Haiti I Am Sorry

Last updated
"Haiti I am Sorry"
Song by David Rudder
from the album Haiti
Released1988
Recorded1988
Genre Calypso, reggae, soca
Length5:26
Label Sire, Lypsoland, London
Songwriter(s) David Rudder
Producer(s) Joe R. Brown, Charlie's Roots

"Haiti I am Sorry", or simply "Haiti", is a calypso song written and composed by David Rudder, and first recorded in 1988 for the album Haiti by David Rudder and Charlie's Roots. The song, which begins with the words: "Toussaint was a mighty man/ and to make matters worse he was black...", [1] is a tribute to the glory and suffering of Haiti, and was described in the AllMusic review as "a remarkable ode to Caribbean unity". [2] [3]

Contents

Personnel

Musicians
Production

Impact

The song has been credited with having in 1988 "brought impoverished Creole-speaking Haiti to the attention of the English-speaking Caribbean", [4] and is frequently referenced in connection with ongoing political and environmental problems in Haiti. [5] [6] [7] [8] It was selected by Margaret Busby as one her eight musical choices on Desert Island Discs in June 2021. [9]

See also

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References

  1. Philip, M. NourbeSe (9 February 2010). "Letter to Haiti". M. NourbeSe Philip. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  2. Scaramuzzo, Gene. "Charlie's Roots / David Rudder | Haiti". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  3. James, Mike (25 January 2010). "Haiti I'm sorry". Catholic News.
  4. Ransome, Debbie (28 August 2011). "Trinidad musician David Rudder: Calypso as commentary". BBC World Service.
  5. Croft, Colin (24 January 2010). "Haiti I Am Sorry". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian .
  6. "‘Haiti’ sung by David Rudder", When Steel Talks, 2008.
  7. "Haiti should not suffer!". Jamaica Observer . 11 October 2016.
  8. "Letters to the Editor: Haiti, I am sorry". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday . 10 July 2021.
  9. Green, Alex (26 June 2021). "Pioneering publisher Margaret Busby says industry still needs more diversity". Belfast Telegraph .