Search results
- This is a traditional Jamaican song that was sung by dock workers who worked throughout the night loading bananas onto ships. It's daylight, and they look forward to the arrival of the Tallyman (who will take inventory) so they can go home.
www.songfacts.com/facts/harry-belafonte/the-banana-boat-song-day-o
People also ask
Why is the song Day O called Day O?
Is Day-O a popular song?
What does Day O mean?
Why is Banana Boat (Day-O) a call-and-response song?
What is Day-O (Banana Boat Song)?
What is the song 'Banana Boat (Day-O)' about?
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.
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...
- Staff Writer
- 4 min
Apr 24, 2024 · The song’s catchy chorus has become a popular meme on social media, and the phrase “Day-O” has become synonymous with Caribbean culture. The song’s success has also helped to catapult Harry Belafonte to international stardom and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest performers of all time.
Jul 3, 2024 · Why is the song also known as “Day-O”? “Day-O” is a repeated phrase throughout the song, which derives from the Jamaican term “daylight come and me wan’ go home.” This phrase represents the desire for daylight to come, signaling the end of a long night shift and the workers’ yearning to return to their homes.
- Ken Chamberlain
Apr 25, 2023 · As The New Yorker says, the tune for "Day-O" likely spans back to "the turn of the 20th century" as a call-and-response song composed of two sets of singers. This is exactly what the composition in Belafonte's version does.
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.
