Calypso Awakening From The Emory Cook Collection
Ah, Mastifay, Mastifay/Meet me down by the Croisee
And Cutouter, Cutouter /Meet me down by the green corner
Well. I waiting for this carnival/To jump up with these criminals
I going to arm myself with a big stick/Any man in town I meet,
That is real licks
Cause I done tell Mammy already/Mammy do, do tie up your
Cause is murder, federation/With war and rebellion
When they bar me by the junction.//
Monday morning I wake up early/Two drink of Vat* to steam up
My body
And I jumping up like I crazy/I alone go collapse the city
With my razor tie on to my poul**/I like a badjohn in the 18th
Century
And with my stick in my waist/I chipping in space
Is to spit in ole nayga face.//
Well, to show you I in for trouble/On my right hand is my steel
Knuckle
My chooker# in my left pocket/Boys, my pooya+ under my
Jacket
And I jumping up like if I wild/I know they bound to say that is
Old style
But they could beat me like a child/I taking licks with a smile
And I pelting war like I wild.//
Well, as man I consult my doctor/ to check my lungs and my liver
I done pay of my Lawyer/So he could pay off my undertaker
And as I have no mother nor father/They could post me back
To Grenada
Cause I tell Mr. Chance/I done pay in advance
To bury me down in Grand'Anse.//
Vat 19, locally made rum; ** type of wood, frequently used in
Stick-fighting; # dagger; + machete
(Lyric Information from Smithsonian Folkways)