[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 102 (Monday, July 25, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1597-E1598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HONORING THE MIGHTY SPARROW--THE CALYPSO KING OF THE WORLD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 25, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most 
popular Caribbean entertainers in history, who has been singing the 
story of the Caribbean for over half a century. The man of which I 
speak is Slinger Francisco, known world-wide as The Mighty Sparrow, and 
it is a pleasure to recognize him today in celebration of his 70th 
Birthday.
  With over seventy albums to his credit, the Mighty Sparrow is 
considered by many to be the undisputed King of Calypso. Calypso is the 
popular style of music which evolved on the islands of the Eastern 
Caribbean from African and French musical influences in the early 
1900's. The art form is particularly associated with the nation of 
Trinidad and Tobago, and its pre-Lent Carnival celebrations.
  World War II brought dramatic changes to Trinidad and the calypso 
scene, as the United States established several military bases on the 
island, which housed thousands of servicemen during the War. A vibrant 
entertainment scene developed to entertain the many visitors, and 
Calypso evolved to suit its audience. The influx of tourists to the 
island also helped modernize both the rhythm and themes of Calypso 
songs in the post-war years. Trinidad's independence from Great Britain 
in the 1950s also served to give calypso a more politically minded 
slant. The Mighty Sparrow came to the scene during this time of 
transition and modification in Calypso music.
  Sparrow was born in Gran Roi, a rural fishing village on the island 
of Grenada in 1935, and migrated with his family to Trinidad and Tobago 
at the age of one. His childhood would have a major influence on his 
musical vocation. On his mother's advice, he joined his local Catholic 
Church choir as a young boy, where he learned the art of voice 
training. In church he would also learn various languages, such as 
Latin, Hindi, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Chinese--all represented on 
the culturally diverse island of Trinidad--which he would later employ 
in many of his songs. He was also influenced by the styles of American 
street quartets, and popular artists such as Nat King Cole, Sarah 
Vaughn, and Frank Sinatra, in addition to local calypso artists.
  He started out singing in the local calypso ``brigades'' which would 
scour Trinidad competing in various singing competitions, especially 
during the Carnival season. At the age of twenty he released his first 
song entitled ``Jean and Dinah.'' The song satirically chronicled the 
impact of American troop withdrawals from Trinidad at the end of WWII. 
The song became a hit and would typify The Mighty Sparrow style. In a 
country, which at the time, did not have developed forms of media, 
Sparrow's songs elicited public reflection on important issues--in an 
entertaining, if not dance-inspiring fashion.
  In subsequent years the Mighty Sparrow rode his own talent and the 
changing dynamics of the Caribbean all the way to the top of the 
Calypso scene. With the influx of American and European tourists to the 
Caribbean starting in the 1950s, and the concurrent migration of 
Caribbean peoples to the United

[[Page E1598]]

States and Europe, Sparrow's music would reach wider and wider 
audiences. He himself would establish a second home in New York City, 
where he became renowned among the region's large Caribbean community.
  Just as Sparrow's music began to reach beyond the islands of the 
Caribbean, so too did the content of his songs. His 1964 classic 
``Martin Luther King for President'' not only introduced many in the 
Caribbean to the greatness of Dr. King, but it also served to inform 
Caribbean peoples about the plight of their African American brethren 
in the United States. Indeed, many in the Caribbean at the time were 
unaware of the Civil Rights struggle occurring in the USA.
  Throughout Sparrow's musical catalogue one will find such global 
thinking--from songs about Apartheid South Africa, to the implications 
of the Global AIDS epidemic. These types of songs were surpassed only 
by those he dedicated to the everyday struggles of the common Caribbean 
man and woman. It is hard to think of such themes in the vibrant, 
celebratory rhythms of Calypso, but therein lies the beauty of the 
Mighty Sparrow.
  Only he could draw attention to the serious issues of his world and 
community, and still make you want to dance. In so doing, Sparrow truly 
embodies the spirit of the Caribbean--though they face obstacles, they 
face them with an almost joyous optimism which can never be broken.
  As for Mr. Sparrow today, he shows no signs of letting up. Fifty 
years, 70 albums, and millions of fans later, he continues to record 
songs, and bring crowds to their feet with his live performances around 
the world. In his first song released in 1956, Sparrow confidently 
asserted, ``Yankee gone, Sparrow take over now!'' Fifty years later, it 
is safe to say that he delivered on his boast, as he is now the 
undisputed King of Calypso. I can only imagine what the next 50 years 
will bring.

                          ____________________