In this Calypso History Month, let’s take a trip back to remember to expose and experience the genius of Theophilus Phillip, the Mighty Spoiler (1924-1960). He was without question, the calypsonian with the deepest imagination of reality, that which was visible and that not yet thought about. He invested it all with humour, at times easily laughable; and then it struck imaginings and wonderings.
A “Magistrate Trying Himself” in a country district “where he is the only one there to try it: “Your honour is it true that you were driving too fast,” looking at himself in “ah looking glass … ah have a good mine to take way yuh licence book … de charge is twenty dollars and ah give yuh five years to pay de fine.”
Spoiler was singing about corruption in the magistracy and at the state level in times to come.
The bard, famous for wearing straw and Panama hats, perceived of leaders “going to the battle zone, see Napoleon pelting bottle and stone”, literally fighting the battles of their own making.
Maybe he was projecting the emergence of a prime minister such as Netanyahu, steeped in a nationalism offensive to others but protective of himself.
“Spoilo” also celebrated the entrance of women into the police service “by doing everything that is right for them to hold me tight, tight, tight”. The confusing “Talking Backwards” habits of women “will put man in ah monkey pants”, projected Spoiler; his Mad Scientist envisioned “people making children by wireless”.
Spoiler got me into big trouble as an eight to nine year old in primary school. I was bold, innocent and stupid enough to answer my teacher’s question of my preference for a next life by taking on the body and characteristics of a Bed Bug: “I want to bite them young ladies partner like ah hot dog or a hamburger, if yuh thin don’t be in ah fright, is only big fat women ah going to bite.” Naturally, I thereafter earned the moniker–“Bed Bug”.
In my mature years, I have thought with rude malevolence that Ms B’s visitation of the strap was because she was thin and so felt hurt for not being a prey of Spoiler. He triggered the imagination with his compositions.
Spoiler took responsibility for grooming the next generation of calypsonians by housing and tutoring young calypsonians such as Brother Superior and Brigo. He taught them the unique skill of composing with match sticks. “We lived in a small apartment along the E/W Corridor, and he would often say to me “look the beef coming make yuhself scarce,”” said “Supie”.
Spoiler, from the deep South, Princes Town, came to composing and singing calypso notwithstanding his father’s lasting disapproval. Lord Melody told the story of accompanying Spoiler to reconcile with his father, this was after he had established himself in the world of calypso: “We were both chased out of the house,” said “Melo”.
Maybe his father’s treatment contributed to Spoiler’s victimhood.
He got accused of being “de wus footballer in town” when it was his twin brother who was throwing away chances on goal; his life of poverty continued “even though ah have meh money in the bank since the age of nine, them big shots put theirs on mine, ah have to wait just a couple years in order for them to take off theirs, so I could take off mine”. Spoiler’s insight into the deprivations of the small man in the capitalist economy.
His All Fool’s Day experience of another man “kissing meh wife … like a chewing gum stick on to a warm piece of iron,” and he having to settle for “we only fooling yuh Spoiler is All Fool’s day”.
On Christmas Day expecting plenty of presents, he put out his crocus bag, “Santa bring ah warrant for me for child maintenance.”
In his “Fountain of Youth” Spoiler foretold a few of the scientific experiments of modern times including humans doing makeovers to wipe the years away: “Making love with ah woman one hundred years old, she ent renew she bath, yuh making yuh love, telling she about the moon and de stars above and when yuh hear the shout … she face turn like ah salt prunes in front of you.
“Yuh want to dead when yuh look at what yuh was kissing … yuh cannot move and she ent moving, and yuh trembling like ah leaf can’t get away from the young old beast and she telling yuh kiss meh don’t be afraid is forget ah forget to renew me bathe,” Spoiler at his comical and imaginative best. There are many more like “Mad Scientist making children by wireless.”
In the age of today, when humour in life, like in calypso is absent, listening to Spoiler is recommended.
Sadly, Spoiler died at the very young age of 34. A number of those who knew him well identified that his habit of consuming large quantities of alcohol and frequently contributed to his passing on Boxing Day in 1960.
Unfortunately, he did not leave behind a full first-hand account of his life … “Ah Wanna Fall–de Spoiler”.
Tony Rakhal-Fraser is a freelance journalist, former television and radio reporter/current affairs producer and host, and former correspondent for the BBC Caribbean Service and the Associated Press.