Jamaican Song and Story Part 65

Me bahss her all the way, Bahlimbo.

The mumma say me rude, Bahlimbo.

But that no rude at all, Bahlimbo.

For woman cloth so cheap, Bahlimbo.

Two yard fe bit, Bahlimbo.

Man cloth so dear, Bahlimbo.

One pound a yard, Bahlimbo.]

"Bahlimbo" is a nick-name for a cheap sort of cloth, _i.e._ fabric of any kind. In Africa calicoes are called _limbo_. The "two yards fe bit" kind is calico print. A "bit" is fourpence halfpenny. "Bahss"

means buss, kiss.

White people p.r.o.nounce Morant as it is spelt, but the Blacks always put the accent on the first syllable, and usually call it Morrum.

CXV.

As the time for dancing approaches (see note on weddings in "Gaulin"

p. 76) the ring breaks up, and there is a lively marching tune or two, such as:--

[Music:

Oh den Jacky me knee da go ben' a palm palm; oh me knee da go ben' a palm palm.]

The couples with the right arm of one partner locked tightly into the left of the other march about bending their knees at rhythmical intervals, presenting the most ridiculous appearance. The tune has an infectious gaiety about it as its sections are sung over and over and interchanged. If you repeat them as often as they do, you will feel stealing over you that kind of intoxication which the Dancing Dervishes experience.

CXVI.

There is a great deal of laughing over "Jacky," which suggests:--

[Music:

When me get a Mister Walker gate, Me will laugh, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Me will laugh h, h, h, h!

Me will laugh ha, ha!*

Me will laugh qua, qua, qua, qua!

Me will laugh ha, ha!*

Me will laugh till me bustle drop!

Me will laugh ha, ha!*

Me will laugh h, h, h, h!

Me will laugh ha, ha!*

Me will laugh ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

Me will laugh ha, ha!]

At the marks * a return is made to the first four bars, always subst.i.tuting a new name for Walker, and the tune has many more "turnings" besides the ones noted.

A sufficient selection of Ring tunes has now been given to show their character. The number might be indefinitely increased. Every district has its own, and while some old favourites remain, new ones are constantly in process of making. These supply, or more than supply, the gaps caused by those which drop out.

PART IV. DANCING TUNES.

Turning now to the Dancing tunes, the chief difference to be noted is that they show a more marked departure from what may be called the Jamaican type of melody. Sailors bring popular songs to the seaports, and from there they spread into the country. For a time some of the original words are kept, but before long they get changed. The change is partly due to that corruption of the text which naturally takes place as the songs pa.s.s from mouth to mouth, but mainly to the fact that the words, referring as they do to English topics, have no interest here. So we generally find that the tunes are refitted with a complete set of new words, describing some incident which has lately happened in the district, or some detail of daily life. When these reflect, as they often do, upon the characters of individuals the names have been changed and all evidence pointing to the locality destroyed. The same course has been pursued where it is thought the susceptibilities of persons or their relations might possibly be offended, even when there is nothing mentioned to their discredit.

The music consists of three "flutes" (fifes), two tambourines and a big drum. This is the professional element, which is reinforced by amateurs. One brings a ca.s.sada-grater, looking like a bread-grater; this, rubbed with the handle of a spoon, makes a very efficient crackling accompaniment. Another produces the jawbone of a horse, the teeth of which rattle when it is shaken. A third has detached from its leather one of his stirrup-irons, and is hanging it on a string to do duty as a triangle. The top of the music is not always supplied by fifes. Sometimes there will be two fiddles, sometimes a concertina, or, what is more approved, because it has "bigger voice," a flutina.

On asking to see this strange instrument I was shown the familiar accordion.

Their chief dances are the Valse, Polka, Schottische, and Quadrilles in five figures, of which the fifth figure is the most popular, or as they would say "sweet them most." This figure goes either to 6/8 or 2/4 time. The 2/4 figures of the Quadrilles are often used for Polka, and Polka and Schottische tunes are always interchangeable, the only difference being that the Schottische requires a slower time.

CXVII.

The ball opens with a set of Quadrilles:--

[Music: _1st Figure._

When I go home I will tell me mumma, When I go home I will tell me mumma, When I go home I will tell me mumma That the gals in Jamaica won't leave me alone.]

This is the production of a white musician to whom the black girls were especially attentive.

CXVIII.

[Music: _2nd Figure._

Guava root a medicine, Guava root a medicine, Guava root a medicine fe go cure all the young gal fever.]

A decoction of the root of the Guava is used in cases of fever.

"Medicine" is p.r.o.nounced so as to rhyme with Edison.

CXIX.