Slinger Francisco ORTT CM OBE (born July 9, 1935), better known as Mighty Sparrow, is a

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

ian calypso vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist. Known as the "Calypso King of the World", he is one of the best-known and most successful

calypsonian A calypsonian,Definition of CALYPSO
Carnival Road March The Carnival Road March is the musical composition played most often at the "judging points" along the parade route during a Caribbean Carnival. Originating as part of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, the term has been applied to other Caribbean ...

competition eight times, Calypso King/Monarch eight times, and has twice won the Calypso King of Kings title.

Career

Slinger Francisco was born in the fishing village of Grand Roy, Grenada,

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greate ...

on July 9, 1935. He moved to

as a one-year-old with his mother, his father having relocated there in 1937.Thompson, p. 184.Harris He grew up in Port of Spain. He began singing as a small child, but his love of calypso was discouraged while at Newtown Boys Catholic School, where he sang in the choir. At the age of 14 he joined a

steel band The steelpan (also known as a pan, steel drum, and sometimes, collectively with other musicians, as a steelband or steel orchestra) is a musical instrument originating in Trinidad and Tobago. Steelpan musicians are called pannists. Descriptio ...

comprising neighbourhood boys, and performed with the band at Carnival. He received his performing name "Little Sparrow" during his early career, as a result of his energetic stage performances: After a couple of years he changed his stage name to "Mighty Sparrow".Broughton et al (2000), p. 512. On leaving school he began working for the government Control Board, but continued to perform calypso, which became the better paid of the two, and his residency at the Lotus Club made him a star locally.

Calypso King

His first performance as a carnival singer came in 1954 with "The Parrot and the Monkey". In 1955, Sparrow made his first recordings "Missing Baby (Ruby)", "High Cost of Living" and "Race Track" for Vitadisc, which were included on the Royalties of Calypso Kingdom compilation a few years later. In 1955 and 1956, he also recorded "Give The Youngsters A Chance", "Family Size Coke", "Goaty", "Clara Honey Bunch" and "Yankee's Back Again" for GEMS, "Jean And Dinah" and "The Queen's Canary" for Kay, and "Sailor Man" for Veejay Special Ace. In 1956, Sparrow won Trinidad's Carnival

Road March The Carnival Road March is the musical composition played most often at the "judging points" along the parade route during a Caribbean Carnival. Originating as part of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, the term has been applied to other Caribbean ...

and Calypso King competitions with his most famous song, " Jean and Dinah" (also known as "Yankees Gone", a song celebrating the departure of US troops from Trinidad).Thompson, p. 185. A live performance of "Yankees Gone" was included in the album ''Jump Up Carnival in Trinidad''. His prize for winning the Calypso King title was $40. In protest of the small sum (the winner of the Carnival Queen beauty contest won $7,500), he wrote the song "Carnival Boycott" and attempted to organize other singers to boycott the competition. About half of the singers followed, including

Lord Melody Lord Melody (1926 – 26 September 1988)Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', backbeat Books, , p.154-155 was a popular Trinidadian calypsonian, best known for singles such as " Boo Boo Man", "Creature From The Black Lagoon", "S ...

. Sparrow claims credit for succeeding improvements in the conditions of calypso and steelband musicians in Trinidad, as well as the formation of the Carnival Development Committee, a musicians' assistance organization. Sparrow refused to officially participate in the competition for the next three years, but he continued to perform unofficially, even winning another Road March title in 1958 with "P.A.Y.E." He did perform at the 1957 carnival in the Young Brigade Calypso Tent, where the four songs he performed were recorded and later released on the album ''Calypso Kings and Pink Gin''. Sparrow went on to have local hits in 1956 and 1957 with singles such as "Jack Palance", "No Doctor No", and "Sailor Man", before beginning a musical slanging match with

, each releasing singles attacking the other.Thompson, p. 186 The rivalry went on for several years. In 1957, Sparrow recorded his first album, ''Calypso Carnival 58'', released the following year on the Balisier label. He again boycotted the carnival in 1959, choosing instead to tour extensively, and early that year released the album ''Sparrow in Hi Fi'' before signing a deal with

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

, for whom he recorded eleven albums between 1960 and 1964.

