The Sparrow Education Song
Behold the Migfhty Sparrow
Children go to school and learn well
other wise later on in life u gun catch red hell
yesterday was 11 plus exam day in Barbados, and they were playing this old calypso on the radio.
These potent lyrics are from the calypso “education” written and sung by Slinger Francisco aka the Mighty Sparrow from Trinidad and Tobago.
If Al Gilkes is 100 years old Sparrow must be a 1000!
I remember hearing that Sparrow song when I was a small child in primary school 4 decades ago.
At that time even my 11 plus exam seemed like ages away and going to Combermere was a school fantasy.
The lyrics to this song impacted on me even at that young age, it took the words of my mother who was always drilling me to do well at school and converted them into memorable lyrics that imbued themselves into my brain.
I can remember almost all the lyrics to this song word for word, and 40 years later the same song that helped to motivate me is still there to motivate my children, and their children.
Sparrow’s “Education calypso has endured and survived the test of time and will continue to be a favorite for ever, it epitomizes how long a well written calypso can survive.
I hope the children who sat their 11 plus exam yesterday did well, I hope they listened and adhered to the warning tone in Sparrow’s lyrics which I will finish with…..
“For there is simply no room
in this whole wide world
for an uneducated little boy or girl
don’t allow idle companions to lead u astray
To earn tomorrow u got to learn today”
I challenge a calypsonian to release lyrics for Crop Over 2008 more potent that those…!
If during the reading of this blog there is any thing I might have written which might have incensed or offended you, GET OVER IT! There are many things I read and hear in the media on a daily basis that I don't like either. SO DEAL WITH IT! You are welcome to leave your comments though. Make sure and come back yuh hear !!!...
May 15th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Sparrow’s lyrics do stand the test of time. You need more than education to be a well rounded person but but it is essential to have it if you want to earn better than average pay. I’m trying to tell my 13 year old step-daughter that the next 5 years of her schooling will determine alot in her later stages of life. All she likes to do is watch TV. I hope she heeds my warning.
Hell I’m degree educated and I am still finding it tough.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I have known this Calypso since I’ve known myself and it has been sort of my motto, and as a Teacher I always try my endeavor best to transfer this to my students
May 19th, 2009 at 10:11 am
I missed this thread earlier.
BUT
This song inspired me to stay in school and finished my education because I came to the conclusion that at 13 years old that I had learnt everything that I needed to learn to survive in life. At age 13, I decided on who my wife should be and I stuck to that. I decided that all my children would be from the same woman e tc. so 13 was an important age for me.
That song was introduced to me by both my parents and I have never ever forgotten that song. I do not have a copy of the song but I have preached the message to many others. This song inspired me to write a song called—TRIBUTE TO SCHOOL TEACHERS—-and I REMAIN FOREVER GRATEFUL to the Mighty Mighty Sparrow and the power of calypso.–
January 25th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
this is crap b cause i aint see no education lyrics here lol