Calypso

The Calypso derives from a Carnival procession called cambouley (from the French cannes brulées or burning torches) long celebrated on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. After drums were forbidden after 1883, the songs associated with Carnival became more important, and by 1900 the name calypso had become attached to the genre. Reflecting its roots in Carnival, calypso music remains seasonal, with recording, performances and composition largely limited to the first three months of the year. Calypso is also different from most pop genres in that the texts are extremely current, often commenting and interpreting events just days old. Sexuality of the male sexist variety is also a frequent subject of calypso songs, so it is not surprising that there have been few women calypsonians. (The drumming that was banned from the cambouley was transformed into Steelbands.)