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Taj Mahal — The Calypsonians
Album: Sacred Island
Avg rating:
6.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 902









Released: 1998
Length: 6:26
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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The Calypsonians were all gathered together, singing such a mournful tune
I don't know if it was in the summer time could be the month of May or June
Believe me Baby now I love you the best
When I by myself I poke out me chest
Over lovin', lovin lovin, can't stop loving you

I do believe down to my soul I'm going to take accross the deep blue sea
Like my friend Carlos on the Hokule'a down to old Fiji
Believe me Baby now I love you the best
When I by myself I poke out me chest
Over lovin', lovin lovin, can't stop loving you

Love me baby, baby love me, love me baby thru and thru
Love me in the night time, darling from moon to moon
Believe me Baby now I love you the best
When I by myself I poke out me chest
Over lovin', lovin lovin, can't stop loving you

If you love me like you say you love me, love like you say you do
Love me in the sunshine, darling from moon to moon
Believe me Baby now I love you the best
When I by myself I poke out me chest
Over lovin', lovin lovin, can't stop loving you

The blues chaed up a rabbit, rabbit run a quarter mile
That poor little furry bunny scared like a little child
Believe me Baby now I love you the best
When I by myself I poke out me chest
Over lovin', lovin lovin, can't stop loving you

The Calypsonians were all gathered together, singing such a mournful tune
I don't know if it was in the summer time could be the month of May or June
Believe me Baby now I love you the best
When I by myself I poke out me chest
Over lovin', lovin lovin, can't stop loving you
Comments (64)add comment
This is pretty damn chilled...

Very different to my previous exposure to Taj - liking it a lot.
Posted 2 years ago by meanderer    [ Reply ]
 j1sey wrote:

Wow, his voice here has a Tom Waits quality.


I was thinking this tune has a bit of a Dr. John feel, too.
Posted 3 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
I usually really enjoy Taj Mahal's music, but here he sounds like a Sesame Street character. Or a Muppet. 
Posted 3 years ago by Mugro    [ Reply ]
 westslope wrote:

Beautiful!  Nice use of a clarinet.  




I think that's a soprano sax.
Posted 3 years ago by kazoo    [ Reply ]
 westslope wrote:
Beautiful!  Nice use of a clarinet.  
 

That might be an oboe. It. has a slightly nasal tone and I don't hear the bell-like sound you get with a clarinet. But you're right: whatever the instrument it really works here. It's hopeful, wistful and knowing all at once. 
Posted 4 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
I'm waiting for the Toots tribute today, maybe I missed it already.
Posted 4 years ago by newbolddrive    [ Reply ]
Beautiful!  Nice use of a clarinet.  
Posted 4 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
 cely wrote:
Almost nobody in music is as interesting and open as Taj Mahal.  Almost everyone else has a nitch.  His nitch is Taj Mahal.
 
Very true.  and true of tom waits too 

Posted 4 years ago by wildmanfromSB    [ Reply ]
More Taj, Just MORE.
Posted 5 years ago by sqqqrly    [ Reply ]
 pamorama wrote:
Love this sound from him! Is that a clarinet? Super cool .
 
I think it is a saxophone, butwith a special sound like Miles Davis had for trumpet... so sensual anyway
Posted 5 years ago by francesco_insyde    [ Reply ]
No Taj, Just NO
Posted 5 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
Doesn't get much better. Solid 10
Posted 5 years ago by tornlabrum    [ Reply ]
 pamorama wrote:
Love this sound from him! Is that a clarinet? Super cool .
 
Soprano saxophone I believe. But not Kenny G.!
Posted 5 years ago by kazoo    [ Reply ]
I thought this was a Muppet Show version of a song.......
Posted 5 years ago by alain.brault    [ Reply ]
Love this sound from him! Is that a clarinet? Super cool .
Posted 6 years ago by pamorama    [ Reply ]
Almost nobody in music is as interesting and open as Taj Mahal.  Almost everyone else has a nitch.  His nitch is Taj Mahal.
Posted 6 years ago by cely    [ Reply ]
20 years since Taj was hit in the head with that coconut.
Posted 6 years ago by sfyi2001    [ Reply ]
Sounds like lounge music. Taj sort of gives it some beef. But you know, if I was laying under a palm tree on an island with a cold beer or 2 and a joint I could kinda dig this. 6
Posted 8 years ago by jimtyrrell    [ Reply ]
Love this album. Taj rules.
Posted 8 years ago by Andybob    [ Reply ]
 j1sey wrote:
Wow, his voice here has a Tom Waits quality.
 
