MY FRIEND, THE LEGEND
In Memory of Sir Rupert Willeston Valentine Philo
February 14th, 1942 to September 11th, 2020
By Asot Michael
It was George Washington Carver (the great African-American educator, scientist, and inventor) who said, “When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world”.
From humble beginnings, Sir Rupert King Swallow Philo achieved international stardom as a grandmaster of calypso and soca, a cultural titan and Caribbean musical ambassador earning recognition around the world for his beloved twin-island nation. Yet, apart from receiving a ceremonial knighthood at home, he lived and died, the experience of societal ingratitude with the unkindest cut of hollow mockery for one who gave so much, to so many, and for so long, and so selflessly, and in the grandest of ways.
Sir Rupert King Swallow Philo’s family and mine have been inextricably twined from time immemorial. I was one of a very select few privileged to listen to his unfinished and unmastered compositions.
And when Sir Rupert King Swallow would land in Antigua with the finished first pressed LP 33 or 45 from Charlies Studio New York, his very first stop would be the Patrick A Michael Department Store on High Street, where the monster speaker boxes were outside on the sidewalk in front the store and the turntable at the ready to blare out Swallow’s new release. DJ Patrick would send the sweet music, lyrics, rhythm, melodies, and tempo blaring and blasting in deafening decibels. And the dancing crowds would gather, emptying the Golden Peanut and Brother B’s restaurants.
I remember the frantic phone calls from Ivor Bird. Swallow has a red hot, new release and big, bad ZDK radio does not have a copy. So, my late father would ensure that ZDK had the new hit to be aired the same day. Yes, Patrick Michael Store on High Street was where King Swallow Philo songs would be first released before the radio stations.
When his loud cry pierced the midnight hour to announce his arrival on planet earth on Valentine’s Day in 1942, the midwife immediately proclaimed “this bouncing baby is going to be a singer”.
And what a singer he turned out to be! King Swallow… Sir Rupert Willeston Valentine Philo… One of the most loved composers and performers of calypso the world has ever known. Seventy-eight years later, the good and faithful servant has been called home to rest. As loving and humble as he was born in the trash house by the St Bartholomew Church in Willikies, richer in the quality of his life than any millionaire, more loved than any big-time celebrity and more respected than any politician.
Sir Rupert was a kind, gentle soul who grew up shining the light of love through the changing scenes of life and giving a helping hand to family, relatives, neighbours, friends and people in need. He rode the tensions of success and failure, thirsty for truth, in fear of God and strengthened in the conviction that the flame of his little candle would always be powerful enough to dispel the darkness of evil and negativity. A wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. We give thanks and praise for the blessing of his life… for the bright soul that rejoiced in musical creations to bring us joy, peace and perspective.
His musical journey began with singing in Church and at school concerts and learning to play the keyboard. Then one day Sir Rupert’s long-time school friend Jerome Ramsey, whose sister Amy paid him his first 25 cents to sing a calypso, said to him that he could make money like the Mighty Sparrow, because he was always singing the songs of the Calypso Maestro. “A sparrow is a bird”, Ramsey said, “and there is also a bird called Swallow”.
The both laughed. Unknown to them at the time, they had just initiated a giant of the calypso artform with the stage name Swallow.
Teenager Swallow entered the calypso competing ring in 1961 and immediately gave birth to the political calypso in this country with a song about Dominican Republic dictator Raphael Trujillo and his oppressive treatment of migrant workers from Antigua and Barbuda. He slammed Trujillo as ‘a wicked man’ who forced migrant workers ‘to put every cent’ in the tyrant’s hand, before they could leave the land’.
A four-time calypso king, Swallow first took the crown in 1973 with “March for Freedom” and “Push Yah Push Dey”. He won again in 1977 with “One Hope, One Love, One Destiny” and repeated in 1978 with “Dawn of a New Day” — one of the greatest social commentaries in Antigua and Barbuda calypso. After six years seeing the monarchy land the hands of his rivals, King Swallow roared back to the top spot for the final time 1985 with “Town Mash Down”.
Through the years, his competitive nature coupled with the unwavering support of the followers from the east, forged a legendary rivalry with the other two internationally recognized champions of Antigua and Barbuda calypso — King Short Shirt and King Obstinate. Their titanic contests fuelled his growth, sharpened his competitive edge and drew some of the largest crowds at Carnival City for any calypso competition. Without a doubt that rivalry was not only responsible for establishing the highest standards of calypso competitions in the region but for making Antigua’s Carnival one of the most sought-after global Carnival events and one of the greatest summer festivals anywhere.
Swallow credits those moments as some of the most satisfying and inspiring of his career. But he created an even greater legacy in conjunction with his calypso colleagues and sponsors by hosting Antigua’s oldest and most consistent calypso and cultural entertainment institution — Swallow’s Calypso Pepperpot, the University of Calypso and Soca. It was the greatest calypso institution ever in the history of Antigua & Barbuda which was the incubator and nursery for calypso and calypsonians.
Swallow’s genius as a composer and performer of classic calypso party music won Five Road March titles and made him the first calypsonian to grace the stage at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Dubbed the king of the annual Labour Day Street Jam in Brooklyn, the pride and joy of Willikies is still the reigning Caribbean Calypso King.
