For more on Steelpan In TnT click here
Trinidad & Tobago Panorama 2016 - HOME
sung by Merv Hamlyn
composed by Merv Hamlyn
click here for lead sheet
LYRICSVerse 1
Took a li’l
walk, down the boulevard
I met Jane, we ended up in a panyard
It’s there we saw this panist
Oh boy; what a gifted artist
He just showed, tremendous skills
He got the audience, absolutely
thrilled
Nothing could stop my attention
I had to sneak, a little
conversation
I pulled him aside, spoke to him
quietly
This is what, he said to me
Chorus 1
I’m a
crackshot
I’m young and fresh and I hot
I’m a crackshot
I’m one of the best that they got
They complain, I’m showing no
loyalty
From band to band, I’m like a
mercenary
Duvone loves how I roll
He said, it touches his soul
My versatility just pleases
“Boogsie”
He just loves my natural ability
So whether they like it or not
It’s my job, I’m just a crackshot
Verse 2
He said the
fuss is nothing but envy
They just jealous, ‘cause I making
money
They doh really have no reason
Carnival is just a short season
This is it, the time of the year
I get a chance to enhance my career
It’s not my fault, I’m in demand
They just hire me, cause of my
God-bless hands
At the end of the day, I don't care
what they say
When they call I just go and play
Chorus 2
I’m a
crackshot
I’m young and fresh and I hot
I’m a crackshot
I’m one of the best that they got
They complain, I showing no loyalty
From band to band, I’m like a
mercenary
Amrit, amazed by my speed
I’m just the man that he needs
My personality just pleases Liam
He just smiles and know I’m ready to
jam
So whether they like it or not
It’s my job, I’m just a crackshot
Bridge
I played
with “Pro”
Yes, I played with Ray
Andre, Arddin, Leon
Seion also “BJ”
They had me on tenors
They had me on seconds
They had me on cellos
And even the bass
I had to keep up, a hectic pace
Because they just had me all over
the place
Chorus 1
|
Tweet
Merv Hamlyn
Mervyn “Merv” Hamlyn, the “pan jumbie” from St. James, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, has again brought his musical dish to the table. For 2014 he delivered Pan in Safe Hands, which he felt was a bit of a crossover mix with lots of international ingredients in the menu.
In 2015 he decided to use ‘strictly flavors and seasonings from all local products’ with his song Steel band Got the Perfect Pace.
For the 2016 steelband Panorama season Crackshot is Hamlyn’s offering. Crackshot is a word used in the Pan fraternity to describe a specialist player who is so good at his craft, he is hired by either the musical arrangers or the band to play for the Panorama competition. Hamlyn was fortunate enough to have had a conversation with one such player; that was the genesis for this song, featured here.
Leave a comment in the WST Forum