Unleash Yourself!- National Carnival Bands Association's 2012 Anthem

Chant- Unleash Yourself!
Free yourself! (repeat)
 
You only have one life to live- So live it!
You have so much love to give- So give it!
So much beauty in de world- Embrace it!
Let your colours unfurl- Display it!
 
After two thousand and twelve too late shall be the cry
Of all those who never free the party animal inside
Doh keep it chain up, scratching to come outside
You must join the greatest show on earth before you die!
 

Unleash Yourself- Go brave and break away
Unleash Yourself- Party like is yuh last day
Unleash Yourself!- No matter yuh black or white
Unleash Yourself- No matter yuh size or type
Unleash Yourself- Doh hold nottin back, give me all
Unleash Yourself- Be loud, be slack, have a ball
Unleash Yourself- No excuses and no regrets
Unleash Yourself- Carnival 2012 you eh see nottin yet!

All our love- We go unleash it
All our joy- We go unleash it
All our energy- We go unleash it
Come and see – We unleash it!

written by Jessica Joseph

Let Them Down Easy

Let Them Down Easy

When looking for a man
They say judge his inner worth
By how he treats the woman
Responsible for his birth
I was not looking
But you propositioned anyway
So I am forced to assess you, Rude bwoy
In the aforementioned way

Would your mother be proud to be
The one who birthed a boy who sucks and soots at me
And every pair of tits and ass you see
Will it warm her heart souljah boy
The way you treat women like toys
Buy, use, break, throw away
Is your dear mother truly proud
Of your utterances lewd and loud
That your brain is fogged by a cloud
Incapable of empathy
Barely penetrated by knowledge
Quick to anger but slow to quiet courage

You see, I have no time or energy to be a mother to you
And finish what she didn’t and what you didn’t care to do
Tell me, if I birthed you would my heart soar to call you son
Or would I secretly wish to be mother to another one
I am looking for someone who can be complement to me
A grown-up love with shared strength in our individuality
And by that measure, dear rude bwoy it is clear to see
I will have to let you down easy

When looking for a man
They say, judge his inner worth
By how he treats the woman
Responsible for his birth
I was not looking
But you propositioned anyway
So I am forced to assess you, Rastaman
In the aforementioned way

You call me your African Queen
But Mother Africa you have never seen
In Mama Oshun’s bliss you’ve never been
You speak of Jah and Israel’s twelve tribes
Nomadic children living out their lives
Unaware their Divine Mother survives
Despite all your ‘conscious’ sweet talk
For Mother Earth you don’t walk the walk
Because you do not even remember the Goddess
That your ancestors were forced to suppress
You are a derivative of Judeo-Christian dominionist
Still eager to exploit Her goodness

You only call me Queen so you can rule as my King
With aboslute entitlement to the gifts that I bring
If you knew that the feminine was equally Divine
You would not ask me to take a lower position at your side
I am looking for someone who can be complement to me
A grown-up love based on shared respect for our equality
So Rastaman, it is clear to see
I will have to let you down easy

Colonialized

Colonialised
Anesthasized
Programmed to stand on the side lines
And criticize
Before we try
Attempt to fly
We already fail
Excuse and bail
Ourselves out
We love to pout
Turn up we mout
At who brave to enough to shout
And put their foot in their mout
Unafraid if they’re whispered about
By coward louts

Colonialized
Paralyzed
Quick to bring people down to size
Cause we small
Cyah stand tall
Afraid to fall
Always against a wall
A prison for our mind
Ignorant and unkind
Desperate for a piece
Without inner peace
To settle the belly
So it always hungry
And easily upset
By what we cyah get
Eye big big still we cyah see
The demon inside we
Warping our beauty

We colonialized
Self-demonized
Bred to ostracize
Genius, talent, bravery
A seed of long term mental slavery
Is what the powers planted in we
Independent nations
Still surreptitiously supplanted
While population is distracted
Maljoing, macoing and mauvalanging
Scrambling for a place
Based on color or race
Family name and face
Instead of acumen
And every now and then
When a flower pushes through the cracks
We stomp it back cause we
Colonialised
Marginalized
Programmed to steups and roll up our eyes
And criticize

© Jessica Joseph

lately i disagree

Lately
It seems to me
We forgot how and why it’s important
To sometimes disagree

How did we
Become such fearful slaves
To uniformity
When and why
Did we buy the lie
It’s evil to express our individuality
That how I experience Divinity
Should be the cause of your insecurity
Unless it conforms to your religious philosophy
Absolutely
Yet you admit the universe still baffles you in its complexity

Lately
It seems to me
That we get so needlessly scared to be ourselves
Unless we have a majority
But why should the majority decide for me
Wasn't I the one sperm out of a billion swimming free
To choose the right tube inside of my mommy
The DNA in my eyeball is too unique
For you tell me how to see
I remember where my soul was before
So don’t tell me how to be

Lately
It seems to me
There is deliberate effort by those in authority
To ignore a truth, blatantly obvious for anyone who cares to see
Nature favours diversity!
In everything, colour, function and sexuality
Like it or not
What is truly unnatural is striving for total uniformity
And trying to dictate destiny
When freewill only works when it’s …free
Uncertainty
That is just the way it was meant to be
In order to fuel creativity
For eternity

© Jessica Joseph 2010.

