Lord Invader
Encyclopedia
Lord Invader was a prominent calypsonian
with a very distinctive, gravelly voice.
He was born in San Fernando
, Trinidad
. Invader became active in calypso
in the mid-1930s. He was considered a country bumpkin by his contemporaries, as was his humble beginning. It was Grant's tailor who gave Grant his moniker by commenting, "I tell you, Rupert, you should call yourself Lord Invader so when you go up to the city you be invadin' the capital." With a new name, in 1937 he went to Trinidad's capital city Port of Spain
and began his career in earnest.
He competed in many calypso competitions (including the very first Calypso King competition) and recorded for RCA Bluebird. Lured by Decca Records, he travelled to New York City
in 1941 with other calypsonians such as Roaring Lion
and Atilla the Hun
to make records and promote calypso music.
He wrote many calypsos; his most famous lyrics, "Rum and Coca-Cola
", were plagiarised by Morey Amsterdam
and became a hit for the Andrews Sisters. Invader travelled to New York and sued, eventually winning compensation, although the final settlement allowed Amsterdam to retain his copyright. Ironically, In the early 1940s, radio stations in the USA would not play his own version on the grounds of its using the copyrighted word, Coca-Cola
, and its references to prostitution and alcohol. He stayed in New York for a few years because of the lengthy court case. During his tenure in NYC, he became a fixture in the local calypso scene and recorded many tracks for Moses Asch
. Eventually, he won his court case, but would not see his settlement check for seven years, so he returned to Trinidad in the meantime. He opened a calypso club there and penned and recorded many original songs.
He is often credited with writing "Zombie Jamboree
", although the song was actually written by Lord Intruder
(Winston O'Conner) who released it on the B-side of his 1953 single Disaster with Police. It was covered by Conrad Eugene Mauge Jr. who recorded it in 1959 and was also often credited for writing it. The confusion probably stems from the introduction of the version by the Kingston Trio, which mentions "Lord Invader and his Twelve Penetrators".
At long last, he collected his money from his court case, and began to tour the U.S., later expanding to Britain and Europe. In the last half of 1958, he returned to New York City and continued recording for Moses Asch
. He would continue to return to his homeland for business and pleasure, although by now he had, with Wilmoth Houdini
, made himself one of America's most successful calypsonians. On October 15, 1961, Lord Invader died at a Brooklyn, New York
hospital.
The following discs give a good idea of his work:
In 1961, Invader released an atypical LP, West Indian Folk Songs for Children (Caedmon Records).
Calypsonian
A calypsonian , originally known as the chantwell is a musician, from the Anglophone Caribbean, who sings songs called calypso. Calypsos are musical renditions having their origins in the West African griot tradition...
with a very distinctive, gravelly voice.
He was born in San Fernando
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. Invader became active in calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
in the mid-1930s. He was considered a country bumpkin by his contemporaries, as was his humble beginning. It was Grant's tailor who gave Grant his moniker by commenting, "I tell you, Rupert, you should call yourself Lord Invader so when you go up to the city you be invadin' the capital." With a new name, in 1937 he went to Trinidad's capital city Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
and began his career in earnest.
He competed in many calypso competitions (including the very first Calypso King competition) and recorded for RCA Bluebird. Lured by Decca Records, he travelled to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1941 with other calypsonians such as Roaring Lion
Roaring Lion
Roaring Lion was a calypsonian...
and Atilla the Hun
Calypsonian
A calypsonian , originally known as the chantwell is a musician, from the Anglophone Caribbean, who sings songs called calypso. Calypsos are musical renditions having their origins in the West African griot tradition...
to make records and promote calypso music.
He wrote many calypsos; his most famous lyrics, "Rum and Coca-Cola
Rum and Coca-Cola
“Rum and Coca-Cola” is the title of a popular calypso. Originally composed by Lord Invader and Lionel Belasco, it was copyrighted in the United States by entertainer Morey Amsterdam and became a huge hit in 1945 for the Andrews Sisters, spending ten weeks at the top of Billboard's U.S...
", were plagiarised by Morey Amsterdam
Morey Amsterdam
Morey Amsterdam was an American television actor and comedian, best known for the role of Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show in the early 1960s.-Early life:...
and became a hit for the Andrews Sisters. Invader travelled to New York and sued, eventually winning compensation, although the final settlement allowed Amsterdam to retain his copyright. Ironically, In the early 1940s, radio stations in the USA would not play his own version on the grounds of its using the copyrighted word, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, and its references to prostitution and alcohol. He stayed in New York for a few years because of the lengthy court case. During his tenure in NYC, he became a fixture in the local calypso scene and recorded many tracks for Moses Asch
Moses Asch
Moses Asch was the founder of Folkways Records. Asch ran the label from 1948 until his death...
. Eventually, he won his court case, but would not see his settlement check for seven years, so he returned to Trinidad in the meantime. He opened a calypso club there and penned and recorded many original songs.
He is often credited with writing "Zombie Jamboree
Jumbie Jamberee
Jumbie Jamberee is a calypso song credited to Conrad Eugene Mauge Jr. In 1953 Lord Intruder released the song as the B-side to Disaster With Police. The song is also known as Zombie Jamboree and Back to Back...
", although the song was actually written by Lord Intruder
Lord Intruder
Lord Intruder was a calypsonian from Tobago who was active in the 1950s.He is known to have performed with the Trinidadian calypso tent The Original Young Brigade , whose ranks included The Mighty Sparrow, Lord Melody and The Mighty Bomber .He is credited with originating one of the most famous...
(Winston O'Conner) who released it on the B-side of his 1953 single Disaster with Police. It was covered by Conrad Eugene Mauge Jr. who recorded it in 1959 and was also often credited for writing it. The confusion probably stems from the introduction of the version by the Kingston Trio, which mentions "Lord Invader and his Twelve Penetrators".
At long last, he collected his money from his court case, and began to tour the U.S., later expanding to Britain and Europe. In the last half of 1958, he returned to New York City and continued recording for Moses Asch
Moses Asch
Moses Asch was the founder of Folkways Records. Asch ran the label from 1948 until his death...
. He would continue to return to his homeland for business and pleasure, although by now he had, with Wilmoth Houdini
Wilmoth Houdini
Frederick Wilmoth Hendricks , best known as Wilmoth Houdini,was a prominent calypsonian.-Life:...
, made himself one of America's most successful calypsonians. On October 15, 1961, Lord Invader died at a Brooklyn, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
hospital.
The following discs give a good idea of his work:
- Calypso in New York (Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...
40454), released in 2000, is a collection of Invader's recordings across his whole career. - Calypso at Midnight and Calypso After Midnight come from a live recording organized by Alan LomaxAlan LomaxAlan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
in New York in 1946. - Calypso War, Kings of Calypso, and Trojan Calypso boxed set all feature the same set of songs recorded in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the 1950s. - Folkways RecordsFolkways RecordsFolkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987, and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways.-History:...
also have a number of CDs that Invader recorded in the late 1950s in New York, including, Calypso (1955), Calypso Travels, and There's a Brown Boy in the Ring and Other Children's Calypso Songs (1959).
In 1961, Invader released an atypical LP, West Indian Folk Songs for Children (Caedmon Records).
External links
- Invader Discography at Smithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian FolkwaysSmithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was founded in 1987 after the family of Moses Asch, founder of Folkways...