Ah put away de house

It was like ah warm welcome home hearing all these nice Vincy Nine Morning Songs. Ah yet to hear one by Ashley Kirby, sung by Lennox Bowman,but from those ah heard, Carlton ‘CP’ Hall’s tune “ A Put Away de House” on his 2011 album, “Christmas in St. Vincent & the Grenadines Sweet,” is my pick dis year. CP is SVG’s uncrowned Parang/Soca King. He has been de kiddies “Nine Morning Parang Santa” from way back when he sang “Ah love me Christmas,” one of his many contributions, toiling alongside El Grupo Amistad back in de early 1990’s, restoring de Nine Mornings.{{more}} CP is ah serious Kaisonian/Musician and very professional in his presentation on stage. Is like ah ‘show’ widin ah ‘show’ when “CP” appears on stage during Vincy Nine Morning in particular. In all ah CP’s Christmas Songs, he reminds us of de beautiful message dat was left us by de Saviour: Love, share, peace, kindness not to mention his luv foh Vincy. Dis year de message is as strong as ever “Live in peace wid yuh near-bah”. Dey’s no problem wid “putting way de house” wid new curtains, furniture, paint and so on; mek de house look good foh de festive season of love and peace, but it’s all of no use if yuh and yuh near-bah living like beast. And to date, dis is his best Parang/Soca song. CP is right on de beat wid his rhythm and use of de traditional parang chords, de major, seventh and minor. His Video version done by ‘Video Block Productions’, is ah master-piece, excellent promotion for SVG’s Nine Morning, ah promotion dat touches from de traditional roots, to de shoots, to de coveted fruits ah Vincy Christmas.

On dat note ah must call on de organizers ah de Community Carolling Competition to be more respectful ah de contribution ah de Vincy Artistes at Christmas. Bringing ah non-national as de star performer at ah Christmas Show is ah disrespect to CP, De Bowmans, Sulle to name ah few. Money is tight and we need to spread de few pennies among de local Artiste. Den we got to Remember Glen, put ah lickle sum-ting in ah envelope give Glen Jackson widow and children!

WE’LL HAVE AH BLUE CHRISTMAS WIDOUT YUH

Pry-minister blew it and Lie-Za is stink mad wid him. She asking me how come Cat-licks come-plain dey can’t tell de last day dey see him at Mas in SVG, yet she hearing dat he gone to de Holy Land, to join Palestine (PLO) leader Ab-ass at mid-night Mas on Christmas Eve. Ah tried explaining dat these guys trying everyting, he gone as one ah de wise men, to relive de Nativity Scene, presenting gifts of ‘Goal’ and ‘More’ and ‘Frankinstine’. She say when is time foh de PM to present his gift he would sing: “More is Mine, is bitter perfume.”

Ah think she extra mad because her ole part-nah in crime, Lie-Bell is back wid de Dye-us-poorer “home foh de Christmas” contingent, and she feels de PM blank dem. She mouth was ringing like church-bell dat de Airport is no way near de stage ah completion dat he told dem when he was up north. But dey’s good news. De Dye-us-poorer folks done pledge to raise ten million US. We know de PM looking foh tens ah millions, but every sense counts. Now Lie-Za say ah must warn de Pry-minister dat while on his way to his Mid-night Mas, under no circumstance should he travel on any Highway wid de sign dat ays: “Road to Dah-Mas-Cuss” because, de last fellar who travelled dat way, got arrested by Jesus foh persecuting His people. Think dat fellar name was Sol, related to de same Sol of de Few-ill Cry-sis out hey, Lie-Za say how come he never around when dey’s ah Few-ill cry-sis.

De Road was warning number one. Warning number two; climbing, trees and stairs. She knows how he luv to climb, he boasted bout climbing de coconut tree as ah youth, and picking one coconut and come down. And about wake-in at nights to climb stairs. So she beg me hard to tell him, to keep way from de Seek-more Tree. De last man dat climb ah Seek-more tree was Zaccheus, ah wee lickle, twenty pound Dwarf. While de Seek-more tree might hold ah midget, dey’s no guarantee dat will support ah Giant like our boss.

Den out ah de Blue, she ask me to go Google search foh de Blues and de significance ah de colour Blue and report to her. Ah told her Blues is about deep depression and unhappiness but de colour Blue symbolizes de Virgin Mary. It is de colour of inspiration, sincerity and spirituality. “When ah told her Google say Blue is so soothing that is ah good choice for pee-jamas, she told me to hold it right dey. Den she say: “dat is all ah want to hear, ah buying ah pair ah Dark Blue Pee-jamas foh Lie-Owe.” Ah think she planning Mid-night Mas wid Lie-Owe , and he sleeping off after. Den out ah de Blue again, she say to write big and bowl: “Pry-minister, yuh left us wid de Blues, but we’ll have ah Blue Christmas Widout yuh!”

And wid dat ah gone again.

Have ah blessed Christmas!

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.