Taking calypso abroad

Calypso music enjoyed a brief period of popularity in other parts in the world during the 1950s. Trinidadian expatriate Lord Kitchener had helped popularize calypso in the United Kingdom, and Sparrow also found some success there. In the United States, interest in calypso was sparked largely by

Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is an American singer, activist, and actor. As arguably the most successful Jamaican-American pop star, he popularized the Trinbagonian Caribbean musical style with an interna ...

's 1956 album '' Calypso'', the first LP to sell over one million copies. In January 1958, Sparrow, along with longtime rival

, travelled to New York City seeking access to the American music audience. Sparrow had already been recording with Balisier and

Cook Records Cook Records was a record label founded by Emory Cook (1913–2002), an audio engineer and inventor. From 1952 to 1966, Cook used his Sounds of our Times and Cook Laboratories record labels to demonstrate his philosophy about sound, recording equipm ...

, and with Belafonte's help he also began to record for RCA Victor. He did not achieve the success he had hoped for; he said in a 2001 interview, "When nothing happened for me, I went back to England and continued on with my career." In 1960, Sparrow returned to the Calypso Monarch competition, winning his second Kingship and third Road March title with "Ten to One Is Murder" (an autobiographical song about an incident in which Sparrow allegedly shot a man)Delblond (2003) and "Mae Mae". He also began recording for his own label, National Recording. He won the Road March title in 1961 with "Royal Jail" and won his third Calypso King title in 1962 with "Model Nation" and "Sparrow Come Back Home". He won further titles in the 1960s and 1970s and continued to enjoy great popularity in Trinidad. He recorded prolifically, with forty albums released in the 1960s and 1970s. In the latter half of the 1960s his recordings began to be released in the United Kingdom. In 1968 he recorded the album ''Sparrow Meets the Dragon'' with

Byron Lee Byron Lee ,
''Jamaica Gleaner'', 27 October 2008. born Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee ...

in Jamaica. Their version of " Only a Fool Breaks His Own Heart" (written by Norman Bergen and Shelly Coburn) gave them an international hit in 1969, earning a gold disc upon its re-release in late 1977 igniting a #2 hit record in 1978 in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. He had his greatest success internationally in the 1970s, starting with the album ''The Best Of'', featuring live recordings in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York of Sparrow favorites.Thompson, p. 188 In 1974, with

Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle'' and for his collaborations with ...

as producer, he recorded the album ''Hot and Sweet'' for

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

in Miami, and the following year reunited with Byron Lee for the ''Sparrow Dragon Again'' album. He had a big hit in 1977 with "Crawford", a tribute to sprinter

Hasley Crawford Hasely Joachim Crawford Trinity Cross, TC (born 16 August 1950) is a former track and field athlete from Trinidad and Tobago. In 1976, he became his country's first Olympic Games, Olympic champion. Hasely Crawford Stadium, A stadium was renamed ...

, and that year embarked on a tour of West Africa, during which he was given the honorary Yoruba title Chief Omo Wale of Ikoyi.Thompson, 187 In 1978 he recorded the album ''Only a Fool'' in London for

Trojan Records Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name ''Trojan'' comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck ...

. Sparrow recognized the advantages of using New York as a base for recording and international touring, and by the mid-1960s moved his operation and family to Jamaica, Queens. He became a fixture in Brooklyn’s Labor Day Carnival, regularly appearing at the big Dimanche Gras show at the Brooklyn Museum. He wrote a number of calypsos about life in New York, bookended by his 1969 classic “Mas in Brooklyn” and his provocative 1991 “Crown Heights Justice.”

Soca

As soca began to supplant calypso in popularity in Trinidad and Tobago during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sparrow embraced the hybrid of calypso and

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

fused with the local

chutney music Chutney music is a fusion genre of Indian folk music, specifically Bhojpuri folk music, with local Caribbean calypso and soca music, and later on Bollywood music. This genre of music that developed in Trinidad and Tobago is popular in Trinida ...

. In 1984 he won his eighth Road March title with the soca-influenced "Doh Back Back". Also around this time, he began to spend at least half the year in New York City, finding an apartment in the West Indian neighborhoods in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

, Queens. In 1985, he performed at the carnival's King of Kings show alongside The Mighty Swallow, Blue Boy, Scrunter, Blakie, Mighty Duke, and

Black Stalin Leroy Calliste (24 September 1941 – 28 December 2022), better known as Black Stalin, was a leading calypsonian from Trinidad and Tobago known for his lyrics against European colonial oppression. He won the Calypso Monarch competition on fiv ...

