Traditional Bahamian Song

http://www.folkways.si.edu/TrackDetails.aspx?itemid=9480

One traditional song I chose to represent the Bahamas is called “Gal, you want to go back to Scambo?”.  It was found on the Smithsonian Folkways website.  The contour of this song holds true that it is pleasing to hear and a consistent sounding song.  By consistent I mean there are no surprises in the song and no instrumental solos.  All the sounds you hear in the first few seconds of the song, you hear repeatedly throughout the song.  The lead vocalist has a range that is a high pitched man’s voice, i.e. a tenor, but it does not even go to the full extent of the tenor spectrum.  The sound of his voice does not seem to have any musical layers; his range seems to be pleasing but small.  Generally the notes played or sung in one breath are short beats with an extended breath when the singer says “Scambo”.

“Gal, you want to go back to Scambo?” is not a working song, but more of a song meant to socialize.   Listening to the lyrics of this song leads me to believe that it’s about a woman who sleeps on the street.  This is like a Bahamian version of Sting’s song “Roxanne.”  It is upbeat, and popularly singable, but with an idea behind it that isn’t necessarily positive.  The motive behind this song goes along with its character.  I think it is meant to be a dancing, pop song written by a man who is giving advice to a woman or women in general.

I think I heard 6 layers, including the lead singer, the chorus, the scrape, the guitar, the drum, and the cracking sticks.  It is an imitative performance with one performer starting the melody and then overlapped by a chorus performing the same melody in delayed time.  The function of the layers are useful because the sticks hold the pulse and keep the tempo of the song and the lead singer brings lyrics or text to the music.  There isn’t much change of speed during the song.  The fastest instrument that is used is a shaking instrument.  The shaking is very quick.  The song in general is a faster song, but as stated before, consistently, predictably steady.  Each instrument plays quickly but keeps at the same pace or pulse.  The lyrics are very quick with short words spaced closer together.  The color of the layers blend well and are pleasant-sounding with a lighter mood behind them.  The call and response is more minimal with a low timbre.  Just like when addressing the layers of this song, there is an imitative aspect of the call and response of this song.  Another piece of the call and response that is important to it is that it is melismatic with several notes played per syllable of text or word.  The call and response also applies to the instruments, because the guitar “calls” and the sticks “respond.”

I am not positive of the arrangement of the beats in”Gal, you want to go back to Scambo?”, but I think it is a triple beat arranged in groups of three.  The speed of the layers are very strong and simple, with little swing.  There is a strong, steady beat that can easily be grouped evenly into measures; I think the first beat of the measure is the strongest. This makes it easy to dance or clap hands to the music. With little to no syncopation in the song, the music follows the same rhythmic pattern.  The drums and guitar just going along with the singer’s voice. They support both the singer and the pulse. And, not to be repetitive, the tempo of this song is quick, strong and consistent.  I think all this leads to the motive behind the time or meter of the song as being an attempt to make a negative message sound complimentary or at least less negative.

Parts of the chorus in “Gal, you want to go back to Scambo?” are very monotone, as is a level of the lead singers performance.  The lead singer has smooth voice. The song moves from chord to chord easily with a nice fluidity for the listener’s ear.  In this song the dynamics change but they are not as spontaneous.  The relative loudness and softness of the singer’s voice to that of the instruments is complimentary and in unison.  Even with the different accent, the main singer articulated well, but the chorus was very hard to understand.  I am still not sure if the chorus is more the background noise of a crowd joining in or a purposeful part of the performance.  The lead singer’s diction is not as clear and precise as an English speaking American would completely understand, but the general syllables of the words are clear and understandable.