Tom Waits doing a fake Jamaican,...I have loved Taj since the late 60's but this is just silly
Posted 8 years ago by Skydog    [ Reply ]
 thatch wrote:
Dylan, Waits, Mahal - it is age and living that changes their voices. If you can embrace the change, they make great music.

 
Cheers thatch (Maggie, is that you?)!!!   : )
Posted 9 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
this is a great song
or is it just me ? 
Posted 9 years ago by coy    [ Reply ]
Wow, his voice here has a Tom Waits quality.
Posted 9 years ago by j1sey    [ Reply ]
have and will continue to love TAJ, A REAL TREASURE.............. ( yo bro, if you drag the banjo in the dust it will sound dusty ) ALBION 73
Posted 10 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
Gains more points the more I hear it.  Hypnotic instruments backing a truly unique voice.
Posted 10 years ago by Zocket    [ Reply ]
Dylan, Waits, Mahal - it is age and living that changes their voices. If you can embrace the change, they make great music.
Posted 11 years ago by thatch    [ Reply ]
Taj is such an original—can't peg him to any style or genre. BTW, doesn't this one have a bit of "Midnight in Moscow" in the chorus?
Posted 11 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
this is great bubble bath music....  {#Tongue}
Posted 11 years ago by shellbella    [ Reply ]
 rdo wrote:
So this summer I'm biking on the Mount Vernon trail on a humid day after weeks of rain fail.  Big dragon flies hovering, practically suspended in air all along the way.  Have to keep the mouth closed, getting pelted frequently.  All of the sudden GULP! Right in the kisser and down the esophagus.  Next thing I know I'm writhing on the ground clawing and clutching at the throat.  Paramedics arrive and my face has gone from blue to green.   Well, to make a long story short, you can imagine what my voice sounded like for the next few weeks.

 
Funny story! At least for me while reading it 😊

 
Posted 11 years ago by daodot    [ Reply ]
aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!! thanks taj, sweet & mellow as it gets.
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]

Taj, Linda, Los Lobos by jdlasica
JD Lasica / SocialMedia.biz
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jdlasica/
https://socialmedia.biz/

Taj Mahal and Linda Ronstadt jam with Los Lobos.

This photo was taken on June 1, 2008 using a Nikon D300.

Copyright All rights reserved




Posted 12 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
one bad sumbitch
Posted 12 years ago by mrdak    [ Reply ]
 jackpine wrote:
I'm really surprised by others opinion of this, I loved it.
 
in total agreement. This guy is a master.
Posted 12 years ago by NoEnzLefttoSplit    [ Reply ]
Good voice, very different. But it does make him sound like a pervert.
Posted 12 years ago by deanofox    [ Reply ]
I'm really surprised by others opinion of this, I loved it.
Posted 12 years ago by jackpine    [ Reply ]
Luverly!!!! Never heard this track before. Thanks
Posted 12 years ago by Limpopoking    [ Reply ]
Last time I listened to Taj Mahal was at a bar in Greenwich village around 1970. He still has a cool sound.
Posted 12 years ago by jimj    [ Reply ]
THIS IS TERRIBLE "SINGING".  sounds like Tom Waits, only with no humour.  is this the way he always sounded?  i seem to remember a different sound back in the 70's and 80's.  or am i growing old and feeble?

ok, i jumped the gun, this is not so bad afterall, upgrading to a 6.
Posted 12 years ago by BLADERUNNER    [ Reply ]
I'm recovering from pneumonia and don't sound like that.
Posted 12 years ago by Geecheeboy    [ Reply ]
 kysmet wrote:
not diggin' this at all
 
I thought it was Dr. John recovering from pneumonia.

