| This calypso survey was conducted by Kaisoca International
in Toronto via an internet poll to idnetify the Top 100 Calypsos of the 20th Century. There were
a total of 825 entries submitted and results were tabulated from these entries. Kaisoca International
is a calypso resreach organization headed by George Maharaj many thanks to John Child from England
for his input with the dates of release of calypso and also to Oliver Dixon for his work on the
tabulations of the results. These results were published in The Trinidad Mirror, The Trinidad Guardian,
The Trinidad Express, The Toronto Caribbean Camera, The Share of Toronto, so you going to Carnival Magazine,
Folkroots Magazine of England. The results of the top calypsos of the 20th century: |
Rank | Tune & Composer |
| 1. | Progress - King Austin (Austin Lewis) 1980 |
| 2. | Portrait of Trinidad - Mighty Sniper (Mervyn Hodge) 1965 |
| 3. | Jean and Dinah - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1956 |
| 4. | Bassman - Mighty Shadow (Winston Bailey) 1974 |
| 5. | Fire in Your Wire - Calypso Rose (McArthur Lewis) 1967 |
| 6. | High Mas - David Rudder (David Rudder) 1998 |
| 7. | Dan is the Man - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1963 |
| 8. | Maria - Lord Blakie (Carlton Joseph) 1962 |
| 9. | If the Priest Could Play - Mighty Cypher (Dillary B Scott) 1967 |
| 10. | The Sinking Ship - Gypsy (Winston Peters) 1986 |
| 11. | Jahaji Bhai - Brother Marvin (Selwyn Demming) 1996 |
| 12. | God Bless Our Nation - Lord Baker (Kent King) 1967 |
| 13. | Rainorama - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1973 |
| 14. | Steelband Clash - Lord Blakie (Carlton Joseph) 1954 |
| 15. | The Road - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1963 |
| 16. | Yankee Dollar (Rum and Coca Cola) - Lord Invader (Rupert Grant) 1946 |
| 17. | Mama Look A Boo Boo - Lord Melody (Fitzroy Alexander) 1956 |
| 18. | Lazy Man - Mighty Dougla (Clatis Ali) 1961 |
| 19. | Caribbean Unity - Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) 1979 |
| 20. | The Slave - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1963 |
| 21. | Child Training - Mighty Composer (Fred Mitchell) 1969 |
| 22. | Love in the Cemetery - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1963 |
| 23. | Matilda - King Radio (Norman Span) 1938 |
| 24. | Little Black Boy - Gypsy (Winston Peters) 1997 |
| 25. | Federation - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1962 |
| 26. | Burn Dem - Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) 1987 |
| 27. | Ice Man (aka Ice Ice) - Lord Melody (Fitzroy Alexander) 1960 |
| 28. | Rich Man Poor Man - Lord Brynner (Kade Simon) 1960 |
| 29. | Um Ba Yao - Merchant (Dennis F. Williams) 1978 |
| 30. | La La - Lord Nelson (Robert Nelson) 1976 |
| 31. | Nature's Plan - Johnny King (Johnston King) 1984 |
| 32. | Poverty is Hell - Shadow (Winston Bailey) 1994 |
| 33. | The Will - Scrunter (Owen Reyes Johnson) 1982 |
| 34. | Tourist Leggo - Short Shirt ( Emmanuel McLean ) 1976/7 |
| 35. | Trouble in Arima - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1954 |
| 36. | Ten to One is Murder - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1960 |
| 37. | Lorraine - Explainer (Winston Henry) 1982 |
| 38. | Ganges and the Nile - David Rudder (David Rudder) 1999 |
| 39. | Come Leh We Go Sookie - King Fighter (Shurland Wilson) 1964 |
| 40. | Dustbin Cover - Crazy (Edwin Ayoung) 1978 |
| 41. | Joan and James (aka Five Little Popos) - Mighty Bomber (Clifton Ryan) 1964 |
| 42. | Life is A Stage - Brother Valentino (Emrold Phillips) 1972 |
| 43. | Mama Dis is Mas - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1964 |
| 44. | Pan Talent - Mighty Terror (Fitzgerald Henry) 1965 |
| 45. | For Cane - Gypsy (Winston Peters) 1972 |
| 46. | Mary Anne - Roaring Lion (Raphael De Leon) 1946 |
