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Apr 24, 2024 · Belafonte fell in love with the infectious rhythm and the power behind the lyrics. He adapted the melody and the lyrics, adding the iconic “Day-O” chorus, which symbolizes the end of a long day’s work when the workers count their banana bunches and prepare to go home.
Apr 26, 2023 · “Banana Boat (Day-O)” is said to have originated around the turn of the 20th century in Jamaica. Dockworkers who loaded shipping vessels with bananas would work all through the night until the...
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The lyrics describe how daylight has come, their shift is over, and they want their work to be counted up so that they can go home. The best-known version was released by American singer Harry Belafonte in 1956 (originally titled "Banana Boat (Day-O)") and later became one of his signature songs.
The Banana Boat Song (Day-O) by Harry Belafonte song meaning, lyric interpretation, video and chart position.
Jun 3, 2024 · What does “Day-O” mean? The term “Day-O” is a Jamaican phrase that is short for “Daylight comes.” In the context of the song, it represents the workers calling for the night shift to end and for daylight to arrive so they can go home.
Sep 22, 2024 · The song’s writing credits are a mystery because different labels have different things, but it’s believed this song originated in the early 20th century when it was sung by Jamaican dock workers who loaded bananas onto ships during the night.
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"Day-O (Banana Boat Song)" is a traditional Jamaican folk song that originated in the early 20th century. The song's origins can be traced back to the banana plantations, where Jamaican workers would sing it as they loaded bananas onto ships.
