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‘Gie Dem Tempo’

sung by Denyse Plummer
music by Edwin Pouchet
lyrics by Alvin Daniell

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LYRICS

Verse 1

Yes the customer always right
So to please them is my delight
They say, they want it uptempo
Doh make it tedious and slow
Shake it up, come alive
Move into, overdrive
Tempo is the thing
That does generate the swing
Now’s the time, to move it
Now’s the time, to prove it
People come to play
And they want to breakaway
Shake it up, shake it up, shake it up,
shake it up, shake it up, shake it up.

Chorus

Mash de X, get on de move, gie dem tempo
This is party time so doh
Get me vex, get in de groove,
gie dem tempo
This is palance time, yuh know
Left, Right, Left, Right
Once yuh feel de beat
Get up on yuh feet
Shed all your cares, get rid of all your fears
Jump and sway, this is tempo time
In de fray, this is tempo time
Ramajay, this is tempo time
Don’t delay, this is tempo time
Hold de beat, doh drop de beat,
hold de beat, doh drop de beat
Hold de beat, hold de beat
And just gie dem tempo.

Verse 2

When I think about daily stress
Transportation is in a mess
At work, they giving me pressure
How much more can I endure
Bills to pay, everyday
Find a way, no delay
Crime they can’t arrest
Like here is the wild wild West
Now’s the time, forget it
Now’s the time, to sweat it
People need release
Just to put they mind at peace
Shake it up, shake it up, shake it up,
shake it up, shake it up, shake it up.

Chorus

Verse 3

For whenever you give dem slow
Cyar forget deh troubles you know
Dey want, to have a super time
You know to wine is not a crime
Speed it up, increase it
Now’s de time, release it
It’s a bacchanal
Not somebody funeral
Now’s the time, to flam it
Now’s the time, so jam it
Get dem out deh seat
Have dem jumping on dey feet
Shake it up, shake it up, shake it up,
shake it up, shake it up, shake it up.

Chorus

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“Gie Dem Tempo”
Denyse Plummer

Provided with the expressed permission of the composer(s)

Click for more songs for Steelband Panorama 2012

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Denyse Plummer

Composer and arranger Edwin Pouchet Edwin Pouchet - Edwin grew up in pan, hearing pan morning, noon and night. His bigger brother Junior Pouchet was synonymous with the band Silver Stars. When Junior migrated to Orlando to work with Disney World, Edwin took up the mantle and brought the band back in the limelight after a 10-year break. Edwin proved to be a creative and exciting arranger reviving some of the band’s trademark selections as well as introducing new ones. The band made its name in the medium category of the steelband competitions winning with Pure Party in 2004. He also won the first “Pan in the 21^st Century” competition with Love Theme as well as with the popular Phantom of the Opera.

However when he took the leap into the Large Band Category of Panorama in 2008, he earned the respect of his fans and peers with a respectable place in the finals with Thunder Coming, his own composition. This led to his first victory at that level the following year with First in the Line.

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In 2010 year he created history by repeating with his own composition Battle Zone as this tune was also the winning Panorama selection in Montreal, Toronto, New York and Washington. Lyrics for his compositions have been written by Alvin Daniell; in 2011 they teamed up again to produce Wake Up sung by Denyse Plummer and It’s Showtime! sung by Anslem Douglas.

For Panorama 2012 their collaboration continues with this song, Gie Dem Tempo and This Is Bacchanal.

Alvin C. Daniell Alvin C. Daniell - Engineer, Cultural Researcher, Television Presenter, Composer and Music Producer comprise the disciplines of this individual. In the pan world he is best known for his lyrical work with some of the top pan arrangers in Trinidad and Tobago. These include Ray Holman (Pan on the Move, Pan on the Run); Len “Boogsie” Sharpe (Mind Yuh Business, Misbehave); Pelham Goddard (Parade, Play My Music, Good News, A Happy Song); Brian “Bean” Griffith (Trini Know How, Pure Party, How We Coming – 2011); Don Clarke (Can’t Get Enough, Momentum – 2011). He has also worked with Edwin Pouchet to produce several hits such as Thunder Coming, First in de Line, Battle Zone and It’s Showtime!, among others.