‘The Grandmaster Say’

Verse 1

Ah dream ah met up
With de late great Grandmaster
He was standing up by de dial in Arima
Ah say Kitchener, what is de matter
Why yuh look so blue?
He say boy ah real shame to tell you
Since ah left to go and sing up in heaven
Ah thought ah left music
For de next generation
But dem pan jokers and all dem others
They done forgot me
And all ah meh classics already
(He tell meh)

Chorus 1

Tell Kernal he leh meh down bad
Tell Machel ah say that he mad
Sing ah song, of mine every year
So that the young people could hear
Tell dem preserve meh legacy
Tell dem cherish those melody
Let it live in dey memory
All de great songs dey got from me
Go ahead and tell dem I say
To play meh music night and day
Only then they go remember
Why I was called the Grandmaster

Verse 2

He was dress in blue
With a white hat and a white shoe
Looking real dapper
Just de way that he used too
Then he said to me, Boy ah real angry
All meh great pan song
Lying idle on shelves in town 
Arima do have ah Pan Competition
In meh honour self to show appreciation
De late Bob Marley and Elvis Presley
Names could never die
In meh grave they still making meh cry
(He tell meh)

Chorus 2

Tell TUCO dey leh meh down bad
Pan Trinbago ah say that dey mad
Stop playing games, de icons dying  
Pay attention to what’s happening
Tell dem preserve meh legacy
Tell dem cherish dem melody
Let it live in dey memory
All de great songs dey got from me
Go ahead and tell dem I say
To play meh music night and day
Only then they go remember
Why they call me de Grandmaster

Verse 3

He say sit down dey
Leh meh gih yuh de recipe
So you would learn
To make sweet music just like me
Ah gih de Scrunter, meh Will
But brother - he singing parang
Not a single tune for de steelpan
Make a song for this coming panorama
Something melodious
To attract all dem pan arrangers  
Boy yuh cyah go wrong
Yuh go lick up town
De whole savannah
Ah tell yuh going to be on fire
(He tell meh)

Chorus 3

Tell Kernal he leh meh down bad
Tell Machel ah say that he mad
Sing ah song, of mine every year
So that the young panist could hear
Tell dem preserve meh legacy
Tell dem cherish dem melody
Let it live in dey memory
All the music dey got from me
Go ahead and tell dem I say
To play meh music night and day
So no one will have to wonder
Why I was called the Grandmaster

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