Posted 12 years ago by Bleyfusz    [ Reply ]
So this summer I'm biking on the Mount Vernon trail on a humid day after weeks of rain fail.  Big dragon flies hovering, practically suspended in air all along the way.  Have to keep the mouth closed, getting pelted frequently.  All of the sudden GULP! Right in the kisser and down the esophagus.  Next thing I know I'm writhing on the ground clawing and clutching at the throat.  Paramedics arrive and my face has gone from blue to green.   Well, to make a long story short, you can imagine what my voice sounded like for the next few weeks.
Posted 13 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
not diggin' this at all
Posted 13 years ago by K_Love    [ Reply ]
Waitsy could be producing the Taj. Bet they are smoking the same Cubans.

 On_The_Beach wrote:
Taj predates Tom W, so I hardly think one can accuse him of stealing Tom's style (but yes, they sound similar).

 


Posted 13 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
Seen him live at Jazz in Marciac, SW France. He took the place by storm with his trio. So much more grip on the audience than Joe Cocker and his 18 piece band that followed him. But yeah, on playback, this isn't the best you'll hear from him. Go see the man in the flesh and spend a few days wearing a silly smile.
Posted 13 years ago by perryandcaro    [ Reply ]
Without the singing this is perfect elevator music. With the singing it's torture.
Posted 13 years ago by lerxst    [ Reply ]
His back up band:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k26nt3Y4cmg&feature=related
Posted 13 years ago by Geecheeboy    [ Reply ]
this is officially the first Taj Mahal song that did nothing for me. Tom Waits and Kenny G. bleh.
Posted 13 years ago by scraig    [ Reply ]
So did my voice 40 years ago.........watch out for the inevitable collapse of your own as you hit old age! Ando wrote:
His voice used to be so much smoother.
 


Posted 13 years ago by Plantlife    [ Reply ]
There is an substantial and completely unmistakeable difference between Monsignor Waits and the Mahal. Listen to more of their stuff and enjoy...............
 Decoy wrote:

I had to come check to see if Waits was doing vocals here too...
 


Posted 13 years ago by Plantlife    [ Reply ]
Taj predates Tom W, so I hardly think one can accuse him of stealing Tom's style (but yes, they sound similar).

Posted 13 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
 pk53 wrote:
Pretty much like everything Taj does.  If you ever have a chance to see him live, do so, and up close!  An amazing/fun evening it will be.
 

I've seen Taj at least 10 times.... he's fantatstic in concert and he does not play this song which is nowhere close to his best work.


Posted 13 years ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
I actually like this - not bad!
Posted 13 years ago by DaveInSaoMiguel    [ Reply ]
Bad bad bad. I knew it wasn't Waits, but I did think it was a cheap knock off. If I were to hear Radio Paradise for the first time and this song was playing I would never tune in again. Fortunately  we have been listening for years and we love most everything else Bill does.
-J
Posted 13 years ago by jazong    [ Reply ]
Pretty much like everything Taj does.  If you ever have a chance to see him live, do so, and up close!  An amazing/fun evening it will be.
Posted 13 years ago by pk53    [ Reply ]
 KahunaMatata wrote:
I thought this was Tom Waits for a moment!! Love it!
 
I had to come check to see if Waits was doing vocals here too...
Posted 14 years ago by Decoy    [ Reply ]
 LastChance wrote:
That's awful.
 
A dire voice, right enough, which is sooooo bad for the ears (pace romeotuma), almost a physical pain. An instant sucko-barfo.

Posted 14 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
That's awful.
Posted 14 years ago by LastChance    [ Reply ]
This is making me giggle. Not sure if that's the desired reaction.
Posted 14 years ago by linden    [ Reply ]
I thought this was Tom Waits for a moment!! Love it!
Posted 14 years ago by KahunaMatata    [ Reply ]
Unfortunate for such a great artist.
Posted 14 years ago by isayhoomhom    [ Reply ]
is this with Kenny G??  blah
Posted 14 years ago by socalhol    [ Reply ]
Taj can do no wrong. Saw him so many times over 30+ yrs. Last time was sublime!

Posted 14 years ago by gatorade    [ Reply ]
His voice used to be so much smoother.


Posted 14 years ago by Ando    [ Reply ]
Tom Waits-y
Posted 14 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]