Music Around the World: The Bahamas

This week, our Musical World Tour sets up camp in the island nation of The Bahamas, located in the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean. Famous for its picturesque beaches, the well-known Swimming Pigs of Exuma (how cool would that be to get to do??), and excellent scuba diving and snorkeling sites, The Bahamas are just as interesting as they are beautiful. The musical culture of the islands was really cool to explore, along with our usual fact dump to get to know the country:

-Capital City: Nassau (on the island of New Providence)

-Official Languages: English, with the dialect of Bahamian English listed as another recognized and spoken language

-Government: Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, currently under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth II of England, Governor-General Sir Cornelius A. Smith, and Prime Minister Philip Davis

-The islands were first inhabited by the Taino people somewhere between 800-1000 AD, became the first landing site of Christopher Columbus in 1492 (on the island of San Salvador to be exact), were colonized by the British in 1648, and declared independence from the United Kingdom in July 1973

-Land Area: 5,358 square miles (155th largest in the world, and the country is actually 28% water!)

-Population: 400,516 estimated as of 2022 (177th most populous in the world)

-Religion: 80% Protestant, 15.8% other Christian denomination, 3.1% no religious affiliation, 1.1% other religious affiliation

-Drive on the left side of the road

Bahamian music is heavily inspired by an event called Junkanoo, which is an enormous, elaborate, and joyful street parade held on Boxing Day (December 26th) and New Year's Day. Genres such as calypso (an up-beat, rhythmic style of Afro-Caribbean music), soca (a dance-based music that evolved out of calypso in Trinidad & Tobago), junkanoo (named for the celebration with roots in calypso, reggae, and soca), and rake & scrape (set apart by use of a musical handsaw) help make the music scene in The Bahamas unique and so, so much fun. Now that we've gotten a little educated, let's give these pieces a listen!

Rock With Me by Angelique Sabrina (composer unknown)

Angelique White, known best by her stage name Angelique Sabrina, is a 24-year-old Bahamian actress, vocalist and dancer who hails from Nassau. She has enjoyed a twelve-year career so far, getting started early with her first live performance at the age of 9. Here dad is music producer Gregg White, and she spent her early years studying piano, guitar, and drums as well as singing. Her primary genres are pop and R&B, and she also co-hosts the YouTube channel TristAngie Productions with her brother, Tristan White. She's released one studio album so far, 2014's One for the People, and the song of hers I've chosen to highlight is Rock With Me from the 2018 dance compilation album Twin Flame Riddim. This song is a lot of fun to listen to, is very high energy, and will definitely make you want to get up and dance! I couldn't find a good transcription of the lyricis, but I highly recommend you go check it out!

Who Let the Dogs Out by Baha Men (written by O. Gurley, A. Douglas)

One of the best known musical groups out of The Bahamas is the Baha Men, formed on the island of New Providence back in 1977. Throughout their 45-year career, the group has explored the genres of junkanoo, dance, pop, reggae fusion, and hip hop; released 11 studio albums; and won a Grammy, a Billboard Music Award, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award for the most well known song: Who Let the Dogs Out. Featured on their 2000 album of the same name, this is actually a cover of the song Doggie by Trinidadian musician Anselm Douglas, and I don't think anyone expected this song to be as huge as it's ended up being. The Baha Men currently consist of Rik Carey, Isaiah Taylor, Dyson Knight, Monks Flowers, Breaka Butler, Patrick Carey, Jeffery Chea, Herschel Small, and Kenwood McKenzie.

Who let the dogs out/Who, who, who, who, who/Who let the dogs out/Who, who, who, who, who/Who let the dogs out/Who, who, who, who, who/Who let the dogs out/Well, the party was nice, the party was pumpin’/Yippie yi yo/And everybody havin' a ball/Yippie yi yo/I tell the fellas start the name callin’/Yippie yi yo/And the girls respond to the call/I heard a woman shout out

Exuma, The Obeah Man by Exuma (written by M. Mackey)

Macfarlane Mackey, better known by his stage names Tony McKay and Exuma, was born in 1942 in Tea Bay on Cat Island, about 137 miles southeast of Nassau. Known as a musician, artist, playwright, and author, his music has been characterized as borderline "unclassifiable," a mix of carnival, junkanoo, calypso, reggae, African, and folk. In addition to vocals and acoustic guitar, McKay was proficient on the cowbell and various whistles and was a talented lyricist as well, taking inspiration from the Obeah tradition, which is a system of spiritual and healing practices developed amongst West African slaves as far back as the 1710s and still practiced on many of the Bahamian islands. Exuma is both the name of McKay's musical group project (featuring Sally O'Brien, Bogie, Lord Wellington, Villy, Spy Boy Thielheim, Mildred Vaney, Frankie Gearing, Diana Bunea, and Peppy Castro) as well as his onstage persona (think Sasha Fierce or Chris Gaines). He enjoyed a 35-year career, was awarded the British Empire Medal by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988, and released 11 studio albums before he passed away in his sleep 1997 at the age of 54 in Nassau. Exuma, The Obeah Man is the title track from Exuma's 1970 album and was absolutely my favorite song I listened to this week. I had no idea what to expect just from the description of his music, but this song is an absolute banger, McKay's vocals are awesome, and it's a musical experience I recommend to all of you for sure.

