MLI project

origins

Issue 20 | May 2017
originsmag.com

INDIAN
FILMI

Features the song "Jo
Wada Kiya" by Lata
Mangeshkar,

T&T
CALYPSO

Features the song "Calypso
Queen" by Calypso Rose

LINKS

Syncopation and Strophic
form are both elements of

each of these genres

2

LINKED

NATURE OR COINCIDENCE

3

OF MOANrYigins
Introduction
Although India and Trinidad & Tobago are entirely distinct geographically and historically,

musically, they share similar attributes. Calypso is a musical genre derived from West African
chants and slavery. Elements commonly found in this genre are call and response, simple
harmony, and repetition (musical themes and ostinatos). Common instrumentation include
trumpets, saxophones, percussion (for example: steel drum and tambour), and it is often
accompanied with a Latin American beat.
Bollywood film songs, sung in Hindi, were popularized in the early 20th century after the first

sound film called Alam Ara contained songs that reached high marks commercially. Soon after, it
became common practice and tradition to house music in movies. Elements found in Bollywood

film music are improvisation, and polyrhythm. Common instrumentation include the Bubol
tarang (as a drone), the sarod, and the sitar.

This music links investigation will be an exploration of the similarities and differences between
these two genres with the help of a song from each genre: Calypso Queen by Calypso Rose

(representing Calypso), and Jo Wada Kiya by Lata Mangeshkar (in representation of
Bollywood film music). The two songs are linked with the elements of syncopation and

strophic form.

_________________________________________________________________

4

&Trinidad

TOBAGO
a dual island nation

5

Jump in the Line

A History of Calypso

Calypso is an Afro-Trinidadian musical style Errol Hill is a noted Carnival historian, and
founded originally in the islands of Trinidad he further develops the argument “that West
and Tobago. The steel pan (or steel drum)
“is the most widely-recognized instrument of African Tribal songs were the precursor to
calypso music” (Klein, Lynn). The steel pan calypso.” Hollis Liverpool expands on this,
in an acoustic instrument born in Trinidad adding that calypso had its roots in the West
and Tobago and is also the “national African custom of griot court singing. The
musical instrument” of the country (“The
Sweet Pan”). Other instruments associated griots usually sang songs of praise and
with calypso music are “the scratch, derision and were storytellers. According to
tambourines, congas, and brass Liverpool, calypso contains characteristics
instruments such as the trumpet, trombone, of these West African songs including: “the
and saxophone, as well as a guitar and
bass” (Klein, Lynn). In this “dual-island percussive rhythmic beats, the call-and-
nation,” both of the musical stylings, soca response pattern, extemporaneous singing,
and calypso, were born. Historians believe
that origins of calypso date back “to the and satire” (Calypso). Many also believe
arrival of the first African slaves brought to that calypso has transformed into soca, for
work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad”
(Calypso Music History). Historians found soca is what is popular today in Trinidad
that the slaves on these sugar plantations and Tobago and it was invented directly out
were forbidden to speak to one another, and of the calypso music style. “Soca originated
because of this, many of the slaves began
to sing songs as a form of communication in Trinidad and Tobago and its creation is
(Calypso Music History). This method of credited to the musician Garfield Blackman,
communication also occurred in West Africa
called the “West African kaiso, and they a.k.a. Lord Shorty. Blackman intentionally
used it as a means of communication and to invented this new style of music as a
mock the slave masters” (Calypso Music
History). reaction to fears among his peers and he
that calypso music was fading away in favor

of reggae music” (Soca). “He did this by
adding classical Indian musical elements to

traditional calypso music and refined the
genre over ten years.

6

INDIAN

FILMI

7

This is not a pure genre due to
the western elements evident in
their songs. Elements that may
also be seen in genres such as
disco and American pop. But
because of the usage of
instruments such as the bansuri,
the manjira, the sitar, and other
traditional Indian instruments, as
well as the integration of regional
languages including Punjabi,
Indian film music has maintained
the Indian flavor. Indian Film Music
first began in 1931 with the release
of a movie called "Alam Ara". In
these early years, playback artists
were frowned upon and actors
were usually cast based on their
vocal talent. In the 40s and 50s,
producers began incorporating big
name actors into their films, and
that is when they began to have
playback singers sing for the
actors. Indian Film Music has been
incredibly popular since and is
usually what is played mainstream.

A BRIEF

HISTORY

8

LINKED BY It is heard in the main melodic line and
also in the instrumental
SYNCOPATION accompaniment. In the Caribbean and
Latin America, there is a common rhythmic
Anonymous pattern called the son clave. This pattern
consists of a syncopation on the second
These two cultures, although distinct, share beat of the first measure, mimicking the
musical elements such as syncopation. sound of a triplet.
Syncopation is a term used when the notes
in a measure are accented outside of the
metered beat. Syncopation is an element
that is very prominent in the song Calypso
Queen by Calypso Rose, in fact, in this song
it is the element that is the most obvious.

This pattern of syncopation as well their variations are commonly found in this
geographical region because of the African influence of the area. Both Latin America and
the Caribbean were influenced by slavery and African music. African music is often heavily
percussed and generally syncopated. 

