Why We Live Here

Trinidad is a complicated home. But when someone picks up a cuatro on a jetty down the islands and begins to sing old time calypsoes, a very tangible patriotism reminds us of what makes us all Trinidadian.
Thanks to Laughing Gull for the lyrics below. Click on the lyrics to see more of where this came from.

By Lord Funny (1966)

Foreigners always asking me
Why in Trinidad people so happy
What to do, man I have to tell them de truth
Ah say, a man could sleep until 10 o clock
Get up and still he eh late for wuk
------------- walk
He getting transport in front he door.
And is poke a poke, dey going all day
And on pay day still draw a big fat pay
If they like, they could call a big strike.

Chorus:
So ah tell dem, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Fus ah love dis country bad
I doh want to leave at all
Ever since ah small
Look ah bawling, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Brother, fus a feeling glad
When ah dead, please bury me
In de center ah de city.

We got we big oilfields just in the South
We have all kind ah tings to talk about
No regret, you just have to get up and get
And anytime tings a little bad
Man, you have a garden in yuh backyard
And doh doubt, the food almost in yuh mouth
We got women, colour class or creed
Any kind of a woman they you need
You could bet, the sweetest woman you could get.

Chorus:
So ah tell you, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Fus ah love dis country bad
I doh want to leave at all
Ever since ah small
Look ah bawling, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Brother, fus a feeling glad
When ah dead, please bury me
In de center ah de city.

In Trinidad, crime doh pay
No, it cyah happen down here no day
And of course, we got de brilliant Police Force
Dem young fellahs, dey eh want no wuk
Man dey liming and feting ‘round de clock
And yes friend, dey always have money to spend.
Dem beggars, wey de want a house for
When dey could sleep in front ah any store
And if you see the beautiful city!

Chorus:
Sweet, sweet Trinidad
Fus ah love dis country bad
I doh want to leave at all
Ever since ah small
Look ah bawling, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Brother, fus a feeling glad
When ah dead, please bury me
In de center ah de city.

We got steelband music, sweet fuh so
And doh talk about we sweet calypso
Bacchanal when it come to the Carnival
And if you see how de island progressing
Every day is new plans that they making
Sun or rain, men down here---they got brain
Man, if I got to tell you ‘bout here
It going to take me more than a year
As you see, a happiness killin’ we.

Chorus:
So ah tell you, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Fus ah love dis country bad
I doh want to leave at all
Ever since ah small
Look ah bawling, sweet, sweet Trinidad
Brother, fus a feeling glad
When ah dead, please bury me
In de center ah de city.