, taking the "King of Kings" title and the US$10,000 first prize. He would later win the title for a second time.Guilbault (2007), p. 154. His last major title came in 1992, with "Both of Them" and "Survival" winning him the Calypso Monarch title. He made an appearance at the Reggae Sunsplash festival in 1993. Although less active since the mid-1990s, Sparrow continued to perform, and tour into the 21st century; in a 2001 interview he mentioned that he had been singing and performing a "

Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

-lypso" hybrid. In 2008, he released a song supporting

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

's presidential campaign, "Barack the Magnificent".Richardson (2010). He also did a remake of his "Congo Man" song with fellow Trinidadian Machel Montano on the 2008 ''

Flame On ''Flame On'' is an album by Trinidadian soca artist Machel Montano, released in 2008. It was first launched at Trinidad's Club Zen on 16 January 2008. The album marked Montano's second release after rebranding to Machel Montano HD in 2007. A rel ...

'' album. In 2010, Sparrow left the stage in a wheelchair after a performance in Trinidad, and later that year was hospitalised after suffering an

inguinal hernia An inguinal hernia is a hernia (protrusion) of abdominal-cavity contents through the inguinal canal. Symptoms, which may include pain or discomfort especially with or following coughing, exercise, or bowel movements, are absent in about a third ...

while performing in

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

.Mighty Sparrow recuperating after surgery"
, '' Jamaica Observer'', July 30, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2013 He made a full recovery and continued to tour internationally. He has been hospitalised several times with complications of

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

.Sparrow fighting"
''

Trinidad Express The ''Trinidad and Tobago Express'', better known as ''Daily Express'' (and the weekend editions ''Saturday Express'' and ''Sunday Express''), is one of three daily newspapers in Trinidad and Tobago. The ''Daily Express'' as per its masthead is p ...

'', September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013. In September 2013 he was due to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Trinidad & Tobago consulate in New York, but was admitted to a New York hospital where he fell into a coma for two weeks before regaining consciousness.Mighty Sparrow now conscious and responsive, relatives say"
''Jamaica Observer'', September 17, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013. He returned to public performance in January 2014 with a forty-minute set at a bar in

, New York.Sparrow hits road again"
''Jamaica Observer'', 23 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2014. At the end of the year he was voted "Express Individual of the Year 2014" by the ''

''. In 2020 he released ''Live at 85!'', a recording of a show at

Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette St ...

in New York City in December 2019.

Lyrics

Sparrow's lyrics are famous for being witty, ironic, and ribald. He sings flirtatiously of the attractions of Hispanic women in "Margarita", and of East Indian women in "Marajhin".Broughton et al (2000), p. 529. He tells some outrageously frank tales of sexuality in "Mae Mae", "The Lizard" and "Big Bamboo". And there is humorous commentary on West Indian culture to be found in "

Obeah Obeah, or Obayi, is an ancestrally inherited tradition of Akan witches of Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Togo and their descendants in the African diaspora of the Caribbean. Inheritors of the tradition are referred to as "obayifo" (Akan/Ghana-region ...

Wedding" and "Witch Doctor". Robert Christgau called his controversial song "Congo Man" "a wildly perverse piss-take on African roots, interracial revenge, interracial sex, male-female relations, and cannibalism". The 1965 song was criticized for its attitudes toward women and Africans, and banned from radio airplay until 1989. Sparrow also frequently comments on social and political issues in his songs.Guilbault (2007), p. 75.Hebdige, Dick (1987) ''Cut 'n' Mix'', Routledge, , p. 23. During his early career he was a supporter of

Eric Williams Eric Eustace Williams (25 September 1911 – 29 March 1981) was a Trinidad and Tobago politician who is regarded by some as the " Father of the Nation", having led the then British Colony of Trinidad and Tobago to majority rule on 28 October ...

and his

People's National Movement The People's National Movement (PNM) is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party has dominated national and local politics for much of Trinidad and Tobago's history, contesting all elections sinc ...

