Artist: Tony Johnson & The Carribean Serenaders
Author: traditional
Label: Melodisc
Year: 1951
Jamaican folk standard, first published in 1944.
Covers:
Blind Blake [as At The Iron Bar]
Lord Fly [with Dan Williams Orchestra]
Harry Belafonte [as Jamaica Farewell with new words by Irving Burgie; on his first millionselling calypso album]
Sir Lancelot [idem]
Lord Tanamo [backing vocals: the young Maytals]
Hank Snow [idem]
Brothers Four [idem]
Patti Page [idem]
Arlo Guthrie [idem]
Irving Burgie [author, idem]
Belafonte's first contact with Irving Burgie's songs (Day-O, Jamaica Farewell) changed his musical course completely. Plans to come up with a John Henry program for the Ed Sullivan Show were abandoned on the spot. Later Belafonte hits like Island In The Sun, Angelina and Coconut Woman also carry a Irving Burgie signature (Lord Burgess). Jamaica Farewell's originality was questioned in court, but the judgement equaled both Iron Bar and Jamaica Farewell for copying the same traditional Jamaican melody.
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