Calypso

Calypso is the most prominent 20th century musical style in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The instrumentation is primarily percussion and a brass section. Vocals can describe carnival partying or involve pointed social commentary. The political aspect of calypso caused successive bans on different percussion materials in the early 20th century leading to the introduction of the steel pan into calypso bands in the 1930s. Although recordings of calypso music outside of Trinidad and Tobago have always been common, calypso gained a broad audience in the US and UK in the mid-20th century thanks to several celebrated songs and artists. In 1944, Lord Invader's song Rum and Coca Cola was recorded without permission by the The Andrews Sisters and spent 10 weeks at #1 on the US pop charts. Around 1950, Lord Kitchener, The Mighty Terror, and Lord Beginner all relocated temporarily to London, and were part of a growing wave of Caribbean Music in the UK.