Lynette Steele, whose sobriquet is "Lady Gypsy," stands strong as a fearless Calypsonian steeped in truth and tradition. One thing we can tell you is that when it comes to telling it like it is, she abandons her lady persona and dons her tigress persona... She delivers political blows, or as we like to say, "political boi!" She is proud and sings boldly, and today we present another salty song titled "Lie." She is not about to cower before anyone, and this song is her way of shedding the weight on her shoulders.
The chorus is where we explain the song's meaning, but we will let the artist convey it in her own words: "They want me to lie… tell a lie… lie, lie, lie."
She said it and declared that she has no intention of bowing to anyone and is determined to proclaim her integrity. She recounts the backlash, political pressure, and betrayal by fellow Calypsonians and those in charge of the industry. It was a brutal confrontation and a costly lesson for her. The problems in the industry happened because she was bold enough to sing about what she was seeing but was told was a lie.
In her lyrics, she expressed her true feelings or addressed the issues that troubled her. This is a political commentary with flair; she does not hold back! Wouldn't you speak out if you thought that you were being victimized or being silenced? She did not hold back and called out those who turned their backs on her, those who told her to lighten up her lyrics, and especially those who punished her for her political choices.
Key lyrical moments include:
- “The truth does not wear a crown—that is very wrong.”
- “Victimization for every song.”
- “Our culture should never be a race; instead, we should celebrate each other’s religions.”
She wanted to ensure that her commitment was not political but about unity and cultural dignity. We are our own worst enemies when our tribal instincts lead us to punish others 'just because.'
Then there is the production done by Kenny Phillips. This is uptempo and musically full of vibes. It takes magic fingers to produce excellent work and Rodney Alexander left his signature on the bass guitar. Tricia Hamilton provided background vocals for a 'dressed to impress' song. She is doing background vocals for so many artists and on this one, she continues delivering professional and sweet vocals. Overall, we love the music; it was clean and both the vocals and music complemented each other.
We revisit our earlier point, where we mentioned that Lady Gypsy drops the 'Lady' moniker when sharing verbal political views. She delivered a song that is powerful and uncompromising. She is fearless and confronts her naysayers; she takes down the political pressure and destroys the cultural division as she laments the personal betrayal. Rest assured, this lady will not lie, will always tell her truth and will never abandon the calyoso tradition of truth to power. We love this song not just for the message but because, as a vocalist, she is natural and on top of her game.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Lie
Artist/Performed by: Lady Gypsy
Composed by: Lynette Steele (Lady Gypsy) Arranged and Produced by: Kenny Phillips
Bass: Rodney Alexander
Background Vocals: Tricia Hamilton
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Calypso 🎶
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