(PNM), which formed in 1955 and led Trinidad and Tobago to independence in 1962;Broughton et al (2000), p. 513. songs such as "Leave The Damn Doctor Alone" and "William the Conqueror" mentioned Williams directly, while others such as "Federation" (blaming

for the breakup of the short-lived

West Indies Federation The West Indies Federation, also known as the West Indies, the Federation of the West Indies or the West Indian Federation, was a short-lived political union that existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962. Various islands in the Caribbean that ...

), "Our Model Nation" (celebrating Trinidadian independence), and "PAYE" (supporting the PNM's pay-as-you-earn tax system) echoed PNM positions. Sparrow did express discontent in 1957's "No, Doctor, No", but it was comparatively mild, and aimed at holding PNM politicians to their promises rather than replacing them. Sparrow cleverly combined political criticism with sexual innuendo in his mid-1960s song "BG Plantain", which decried the ban levied by PM Williams on imported

plantain Plantain may refer to: Plants and fruits * Cooking banana, banana cultivars in the genus ''Musa'' whose fruits are generally used in cooking ** True plantains, a group of cultivars of the genus ''Musa'' * ''Plantaginaceae'', a family of flowerin ...

from British Guiana (BG); plantain, a large banana-shaped vegetable, is a staple of West Indian cuisine, and Sparrow praised the BG plantain as larger, sweeter, and superior to the home-grown Trinidadian variety. One of his most famous hits, "Dead or Alive" (1979), which achieved international acclaim, addressed the tyranny of rulers like Idi Amin, the Shah of Iran and other leaders of the era. His tongue-in-cheek humor is best expressed by his 1970 hit "Sparrow Dead", which addressed the premature rumors of his death, which persist to this day. Amongst the lyrics of the song: :"I hear he have cancer :I hear he have yellow fever :Something in the bladder :And a double dose of leukemia!" :Two gossip mongers gossipin' :I stand in a corner listenin' :Before I could ask who dey talkin' about :A newspaper boy started to shout :'Hey! Extra! Read all about it! :"Who killed the Sparrow - nobody know . . . " :Well big mouth Lillian :Say de funeral was on television :She picky head cousin say that the coffin cost twenty thousand :This is why he sell de company :To pay de doctor and de burial fee!" In more recent times Sparrow continues to incorporate social issues into his music. "Crown Heights Justice" is a plea for peace and understanding in the wake of the 1991

Crown Heights Riot The Crown Heights riot was a race riot that took place from August 19 to August 21, 1991, in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York City. Black residents attacked orthodox Jewish residents, damaged their homes, and looted businesses. Th ...

in Sparrow's adopted home of New York City. The themes of peace, tolerance, and concern for the poor show up repeatedly in songs such as "Human Rights" (1981), "Capitalism Gone Mad" (1983), and "This Is Madness" (1995).

Discography

*''Calypso Carnival 58'' (1958), Balisier *''This Is Sparrow'' (1958), Balisier *''Sparrow in Hi Fi'' (1959), Balisier *''Sparrow'' (1960),

*''The Mighty Sparrow'' (1960), RCA *''Sparrow's Greatest Hits'' (1960), RCA *''More Sparrow's Greatest Hits'' (1960), RCA *''Sparrow Calypso King'' (1960), RCA *''Sparrow the Conqueror'' (1961), RCA *''The Calypso King of Trinidad'' (1961), RCA *''Sparrow Come Back'' (1962), RCA *''Calypso Sparrow'' (1963), RCA *''The Slave'' (1963), RCA *''Sparrow Sings Songs for Lovers'' (1964), RCA *''The Outcast'' (1964), National *''Christmas with Sparrow'' (1964), National *''Congo Man'' (1965), National *"Dan Is The Man" (1965), Wirl Records, Jamaica 7" *"Harry And Mama" (1965), Wirl Records, Jamaica 7" *''Sparrow's Calypso'' (1965), National *''Tattooed Lady'' (1966), National *''The Calypso Genius'' (1966), National *''Spicy Sparrow'' (1967), Recording Artists *''Sparrow Calypso Carnival'' (1968), Recording Artists *''Sparrow Meets the Dragon'' (1968), Spalee – aka ''Only a Fool'' – Mighty Sparrow &

Byron Lee Byron Lee ,
''Jamaica Gleaner'', 27 October 2008. born Byron Aloysius St. Elmo Lee ...

