@on the cusp

I remember you saying once how much you also enjoyed Belafonte.

He was a good man. RIP

@usefewersyllables

must have been a treat for you as a diver. The Caribbean and its islands can be quite dreamy.

The film is interesting in that it also shows the darker side of the islands, but love and romance always wins ; ).

You can watch it on youtube. The quality of the film copy is poor, but it is a good film.

Belafonte work will always be the movie "Island in the Sun", filmed on Grenada and Barbados in 1957. I love watching that movie, and comparing the Grenada scenes with the Grenada I came to know over a number of visits over the years, back when I used to travel. I do love that place, and would equally love to find a way to slip away to there...

@orlbucfan

His mother was the child of a Scottish Jamaican mother and an Afro-Jamaican father, and his father was the child of an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Dutch-Jewish father of Sephardic Jewish descent. Harry Jr. was raised Catholic and attended parochial school at St. Charles Borromeo.[12]

From 1932 to 1940, Belafonte lived with one of his grandmothers in her native country of Jamaica, where he attended Wolmer's Schools. Upon returning to New York City, he had a brief, unsuccessful stay at George Washington High School.[13] It was later reported that undiagnosed dyslexia and blindness in one eye contributed to his academic difficulties.[14] After dropping out of high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served during World War II.[15][16] In the 1940s, he worked as a janitor's assistant, during which a tenant gave him, as a gratuity, two tickets to see the American Negro Theater. He fell in love with the art form and befriended Sidney Poitier, who was also financially struggling. They regularly purchased a single seat to local plays, trading places in between acts, after informing the other about the progression of the play.[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Belafonte

I cut my educated music fanatic teeth on 3 performing artists: Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Harry Belafonte. My parents weren't musicians. They were fans. I always thought Belafonte came from the Caribbean. Nope, he was born in Harlem. That explains his support of human rights. He was a first-class human being, and performing artist. Thanks and Rec'd!!

@QMS

That scene in Beetlejuice is a wonderful classic!

It was Sidney Pointier in the role of the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
I get mixed-up pretty easy these days. Banana Boat is very cool.
Really helped to make the movie Beetlejuice work.

@Sima

That was a great find down the rabbit hole. It was lots of fun to read and listen to. I smiled and laughed through it.

His music was great. I am a bit young to have experienced it as a child, or maybe my parents just didn't let us listen to it, but I loved getting into his music as a young adult!

So, listening to these music videos I found a link that led me down a rabbit hole to...
Banana Boat Song... in Latin!!!

@soryang

I enjoyed the same experience you describe. Even as a child and young adult his voice and Calypso music sang to me, and the brightness of his spirit was palpable. My mother was also full of praise for him, and not so secretly in love.

I’m glad you were pleasantly reminded of enjoyable times and touching memories. Thank you for sharing it.

I have to admit I'm moved to hear the recordings that I had heard so often during my childhood. The documentary which I had never seen before is really like a time machine. I have to take it in small doses to fully appreciate it and HB's historical role and significance. I know just hearing his music and watching him on tv influenced me. My mom had nothing but praise for the man.

@lotlizard

Two wonderful contributions, thank you!

Matilda - one of his songs whose lyrics I don't think I'll ever forget. I came across 'mama look a boo boo' while listening over these past few days, and laughing at how cute and funny it is

Interestingly enough, I thought of you while listening to 'Malaika' because it had a somewhat Hawaiian resonance to me, and thought you probably know his music.

getting the audience to sing along with “♫ Matilda, Matilda, she take me money and run Venezuela”

And then there was “Mama Look a Boo Boo” about not gettin’ any respect from one’s kids …