“Doh leh we waste away! There’s more
to life than just making a living”
At that time, I was wondering what
happened to all the many pannists,
arrangers et al, and where they all went after Panorama. Most of the members I performed with
from Super Sonics in Pan is Beautiful IX
ended up going to Japan, most are now
with the group CFS Pantasy. Some people
were going on cruise ships, and looking
for work outside the Panorama event,
mainly outside of Trinidad. The
headquarters for the pan organization
had burnt down on Edward Street, many
empty pan racks could be seen in
overgrown areas outside of panyards, and
there was a feeling of general
disgruntlement in the pan community with
players not getting paid. Some simply
gave up and never played their pans
again. Ironically, Trinidad and Tobago
was hosting the World Steelband Festival
in the year 2000. Not surprisingly, we
see today a shortage of players for
Panorama, and even well known bands
advertising in the newspapers for
players.
This song was recorded in the US, UK and
Trinidad, and presented a real challenge
for me. Jason Dasent, who I had been
working with to record the Passion for
Pan album, went to England for a study
period, leaving me to send him rough
demos electronically, and him sending me
his arrangement electronically. At the
same time,
I was most fortunate to have
Andy Narell agree to perform the
background pan tracks on the vocal
version, only to send and receive tracks
via ADAT tape from California where he
was based. This then had to be
converted and synchronized with Jason’s
music, with the vocal tracks finally
done at Jason’s studio in Trinidad which
was operated at the time by Ian John.
"Boogsie" does the pan version, and was
amazing to watch. It was the first
time,
that I had met the Mozart of pan,
Len "Boogsie" Sharpe. He literally came
to the studio, heard the song once, and
immediately recorded his pan tracks,
with perfect interpretation, and not
asking about any chords or key. He may
have spent
40-45 minutes in the studio
for the most. Incredible!
Years later, Kareem Brown would arrange
(and score) the song for the Lydian
Steel Ensemble for the Pan in Education
CD. Thanks to Dr. Pat Bishop for
believing in the project.
»
Sanch Electronix Ltd.
»
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Verse
Have ya ever wondered where de panmen does go
Ask after Panorama, just to see who know
Know some fellas gone away to... gig in Japan
Mus’ be better than staying here and be forgotten
Verse
Sad to see some panmen starring... just once a year
When all is said and done vanish into thin air
One man take a work on a cruise ship... “fellas ah gone
Ha
to leave meh wife behind, and meh newborn”
Chorus
Ah
want to know whey de panman go
Foreign shows, whey dey appreciate us all
And whey dey go, de dollars flow
What happening, dey making a living... making a
living
Verse
Tell meh whey we going when de head ha no home
Yet we hosting World Steelband Festival all on we own
Panmen still waiting for payment... from the year
before
Some living from hand to mouth, is dis what we about?
Verse
No one could doubt we have de talent and skill
Every week we could entertain, it just takes some will
Sometimes ah really wonder... how big we could be
Let’s get organize, and think globally
Chorus
So
leh we know whey de panman go
Ah
realize, dey so underutilize
We
cyar deny, de movement growing
Open your eyes, is outside it flowing... outside it
flowing
Interlude
Bridge
Panmen running panmen in a literal sense
Why we doh stop “dis is we ting” nonsense
Doh leh we waste away, ah even hear some say
Whey de panman?
Verse
We
might be lucky if we on a stage side
Is
a way some ah us does keep we selves occupied
Meh pardner look like a badjohn... surviving from
pan
He
could get on, and blow ya mind in any competition
Chorus
Ah
doh know whey de panman go
Well ah say, stop learning de hard way
Moving on, to another dawn
Ash Wednesday morn, ask whey de panman, ask whey de
panman
Ask whey de panman... gone
