Calypso is a type of folk song in which the text is witty and sarcastic pertaining to politcal or socially important events.  The tone is one of allusion, mockery and double entendre.  The form follows that of a ballad which if four lines of refrain followed by eight line stanzas.  The singers would create stage names such as Lord Kitchener, The Mighty Spoiler, Lord Melody and Attila the Hun and "would incorporate Spanish, Creole and African phrases into a lowbrow idiom utilizing newly invented colloquial expressions."(Calypso Music)

 

Calypso music has roots going back to 1776 when West Indian French Catholics began settling on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  The music was meant to mock the French masters without them knowing they were being mocked.  The French brought the Carnival with them and calypso competitions grew in popularity, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1834.  Calypso music is believed to have its origins in West African tribal songs and the custom of griot court singing.  Calypso has some of the same characteristics as these West African tribal songs such as the beat, call and response pattern, singing and satire (Calypso) 

 

Calypso music spread around the caribbean and the world in the early 20th century.  Calypso music was first recorded and distributed in 1914 by the Victor Gramophone Comapny of New York.  During World War II American G.I.s spent time in Trinidad and Tobago which helped the music become even more popular.  There have been some other forms of music that have spawned from calypso such as soca, rapso, chutney soca and ragga soca and the music continues to evolve today.

 

The Carnival is still the biggest time for calypso competition and in order to compete each calypsonian must produce two new songs, as a result this genre of music continues to grow and be popular.  Over the years calypso has been a sounding board for whatever was going on in Caribbean life.  As long as there are political and social events that make people unhappy there will be Calypso.

 

 

Source:

 

"Calypso | Music." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 20 Dec. 2015.

 

"Calypso." Calypso. Web. 20 Dec. 2015.