*"Jughead" (1969) Tiger, Jamaica 7" (DYNA 868) *''More Sparrow More'' (1969), Recording Artists *''Bang Bang Lulu in New York'' (1969), Recording Artists *''Calypso Time'' (1970), Recording Artists *''Calypso a la King'' (1971), Hilary *''Sparrow Power'' (1971), Recording Artists *''Moods of Sparrow'' (1972), Bestway *''Hotter Than Ever'' (1972), Recording Artists *''Sparrow Spectacular'' (1973), WIRL *''Knock Dem Down'' (1973), Recording Artists *''Hot and Sweet'' (1974),

– Produced by

and Andy Wickham *''Calypso Maestro'' (1974), Recording Artists *''Sparrow Dragon Again'' (1975), Spalee – Mighty Sparrow & Byron Lee *"How You Jamming So" (1976), Tysott, Jamaica 7" (SP 1002 DSR 4048-A-DT) *''Sparrow vs the Rest'' (1976), Tysott *"Witch Doctor" (1976) Tysott, Jamaica 7" (SP 1002 DSR 4048-B-DT) *''Boogie Beat 77'' (1977), Semp *''Sparrow NYC Blackout'' (1977), Charlie's *''Only a Fool'' (1978),

Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * ''Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 189 ...

*''Pussycat Party'' (1978), SH *''London Bridge'' (1979), JAF *''Latin Black'' (1980), Sparrow *''Sparrow Sanford'' (1981), Charlies *''Sweeter Than Ever'' (1982), Charlies *''The Greatest'' (1983), Charlies *''Vanessa'' (1984), B's *''King of the World'' (1984), B's *''A Touch of Class'' (1986), B's *''One Love One Heart'' (1987) *''Dr Bird'' (1988) *''Hot Like Fire'' (1992), Ice *''Dancing Shoes'' (1994), Ice *''The Supreme Serenader'' (1998), AR *''Barack De Magnificent'' (2008), BLS/VP *''Fyaah and Fury'' (2018), BLS/VP ;Live albums: *''Sparrow at the Sheraton Kingston'' (1963), National *''Sparrow at the Hilton'' (1967), Recording Artists *''Live Volume Two'' (1971), Hilary *''The Best of'' (1971), Strakers – recorded live in Brooklyn *''Live at 85!'' (2020) ;Major compilations: *''Mighty Sparrow Volume 1'' (1992), Ice *''Mighty Sparrow Volume 2'' (1993), Ice *''Mighty Sparrow Volume 3'' (1993), Ice *''Mighty Sparrow Volume 4'' (1994), Ice *''The Millennium Series'' (2000–2001), Mika Enterprises – a series of 40 albums compiling Sparrow's recordings ;Compilation appearances: *''Calypso Kings and Pink Gin'' (

, 1957) *''Calypso Exposed'' (Cook, 1961) *''16 Carnival Hits'' (with Lord Kitchener) – 1992 *''Calypso Awakening from the Emory Cook Collection'' (

Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was fo ...

, 2000) *''First Flight: Early Calypsos from the Emory Cook Collection'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2005) *''Calypsoes: (Trinidad, August 1959.)

Major awards and honours

* 1993 –

Chaconia Medal The Chaconia Medal is the second highest state decoration of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Established in 1969, the medal honours long and meritorious service to promote national welfare or community spirit. It is awarded in three classes: ...

Gold * 1987- Honorary Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.) from the University of the West Indies * 2013 – Lifetime Achievement Award, Trinidad & Tobago Government *

2015 Birthday Honours The 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as ...

– Officer of the Most Excellent

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) *

Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

Carnival Road March titles

Thompson, p. 6.

Calypso King/Monarch titles

Thompson, p. 5.

Notes

References

*Broughton, Simon et al. (2000) ''World Music, The Rough Guide: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific'', Rough Guides, *Delblond, Michael (February 28, 2003)
"Sparrow, 'the lovable rascal'"
''Trinidad & Tobago Newsday'' *Guilbault, Jocelyne (2007) ''Governing Sound: The Cultural Politics of Trinidad's Carnival Musics'', University of Chicago Press, *Harris, Craig
Mighty Sparrow Biography
,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

. Retrieved September 15, 2013 *Richardson, Clem (2010)
Calypso king The Mighty Sparrow still flying high
, '' New York Daily News'', August 20, 2010. Retrieved September 15, 2013 *Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books,