Breathalizer (I Ready To Blow)

Intro (Talk)

Bring on de breathalizer!
I am de rum-strategizer!
And so what if I ah l’il tipsy
Is not me drunk on power
While driving de country!

Chant Chorus

Blow fuh blow blow blow
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo
Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Stanza 1

Patrick! Yuh tek way we security
Yuh tek way we peace and harmony
Yuh even want to tek way we property
Rum is de last straw keepin we sanity

Yuh lucky we still drinking!
Yuh cyah tek dat from we!
Thank goodness dat de boozin
Still essential to de party!
Who de hell you tink foolin?
Wit yuh two-face morality!
Yuh ass is grass if we start losin
All de joy inside we society!

Chorus

Like yuh doh know
It go be blow for blow
Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Designated driver- I ready to blow!
Peanut oil- I ready to blow!
Garlic and chilli- I ready to blow!
Suck brown paper oi- I ready to blow

Blow fuh blow blow blow
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo
Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Stanza 2

Patrick! Yuh lying bout de economy
Yuh storm radio stations who disagree
Yuh even try hard to sideline Rowley
Yuh only like “Yes Men” in yuh party

Yuh lucky we still drinking!
Yuh cyah tek dat from we!
Thank goodness dat de boozin
Still essential to de party!
Who de hell you tink foolin?
Trying to impress Her Majesty
Same time yuh busy breaksin
To fix problems in de country

Chorus

Like yuh doh know
It go be blow for blow
Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Sweaty workout- I ready to blow
Six Power Mints- I ready to blow
Tambran chutney- I ready to blow
Smoke herring stink- I ready to blow

Blow fuh blow blow blow
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo
Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Bridge

Yuh lucky we still drinking!
Yuh cyah tek dat from we!
Cause if we wasn’t drinking
It would be riot in dis country!

The blasted traffic- Blow for blow
Two million dollar flag - Blow for blow
Rapes and murders- Blow for blow
The passport drag- Blow for blow

Chinese slavery- Blow for Blow
Construction fraud- Blow for Blow
Non-stop spending- Blow for Blow
While Patos praising de Lawd- Blow for Blow

Chorus

Like yuh doh know
It go be blow for blow
Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Blow fuh blow blow blow- Roadblock lookout
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo- Coconut meat
Blow fuh blow blow blow- A teaspoon ah curry
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo- Sweat in de heat

Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Blow fuh blow blow blow- A dose ah Buckleys
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo- Drive de back road
Blow fuh blow blow blow- Anything with dairy
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo- Vicks in yuh nose hole

Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Blow fuh blow blow blow- Cod Liver Oil
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo- A spoon ah Kulchela
Blow fuh blow blow blow- Two vitamin B
Ah drinkin mo mo mo mo- Switch to marijuana

Come an test meh! Mr. Patos
I ready to blow!

Written by Jessica Joseph © December 2009

Bikini Mas

This is an answer to the soca lyric challenge by Winston C Kam from Toronto in his Letter to the Editor “Only Boobs and Bums in Bikinis” in Tuesday 3rd March Express Newspaper.

Bikini Mas

Intro
What is dis?
Is like Las Vegas exploe all over Port of Spain!
Woman in shiny bra and panty!
Fellas in dey drawers
They looking so drunk and happy
I wonder what is de cause?

Chorus
Boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
Shake yuh tail feather mama, make the camera man sigh
Boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
So much g-string bumcee papa, you start to go cokey eye!

Stanza 1

You pay yuh four thousand cash or credit
You run round de Savannah just to get fit
You pose for Facebook to give your peeps a preview
You go to Tulip for extra beads, glitter and hues
You skip the J’ouvert and Ole mas to rest up
Because Carnival Monday is party non-stop

Chorus
It will be boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
Shake yuh tail feather mama, make the camera man sigh
Boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
So much g-string bumcee papa, you start to go cokey eye!

So much sparkle I going blind, blind, blind, blind
Doh care what section just wine, wine, wine, wine
We pay good money just to have a time time time time
We drunk and naked and is not a crime, crime, crime, crime

Cause Carnival is bacchanal
You can’t take the bacchanal
Out of Carnival!

