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 Augustus
"Lord" Messam
was far from being the most
prolific ofmento artists, recording only 8
tracks that I
know of.
But his recordings were consistently of strong
quality,
including some of my very favorite mento tracks.
Messam recorded
strictly in the rural style, and his musicians and backing vocalists were
amongst the best. These tracks typically feature a proto-reggae beat, and a
quality that is difficult to describe, though words like, light, exotic,
floating and nimble come to mind. So far, only one Lord Messam track has
been compiled on CD, throwing the benevolence of the almighty into doubt.
A survey of The Daily Gleaner shows Lord Messam
to be a fixture of the Montego Bay mento scene. Gigs as early as 1949
through 1966 are documented in advertisements. Of course, these ads probably
represent just a small portion of his live performances, so the span of his
performing career may have been longer.
So why so few records? Perhaps it's because Lord
Messam was also known as much for his dancing as for his singing. Not only
his own, but there is also record of his Lord Messam Dance Troupe.
Perhaps Messam liked live performance over recording. After all, no amount
dancing skill can be translated to vinyl.
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From The Daily
Gleaner, November 14, 1952. The
billing is described as Lord Messam and Pork Chops famous Mento Band.
This is speculation, but perhaps
Lord Flea's adroit banjo player, Pork
Chops, from his Capitol years
was first with Lord Messam and may even have provided the wonderful
playing on Messam's MRS singles. |
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On the MRS label, a classic single by Lord Messam
and his Calypsonians:
Holiday Number b/w:
Jamaican Mentos.
(Thanks to Allen Kaatz of the US for the scan
of the a-side.) |
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The Messam written "Holiday Number"
features a proto-reggae rhythm, pointillist banjo, and polyrhythmic playing
by all. The overall effect is very dreamy. Messam is in good voice and the
backing vocals add to the overall effect.
While some of the lyrics are hard to catch, it's easy to get the gist: Messam's girlfriend wants expensive jewelry and clothes, including a
"corset to bring down her shape" because "for all she big and fat, she can't
wear no drape".
"Holiday Number" by Lord Messam
Some gal will be with you
right down through the year[s]
Sharing all your sorrows, and sharing all you cares
But that there come another deres big and fat
["deres" = there is]
Then start to worry you with dem fears you know not
This is the holiday number
This is the holiday rumba
Me gal she want a flat
That make me love her not
She want a parasol
and a three pound hat
a duncy panty
["duncy" is an affectionate term]
a six pound new brassiere
a likkle pair of shoes
["likkle" = little]
a pound to fix her hair
This is the holiday number
This is the holiday rumba
Me current gal she want
A new [?] wheel
She want
to wrap with a German heel [probably a shoe style of the day]
She want the kind of dress that they call "triple sheer"
And the kind of wrist watch that big shot a wear
This is the holiday number
This is the holiday rumba
The sister is so dry that she never come me get
But she call upon her man and say she want hair net
She want silver slipper, she want house coat,
She want a gold bangle to wear on her throat
This is the holiday number
This is the holiday rumba
She want a bag that make with silver latch
She want gold chain and rings to match
She want corset to bring down her shape
For all she big and fat, she cant wear no drape
This is the holiday number
This is the holiday rumba
Me love the gal for true, so me do what ev' I can
But the only man to suit her was a black market man
So every time you hear samilian[?] or a turn
[?], [could be "samolian or a dun", both slang for money]
I can not stand and bun so me
'ave to cut and run
["stand and bun" could be "stand and burn",
or hang out and smoke" ]
While "Holiday Number" is an original composition
by Messam, "Jamaican Mentos" is a seamless medley of Jamaican
folk songs. "Mango Walk, Gi Me Back Me Shilling, Chichi Bud Oh, Hog In A My
Mint Tea" is the listing on the label. Although the other three were
very popular, this is the only time I've heard "Gi Me Back Me Shilling". The musical approach heard on the a-side is improved upon to the point of
sounding almost otherworldly.
"Jamaica Mentos", traditional, arrangement by Lord Messam
The
woman never tell me say you go mango walk,
you go mango walk, you go mango walk
The woman never tell me say you go mango walk,
you pick up the Number Eleven
[a variety of mango in Jamaica] ["pick up" as in steal]
Beg you tell me the reason why, beg you tell me the reason why, beg you
tell me the reason why,
you pick up the Number Eleven
So you give me pound and shilling with the lion penny, with the lion
penny, with the lion penny
You give me pound and shilling with the lion penny, girl you must take
me for a fool
Just because your big and fat, you want come take me, if[?] it that
You give me pound and shilling and that is that, girl you must take me
for a fool
So you give me pound and shilling with the lion penny, with the lion
penny, with the lion penny
You give me pound and shilling with the lion penny, girl you must take
me for a fool
Me no want no lion penny, me no want to diamond tief
["tief" = "thief"]
You give me pound and shilling, you king of tiefs, girl you must take me
for a fool
Chi chi bud, oh! Some of the holler some a bawl,
["bud" = bird]
Some a band neck[?], some a woodpecker, some are brown dove, some are
white wing
Chi chi bud, oh! Why Chi chi bud, oh!
