FDR in Trinidad

FDR in Trinidad (also known as Roosevelt in Trinidad) is a calypso song written by Fitz MacLean[1] and popularized by Attila the Hun (Raymond Quevedo) to commemorate U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1936 trip to Trinidad.[2]

The song was covered by Ry Cooder in his 1971 album Into the Purple Valley, Van Dyke Parks in his 1972 album Discover America,[3][4] and performed in local skits.[5] As part of Attila and his band's repertoire in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s, it brought increased popularity to the genre.[5] Roosevelt had become a calypso fan in 1934 following the band's performances in New York City during 1934.[6]

References

  1. ^ "The Planet Playlists". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1996-10-01. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/music/planet/pl96/pl9610/pl961001.htm. 
  2. ^ "Calypso Boom". Time. 1938-08-29. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,789150,00.html. Retrieved 2009-05-14. 
  3. ^ Pareles, Jon (1991-12-16). "Review/Pop; Parlor Songs for Today By a Gentle Practitioner". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/16/arts/review-pop-parlor-songs-for-today-by-a-gentle-practitioner.html?sec=&spon=. Retrieved 2009-05-14. 
  4. ^ Philip Hayward (1999). Widening the horizon. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9781864620474. http://books.google.com/books?id=b_wT02I1SFYC&pg=PA147&dq=fdr+in+trinidad&client=opera. 
  5. ^ a b Ray Allen, Lois Wilcken (2001). Island Sounds in the Global City. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252070426. http://books.google.com/books?id=eVgXthvA2hMC&pg=PA81&dq=fdr+in+trinidad&client=opera. 
  6. ^ Robert Springer (2006). Nobody knows where the blues come from: lyrics and history. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781578067978. http://books.google.com/books?id=yEJbyaSpPzgC&pg=PA237&dq=roosevelt+calypso+fan&client=opera.