I DO NOT BELIEVE SWEET SOCA SHOULD BE IN THE PIC O DE CROP...let me clarify that statement a bit...I do not question bpm...lyrical content is my issue...There are some songs such as Biggie Irie's My Island (2015) which due to lyrical content would be relevant in a Pic o de Crop context however his Sweet Type of Way (2015) which was offered at the semis well made my point as kaiso fans sat stunned enduring lyrics such as "gal the way u bubble up like sprite" it was simply out of context.
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| Former International Groovy Soca and National Sweet Soca monarch Biggie Irie has now become a fixture in the Pic-o-de Crop Competition |
Red Plastic Bag has done it...but as much of a dance moves and all "party song" (pun intended) as La La (2010) was, it was a relevant social commentary. Fetin (2012) however was not and I do not believe should have been in the Pic-o-de-Crop. Do not get me wrong Sparrow et al have sung many a smutty calypso, competition or not and "party songs" are no stranger to Pic o de Crop competition; Rock in Ethiopia (1981) Cant' Find me Brother (1987) -both Road March winners- Jump and Wave (1994). However these songs came at a time when, Road March aside Pic o de Crop was the only calypso competition. Therefore they were competition material and appropriate in that context.
In 1995 all that changed with the new Party Monarch contest and Edwin (see what I did there). That competition was intended to cater to songs with more of an emphasis on party and to meet the changing tastes of a new generation of Crop Over/Calypso supporters. Twenty years on the lyrical content of party music has "devolved" into the drinks, road and bumpa songs of today. The lyrical content of these songs perhaps best reflects the vain, materialistic and escapist attitudes which now pervade. So yes Edwin won Pic o de Crop with a "licking down" 140 bpm plus party song Oba (1995) and attempted to defend with Down De Road (1996) but when one examines the lyrical content of both songs my point is well made. Based on lyrical content they are still very much social commentaries and despite their musical treatment and tempo are still very much relevant to a competition like Pic-o-de-Crop. Like RPB's now classic Party Monarch offering Something's Happening (2009)-which paired with Home Drums(2009) won the Pic-o-de-Crop competition-its lyrical content made it very much a social commentary.
Lyrical content however is not all. They are some songs which as a result of their musical treatment I would deem inappropriate for Pic-o-de-Crop. Take for example Salt's Dah is Wuh Um Is(2015) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYsE2NL14Kc . Despite perhaps arguably the most biting social commentary of 2015 it is essentially on a dancehall 'riddim'.-I will get to Kid Site's Zr.Van Driver(2006) another time- Though you could argue its a part of the emerging "Bashment Soca" culture which I believe has its place,I also think that Pic o de Crop should remain a calypso competition which it traditionally has been.
The question then is how do we keep 'Sweet Soca's' such as Mikey's -melodically sweet and brilliant harmonies-Somethings Never Change(2015) out of the Pic-o-de-Crop. I found the "we mashing up everywhere ...we fete till morning appear" lyrics very inappropriate at the semi finals...it was not a party to be mashed up. Bpm is obviously out of the question as Adrian Clarke's Freundel Ain't Saying Nuttin (2011) qualified for that year's Sweet Soca Competition as many other commentaries -including Sir Don's Tom Say (c.1970's)-would on bpms alone. It would be extremely difficult to have criteria speak to lyrics. As has been mentioned with Something's Happening there can be lyrical content which renders the song relevant within both party and commentary contexts. Of course with double entendre a cleverly written song can have all the lyrics of a party song but be a biting commentary as well. So lyrics is out of the door but not completely. It must then be left to the interpretation of the judges whether the lyrics being presented are suitable for the competition/context in which they are being heard. If you would not find an out and out kaiso in Sweet Soca or Party Monarch contests then you should not find an out and out party song in Pic-o-de-Crop.
On that score kudos to the NCF for tightening up the rules with a song now being eligible for only one competition. The material in Party Monarch is much different from what obtained in the 90's when social comment was still being made in uptempo socas, that being the case I believe the segmentation of the sub genres of calypso for competition purposes is necessary. If there be a need for additional "entertainment" at the Pic-o-de-Crop invite the Sweet Soca and Party Monarch winners to perform as was the case with the latter this year...throw in the King and Queens of the Band at intermission-as has been done before-as Cohobblopot has now stopped bubbling...One Love!!