Stanza 2
The goddie bag worth less than a two piece KFC
Your costume could hardly contain your anatomy
If it rain you go be looking like a wet fowl
If yuh muddah only see how you look she go bawl
You tipsy and you forget to put on sun block
But dat doh matter because is time to free up
On Carnival Tuesday you jumping till you drop

Chrous
It will be boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
Shake yuh tail feather mama, make the camera man sigh
Boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
So much g-string bumcee papa, you start to go cokey eye!

So much sparkle I going blind, blind, blind, blind
Doh care what section just wine, wine, wine, wine
We pay good money just to have a time time time time
We drunk and naked and is not a crime, crime, crime, crime

Cause Carnival is bacchanal
You can’t take the bacchanal
Out of Carnival!


Chant
You want to wear a big headpiece?
No way! No way!
You want to portray a mythic beast?
No way! No way!
You feel like street theatre today
No way! No way!
Do you care what the judges say?
No way! No way!

We want to play!
We want to break way!
Doh stand in we way!

Bridge
Cause Carnival is bacchanal
You can’t take the bacchanal
Out of Carnival!

Chorus
It will be boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
Shake yuh tail feather mama, make the camera man sigh
Boobs and bums and boobs and bums and boobs and bums…Oh My!
So much g-string bumcee papa, you start to go cokey eye!

So much sparkle I going blind, blind, blind, blind
Doh care what section just wine, wine, wine, wine
We pay good money just to have a time time time time
We drunk and naked and is not a crime, crime, crime, crime

Cause Carnival is bacchanal
You can’t take the bacchanal
Out of Carnival!
Repeat/Fade

These lyrics were written by Jessica Joseph © 2009 and may not be used without permission

One Minute Wine

Here is my soca solution for preventing fights breaking out in fetes. Enjoy


Opening sequence

Clock ticks and ticks, iron beating is added, then rhythm section, then intro:

One minute! One minute oi!
One minute! One minute oi!
Start your stop clock! Get ready, get set, let's go!

Stanza 1
I doh mind if you wine on meh gyul for Carnival
She extra wild when is time for plenty bacchanal
Plus you is meh partner
Meh rum drinking brudda
So go ahead breds, take a l’il wine up on de side

Chorus
You have one minute, one minute to release de energy
You have one minute, just one minute to get in a frenzy
You have one minute, one minute to mash up de party
You have one minute, one minute when my gal bumcee for free

Doh juk
Just wuk
Take a one minute wine
Do it fass
On she a**
Take a one minute wine
Not too long
Not too strong
Take a one minute wine

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
Your minute almost up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
You better come back up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
De free ride almost done
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
I hope you had your fun

If you wine too long is trouble between you and me
Doh make a big fight break out inside dis party
They say doh let saltfish come between fraternity
So take a one minute wine and everything go be irie

Stanza 2
I’s not a jealous man and my gyal have plenty freedom
I know she love me and I am de only king of she kingdom
Although I play it cool
Doh take me for no fool
If she back, back on you, she only having herself a good time

You have one minute, one minute to release de energy
You have one minute, one minute to get in a frenzy
You have one minute, one minute to mash up de party
You have one minute, one minute when my gal bumcee for free

Doh juk
Just wuk
Take a one minute wine
Do it fass
On she a**
Take a one minute wine
Not too long
Not too strong
Take a one minute wine

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
Your minute almost up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
You better come back up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
De free ride almost done
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
I hope you had your fun

If you wine too long is trouble between you and me
Doh make a big fight break out inside dis party
They say doh let saltfish come between fraternity
So take a one minute wine and everything go be irie

Chorus Repeat
You have one minute, one minute to release de energy
You have one minute, one minute to get in a frenzy
You have one minute, one minute to mash up de party
You have one minute, one minute when my gal bumcee for free

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
Your minute almost up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
You better come back up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
De free ride almost done
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
I hope you had your fun

Rap
Fellas de one minute rule is a must
Prove to yuh gyal she have yuh trust
Tell your bredren doh fight and fuss
Is one minute only and or else you get cuss

Is okay if your partner warm up she engine
Cause when you get home is you who drivin
Appetizer cyah beat de twelve inch pudding
Dem small man breds cyah test your plouging

The code of de Party Bredren is one minute, or less
Get out early if she wining crooked and hopeless
If she is a mampee you go need time to rest
And if she is a fox you better give she your best

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
Your minute almost up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
You better come back up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
De free ride almost done
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
I hope you had your fun

Chorus
So give dem one minute, one minute to release de energy
They have one minute, one minute to get in a frenzy
They have one minute, one minute to mash up de party
They have one minute, one minute when your gal bumcee for free

Doh juk
Just wuk
Take a one minute wine
Do it fass
On she a**
Take a one minute wine
Not too long
Not too strong
Take a one minute wine

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
Your minute almost up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
You better come back up
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
De free ride almost done
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock
I hope you had your fun

Repeat, fade

These lyrics were written by Jessica Joseph ©2009 and she reserves all rights for their use. Do not use without permission.