"Dedicated to all those women who have shaped
or continue to develop in some way the evolution
of our pan culture."
While there have been classic songs
dedicated to women such as Woman on the Bass or
Woman is Boss, I thought about the increasing
trend of women playing in steelbands, not only
players, but also soloists and arrangers. It
was a song that I would have to research and
talk to various people such as
Dr. Pat Bishop, who had already taken Desperadoes to Carnegie
Hall, Ray Steele, and others.
Another angle that interested me was their
involvement from the perspective of literacy and
standards, as women had been quietly involved
teaching music, judging and conducting. It is
also quite evident that female players have
occupied the steelbands from schools and the
rest of the community.
Tribute to Girl Pat Steel
Orchestra
with
Hazel Henley starting from the early 1950’s, and many others
in this song. The danger in doing such a song,
is omitting those not mentioned, which I
apologize for, but I hope it is a small step
towards recognizing the valuable contribution
of women to the pan movement.
This was another song completed while Jason
Dasent was in England, with files going back and
forth electronically to Trinidad. Eventually it
was recorded, with Len "Boogsie" Sharpe playing
the background pan in the vocal version. It was
quite appropriate for Natasha Joseph of Panazz
to play the pan version of this song.
Verse
One could say women
contribute literacy
To the whole evolution in
pan
Like the case of our women
conductors
And adjudicators, dey
continue to set our standards
Pan arrangers, music
teachers... woman in pan
Verse
One could trace back from
Girl Pat Steel Orchestra
Henley teach dem de “Tennessee Waltz”
Playing soft in a house
down in Newtown
With pan mauvais langue,
dey still earned a good reputation
Tour Guyana, then Jamaica.... woman
in Pan
Long Chorus
Ah want to say, play woman
play
Ya help us to reach here
today
And we all recognize,
there’s so much we all need to strive for
Yeh woman we want more
Yeh woman, show we more
Come woman, play some more
Verse
Gradually pan gain
respectability
Women working with pan
quietly
In de east, McIntosh have
a school
Doh even try to fool,
Pierre or Merle Albino de Coteau
Creative woman, Doctor Osborne... woman in Pan
Verse
Pat Bishop, she has earned
greatest reverence
Well for you there is no
fair tribute
With repute and musicology
‘Radoes make history, so
did Dawn Batson and Pamberi
Oh what a grand
contribution... woman in pan
Short Chorus
Ah want to say, play woman
play
Ya help us to reach here
today
And we all recognize,
there’s so much we all need to strive for
Come woman play some more
Bridge
Well Nowadays is no big
deal to see woman in pan
In Ramajay or even playing
in dem big band
So Leh we break away from
all of dis inhibition, woman
A New generation, a small
revolution, in pan
Interlude
Verse
Some a dem could make men
feel a little shame
Ray Steele have an
appropriate name
Desperadoes with Ursula
Tudor
Bring back Huggins for
sure, call Natasha Joseph for encore
De Layne twins, both
soloing... woman in pan
Verse
Now ah bounce up dis
tourist from Germany
She say she want to play
pan desperately
Like she hook on dis sweet
guitar pan
With a beer in she hand,
and till two a.m. every morning
Make way for she, ‘cause
now we see........woman in pan
