The first song "A Land for All",
I do not really count in my 10yrs of writing for
Panorama, as it was composed in 1986, and
eventually recorded in 1996.
A video was also
released in that year as
»
can be seen at YouTube
It was a song though that
encouraged me to write for pan, as it was played
by the winning Ensemble (Super
Sonics in Belmont) of Pan is
Beautiful IX in October 1998, which qualified
the band for World Steelband Festival in 2000. The recording of this arrangement is included on
my "Passion for Pan" album.
The song is patriotic in nature,
with very interesting chord changes and
progressions, composed on guitar. The person
who encouraged me to record it was
Michael "Manish"
Robinson, who taught me quite a lot of pan in
Silver Stars, and who currently resides in Japan
with several steelpan academies. He had put me on to a talented arranger, called
Andy Martin Sheafe, who also currently lives in
Japan. We recorded the song at Hole in the Wall
Studios, Diego Martin, Trinidad with Roger
Israel.
Andy went on to arrange the songs "A
Land for All" and "Calypso Music" for Pan is
Beautiful IX.
So began this journey prior to
writing for Panorama.
Lyrics:
Verse
Walking on our sand, where many looked for gold
This country changed through many hands
But as the battles grew, the English conquered all
Colonial 'till nineteen sixty two
Chorus
'Cause that was La Trinidad, a land they did not know
That was a paradise, but not El Dorado
Know by the name Kairi many years ago
Verse
Looking at this land, where people live as one
Together, joined by a hidden bond
Friendly people that you meet, be they young or be they old
Steelband music is the rhythm in their souls
Chorus
And this is Trinidad and Tobago
Where people come and go, but leave their heart and soul
In this beautiful land of the Humming Bird
Interlude (Intro chords)
Bridge
Now as I watch the sun go down, I know that I belong
To a land that shines on many races, with smiles upon their
faces
Instrumental
(Pan Solo - Verse chords)
Extended Verse
So I think that it was fate, when in fourteen ninety eight
Columbus gazed upon this shore, he'd never seen before
So let's make this island in the sun, a place for everyone to be
free
In this tropical star..... of the Caribbean
