"The sacrifices that have been made by so
many pioneers, innovators, pannists, etc, cannot
be measured and probably cannot be fully
understood. It may have been not only for the
love of the instrument, but faith in what it
could do for a steelband, or a community."
This song was done while I was away in
Norway. The melody was sent to Alvin, who wrote
the first draft of the lyrics, which went
through a few iterations between both
of us,
before we were satisfied. It would be the
second consecutive time that Len “Boogsie”
Sharpe and Pelham Goddard would arrange the song
for the studio recording. One can hear the
background pan performed effortlessly by Boogsie.
The story speaks for itself, indicating that pan
has indeed come a long way from the early days
of one being ostracized and viewed as an outcast
in society if one were
to be involved in pan.
After hearing an instrumental version of Boogsie
playing the song, Ari decided to arrange the
song and score it for the European festival,
which required entire scores for the judges, an
aspect that we do not see in the Panorama arena.
The score was sent to me electronically from
Finland to Norway where I was living at the
time, and after learning the piece, I travelled
a few times to Finland to practice with the
band.
It should be noted that Ari is the only
person I know that composes, arranges, makes all
the instruments, tunes, and manages a band.
In the Finnish bandroom was a big banner on the
wall proudly displaying the World Steelband
Festival 2000 in Trinidad, where the band
reached the finals with an energetic and
memorable performance. Everyone was musically
literate and very proficient at their
instruments. What was also noticeable was the
spirit and fun loving nature of everyone, and I
am quite privileged to have performed with the
group.
I got to experience Finland in an unique manner,
met new friends, and played with a great
steelband there, an experience that I give
thanks for. The arrangement would be included
in the Pan in Education CD released a few years
later.
»
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Yes indeed, pan has come a long way, with great
appreciation for the instrument and the music.
Lyrics:
Verse 1 Men die, men suffer, for de love of Pan
From inception, of this great invention
Ostracized, victimized and treated just like dirt
They endured all the pain and the hurt, from since its birth
Chop hand, blood ran, love for Pan
Chorus Pan man, I salute you, for all you went through
For all you withstand, for the love of Pan
The pioneers, arrangers, tuners and the players
There's no price for all your labor and your sacrifice
For the love of Pan
Verse 2 Outcast, vagabond, of society
No respect for, your creativity
Without care, anywhere, down in de dry river
You fashioned the Pan with your hammer, without glamour
Trash can, iron, love for Pan
Chorus
Bridge Is a love, is a love, is a love, is a love, is pressure (is
steelband) x5
We going, we jamming, we starting together, we going down de
road,
going down de road, bam, bam, bam
Verse 3 Today, some may say, Pan come a long way
Buth the man, toiling day after day
Practicing, till morning, just to mash de big stage
Not even to get minimum wage, forget de rage
This land, steelband, love for Pan
Chorus
Verse 4 Tell me what goes on in de pannist brain
To take pain over and over again
Why don't we, clearly see, is not love for money
To some youths is like a family... community
Panman, woman, love for pan
