black Affairs (Black Affairs Ca Wake, Doucine), Gilles Sala (Petit Roi Des Ananas), Puissance 8 (Revanche de Maguy)

Various: Don't Touch Me Tomato; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-727; N-/N S $60 (or E+/V+ $20, specify) -- reissues the terrific Monogram LP "Calypsos Too Hot to Handle" (see listing above) except one track is different: instead of Duke of Iron's "Postman," it's Lloyd Thomas' "Mary Had No Little Lamb"; even if you're lucky enough to have "Calypsos Too Hot to Handle" too, you may be drawn to the rather obscene jacket art and top modern sound; Duke of Iron: The Big Bamboo, Parakeets, I Left Her Behind for You, Music Lesson (originally "Mandolin Jive"); The Charmer (Gene Wolcott a.k.a. Louis Farrakhan!): Is She Is or Is She Ain't (about a tranvestite!), Don't Touch Me Nylon; Marie Bryant: Don't Touch Me Tomato, Mommie Out de Light; Lord Kitchener: Kitch, Muriel & the Bug; Hayden: He Like It She Like It; Lloyd Thomas: Mary Had No Little Lamb

Let's Love a Little with Cool Calypsos from the West Indies; Paragon 610; green/deep groove E+/E- $100 (or white/deep groove V/V $35, specify) -- rare!; early, great calypso comp in the prized Monogram family; no artist credits listed but we've identified at least The Charmer (Louis Farrakhan/Gene Wolcott); notable for the jacket, high gain (loud, clear sound), & several unusual songs; Matilda, Chit Chit Rit Chit, Stupid Husband, Ugly Woman, Stone Cold Dead in de Market, Blue Calypso Samba, Conch Ain't Got No Bones, Mary Anne, Take Me, Give Her de #1, Red Head, Fire Down Dere

Let's Merengue (With Six Top Caribbean Orchestras); Monogram Supertone 845; E/E $40 -- Dominican merengue; not calypso per se but listed here for collectors of this label (and by period it's very much in the calypso/Caribbean vein); Baila Merengue, Maria, La Mujer Puerto Riquena, Mayaguez, Merengue Medley No. 1, Contigo, Merenguiando, La Empaliza, Si Tu No La Otra, Bailen Todas, Merengue a Borinquen, Sin Tambora

Various: Meet Me in Trinidad; Monogram 835; E/E- $50 -- calypso; one of the toughest to find of the fantastic series of various-artist LPs on Monogram, and of course being all Trinidad it's especially desirable (in other words, don't miss this opportunity, as it doesn't come around very often -- only once per decade for us here in the vinyl capitol of the world); Lord Kitchener, Young Invader, Calypso Joe, Mighty Skipper..; Man Smart, Big Toe, Murder in de Market, Lollipop, Sweetie Charlie, Poundin' Rice, Limbo (calypso merengue), Curiosity, Mango Walk, Dance Hall Distressers, Back to Trinidad, Brown Skin Gal (Trinidad Steel Band)

Various: Nassau's Junkanoo Festival; Bahama Records 22; deep groove E/E- $25 -- calypso; compilation/sampler makes rare treat for fans of the terrific early label and its great stars (before they went on to other labels in some cases): Eloise Lewis (I Need It, Digby), George Symonette (Pretty Boy, All Suit No Man, Brown Skin Gal), Peanuts Taylor (Nassau Blues), Harold McNair (Bahaman Brown Baby), Andre Toussaint (Jolly Junkanoo, La Cruz, several others include duets w/Symonette); photos of each musician in the liners; good to have even if just to supplement the rare separate LPs (IF you can manage to get them all--and since everyone's seeking at least the first Eloise Lewis LP, you should get it just to have the cuts from that); also there are drum breaks and lots of great things here, so it's not to be missed!

Various: A Nation is Born--A Musical History of the Bahamas; Bahamas Nationhood Ltd.; 1973; deluxe gatefold with inner leaf; deep groove E/N- S $90 -- calypso/caribeat/funk/breakbeats; with unique [live] material and rare grooves, chiefly the fantastic "Independent Bahamas" by Biosis Now (long incredible goombay funk with extended bass & drum soloing (breakbeats), organ, and several terrific James Brown-style callouts, such as "Give the drummer-man some" and "Congo Man time!")--this cut alone is in the top tier of funky caribeat rare grooves!; notes by Sidney Poitier; The Lucayan Chorale: Oh Freedom, Eloise Lewis: I'm a Better Woman than You (live updated version!), Ronnie Butler & the Ramblers: Upward-Onward-Forward-Together, Rupert & the Rolling Coins: The Mail, Blind Blake: Run Come See, Exuma: Rushing through the Crowd, Beginning of the End: Funky Nassau (of course!), Biosis Now: Independent Bahamas, Bobby Smith: A New Day Dawning, Frankie "Zhivago" Young & the Rams: Pumpkin-Banana-Peas-Corn, Lucayan Chorale: March On Bahamaland

Various: Native Calypso Songs 10"; Royale 1839; 1954; E+/E+ $50 -- rare wonder on budget label compiles 8 great, rare (78 rpm) singles from the classic period by calypsonian all-stars; later reissued on the 1956 12" LP Allegro 1716 which credits "G. Clark & the Calypso Orchestra"; the real stars are Atilla (Coffee Coffee, Professor Carver), Lord Invader (You Don't Need Glasses to See, Down at Rockaway), the Lion (Ugly Woman, Fan Me Saga Boy), MacBeth (Hold 'im Joe, Man Smart--Woman Smarter)

Your Musical Holiday in the West Indies--A Calypso Carnival; Decca DL-8159; 1st/T1 press E-/E $40 (or T2 press E-/V+ $25, specify) -- reissues the classic "Calypso Carnival" 10" LP/EP set and adds valuable others; terrific, rare, authentic LP on a major label (with some European recordings) from the classic 78 era (great stuff hiding in obscure tourist series); this uniquely features three songs (Rum & Coca-Cola, Gin & Coconut Water, Ugly Woman) and Wilmoth Houdini (none on the earlier version!) plus the original eight: Love Love Love (Lord Beginner), Nora (Lord Kitchener), Little Mary Had No Lamb (The Lion), Man Smart and Woman Smarter (The Iron Duke with Cyril Blake's Calypso Band), Housewives (Lord Beginner), Mary Ann (The Lion with Cyril Blake's Calypso Serenaders), The Dollar & the Pound (Lord Beginner with Cyril Blake's Calypso Serenaders), General Election (Lord Beginner with Cyril Blake's Calypso Serenaders)

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