CLICK BELOW TO DISPLAY SECTIONS FOR
1957:

"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)"
by Harry Belafonte & by The Tarriers
"Work all night gonna drink our rum."

Harry Belafonte had one of the top LP’s of 1956 -- “Calypso.” When “The Banana Boat Song” by a folk group, The Tarriers, went to #4, RCA quickly released Belafonte’s version -- a cut from the album, “Day-O" (The Banana Boat Song).” It became Belafonte’s most successful recording, staying in the top 40 for 17 weeks, peaking at #5. The two versions are different, with Belafonte’s beginning with the “Day-o, day ay o” call, while The Tarreirs begin with the refrain, “Hill and gully rider, hill and gully.” Both capitalized on the “calypso craze” generated by Belafonte’s album that was the first pop album to sell over one million copies. Harry Belafonte followed with successful television and movie careers but is still best recognized for the “Day-O” song. The Tarriers had limited future success, but were the beginning of a folk influence in popular music that would come to fruition with The Kingston Trio whose style on their first hit, “Tom Dooley” was actually inspired by a Tarrier’s earlier recording of the folk standard. The Kingston Trio got the idea for their name from another Harry Belafonte song, “Jamaica Farewell” -- “I met a little girl in Kingston Town.” “The Banana Boat Song” would be recorded by numerous artists, including Nat King Cole, The Brothers Four, and The Kinks. And of course it was featured in the movie, “Beetlejuice.”

 

 

 


LYRICS:

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

 
Version week debuted highest ranking Date Highest Rank Weeks in Top Twenty Weeks in Top Forty BillBoard Rank Cashbox Ranking GT rank
Belafonte 1957 1 12 5 1957 3 2 13 17 15 23 19
Tarriers 1956 12 22 4 1957 2 2 13 16 26 26