The Word: There is no better calypsonian on record than the Duke of Iron, brother of the similarly illustrious Count of Monte Cristo. Son of a famous calypsonian who did not get to record in the hi-fi age, Duke of Iron both carried on the traditional calypso (the stuff of prized rare 78s) and paved the way for all modern calypso, particularly the second great modernizer and popularizer, the Mighty Sparrow.
The Duke's definitive version of "The Big Bamboo" stands as the "Louie, Louie" of calypso. Be sure to see calypso compilation LPs for great various-artist LPs --on Monogram and other labels-- that feature "The Big Bamboo" and other Duke of Iron classics.
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
Duke of Iron & his Trinidad Calypso Troubadours: Calypso Carnival 10"; Monogram MLP-800; 3rd/yellow N-/E+ $75 -- calypso; original jacket! (with liner notes & image on the back); NOT the same as his 12" LP of the same title (842)!; Loving Woman is a Waste of Time, I Left Her Behind for You, The Easy Fish (a.k.a. Man is Easy Fish), Mambo Calypso, Mandolin Jive, Clear de Road, Creole Girl, Last Train
Duke of Iron & his Trinidad Calypso Troubadours: Calypso Carnival 10"; Monogram MLP-800; 2rd/yellow E/V+ $30 -- 2nd jacket (blank rear, face has white background instead of yellow); NOT the same as his 12" LP of the same title (842)!; Loving Woman is a Waste of Time, I Left Her Behind for You, The Easy Fish (a.k.a. Man is Easy Fish), Mambo Calypso, Mandolin Jive, Clear de Road, Creole Girl, Last Train
Duke of Iron: Calypso Carnival; Monogram 842; deep groove E/E- $40 -- the great calypso label, the prime format, the greatest calypsonian!; repeats only 2 of the cuts from the even rarer 10" LP (so you need both); Big Bamboo, Naughty Fly, Undercover Man, Coldest Woman, Lost Watch, Creole Girl, Last Train, Music Teacher, Man Smart..
Duke of Iron: Calypso Carnival with the Duke of Iron; RCA Victor LPM-1386; 1957; E+/N $30 (or E+/E+ $25, specify) (or V+/E+ $20, specify) -- calypso; first-rate, unique (to this LP), original recordings by THE greatest calypsonian!; great liner notes form an extensive poem-calypso tribute; you can't do better than Victor plus Duke of Iron--fortunately enough people thought so way back when that it sold well--so for you right now it's not only fantastic, great-sounding, and in top shape but also very affordable!!!; A Better Woman than You, Bambouche, 50 Cents, Katie, Vitalogy, Walking Department Store, Calypsonian Invasion, Mamma Gave Me Something, Bartender Harry, It's the Rhythm We Want, The Duke of Calypso, Pepper Sauce Milly
Duke of Iron & the Fabulous Steel Bands: Calypso!; Crowell-Collier Record Guild G-142; 1957; deep groove E+/N- $40 (or E-/E $20, specify) -- ten terrific Duke songs licensed from Monogram (no doubt in better sound than you'll find easily with Monogram) and two steel-band instrumentals; nicely presented on a rare old NY label with great jacket art and lengthy liner notes, it's definitely added value even if you have all the Monograms; Man Smart, Music Lesson, Meringue Jenny, Creole Girl, Last Train, Coconut (steel band), Lost Watch, Loving Woman is a Waste of Time, Man is Easy Fish, Mambo Calypso, Clear de Road, West Indies Serenade (steel band)
Duke of Iron: Limbo, Limbo, Limbo; Prestige International PR-13068; N/N shrink $75 (or seams split E+/E+ $60, specify) -- rare!; precious, unique-to-this-disc recordings of the greatest calypsonian, padded out with a few steel-band cuts; recorded by Rudy Van Gelder (highest sign of record quality!) on scarce ethnic subsidiary of top NJ jazz label (you may find it, but you'll be very hard pressed to find it this clean); The Hanging Tree, The NY Mets, Marriage Recipe, Limbo, Yellow Bird, Courtney's Saga, Everybody Merengue, Take Six, Taces, Mr. Rake & Scrape
Duke of Iron Sings Calypsos; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-737; E-/E $40 -- rare, most welcome compilation of Monogram songs reissued in spectacularly clean hi-fi; the last one we don't find on any Monogram LP; Man Smart--Woman Smarter, The Fly, Merengue Jenny, Creole Gal, Last Train, Man Centipede, The Lost Watch, Loving Woman is a Waste of Time, Man is Easy Fish, Mambo Calypso, Clear The Road, We Are Afraid of Nobody
Duke of Iron: More Calypsos by the Duke of Iron; Request/Sounds of the Caribbean SLP-747; E-/N- $75 -- rare, most welcome compilation of Monogram songs reissued in spectacularly clean hi-fi, plus great rare jacket photo of the Duke singing in the '70s; 11 Duke of Iron rarities/classics & "Rock Cum Babe" (which we suspect is sung by someone else): Miss Constance, Monkey Calypso, Under Cover Man, One Gone, Rye Saly Water, Samson & Delilah (not sure if this is available on any other LP), Wide Screen, Tie Up Me Dress, The Postman, Woman Police, Coldest Woman (titles vary from Monogram in some instances)
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