Antiguan and Barbudan Cultural Icon – Paul King Obstinate Richards

King Obstinate is one of my favourite calypsonians, so when I came across this archival image from one of his iconic performances, I just had to share. What I remember of Obstinate as a kid is how fun his performances were from the big belly of Doing the Fat Man Dance to the pig tails and diapers of Children Melee and I think there was an elephant suit somewhere in there…this is back in the day when the calypso show was a theatre and I was still a kid losing myself in the illusion. Even then though I knew that Obstinate was also digging at deeper issues; I knew it in the power Believe had to bring tears to my eyes and in the way when he sang “sons of the soil also brought fame, proudly reclaim our true heroes name…” it made sense to us, perfect sense, when he called for a “Short Shirt village and Swallow town”. I remember grown folks cackling with glee as he dropped wud for the higher ups on songs like “Ah coming down to talk to you” at a time when few else (in fact few within and without the calypso arena dared to). Dropped wud for his rivals too. Antiguans will remember “Tiny t’rowing pompee-eye” at Short Shirt’s Wedding. Short Shirt may have been the Monarch (and remains my all time favourite) but Obsti didn’t pull punches. As he himself would later say “he sang the songs” of our lives. Here’re some in my top 10 favourites (or at least the favourites I could find on youtube, alas Believe, probably my all time favourite was nowhere to be found):

Wet Yuh Han’
Opening lines:
“Two woman cussing on Greenbay Hill
Ah go to work, come back, they cussing still …”

Antigua and Barbuda Independence
Opening lines:
“Oh land of peace, haven of rest
Antigua your shores are blessed
With the sweat of those who toiled
In bondage to till the soil”

Children Melee
Opening Lines:
“In a nursery little Tommy telling Sally (me nar lie, me nar lie)
Ah Bet you can’t tell me how me mammy get she baby (me nar lie, me nar lie)”

Ah Coming Down to Talk to You
Opening lines:
“Quite in Washington they bringing me the news
Mr. Bird it got me so confused
They say of all your picknee
You love Ivor the most
Because the others just waiting to take your post”

Shiny Eyes
Opening lines:
“I met this girl in St. Lucia, she had shiny eyes
I never thought I would lose her; she’s as pretty as the morning sky”

I’ll Always come back to you
Opening lines:
“Antigua and Barbuda ah wey me bury me navel string
And at an early age in the cane field ah start to sing”

Who Kill Me Sister
Opening lines:
“King Obstinate is asking who kill me sister Ethlyn
Right George, I’m asking: who kill me sister Ethlyn”

How will Santa Get here
Opening lines:
“Christmas is coming
Every child is hoping”

Get what you can get
Opening lines:
“Years ago when Antigua was young and no whole ton of money was around
Mi grandfather does say, water more than flour and tuppence ha’penny had plenty power”

Resurrection
Opening lines:
“King Obstinate I hear a voice cry
King Obstinate water in yuh eye”

It’s not for nothing that the four time Monarch and Sunshine Hall of Famer is known as the UNDEFEATED King Obstinate.

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