Extract from Virgin's Triangle

10 September 1998, 608 words

The following calypso is taken from my second novel. In the book, it is a Road March winner, sung by a woman calypsonian called The Mighty Amazon. The calypso is the first of five in the novel and is introduced on page three as the main character, Giselle Karan, listens to it while waiting to enter her workplace.

A literary critic, if one ever deigned to look at my work, might suggest that the calypso's lyrics is a device used to delineate the psyche of Giselle who, although a virgin, is nonetheless very sensual and - which is what the novel is about - ready to change the state of her virginity. They might even suggest that I wanted to make a political point. But the critic would be wrong. The reason I put in the calypso was to amuse readers. Anybody who tries to find any deeper meaning than that will be sued.

Looking to See Paul

Lyrics by KB

From "Virgin's Triangle", Heinemann, 1997.

I was lying in bed with my Bajan man

Listening to the crapaud's call,

And I turn to he and say,

'Oi cah see Paul at all.'

 

He say, 'But yer see Paul from seven

And you loime with him till ten.'

I say, 'Yes, but I like de lime so much

Oi need a Bajan invasion again.'

 

CHORUS:

'Oi want to see Paul run,

Oi want to see Paul play,

Oi want to see Paul stand up and wine,

Oi want to see Paul ramajay.

Man you hear the call, you hearing me bawl

But is like Oi cah see Paul at all at all.'

Well, he get up and turn on the light

'Cause he didn't want to get me mad,

But while the crapaud singing out in the night

Inside the going just wasn't going hard.

 

Mih Bajan man say, 'Give me a chance darlin',

It late, Oi tired and it cold.'

I say, 'Like your constitution need fixin',

I better give you some bois bande to plug the loophole.'

 

CHORUS:

 

He tell me, 'Well, play ah over with Bas and Ramesh,

Dem boys have balls for everyone,

And while you do that tell me something slack in moi ears

Because only if you have no standards you will see Paul come.'

 

So I start to talk sexy in he ear

And I get so nasty and rude

That as soon as Paul start to hear

I see Paul get attitude, see Paul want to intrude.

 

I tell him, 'Put a Maraj in mih garage,

Put some Manning in mih planning,

Put you organ in mih Morgan

Cause Oi know you's a man with good standing.

 

CHORUS:

 

I say, 'Oi cah see Paul movin' at all,

What de hell is dis?'

He tell me, 'You wouldn' see Paul move

Until you give an emergency kiss.'

 

Well, I do it and he say, 'See Paul, the engine eh stall

And he wasn't trying to hide.'

I reply, 'Well, put yuh key in my ignition

And let we go for a roide!'

 

So I bawl, 'Oi cah see Paul

Even though he is the light,

But that is all right, I don't mind at all,

'Cause I feelin', Oi say Oi feeling, Oi feeling NOT to see Paul tonight!'

 

CHORUS:

I tell him, 'Oi want to see Paul run,

Oi want to see Paul play,

Oi want to see Paul stand up and wine,

Oi want to see Paul ramajay.

You hear the call, you hearing me bawl

And Oi cah (Oi cah, Oi cah!) see Paul at all, at all, at all!'

Copyright ©1998 Kevin Baldeosingh