Song of the Day 4/26: Harry Belafonte, “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)”

A 96-year lifetime of EGOT fame and anti-racist activism and what is Harry Belafonte best remembered for today? A calypso-flavored Jamaican work song he recorded nearly 70 years ago, because a snippet of it has survived into popular culture as a stadium chant.

Belafonte trained as an actor but broke into stardom as a singer during the roots music revival of the early 1950s. “Day-O” was his biggest hit, reaching No. 5 on the singles chart in 1956 but also anchoring his third LP, “Calypso,” his second consecutive No. 1 album and the first long-player in history to sell 1 million copies. As you can see, he could really sell a song.

Belafonte wasn’t the only one to record the tune, and as was common with folk songs, the one he based his version on wasn’t the only lyrical variation. Another interpretation was recorded by a group called the Tarriers, who framed it with the refrain from another Jamaican folk song, “Hill and Gully Rider.” Their cover and Belafonte’s were on the charts at the same time, with the Tarriers peaking one spot behind Belafonte.