Lord Nelson: Convertible Calypso

Lord Nelson - Don't Let the Party End
Lord Nelson - Human Convertibles
From 45 rpm single - National NSP 089 A/B

Continuing the Calypso theme from last week... I could find very little on the web about Robert Nelson, aka "Lord Nelson", except that he was placed at number 29 on a list of the 20th Century's greatest Calypsonians. If anyone can supply any more information on him, I would be grateful !

Again, the music pretty much speaks for itself, with Human Convertibles standing out as a particularly unusual (for a Western listener at least) and humorous description of transvestitism and "alternative lifestyles". No holds barred here. Are calypsonians the ultimate musical social realists?

For those interested in the history of calypso, the Proudflesh journal has a particularly interesting analysis of the origins and characteristics of this Carribean artform, tracing its roots through the griot tradition of West Africa through slave songs in French patois to the subversive popular form of 20th Century Trinidad.