Some are brown dove, some are John Crow, some are handsticker[?], some
are band neck,
Hog in my mint tea, him a root up me coco
Hog in my mint tea, him a root up me coco
One slice of breadfruit, two plate of ackee
One slice coconut, for me go rub it up to curry
All them young girls, when no have nobody
Visit bwoya, him no have no body.
["bwoya" = boy]
Hog in my mint tea, him a root up me coco
One slice of breadfruit, two plate of ackee
One slice coconut, for me go rub it up to curry
A magical single. Because these tracks are
favorites of mine and they are not in print, here are song clips of
Holiday Number
and
Jamaican Mentos. [Click here for
notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.] |
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Another great Lord Messam
side, again on MRS, is the medley of "Don't Tek It For A Joke", which was
written by Messam and the old mento standard "Rucumbine", which is credited as a "Jamaican
mento". MRS sometimes used this designation if a song was a Jamaican
folk song. The arrangement was
similar to the single described above. |
| Because this track is a favorite of
mine and is not in print, here is a song clip of
Rukumbine. [Click here for
notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.]
The flip side, "Poun' Paper" is another
Messam penned song. In it, he describes giving his date a pound paper
(Americans, think "dollar bill") too early in the date. When the evening
doesn't go the way Messam expected (and he did have some specific
expectations), he tries unsuccessfully to retrieved the note.
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Courtesy of Richard Noblett of London, on the
Souvenir of Montego Bay label, a 78 RPM single by Lord Messam and His Calypsonians:
"The Little Fly"
backed with
"Monkey".
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This
single is not of the caliber of the sides described above. After all, was
there ever a worse mento song than "The Little Fly"? And with two touristy
tracks, this is his only single that is not at least in part written by
Messam. Even though it pales by comparison, it's still enjoyable.
"Monkey" can be heard on the 2006 CD compilation, "Take
Me To Jamaica". Both of these tracks
appeared on the mid-1950s MRS LP,
"MRS - Authentic Jamaican
Calypsos Volume 1".
The first side of the aforementioned LP, "MRS - Authentic Jamaican
Calypsos Volume 1", is comprised by 4
Lord Messam tracks. In
addition to the above two tracks, there was Messam's renditions of "Take Her To Jamaica" and "Linstead Market". The latter is quite good, with the precise polyrhythmic
instrumental opening sounding like a mento music box. This track also
appeared on the later MRS LP, "Calypso Date",
and has been compiled on two recent CD collections, "Mento
Madness" and "Jamaica Mento" Because
it's a favorite track, here is a sound clip of
Linstead Market made
before the track came back in print. [Click here for
notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.]
"Linstead
Market", by traditional, as performed by Lord Messam
I carry me
ackee, go a Linstead Market
not a quatty will sell
I carry me ackee, go a Linstead Market
not a quatty will sell
Lord what a night, not a bite
what a Saturday night!
Lord what a night, not a bite
what a Saturday night!
Everybody come feel up, feel up,
not a quatty will sell
Everybody come feel up, feel up,
not a quatty will sell
[CHORUS]
It was a fight, a fight, a big big fight
on that Saturday night
It was a fight, a fight, a big big fight
on that Saturday night
[CHORUS]
Do my mommy no feed me, kill me
take a merry-go-round
Do my mommy don't feed me, kill me
take a merry-go-round
[CHORUS]
All those pickney come run come run
to see what mommy did bring
All those pickney come run come run
to see what mommy did bring
[CHORUS]
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[ackee = a
Jamaican vegetable ]
[quatty = a small amount of money,
perhaps a quarter of a penny]
<- Chorus
[pickney = children]
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Finally, courtesy of Robert Koehl of Houston, Texas, is this autograph
from Lord Messam, which is also excerpted at the top of the page. The
full inscription, "Lord Messam. Jamaica. Montego Beach Hotel. 'Lord
Messam.'" is found on a copy of Duke's "Duke,
Calypso and Ska" LP, perhaps indicating that both these artist
performed at that hotel. |
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