The slave master did a number on the early settlers of the Caribbean basin, enslaving their minds with Christianity that has the descendants showing contempt for the spirits of their ancestors... we can only be a soft-spoken voice in the wilderness of self-destruction, but... We have a Calypso Invocation of Ancestry, Memory, and African Rhythm to help awaken a people who lost it all with the hope that this Calypso invocation rekindles memories lost and those 'talking drums' liberate them from the chains that still have our people shackled today.
Naomi Sinnette’s new calypso, “Talking Drum,” is a spiritual journey into the heart of our African ancestry and the musical traditions that shaped Trinidad and Tobago. This is a calypso written to awake a sleeping giant, a song rooted in memory—a call to the ancestors, a reminder of the rhythms that survived the Middle Passage, and a celebration of the drum as both an instrument of communication and a symbol of resistance. And a hope that they realize they are still in chains, carrying the religion of the slave master and so much more.
Naomi starts off by talking about the embrace of Africa, a continent whose spirit, history, and heartbeat still live on in Trinidadian culture. The song talks about getting help from ancestors, gaining power, and taking back one's culture. It gives the listener a sense of identity that goes beyond time and place.
As the beat picks up, "Talking Drum" pays tribute to the ancestors who went through terrible things: they were forced to move, given new names, and lost their culture, but they still held on to the one thing that no oppressor could take away: the rhythmic memory of the drum. She sees the drum as a healer, teacher, and liberator—a force that helped enslaved Africans survive and later gave their descendants the strength to rise.
The song also boldly looks to the present and calls for new talks about reparations, cultural pride, and building identity in times of uncertainty. It reminds people that the African pulse still affects our music, our movement, and the way we all think.
By the end of the song, "Talking Drum" has turned into a chant of affirmation, reminding Caribbean people that they are descendants of kings and queens, have unlimited potential, and have a legacy that must be honored.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Talking Drum
Artist/Performed by: Naomi Sinnette
Composed by: Sheldon Reid
Produced by: DANCIN DREAD Productions
Background Vocals by: Joseph Williams & Tricia Hamilton
Bass - Rodney Alexander
Guitar - Jevan Ochoa
Trumpet - Dan Clarke
Tenor Sax - Oral Rodriguez
Trombone - David Jacob
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Calypso 🎶
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