Harry Belafonte has passed away. He was a wonderful singer who sang the international hit song “Banana Boat. Besides “Banana Boat,” his other hits included the lighthearted and joyful “Matilda” and “Farewell Jamaica.”
His voice, even when singing about difficult situations, is colored by the explosive and joyful rhythms of the song, as if the energy of the earth exploding up from the depths of the earth has ignited the human vitality, inviting the listener into the crucible of the festivities.
It is unquestionably enjoyable!
Who is Harry Belafonte?
Harry Belafonte was an energetic social activist. He was at the forefront of the civil rights movement and fought the anti-war movement in Vietnam.
In 1985, he launched “USA for Africa” to raise action for famine relief in Africa, bringing together 45 of America’s superstars, including Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Cyndi Lauper, Lionel Richie, and Quincy Jones. He brought together 45 superstars.
The charity song “We Are the World” was born.
The moment of the birth of “We Are the World” also had its own drama.
I watched a video of the star-studded superstars recording “We Are the World,” and Belafonte was singing in the back of the lineup, even though he was an advocate of “USA for Africa. I was truly amazed at his humility. What a quiet, unassuming posture for a cheerful singer who could bring a crowd to a frenzy with his overwhelmingly explosive rhythms. I was moved by his humility and struck by the difference between his appearance on stage and that of the audience.
Oh, I wondered on my own if I could go on like this, but the superstars noticed along the way and all urged Belafonte to “step forward, please step forward. Belafonte was adamant and the superstars respectfully asked him to step forward.
Unlike the typical “making of” videos, my heart was filled with emotion when I watched the video.
Belafonte sang for the oppressed people. He sang from the hearts of the people. He sang of their suffering, their sorrow, and their joy.
I, too, have unforgettable memories of “Banana Boat.
Dayo, ideodeo, deraikan mami wanago home.”
Banana Boat” was a big hit in Japan in 1957. The original song by Harry Belafonte became a worldwide hit in 1956, but in Japan, “Banana Boat,” with Japanese lyrics sung by Michiko Hamamura, became a big hit.
In 1957, I was 9 or 10 years old and had no understanding of the original language of “Banana Boat” and sang only the notes I heard as I heard them. All my friends around me were the same way.
I felt that it would be more dreamy to keep in memory only the sounds of the foreign songs I learned that way, so I memorized many songs, but I never really looked up the meaning of the lyrics even when I grew up.
However, now that Belafonte has passed away, I was inspired to look up the meaning of the lyrics to “Banana Boat.
Author: Jun Kurose