LISTEN WITH US AT
 HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=L-J-TPBOFYQ

0:00 The song begins with a trumpet 2:03  A highly syncopated trumpet solo
playing an overlaying melody. The trumpet (with accompaniment) enters and last until
swings a triplet at the start of the measure 2:26. Specifically at 2:15, this occurs:
and several measures following,
accompanied by percussion and a
keyboard.
0:21    Voice enters, the beat often has a
pickup note. Notes on the word "they," "I"
(before reign), and "too" (before long) are
all syncopated notes used to emphasize
the note following.
0:45 An ostinato in the bass enters. This is a
typical ostinato in Caribbean and Latin
American music that sounds like the
following: 

9

      Indian music and western music are inherently
distinct in reference to rhythm. Western music
follows a time signature, usually 4/4 giving it a very
metronomic sound. Indian music follows cycles
called talas. Each cycle is then further divided into a
mantra.  The song "Jo Wada Kiya" follows a cycle
called Tintal or 16 beats. Different beats in the
percussion are accented giving it a syncopated
sound.

LISTEN WITH US AT

 HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/

WATCH?V=OU0B9T89L0G

0:23 Triplet 

Lata Mangeshkar enters with a triplet,
countering the beat.

0:26 Percussion

The percussion enters following the
cycle and accenting various beats,
causing the song as a whole to sound
syncopated.

1:03 String Interlude

The strings play a melody that counters
the rhythm of the percussion.

1:33 Accents

The percussion strikes the upbeats as
the soloist sings a countering rhythm. 

PAGE 10 ORIGINS MAGAZINE

Linked by Strophic Form

WWW.ORIGINSMAG.COM 11

Strophic form is an

element of indian filmi 

      Strophic form is a term used to categorize
songs that have different words sung to a
repeating melody during the verses. The song "Jo
Wada Kiya" demonstrates this form as each of the
verses repeats the same melody with slight
variation in ornamentation. Listen along using the
link from page 9.
00:23-1:02 - this is the first verse (A) with a very
obvious consistent melody
1:15-1:40 - this is a variant verse (A')
1:40-1:50 - this is the return of the original theme
(A)
2:00-2:24 - the return of the variant verse (A')
2:25-2:34 - once again the return of the original
theme (A)
Moreover, this song follows a call and response
structure you will see in the Calypso analysis on
the next page. This call and response is between
the instruments and the vocalist. It is a consistent
structure throughout the entirety of the piece.

12 WWW.ORIGINSMAG.COM

"DAYLIGHT COME AND HE
WAN' GO HOME!"

-Henry Belafonte

 Strophic form is an
element of calypso music

The song Calypso Queen by Calypso Rose is clearly Banana Boat Song:
in Strophic form when one listens to the verses of https://www.youtube.com/watch?
the song. For instance, open up the song using the v=PMigXnXMhQ4

address found on page 8 and compare the
following times:

00:21-00:32 - A introduced
00:33-00:42 - A variation
00:43-00:55 - A repeated
1:18-1:29 - A variation
1:30-1:40 - A repeated

This form is inherent in this style of music and can
be found in many other songs of this same genre.
For example, the verses in "The Banana Boat Song"

(another well known Calypso tune) by Henry
Belafonte clearly demonstrates strophic form too.

Compare the following time segments:
00:30-1:16 - this is the first verse. It contains
elements such as call and response and some

improvisation.
1:33-2:04 - this is the second verse and evidently

the same tune as the first. 

13

14

Bibliography

15

"BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Musical Styles - Trinidad and Tobago." BBC News. BBC, n.d.
Web. 14 Apr. 2017.

Bollywood Elements : A Brief Description of the Indian Instruments in the Sample
Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.

"Calypso." Calypso. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.
<http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Research/SubjectGuide/Music/Calypso/tabid/104/Default.a

spx?PageContentID=74>.
"Calypso Music History." Calypso Music History - the Rhythmic Cosmos:

Artdrum.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.
Courtney, David. "OVERVIEW OF FILMI SANGEET - THE INDIAN FILM SONG."

Overview of Filmi Sangeet - The Indian Film Song. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.
Courtney, David. "SITARKHANI (PUNJABI THEKA)." Indian Music - Sitarkhani

(Sitar Khani or Punjabi Theka). N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.
"Indian Film Music." Indian Film Music - Film Music In India - Popular Film Music

India. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2017.
Klein, Lynn. "Instruments Used in Calypso Music." EHow. Demand Media, n.d. Web.

14 Apr 2017.
"Soca." Calypso. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr 2017.
"The Sweet Pan.....Trinidad & Tobago National Instrument Information." The Sweet
Pan.....Trinidad & Tobago National Instrument Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr

2017

(discography)

Banana Boat Song by Henry Belafonte:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMigXnXMhQ4

Calypso Queen by Calypso Rose:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-j-tPbOfYQ

Jo Wada Kiya by Lata Mangeshkar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou0B9T89L0g

"

ORIGINS MAGAZINE

OriginsMag.com

issue 20 | may 2017

"
muissiacWORLD

within itself,

languagweith a
"we allunderstand.

- Stevie Wonder