Day-O (Banana Boat Song)
Harry Belafonte
Words and Music by Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess, and Bill Attaway
Based on a Jamaican folk song
Other versions in 1957- Tarriers (#4); Fontane Sisters (#13); Steve Lawrence
(#18); Sarah Vaughan (# 19); and Stan Freberg (#25)
peak Billboard position # 5 in 1957
Day-o, day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and he wan' go home
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day-ay-ay-o
Daylight come and he wan' go home
Work all night on a drink a'rum
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Stack banana till thee morning come
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
A beautiful bunch a'ripe banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Hide thee deadly black tarantula
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day-o, day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day-ay-ay-o
(Daylight come and he wan' go home)
source: Robin Hood
Quoting from album cover of "Calypso" -- "Day-o is based on the
traditional work songs of the gangs who load the banana boats in the
harbor at Trinidad. The men come to work with the evening star and
continue through the night. They long for daybreak when they will be
able to return to their homes. All their wishful thinking is
expressed in the lead singers plaintive cry, " Day-o." The lonely men
and the cry in the night spill overtones of symbolism which are
universal."
(
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