{"id":11407,"date":"2023-04-02T16:16:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-02T20:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/?p=11407"},"modified":"2023-04-02T16:16:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T20:16:46","slug":"dexter-mitchell-good-night-queens-park-part-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/02\/dexter-mitchell-good-night-queens-park-part-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Dexter Mitchell-Good Night Queen\u2019s Park Part 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

After three consecutive wins (1990,1991, 1992) Edson \u2018Ajamu\u2019 Mitchell opted out of the competition for the 1993 Carnival season.<\/p>\n

Many reasons were proffered for that decision but as always, the Calypsonian best documents current affairs activities and Smokey, who was the Standby for the 1993 calypso finals surmised the happenings in the first verse of his first rendition entitled\u00a0Ah Doh \u2018Fraid Dem.<\/em><\/p>\n

Well you mighty Ajamu, Ah hear you not in the competition<\/em><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know what\u2019s wrong,<\/em><\/p>\n

You say you is a warrior in town,<\/em><\/p>\n

And you come to lick them down,<\/em><\/p>\n

But a little threat make you tremble and sweat.<\/em><\/p>\n

Last year when you win the crown,<\/em><\/p>\n

Ajamu boy you \u2018fraid to come in town,<\/em><\/p>\n

Other Calypsonians mixing with the fans,<\/em><\/p>\n

But you boy you hiding in Mamma Cannes<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1993 was another excellent year for calypso and with Ajamu out it meant an opportunity for someone to have a very big night.<\/p>\n

That someone turned out to be Inspector who captured his 2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Senior Calypso title with a performance that will live on in calypso folklore.<\/p>\n

His rendition of\u00a0Soca Hurricane<\/em>\u00a0was an impassioned and emotional expression of his struggles to return to the heights of calypso supremacy, after doing so for the first time in 1989. His piccong verse in that song remains the best written and delivered such verse in Grenada calypso history. It is still a requirement in his present-day performances, even 30 years later.<\/p>\n

To give context to and for one to have a full appreciation of the brilliance of the work, a full list of the Calypsonians and the songs they rendered on that night must be provided.<\/p>\n

Squeezy \u2013\u00a0Calypso War, One For The Pan<\/em><\/p>\n

Flying Turkey \u2013\u00a0We Have Come A Long Way<\/em><\/strong>, My Will<\/em><\/p>\n

Black Wizard\u00a0\u2013\u00a0No Mama<\/strong>, New World Order<\/em><\/p>\n

Flying Cloud \u2013\u00a0Abide With Me, Way You Man<\/em><\/p>\n

Scholar \u2013\u00a0I Prefer To Live In Hell<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0Voices<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Peter Humphrey \u2013\u00a0Doh Come So Fast<\/em><\/strong>, Political Gain<\/em><\/p>\n

Randy Isaac \u2013\u00a0It\u2019s a Paradise<\/em><\/strong>, Education<\/em><\/p>\n

Mr. X \u2013\u00a0Spectator Mas,\u00a0I Resign<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Reggie Charles \u2013\u00a0They Goonksing, Ole Time Days<\/em><\/p>\n

Inspector \u2013\u00a0Soca Hurricane, Big Up<\/em><\/p>\n

Smokey (Standby) \u2013\u00a0Grenada for Sale, Ah Doh \u2018Fraid Dem<\/em><\/p>\n

When they hear the Hurricane coming, Randy start to sing\u00a0it\u2019s a paradise<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And Scholar start complaining, he say he cant hear those\u00a0<\/em>voices<\/strong>\u00a0crying<\/em><\/p>\n

Black Wizard feeling the pressure, everyday he bawling\u00a0oh mama<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Peter Humphrey want to survive, so he run for shelter in\u00a0Ms. Daisy car<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In 1955 was Hurricane Janet and the whole of Grenada never forget<\/em><\/p>\n

So they bring 9 of them to stop me, but ah know tonight they bound to regret<\/em><\/p>\n

Turkey jump in front and say,\u00a0we come a very long way<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

They tell Smokey\u00a0stand by<\/strong>\u00a0dey, if you hear dem on melee<\/em><\/p>\n

