Jamaica Farewell | Bringing You Some Old Tropical Vibe

Buddies - What do you enjoy doing with your buddies the most?

For me, I specially have good connection with people who are into music, and of course all my buddies LOVE music!

Dalton is one of them! And he is the only person who has done gigs with me in the city!
We were good friends for over a year until he left Viet Nam in October 2021 to go back to the US.
Yes, many of my friends have left that way, and it always took me awhile to overcome it!

Dalton is a sweet friend, we were as close that we could talk about with guys and girls stuff across both American and Vietnamese culture!

This video was filmed when we jammed our most favorite song to play together.
Whenever we jammed, I would be the main vocal and play rhythm guitar, while Dalton would add basslines or solo notes - even though he is just like me: a rhythm guitar player and singer!

That's what I like about some cool guy friends, they learn fast and they are so good at figuring things out!

About the song:
It seems like he never knew the song before I played it in front of him the first time!
One time we practiced for a show and I brought it up, Dalton became obsessed with this song and he naturally added solo notes into it.
And he even got stuck with those notes running in his mind all week hahaha. Miss him now!

This is a cozy vibe and I hope you enjoy it!

Jamaica Farewell
"Jamaica Farewell" is a Jamaican-style folk song (mento). The lyrics for the song were written by Lord Burgess (Irving Burgie), an American-born, half-Barbadian songwriter. It is about the beauties of the West Indian Islands.

Harry Belafonte recording
The song appeared on Harry Belafonte's 1956 album Calypso. It reached number fourteen on the Billboard Pop chart.

Background
Many, including Belafonte himself, have said that the song was popular in the West Indies since long before Burgess. It is believed that Burgess compiled and modified the song from many folk pieces to make a new song. Burgess acknowledged his use of the tune of another mento, "Iron Bar". The line "ackee, rice, saltfish is nice" refers to the Jamaican national dish.

This song also has a Vietnamese version that I have heard all the time since I was a kid. Later on I found out the original is in English!
Each time I hear or play the song, I always imagine myself going on a trip to a tropical island joining a party with locals. We'll dance around fire and sing all night together!

What about you?
What do you think of when hearing this song? ^^

Little Beatle ♫

Lyrics:

Verse 1:
Down the way
Where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

Chorus:
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town

Verse 2:
Sounds of laughter everywhere
And the dancing girls swing to and fro
I must declare my heart is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico

Chorus:
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town

Verse 3:
Down at the market you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear
Ackee, rice, saltfish are nice
And the rum is fine any time of year

Chorus:
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town