By Edwin M
Making the jump from junior calypso to the main calypso competition usually means a tedious transition period for most performers. They often have to pay their dues for many years while toiling in the shadows of their senior counterparts. But for two-time Montserrat junior calypso champion Neilson “Mighty Tiger” Duberry, the welcome to the big stage was immediate.
Neilson Duberry
Duberry made his debut in the senior arena at the Montserrat Cultural Center on Dec. 3, 2010 during the calypso eliminations and stole the show with his song “Ah Just Can’t Wait.” His stage antics and lyrics had the audience in rapt attention as soon as he began his song, and many concluded that he was the most entertaining of the 27 calypsonians that night.
He advanced to the calypso semifinals on Dec. 17 and captured the audience’s attention once more, this time performing “Right and Wrong” along with “Ah Just Can’t Wait” as he advanced to the finals. For the brash 18-year-old graduate of the Montserrat Secondary School, the attention was not particularly surprising.
“First off, I expected to pass to the semifinals,’’ he said. “I am not new to the stage and I expected the crowd reaction to be overwhelming. I need another pair of hands because of the amount of people who have shaken my hands to congratulate me.’’
Duberry, who currently works as a teacher at Lookout Primary School, said he first became interested in calypso at a young age. His father is a masquerade musician and that helped to enrich him culturally. His younger sister Kimberly also has competed as a junior calypsonian.
Before making his debut in the main calypso show, Duberry last competed in March 2008 when he won his final junior crown singing “Not School Children” and “More Tempo.”
Lyrics for “Right and Wrong”
Verse 1
Every day I hear dem politicians,
Talking about the constitution,
They say it is nothing but tyranny,
Britain want to keep us a colony,
Is de same refrain ah hearing daily,
On the street and also on ZJB,
Civil rights, that is what they said,
But we need to address the wrongs dem instead
CHORUS
Like shopkeepers overpricing we,
After paying little or no duty,
That is wrong, ah say wrong,
Young girls sacrificing they dignity,
For a top-up or a Blackberry,
That is wrong, ah say wrong,
A constitution is a necessity,
For any democratic society,
Human rights is important I must agree,
But is wrongs that keeping down we country,
Rights must be upheld with authority,
But is wrongs we must fix immediately
Verse 2
Ah couldn’t believe how de government,
Was talking about this document,
They analyze every sub-section,
Mean time they ignoring the poor man,
They argue, they rant and they rail,
As if this paper was the Holy Grail,
Same time that they talking about these rights,
Plenty wrongs going on day and night
CHORUS
Like we young men, smoking they sensi,
Walking in a daze, looking like zombie,
That is wrong, ah say wrong,
Parents use to rule with an iron fist,
Now is like respect no longer exist,
That is wrong, ah say wrong,
I’m not saying the constitution,
Is not important for our nation,
But it must go on the backburner,
As we recognize more urgent matters,
What about all dem missing people,
Little Bay is now the Bermuda Triangle
Verse 3
Rights are crucial but let’s fix the wrong,
Then nitpick the constitution,
But I would be remiss if I end me song,
Without talking about another objection,
Is about all dem married man,
Who does go for they Spanish lesson,
Nothing in the world sweet like goatwater,
But they trade it in for some azucar,
CHORUS
When they should be home snuggling with wifey,
They gone up by Lord Hailes or by Tony,
That is wrong, ah say wrong,
Instead of enjoying they home cooking,
They gone on the road to do some sampling,
That is wrong, ah say wrong,
But be careful when you eating out,
Make sure that you know what go in you mouth,
What sweet in goat mouth it does go sour,
That meal could end up as you last supper,
And if you like pelau please take my advice,
Ah hear dem Spanish women don’t wash dey rice
