Trinidad - Lord Invader
Most famous as the composer of "Rum and Coca-Cola," Lord Invader was a popular calypso performer in both his native Trinidad and New York, recording from the late '30s through the early '60s. Born Rupert Westmore Grant, he made his recording debut for RCA Bluebird in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad in 1937, with a song about boxer Joe Louis, and continued to record (for both RCA and Decca) and place in the upper reaches of Trinidadian calypso competitions through the early '40s, when he also began to perform and make recordings in New York City. In Trinidad in September 1943, visiting American comedian Morey Amsterdam heard Lord Invader's "Rum and Coca-Cola" and made it known back in the US, where the Andrews Sisters had a huge hit with the song. Lord Invader sued for plagiarism, the case eventually getting decided in his favor in 1947, although he didn't receive money from the defendants for seven years.
"Rum and Coca-Cola," however, was but one of many songs that the singer performed and recorded. As with many other calypso singers of that and other eras, Lord Invader was skilled at devising songs with social and political commentary, as well as singing more conventional lyrics based on romantic situations, or based upon traditional folk songs. From the mid-'40s through the early '60s, he recorded off and on for Moe Asch of Folkways Records, and during that period he was performing and recording in New York, London, and Europe. A compilation of 26 tracks Lord Invader did for Asch -- some with his Calypso Group, some with full and somewhat jazzy bands -- was issued by Smithsonian Folkways in 2000.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Discography
17 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Calypso in New York
Azië - Released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings on 26 sep. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Calypso
Wereldmuziek - Released by Music Manager on 16 sep. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Yankee Dollar
Azië - Released by Golden Century Music on 1 jan. 1940
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
There's a Brown Boy in the Ring and Other Children's Calypso Songs
Kinderen - Released by Folkways Records on 1 jan. 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Old Time Cat-O'-Nine / Aguiti (Remastered)
Reggae - Released by Tosh on 12 jan. 1960
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Calypso (Trinidad & Tobago, Album of 1956)
Divers - Released by Caribic on 30 jun. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Calypso Travels
Azië - Released by Folkways Records on 1 jan. 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Master Stickfighter in New York!
Reggae - Released by Poppydisc on 26 aug. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
When You Hear I Die
Reggae - Released by TOASTERS on 22 nov. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Calypso Essentials
Wereldmuziek - Released by Master Series, Inc. on 6 sep. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Master Stickfighter In New York! (Remastered)
Wereldmuziek - Released by RevOla on 20 jul. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
West Indian Folksongs for Children
Kinderen - Released by Folkways Records on 1 jan. 1960
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rum & Coca-Cola / Barbados, Barbados (All Tracks Remastered)
Wereldmuziek - Released by Hit Singles Records on 22 aug. 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hello Joe / Brown Skin Gal (Remastered 2019)
Wereldmuziek - Released by Hit Singles Records on 11 nov. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo