“Hard to describe the torment of wanting to share
this passion with the world”
“Passion for Pan” happens to be one of my favorite
melodies, with the song composed and written in probably
in a period of days. Unfortunately, it was not played
for Panorama in the year 2000, and I would have wait
another year to hear my music on the big stage. By
that time, I had performed as a stage side tenor player
of Silver Stars, played in Panorama, Pan is Beautiful,
Bomb competitions, et al, in conventional and pan round
the neck bands. In a sense I had been bitten by the
“pan jumbie”, but started to focus on doing an album of
songs not necessarily geared for Panorama, but certainly
geared towards describing the world of pan. There was
this feeling of disillusionment and wishing that things
were different for the world of pan, which had so much
fragmentation, and politics. In a way I was hoping the
Passion for Pan album released in the year 2000, named
after this song, would reveal some insight into what I
was observing and feeling at the time. It was a plea
for the pan world to progress to its fullest potential,
to take the instrument that has been born in Trinidad
beyond its traditional boundaries, and to elevate an
awareness and vision for the next century.
While we were in Jason Dasent’s studio waiting for the
finished version of “Glory”,
I remember picking up the
guitar and started to play a series of chords that
sounded great for a verse. Andy Sheafe at the time was
there to see and hear the melody of this song appear
before our eyes and ears. A few days later, I had a
chorus, and the lyrics were written in no time at all.
Shanaqua did the energetic vocals, with the background
vocals done by Soca to Socah (Shanaqua and Abbi
Blackman, Ras Shorty I’s daughter) and the song was
arranged by Junior “Ibo” Joseph in his previous studio
in Embacadere, San Fernando. It was the first time that
I had worked with Ibo, a person whom I would work with
for several years to come.
Verse
Ah have this passion for pan
How de jumbie bite meh so, ah doh understand
Is it a curse, is it real?
'Cause what I feel, there's no cure, for this addiction to steel
And in meh head, is dis melody... making meh feel so bazodee
Long Chorus
It make meh feel to play meh pan, jump up and wave meh hand
The music flowing through meh veins... ah can't explain
It must come from up above... this love, for the pan
Beating like a rhythm inside ah me
Ah want to go in every yard, play meh pan and get on bad
Something inside of me, say just to be free
Passion for pan is ah mystery
Verse
The jumbie nowhere in sight
Ah cyar sleep without sweet pan, in meh head tonight
Is there a cure for this fire?
Well ah real sure, ah want more, from this burning desire
So please just play this sweet melody... and put meh out of dis
misery
Short Chorus
It make meh feel to play meh pan, jump up and wave meh hand
The music flowing through meh veins... ah can't explain
It must come from up above... this love, for the pan
Beating like a rhythm inside ah me
Bridge
Now, where do I go?
How I got here, ah doh really know
Tell meh how dis all began, this passion for sweet pan
It must be a musical infection
Instrumental
Verse
The bass line moving in style
(Bass Interlude)
Is so strange ah find myself confused for a while
Is this the start or the end?
'Cause in my heart, well ah know, that I'll always depend
On this vibe deep inside of me... oh how it flows so easily
Long Chorus
It make meh feel to play meh pan, jump up and wave meh hand
The music flowing through meh veins... ah can't explain
It must come from up above... this love, for the pan
Beating like a rhythm inside ah me
Ah want to go in every yard, play meh pan and get on bad
Something inside of me, say just to be free
End
Passion for pan is a mystery
Ya know it's always haunting me
Ah cyar describe dis high, it go make meh fly
Ah cyar deny dis... passion for pan, passion for pan, passion
for pan
(Repeat and Ad Lib)
