by ERIN MACLEOD

Anyone who shows up at Club Soda this Saturday night is in for a treat. It’s not often a living legend comes to town, but Pop Montreal has staged quite a coup in snagging the Supreme Serenader, Calypso King of the World, the man called the Mighty Sparrow. Born Slinger Francisco in Grenada 71 years ago, Birdie, as he’s also known, has not only won the largest number of calypso titles, but he’s also been awarded honourary doctorates and has been named Chief Omo Wale of Ikoyi by the government of Nigeria. It’s tough to overstate just how important Sparrow is in the history of Caribbean music. The Mirror spoke to this outspoken, politically and socially conscious, one-of-a-kind artist as he made his way across Canada.

Mirror: Popular music in North America is really not very political. With calypso, political content has traditionally been actively encouraged, even when it’s had to be couched in metaphor.

Mighty Sparrow: I am glad to see any composition stand on its own merit, whether it is political, social commentary, whether it is religious, or whatever it is, I can appreciate that because that’s my kind of thing. I have a new song coming out where I am taking Pat Robertson to task. Pat Robertson, without any reason, you’re preaching hate and poison. Chavez to be obliterated? Pat Robertson, don’t use God’s name when you’re playing dem kinda games, ’cause you have no shame.

M: In an interview you gave in Australia, you were mentioning how soca, even though it’s linked to calypso, has become music of the youth and how it is increasingly limited in terms of its subject matter.

MS: Melodically and lyrically, it has dwindled, almost diminished. I thought that it would grow at a rapid pace because most of us, the older heads, were hell-bent on education. Education is the key—I even wrote a song on that. I thought things like that would get through to those who have the opportunity to learn and realize that whether you like me or don’t like me, that has none to do with it. I’m talking the truth. But instead of that, they are just running behind the immediate dollar. It is a problem for those of us who would like to see them come out with better music, lyrics, melodies and a proper presentation.

M: And when you say a proper presentation, to you, what makes a good calypso?

MS: It’s based on what topic you choose. If I’m talking about the news, I have to refer to the news as is reported. I can’t be talking about the news and then all of a sudden say I’m stronger than you—unless, of course, I could tie it in and say that that was news and it was not reported. You have to connect it in some way. That’s what makes your lyrics good and meaningful. You can’t get me interested in something that’s just jump and jump and jump and jump. I’ll tell my friends, “We’ve got to get out of here, we’re running late,” while you still jump and jump and jump. It might be meaningless to me, but how do you tell them to stop if it makes money? You can’t fight against money. If they weren’t making money, I’m pretty certain that I wouldn’t have to tell them stop and change.

With Socalled Orchestra and Mikey Dangerous at Club Soda on Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., $22

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