I came down on a lightning bolt/Nine months in my Mama’s belly/When I was born he midwife screamed and shout/I had fire and brimstone coming out of my mouth/I’m Exuma, I’m the obeah man/Exuma, obeah man/Na na na na na na na, na na na na na/Na na na na na na na na, na na na na na

Just Got Paid by Johnny Kemp (written by K. Sweat, J. Kemp)

Bahamian singer, songwriter, and producer Johnny Kemp was born in 1959 in Nassau. Known in the genres of R&B and new jack swing throughout his 36 year career, he released two studio albums and was nominated for a Grammy Award for this very song in 1989. Sadly, Kemp passed away in 2015 at the age of 55 from an accidental drowning in Jamaica. Just Got Paid is from Kemp's 1987 album Secrets of Flying, and I had no idea this was not originally an *NSYNC song (they covered it on their iconic No Strings Attached album in 2000). This song is pure '80s fun and is a definite banger, and I highly recommend a listen if you're an '80s pop fan or if you loved the *NSYNC version.

Just got paid, it’s Friday night/Party huntin’, feelin’ right/Body shakin’ all around/No one thinks I’m gettin’ down/Check the mirror, I’m lookin’ fly/Round up the posse, jump in my ride/Radio rockin’ a monster jam/Feel the rhythm, pump up the sound/I’m feeling so good/Don’t you know I’m just groovin’ to the beat/I’m groovin’, groovin’/Yeah, yeah, yeah/Yeah, yeah, yeah

Run Come See Jerusalem by Joseph Spence (written by J. Roberts)

Bahamian vocalist and guitarist Joseph Spence was born on Andros Island in 1910, about 47 miles southwest of Nassau. A prominent voice in folk, calypso, blues, and Bahamian Rhyming Spiritual music, he made his first recordings back in 1958 to start off his 26 year career. He released three studio albums before his death in 1984 in Nassau at the age of 73. An inspiration to many musicians both during and after his time, Run Come See Jerusalem is featured on the 2021 compilation album Encore: Unheard Recordings of Bahamian Guitar and Singing which includes many previously unreleased songs of Spence's. This song has a very authentic, real sound to it without a lot of bells and whistles or fancy production, and it's definitely worth listening to.

Three sails leave at the harbor/Run, come see, run, come see/Three sails leave at the harbor/Run, come see, Jerusalem/They was sailing down for Andros/Run, come see, run, come see/Sailin’ down for Andros/When they get to Andros/Come see, run, come/When they get to Andros/Pretoria/Run, come see, run, come see/Pretoria/Run, come see, Jerusalem

March On, Bahamaland by National Anthems Orchestra (written by T. Gibson)

The national anthem of The Bahamas was composed by school music teacher Timothy Gibson and adopted in July 1973 when the islands gained their independence from Great Britain. Since the islands do remain in the Commonwealth, God Save the Queen does remain their "royal" anthem, but March On, Bahamaland is formally recognized as the official anthem of the nation.

Lift up your head to the rising sun, Bahamaland/March on to glory, your bright banners waving high/See how the world marks the manner of your bearing/Pledge to excel through love and unity/Pressing onward, march together/To a common loftier goal/Steady sunward, tho’ the weather/Hide the wide and treacherous shoal/Life up your head to the rising sun, Bahamaland/’Til the road you’ve trod lead unto your God/March on, Bahamaland

Bang Bang Lulu by Ronnie Butler (composer unknown)

Bahamian entertainer and singer Ronnie Butler was born in 1937. Known as the Godfather of Bahamian Music, he enjoyed a 60 year career in calypso and rake & scrape music and was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2003. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 80 due to complications from cancer. Bang Bang Lulu is featured on Butler's 2013 album Dis One's Fa Me and was such a fun song to listen to. It's funny, it has a great beat, and encapsulates that classic calypso sound. I couldn't find a good transcription of the lyrics, but definitely go check it out.

I hope you enjoy this musical "trip" to these beautiful islands as much as I have. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!