| 47. | Severe Licking - Baron (Timothy Watkins) 1971 |
| 48. | Watch Out My Children - Ras Shorty I (Garfield Blackman) 1989 |
| 49. | Split Me in Two - Mighty Dougla (Clatis Ali) 1961 |
| 50. | Ras Mas - Explainer (Winston Henry) 1981 |
| 51. | My Pussin - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1965 |
| 52. | Mama Popo - Brigo (Samuel Abraham) 1960s? |
| 53. | Black is Beautiful - Duke (Kelvin Pope) 1969 |
| 54. | Money is King - Growling Tiger (Neville Marcano) 1935 |
| 55. | Juba Dubai - Chalkdust (Hollis Liverpool) 1977 |
| 56. | A Mother's Love - Destroyer (Donald Glasgow) 1941 |
| 57. | Too Much Man Family - Mighty Zandolie (Sylvester Anthony) 1967 |
| 58. | King Liar - Lord Nelson (Robert Nelson) 1977 |
| 59. | Melda (Obeah Wedding) - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1966 |
| 60. | The Mecca - Brother Mudada (Alan Fortune) 1987 |
| 61. | Mr. Walker - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1968 |
| 62. | The Bedbug - Mighty Spoiler (Theophilus Phillip) 1953 |
| 63. | Congo Man - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1965/1989 |
| 64. | Pan in A Minor - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1987 |
| 65. | Education - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1967 |
| 66. | People Will Talk - King Fighter (Shurland Wilson) 1962 |
| 67. | Flag Woman - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1976 |
| 68. | Gavaskar - Relator (Willard Harris) 1972 |
| 69. | Soca Baptist - Blueboy ( Austin Lyons ) 1980 |
| 70. | Steel and Brass - King Wellington (Wellington Quashi) 1973 |
| 71. | Norman - Merchant (Dennis F. Williams) 1978 |
| 72. | Indrani - Lord Shorty (Garfield Blackman) 1972 |
| 73. | Never Ever Worry - Lord Pretender (Alric Farrell) 1962 |
| 74. | Is Thunder - Duke (Kelvin Pope) 1987 |
| 75. | Run the Gunslingers - Lord Caruso (Emmanuel Pierre) 1959 |
| 76. | Papa Chunks - Roaring Lion (Raphael De Leon) 1941/1995 |
| 77. | Scrunting Calypsonian - Trinidad Rio (Daniel Brown) 1978 |
| 78. | Supposing - Mighty Composer (Fred Mitchell) 1964 |
| 79. | Pan in Danger - Merchant (Dennis F. Williams) 1985 |
| 80. | The Bionic Man - Maestro (Cecil Hume) 1977 |
| 81. | What is Calypso? - Mighty Duke (Kelvin Pope) 1968 |
| 82. | Voices From the Ghetto - Singing Sandra (Sandra De Vignes) 1999 |
| 83. | The Graf Zeppelin - Atilla the Hun (Raymond Quevedo) 1934 |
| 84. | The Five Rules of Calypso - Mighty Fearless (Mikey Hamit) 1966 |
| 85. | Santa - King Solomon (Samuel Ryan) 1961 |
| 86. | Miss Tourist - Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) 1968 |
| 87. | The Outcast - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1963 |
| 88. | Women and Money - Mighty Conqueror (Leroy Paul) 1962 |
| 89. | Brown Skin Girl - King Radio (Norman Span) 1933 |
| 90. | Die with My Dignity - Singing Sandra (Sandra De Vignes) 1987 |
| 91. | Black Man Come to Party - Black Stalin (Leroy Calliste) 1991 |
| 92. | Ma and Pa - Lord Creator (Kenrick Patrick) 1965 |
| 93. | Obey the Highway Code - Magic (A. Rampersad) 1960s? |
| 94. | Never Hang Your Hat - Lord Cristo (Christopher Laidlow) 1967 |
| 95. | Chinese Children - Mighty Terror (Fitzgerald Henry) 1950 |
| 96. | May May - Mighty Sparrow (Slinger Francisco) 1960 |
| 97. | Raycan - Lord Shortshirt (Hector Emmanuel) 1977 |
| 98. | Soul Chick - Funny (Donric Williamson) 1973 |
| 99. | Don't Interfere - The Hawk (Kenneth Haywood) 1961 |
| 100. | Woman on the Bass - Scrunter (Owen Reyes Johnson) 1980 |
| Top 50 Calypsonians of the 20th Century courtesy of Geroge Maharaj from Kaisoca International. Contact: George Maharaj via email or checkout his website at The Roots Of Calypso that features the history of calypso, George's personal selection of calypsos, his calypso music want list and calypsos he is selling just to name a few items at his website. |