Irving Burgie
Irving Burgie | |
---|---|
Birth name | Irving Louis Burgie |
Also known as | Lord Burgess Irving Burgess |
Born | calypso | July 28, 1924
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Irving Louis Burgie (July 28, 1924 – November 29, 2019), sometimes known professionally as Lord Burgess,
Biography
Burgie was born in
After performing as Lord Burgess in the
Burgie and Attaway composed eight of the songs on Belafonte's 1956 album Calypso, including "Day-O"' and "Jamaica Farewell". "Day-O" was a traditional Jamaican song that was sung by dock workers who worked throughout the night loading bananas onto ships. Belafonte's version used lyrics adapted by Burgie and Attaway, though Belafonte is also credited. Burgie later described "Day-O" as "a song about struggle, about black people in a colonized life doing the most grueling work", saying "a lot of my work is based on songs and ditties that I've heard in the Caribbean".[6] The song "Jamaica Farewell" was later recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Carly Simon and others.
Belafonte recorded other songs written by Burgie, including "Island in the Sun", one of ten Burgie compositions on his 1957 album Belafonte Sings of the Caribbean. Burgie also wrote eight of the twelve tracks on his 1961 album Jump Up Calypso, and also wrote "Can't Cross Over", and co-wrote "Goin' Down Jordan", on Belafonte's 1977 album Turn the World Around.
Burgie set up his own publishing company. By the late 1950s he was able to live comfortably off the
Burgie performed rarely after his initial success, but did appear in the early 1980s at venues including Gerde's Folk City. In 1996, the album Island in the Sun: The Songs of Irving Burgie was released, followed by The Father of Modern Calypso in 2003.[3]
He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.[2] His life story was recorded in the book Day-O!!! The Autobiography of Irving Burgie (2007).[citation needed]
Burgie died on November 29, 2019, at the age of 95, from heart failure, at his home in
Discography
- Lord Burgess' Calypso Serenaders - Folk Songs of Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad (Stinson SLP 62, 1954)
- Ballad For Bimshire. A New Musical of Barbados (LondonAM 48002, 1963)
- Lord Burgess and his Sun Islanders - Calypso Go Go (Buddah BDS 5005, 1967)
- Lord Burgess Rides Again (Cherry Lane CLR-1-1984, 1984)
- Island in the Sun: The Songs of Irving Burgie (Angel 52222, 1996)
- The Father Of Modern Calypso (VLT-15170, 2003)[9]
References
- ^ Nesmith, Nathaniel (December 1, 2019). "Irving Burgie, Who Wrote Calypso Hits for Harry Belafonte, Dies at 95". The New York Times. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Irving Burgie", Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2 December 2019
- ^ a b c d e f Biography by Bruce Eder, Allmusic.com. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
- ^ "Olympics 2012: The secrets behind national anthems". Bbc.co.uk. August 2, 2012.
- ^ Mason, Peter (2 December 2019). "Irving Burgie obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f Jon Kalish, "Irving Burgie, Songwriter Who Helped Bring Calypso To America, Dies At 95", NPR, November 30, 2019.
- ^ "Irving Burgie dies". Barbados Today. November 30, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
- ^ McShane, Larry (November 30, 2019). "Songwriter Irving Burgie, the prolific man behind 'Day-O' and other calypso hits, dead at age 95". New York Daily News. Tribune Publishing Company. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
- ^ Irving Burgie – The Father of Modern Calypso album page, Valley Entertainment.
External links
- Irving Burgie at the Internet Off Broadway Database
- Irving Burgie discography at Discogs
- Irving Burgie discography at Discogs as Irving Burgess
- Irving Burgie discography at Discogs as Irving Burgie