Album: Calypso (1956)

Charted: 2 5

License This Song 

• Day-o, day-o
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
  Me say day, me say day-o
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Work all night on a drink of rum
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Stack banana 'til de mornin' come
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Day, me say day-o
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  A beautiful bunch o' ripe banana
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Hide the deadly black tarantula
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Lift six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Day, me say day-o
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Come, mister tally man, tally me banana
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  
  Day-o, day-o
  Daylight come and me wan' go home
  Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
  Me say day, me say day-o
  Daylight come and me wan' go home Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

• Chrisj from ChicagoThe printed lyrics do not match what Belafonte sings.
  Six hand, seven hand, eight hand bunch.
  Bananas are measured in bunches, hands, and fingers.
  Also I think he sings { misé day }
• Kel from Western Ncif you want to hear something funny, listen to Stan Freberg’s parody of this song. It’s pretty hilarious. And the genius of Stan is that he did all the voices in the song. Usually live, or in the same take.
• Parker Gabriel from Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe story told in the lyrics is actually horror-inspiring, as banana boat stevedores were little better than slaves, peons at mildest. And theirs were extremely hard lives, filled with especially cruel treatment from their bosses and/or forepeople. Worst of all was that so many of them were killed on the job from being literally worked to death--and treated as expendable.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyIrving Burgie, who went by the name Lord Burgess, passed away at the age of 95 on November 29th, 2019...
  He co-composed "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)", and on February 14th, 1957 Harry Belafonte's original version of the song peaked at #5 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, it spent twenty weeks on the Top 100...
  And on January 24th, 1957 the Tarriers' covered version reached #4 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Most Played by Jockeys chart...
  As noted above, also in 1957 four other covered versions charted on Billboard's national charts, Fontane Sisters {#13 on the Jockeys chart}, Steve Lawrence {#18 on the Jockeys chart}, Sarah Vaughan {#19 on the Jockeys chart}, and Stan Freberg's parody version reached #25 on the Best-Sellers in Stores chart...
  Across the pond in the United Kingdom, Shirley Bassey's version peaked at #8 in March of 1957...
  May Mr. Burgie R.I.P.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 20th 1957, the Tarriers performed "The Banana Boat Song" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
  At the time the Tarriers' original version was at #7 on Billboard's Best Seller in Stores chart; and one position higher at #6 was Harry Belafonte's covered version of the song...
  For what it's worth; the song at #2 was "Young Love" by Sonny James, while at #3 was Tab Hunter's version of the same song...
  And holding down the two bottom positions of the Top 10 was Fats Domino; his "Blue Monday" was at #9 and his "Blueberry Hill" was at #10.
• Jack from Burlington, NjWhen initially recording the song, being asked for the title, Harry (spelled) named it, "Day Done Light".
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOnDecember 23rd, 1956, two versions of "The Banana Boat Show" entered Billboard's Top 100 chart; the Fontane Sisters version peaked at #13 and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100 while Sarah Vaughan's version reached #19 and stayed on the Top 100 for 14 weeks...
  R.I.P. Geri Fontane (1921 - 1993), Bea Fontane (1915 - 2002), Marge fontane (1917 - 2003), and Ms. Vaughan (1924 - 1990).
  
• Steve from South Central, FlIt is a Jamaican mento song, not calypso (Trinidad and Tobago). The name of the group is The Tarriers (not Terriers).
• Adrian from Johor Bahru, MalaysiaDuring the ensuing war on terror there was a modified version of the song circulating on the internet which poked fun at then President George W Bush, Collin Powell and Osama bin Laden. It goes, Day O Daylite come and we drop the bomb ! Come Mr Taliban turn over bin Laden !
• Megan from Stevenson, AlThis is such a classic loved by everybody. Completely awesome!
• Kombucha Mushroom :) from Millihole, AustraliaHa ha I first heard this song on Beetlejuice :) yeahah hide the deadly black tarantula. . .
• Rob from Detroit, MiShouldn't the lyric read: "Hide the deadly black
  tarantula?"
• Lalah from Wasilla, AkThe first song on the B side of Calypso is called "STAR-O". It's the same tune except the dock workers are starting their shift. "Star a come and me carry me load". This is acutally a good album. My dad played it often when I was growing up so it reminds me of my childhood.
• Darrell from EugeneA variation of this song (a sample is "Day-O, One-Day Sale, Sunday Only at the Bon Marche) was used in sale commercials for the now-defunct Bon Marche high-end department store chain (also famous for Frango candy) for many years. "The Bon" was very prominent in the Pacific Northwest, which is where I live and was taken over by Macy's some years ago. The store in my hometown is now a Macy's.

More Songfacts:

Up-Up and AwayThe 5th Dimension

Jimmy Webb was inspired to write The 5th Dimension song "Up-Up and Away" after seeing a hot-air balloon his friend flew on promotions for the Southern California radio station KMEN.

Kiss The RainBillie Myers

Desmond Child thought Gavin Rossdale was singing "Kiss The Rain" on the Bush song "Glycerine." When he found out the truth, he wrote a song called "Kiss The Rain" for Billie Myers.

Pretty In PinkThe Psychedelic Furs

"Pretty In Pink" by Psychedelic Furs was released in 1981. Five years later, it inspired a movie of the same name starring Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy and Jon Cryer. The song was remixed for the re-release to have more pop appeal.

Go Away Little GirlDonny Osmond

Originally a chart-topper for Steve Lawrence in 1962, "Go Away Little Girl" became the first song of the rock era to hit #1 for two different artists when Donny Osmond's cover version also reached the summit in 1971.

Whip ItDevo

Devo got the idea for their "Whip It" video from an article about a guy who owned a dude ranch and charged people to watch him remove his wife's clothes with a bullwhip.

My Name IsEminem

Eminem's first hit was "My Name Is," which introduced his alter ego, Slim Shady.

Editor's Picks

Thomas DolbySongwriter Interviews

He wrote "She Blinded Me With Science" so he could direct a video about a home for deranged scientists.

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.