About The Song
Harry Belafonte’s “Banana Boat (Day-O)” is a traditional Jamaican folk song with calypso influences that gained significant popularity when Belafonte recorded and released it as a single from his 1956 album, “Calypso.” It reached number five on the Billboard charts, making it Belafonte’s signature song. The song is a call-and-response work song, originating from the dock workers’ night shift traditions in Jamaica.
The song describes the banana boat sailing to the markets, and the lyrics often include the workers’ requests for various items, creating a joyful and rhythmic atmosphere. The song’s lyrics express the feeling of excitement and anticipation in the bass tone, and the song rhythm captures the essence of the work crew’s emotions. The lyrics describe the tiredness and readiness of the crew at the end of their work, looking forward to the arrival of the tallyman who will take inventory and allow them to go home.