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Transcriptions and song notes by michael oliver-goodwin
Gavaskar
This intricately rhymed composition is the greatest cricket calypso ever written, and one of Relator's most beloved songs. Even in India! It recounts a famous 1971 cricket match in which the Indian team, led by its outstanding batsman, Sunil Gavaskar, roundly defeated the West Indies. It spotlights Relator's flawless phrasing as he dances through the long lists of complicated Indian names. Rhyming the names of all these Indian cricketers is no skylark, as they say in Trinidad, but Relator makes it seem effortless. "Writing it was easy!" he laughs. "I'm a cricket fan, and I was there. I saw everything, so putting the words together came like second nature. I almost extempoed [improvised] that entire calypso. What I had to write was the names of the cricketers, and rhyme it so I wouldn't have to memorize it. But it was automatic." Automatic or not, this is one of the most spectacular lyrics in all calypso.
A lovely day for cricket
Blue skies and gentle breeze
The Indians are awaiting now
To play the West Indies
A signal from the umpire
The match is going to start
The cricketers come on the field
They all look very smart ...
Erapalli Prasanna
Jeejeebhoy and Wadekar
Krishnamurthy and Vishnoo Mankad
Them boys could real play cricket
On any kinda wicket
They make the West Indies team look so bad
We was in all kinda trouble
Joey Carew pull a muscle
Clive Lloyd get 'bout three run out
We was in trouble without a doubt
(CHORUS)
It was Gavaskar
De real master
Just like a wall
We couldn't out Gavaskar at all, not at all
You know the West Indies couldn't out Gavaskar at all
Ven-kat-a-ra-ghavan
Bedi, in a turban
Vijay Jaisimha, Jayantilal
They help to win the series
Against the West Indies
At Sabina Park and Queen's Park Oval
A hundred and fifty-eight by Kanhai
Really sent our hopes up high
Noriega nine for ninety-five
The Indian team they still survive
(CHORUS)
Govindraj and Durani
Solkar, Abid Ali
Dilip Sardesai and Viswanath
They make West Indies bowlers
Look like second raters
When those fellas came out here to bat
West Indies tried Holder and Keith Boyce
They had no other choice
They even try with Uton Dowe
But ah sure that they sorry they bring him now
(CHORUS)
Little Desmond Lewis
Also Charlie Davis
Dey take a little shame from out we face
But Sobers as the captain
He want plenty coachin'
Before we cricket end up in a disgrace
Bedi hear that he became a father
So he catch out Holford in the covers
But when Sobers hear he too had a son
He make duck and went back in the pavilion
(CHORUS)