The impact of his irresistible soca and calypso music was arguably bigger abroad than it was at home. Indeed, several Trinidad and Tobago soca stars, grateful for the value of his contribution in the Mecca of the artform have paid glowing tribute to the GARJO, a real boss in the Soca Kingdom.
He was a complete calypso and soca artist, more complete than most. A great writer and melody maker, a commanding and imposing stage presence, a master at delivering and commanding crowd response. In competitions, he was spellbinding with his social commentary, and it was almost a certainty that Sir Rupert King Swallow’s sartorial elegance was going to be pleasingly imposing; his was a visually striking, impactful, and captivating attire. What a compelling fusion of artist sartorial elegance, command of the stage, a master of delivering his songs, the party rocker, the one who always ignited the spirit of the dance hall with his sweet melodies and jumpy rhythms, while on the road his music is sure to mash down tung.
He was a great creative and imaginative lyricist, a dynamic composer who was able, almost always to fuse his creative lyrics with an almost incomparable consistently sweet and captivating melody.
He received a knighthood — the Grand Cross of Princely Heritage — along with the Order of Merit in Antigua and Barbuda. His long record of recognition also includes numerous accolades from Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and the US where he received an award from Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos and a most prestigious induction into the Sunshine Awards Hall of Fame.
As much there was “Fire in the Backseat” of the “Subway Jam” with “Satan Coming Down” and fans screaming “Don’t stop the Party”, the use of a super power’s launch of a satellite in space to fill the galaxy with witty lyrics, haunting melody and compelling rhythm, lives with us as arguably his finest work:
“Uncle Sam send up some men on a space mission
In this crew was Sally Wright the first space woman
The mission was to plant some satellite up in space
So the challenger take off from Canaveral in a haste
But before the mission could be accomplished…
The whole of orbit like now is foreign music
The astronaut and them was feeling so happy
So they turn the mission in a space party…
Everybody happy, jumping up and down in the party
Wailing up their body everyone enjoying the party
Fire! Fire! Fire! The galaxy is on fire!
In his final days, as the exemplary musical astronaut prepared for lift off to the heavenly space, he reminded his children of their upbringing as Christians of good conscience focused on the priorities of Mathew 25 — help your brother, help your sister, help your neighbour. Food for the hungry, water for the thirsty, shelter for the stranger, care for the sick, clothes for the needy, comfort for the heavy burdened…
He urged his children to live God’s word, look to Him and keep praying. In his own words “don’t be afraid to call on God; talk to Him like you talk to me; ask for what you want; God is there for you.
There were times when he questioned why man to man is so unjust and struggled with difficulties over who to trust. Indeed, there were times when the injustice for this rock-solid supporter of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party was brutal even from his own comrades of Labour Party while we blindfolded ourselves in the sound of silence
We were there singing along with Swallow “V.C. 50 Years at the Wheel” and “If You Can’t Run The Country: Give It To Labour Party” We were there when Swallow voted for the Labour Party in every election until he could vote no more. We were there when Swallow religiously joined Labour Party pickets and marches against the George Walter and Baldwin Spencer administrations.
But were you there, when the Cabinet agreed to the cost evaluation for the demolition of his tent on East Street and Independence Ave? Were you there when Cabinet agreed unanimously to pay him the specific amount of the evaluation? Where you there when instead of honouring the long outstanding amount in the Cabinet decision, a public relation stunt was pulled on him and in the public if you please?
Were you there, when this distinguished national and Caribbean icon begged and pleaded and made representation after representation to the head of Cabinet and all its members to honour that Cabinet decision, but to no avail?
Where you there, when he refused the offer his dear friend Winston “Gypsy” Peters’ offer, who was then Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Arts and Culture, to have the Trinidad & Tobago government sponsor and hosting his 50th anniversary celebrations because he felt this historic event was for the people of Antigua and Barbuda?
Were you there, when because of that patriotic and nationalistic love and commitment to his nation and his people, he personally bore a great deal of those expenses for that event, which left him in debts up to his neck, allowing for mean-spiritedness, envy, and jealousy to take its course in prosecution accompanied by the greatest humiliation of his life — that this national treasure, this Caribbean Cultural Icon and Ambassador, was ordered to be held in a public cell in St. John’s City?
Were you there, as he wept, as his heart bled, as his pride was imprisoned with accused and hardened criminals?
We owe him so much, not only for the international publicity he gave to this nation but also for the joy, happiness, entertainment, economic and financial benefits that his life work bestowed on Antigua and Barbuda.
Today, as our nation and the Calypso world stand in honour of the life and times of Sir Rupert “King Swallow” Philo, let us do now what we did not do for this great national icon and Caribbean Cultural Ambassador’s priceless contributions to this nation when he was alive. In honour of his memory, let us agree to settle all outstanding debts owed to him by government so that his children can derive the benefit of his legacy that he did not receive, but should have. Let us also agree to the erection of a life size statue of Sir Rupert at the entrance of Willikies Village.
May flight of angels sing him to the eternal party in space in the heavens above.
May his soul rest in peace.