My phone ringing all the time, Mr. X say\u00a0he resign<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Ajamu smart he not coming back, ah go kill dem with heart attack<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

With his second composition, Big Up, Inspector walked away with the title but had even more ammunition in his arsenal as he had the option of performing\u00a0Eating Better<\/em>\u00a0as his second song.<\/p>\n

The friendly bantering between calypsonians, a hallmark of the calypso finals at Queen\u2019s Park continued in 1993. One of Findley \u2018Scholar\u2019 Jeffrey\u2019s songs was entitled,\u00a0I Prefer To Live In Hell.\u00a0<\/em>In his delivery of\u00a0It\u2019s A Paradise,\u00a0<\/em>Randy Isaac offered the following verse in response to Scholar.<\/p>\n

How could you make ah comparison,<\/em><\/p>\n

With Grenada and hell as some people do<\/em><\/p>\n

Man when the tourist come down here on vacation<\/em><\/p>\n

How could you give them this impression\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

So if you want to go to hell, than living here in Grenada<\/em><\/p>\n

I sure will like to pay your fare, look take airline lucifer, oh god Scholar<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1993 was a very intense year for calypso and several artistes addressed the issues related to judging, competition, etc. in song, including Squeezy, Flying Cloud and Inspector. A very popular radio program named Melee seemed to serve as a catalyst for much of the conversations, tensions, and discussions. Smokey in his second verse of\u00a0Ah Doh \u2018Fraid Dem\u00a0<\/em>encapsulated the prevailing mood.<\/p>\n

Shirma say Me, Turkey and Humphrey, the only reason we come<\/em><\/p>\n

Just to sing and to win the money and run<\/em><\/p>\n

She doh know what she talking \u2018bout<\/em><\/p>\n

She getting paid to run she mouth<\/em><\/p>\n

But then she doh have good foot so she take in front<\/em><\/p>\n

She work with different companies<\/em><\/p>\n

She use she money as how she please<\/em><\/p>\n

She is a good announcer<\/em><\/p>\n

Suppose to push the culture<\/em><\/p>\n

But when she make these kinda statement<\/em><\/p>\n

Make me feel she ignorant.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Inspector went on to win the calypso title in 1993 \u2013 and the $16,000 prize money- a very popular decision and one that gave credence to the notion that the formula for winning the crown was a \u2018slow\u2019, \u2018lyrical\u2019 first round song and an uptempo or party song in the second round.<\/p>\n

The defense of the crown in 1994 was going to be a test of Inpsector\u2019s abilities, the field was loaded with some of the regulars not even making it to the finals. The prestige of winning the title meant that the nine finalists were not going to make it straightforward for the reigning titleholder.<\/p>\n

On the night of Sunday 07th<\/sup>\u00a0August, 1994, the Master of Ceremonies, a Queen\u2019s Park fixture now in his own rights, Troy Garvey read the following results:<\/p>\n

10. Randy Isaac<\/p>\n

9. Beast<\/p>\n

8. Vibrator<\/p>\n

7. Scorpion<\/p>\n

6. Bubbler<\/p>\n

5. Reggie Charles<\/p>\n

4. Scholar<\/p>\n

3. Mr. X<\/p>\n

2. Inspector<\/p>\n

1. Black Wizard<\/p>\n

Elwin \u2018Black Wizard\u2019 McQulikin had won his first national calypso title after several years of sterling performances with outstanding melodies and complex but easy to sing along lyrics. His two selections for competition in 1994,\u00a0Ah Come Back Again<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Jump Up<\/em>\u00a0earned the nod of the judges against an extremely talented field of Calypsonians. It was always going to take two masterful rounds of unblemished delivery to dethrone the Inspector and Black Wizard did so on that historic night.<\/p>\n

After winning his 4th<\/sup>\u00a0title in 1984 the Flying Turkey opted out of competition, but the retirement was temporary as he eventually returned in 1992 much to the delight of his fans and calypso fans in general. Ajamu\u2019s retirement was even shorter and lasted only two years. And he promptly resumed his winning ways capturing his sixth senior national calypso title.<\/p>\n

