Cricket and calypso are easily the Caribbean’s two greatest symbols of rebellion and revolution and quite often, one mirrors the other, from as far back as 1926 when the West Indies was admitted to play Test Cricket. Ironically, that was also the year the first calypso was written about West Indies cricket, when Lord Beginner sang about Learie Constantine.
Journalist Nasser Khan’s book – History of West Indies Cricket Through Calypsoes — that traces cricket in the group of islands from 1926 to 2016 through the lyrics from over 200 cricket-themed calypsos is an intriguing attempt. It is a musical recapitulation of deeds from Constantine and Headley to the three W’s and Ramadhin and Valentine to Sobers, Lloyd, Richards and Lara. The contribution of many legends and winning teams are immortalised through calypso songs. The two-time record breaking feats of Brian Lara create immortality in the words of calypso — ‘Signal to Lara’. In fact, Lara himself pointed out the significance of calypsos.
“Cricket and calypso are the two areas of our regional life and culture that go hand in hand and bind us together like nothing else does. So intertwined were calypso and cricket at every turn, it became natural to refer to our cricket as ‘calypso cricket’ and our cricketers as calypso cricketers,” writes Nasser.
In fact, calypso and cricket marriage took place much before West Indies became a Test cricket playing team. As the author points out Calypso and cricket as inseparable umbilical cord of the Caribbean culture. “Cricket continues to be inspiration for many a calypso as the art form has chronicled the ups and downs of the game in Caribbean. Cricket and calypso have caused more celebration and condemnation, more scorn and praise, than anything else.”
The Indian cricket fans had their tryst with Calypso in 1971 with Sunil Gavaskar’s record breaking feats making headlines. All the same it paved way to India’s maiden win over the West Indies. Lord Relator wrote a calypso to describe the little master’s impregnable defence as a wall. .... “The West Indies couldn’t out Gavaskar at all”.
The publication is a testimony of Nasser’s love for the game; not meant for sale (not priced) is a repository of a wealth of information on calypso and cricket projecting that both are more than entertainment and sport. It is well illustrated through pictorially supported action and events highlighted by the actual lines of the poem dealing with the theme. It will be a valuable collection for the lovers of the willow game.
