Jump Up Calypso

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Jump Up Calypso
JumpUpCalypso.jpg
Studio album by
Released1961
Recorded1960
Genre Calypso
Length40:54
Label RCA Victor LPM/LSP-2388
Producer Bob Bollard
Harry Belafonte chronology
Swing Dat Hammer
(1960)
Jump Up Calypso
(1961)
Midnight Special
(1962)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]

Jump Up Calypso is an album by Harry Belafonte, originally released by RCA Victor in 1961. Backing musicians include The Trinidad Steel Band. [1]

Contents

Chart performance

It reached number 3 on the Billboard Best Selling Monoraul LP's, during a sixty seven-week run on the chart. [2]

Reception

Music critic Richie Unterberger on AllMusic wrote that the album could be seen as a return to "roots" styles, adding "In any case, it's all-out calypso, with backing by the Trinidad Steel Band, and qualifies as one of his most energetic albums, even getting rambunctious at times." [1]

A UK newspaper, the New Musical Express called it a "top album", and wrote, "An almost forgotten man here, the king of calypso Is hack, singing the songs he performs best - lively West Indian folk tunes. He makes every one of the 12 tracks a thing of beauty, specially the terrifically rhythmic romp of Jump In The Line, and the soft, sentimental". [3]

Track listing

  1. "Sweetheart from Venezuela" (Fitzroy "Lord Melody" Alexander, Bob Gordon) – 3:28
  2. "Go Down Emanuel Road" (Irving Burgie) – 3:07
  3. "The Baby Boy" (Alexander, Roderick Clavery) – 3:22
  4. "Gloria" (Gordon, Clifton "Mighty Bomber" Ryan) – 3:08
  5. "Land of the Sea and Sun" (Irving Burgie) – 2:55
  6. "Goin' Down Jordan" (Burgie, Theophilus Woods) – 3:34
  7. "Jump in the Line" (Aldwyn "Lord Kitchener" Roberts) – 3:39
  8. "Kingston Market" (Burgie) – 3:11
  9. "Monkey" (Burgie, Norman "King Radio" Span) – 3:58
  10. "These Are the Times" (Burgie) – 3:14
  11. "Bally Mena" (Burgie, Robert De Cormier) – 3:25
  12. "Angelina" (Burgie) – 3:53

Personnel

Production notes

See also

Charts

Chart (1961)Peak
position
US Billboard Top LP's (Monoraul) [2] 3

References

  1. 1 2 3 Allmusic review
  2. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1973). Top LPs, 1955–1972. Record Research. p. 17. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  3. New Musical Express, Album reviews, January 12, 1962 Retrieved September 27, 2025