Ajamu\u2019s reasons for his return to competition could best be addressed by him and he did so during his celebratory performance after winning the 1995 calypso title.<\/p>\n

In Rainbow City ah woman said to me \u2018Jamu doh hurt dem, you shouldn\u2019t hurt dem<\/em><\/p>\n

Doh treat dem fellas so, have \u00a0mercy on Wizo<\/em><\/p>\n

Give him a next year, don\u2019t be so unfair<\/em><\/p>\n

Everybody know, you are a true hero<\/em><\/p>\n

Your music so sweet, we cant resist it<\/em><\/p>\n

but you should step aside, and let them fellas ride<\/em><\/p>\n

on the bandwagon, the soca bandwagon<\/em><\/p>\n

But I said to she, young woman you crazy<\/em><\/p>\n

Like you really want my fans and dem to kill me<\/em><\/p>\n

If only I decide I wouldn\u2019t come back<\/em><\/p>\n

So much people would just not be here in Queen\u2019s Park<\/em><\/p>\n

The committee say carnival in danger<\/em><\/p>\n

Last year they aint make no money in Dimanche Gras<\/em><\/p>\n

So no more will they allow this to go on<\/em><\/p>\n

That is why they send and call the soca banton<\/em><\/p>\n

Dem fellas too blasted bright<\/em><\/p>\n

Dey must have respect tonight<\/em><\/p>\n

So tell Wizo and Scholar (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

they should know not to play with fire (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

If to prison Mr X want to go (Ajamu on the road again<\/em><\/p>\n

I am the man with the key to open the door (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

I know you expect me, to give satisfaction guarantee<\/em><\/p>\n

The hotter the battle be, man the sweeter the victory<\/em><\/p>\n

So tell all my fans rejoice (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

get together and make ah joyful noise (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

Sing once, twice, three times sing it again (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

I wont let you shout out my name in vain (Ajamu on the road again)<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During his performance of\u00a0\u2018Wait For Me\u2019\u00a0<\/em>in 1994 \u2013 the year he relinquished the crown to Black Wizard \u2013 Inspector sang:<\/p>\n

Tell the NCC to send and call the gravediggers<\/em><\/p>\n

Because tonight ah aint taking no prisoners<\/em><\/p>\n

Ajamu done tell me the shovel and fork ready<\/em><\/p>\n

It have plenty space for them in the cemetery<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In\u00a0On The Road Again<\/em>\u00a0Ajamu pounced on the material provided by those lines to produce his third verse. \u00a0Parts of which went like this:<\/p>\n

So Ah went and tell me pardna Laqua, put the casket on reserve for the Inspector<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018Cause I know when my boy reach here in Queen\u2019s Park, all those who giving instructions have to back back<\/em><\/p>\n

He go show them fellas how to wine the waist, after dat he going and bury them up in space<\/em><\/p>\n

But when the bell ring and they say the Massa return, Cracker told me Specky knock out in the first round<\/em><\/p>\n

But I am here to let them know, this wouldn\u2019t happen no more<\/em><\/p>\n

Specky couldn\u2019t hold the reign, So I am right back here again.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Scholar in his third year was becoming a formidable force and during this rendition of\u00a0Ah Cant Sing<\/em>\u00a0Dat\u00a0<\/em>he offered some lyrical blows of his own:<\/p>\n

No one would beat me in competition, coming to Dimanche Gras with one good song<\/em><\/p>\n

And nobody will kill me with licks, coming here singing warrior part six<\/em><\/p>\n

And when we done tonight in this park, big dog wont even be able to bark<\/em><\/p>\n

But let Specky and dem piccong all they know, me ah just cant buss me brain no more<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1995 was another fascinating year for the artform in Grenada the return of Ajamu, the meteoric rise of Scholar and the consistency of Mr. X all heralding a moderate changing of the guard as the legacy of the Queen\u2019s Park was coming to an end.<\/p>\n

A Made In Grenada Publication \u00a9<\/p>\n

\n