“Mary Ann,” composed by calypsonian Roaring Lion (born name: Hubert Raphael Charles), was popular with steelbands and revelers during a spontaneous Carnival celebration on V-J Day in Trinidad in 1945, at the end of World War II. The song’s lyrics alluded to Mary Ann’s occupation:
Latin bandleader Xavier Cugat recorded a version of “Mary Ann” in the late 1940s. During the 1956-57 American calypso craze, the Easy Riders, Burl Ives and other interpreters of folk music further popularized the calypso, generally under the title of “Marianne”. The song continued to be a favorite with steelbands and calypso entertainers at Caribbean tourist hotels for many years. Continue reading →