The death of veteran calypsonian Winston “Explainer” Henry in the middle of Calypso History Month once again gives us an opportunity to reassess whether we are doing our best to promote and extend the life of an art form that has captured our history throughout the years.
Explainer’s Lorraine is without argument, one of the sweetest calypsoes ever written and a classic example of storytelling in song. It not only takes us on a journey of a man living in New York who missed T&T’s culture but today, also gives us a glimpse of past times.
As glorious as the lyrics are, the history within the lines gives the calypso greater depth.
“Lions is de place with de jammin’, with Kalyan and Charlie’s Roots clashin’,” takes us back to the late 1970s and 1980s when the Lions Civic Centre in Mucurapo was a hotspot for parties, and to a time when Charlie’s Roots stood tall atop the vinyl era of music. The line “Inside Catelli steelband” also takes citizens back to the 1980s, when the Trinidad All Stars was sponsored by the pasta manufacturer, Catelli.
The popular Explainer calypso was like many others from that era in how it was able to encapsulate the events and life experiences as no book could.
Released in 1982, Lorraine grew in value as the years passed and soon became one of the theme songs for national carrier BWIA and its successor Caribbean Airlines, warming the hearts of nationals boarding aircraft out of cold New York for T&T in the Carnival months of January to March.
In fact, the calypso eventually represented everyone who missed home regardless of where they lived, as Explainer travelled the globe as a cultural ambassador for T&T. His travels took him to Europe, North America, South America and throughout the Caribbean for performances at prestigious venues like the Commonwealth Institute in London, The Apollo Theatre, Madison Square Garden, Studio 54 and the Brooklyn Academy.
In his last interview with the media, he told Guardian Media’s Carisa Lee in July that he always knew Lorraine was “a big song,” although he was concerned that in T&T, people were beginning to view it as “old.”
The 2018 Hummingbird Medal-Gold recipient, wanting to continue his part in keeping calypso alive, had planned to release another album this year before passing last week. Like many other calypsonians of his time, Explainer’s music is today part of the golden archives of local music that sadly aren’t given enough airplay.
The task of the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation in keeping the artform strong has not been an easy one, as the more party-friendly soca and the upcoming Trinibad genres now dominate the mainstream media and social music platforms.
Lorraine, though, like Superblue’s Ethel, Sparrow’s Jean and Dinah, Kitchener’s Audrey, Scrunter’s Woman on the Bass and David Rudder’s Bahia Girl, is a mother of the music from a griot of our time.
As we salute Explainer for his contribution to our culture and history, we trust that the value he and others brought to this nation will withstand the expansion of the newer genres and continue to remain pillars of our history for more years to come.
