Publication Note: This piece was first shared on Sokah2Soca and is now presented in a reformatted version for Kaiso Dial.
Do you like calypso music? We want you to rediscover your love for Calypso music. Today, too much emphasis is placed on soca music, but if you take some time to listen, you will realize that the mother music is timeless. During Trinidad and Tobago's 2025 Carnival season, I had the pleasure of watching the Brass Bacchanal competition. During the warm-up session, Kern Sumerville and the Sensational Band, featuring vocalist Chuck Gordon, performed Merchant's "Be Careful." I immediately decided to post Merchant's song to show how brass was so much a part of calypso music, and Merchant's melody showcased it beautifully.
When I searched for the song, I realized that it was from a four-song mini album titled "Rock It," and every song was just wonderful. Merchant is an excellent storyteller, and his voice dug deep into the listener. It was captivating, and I decided that I would post all songs in a blended mix for all fans of Sokah2Soca.
This post will list most of "The Merchant's" music, and if, after reviewing the post, you notice we omitted some songs, please comment and let us know so that we can update it for future reference. Please take some time and listen to the blended mix posted here. DJ Dandelion of Ras FM Sounds created it, and I am thankful for the job they did. They are part of the Island Vybe Philly radio station.
We do hope that after listening to the mix, you get a better appreciation for Calypso music and immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms of Calypso and Soca music. Merchant's legacy endures through his timeless tunes and heartfelt performances, some of which are available for viewing on YouTube. Enjoy the music, and please share this post with your social media peers.
Dennis Franklyn Williams, aka The Merchant
Born: May 19th, 1943
Died: May 1st, 1999
- 1975—Dreams of Unity
- 1976—Carnival
- 1977—Norman (is that you?) Come And Take It
- 1978—Um Ba Yao; Let No Man Judge
- 1979—Album: Dr. Soca—Songs: Taxi Talk, Think About the Children, Dr. Soca, Sweet Pan, Ah Going And Tell, None For You, Leh We Stop, Roma
- 1980—Album: D' Hardest—Songs: Why Yuh Do Me Dat, Papers Row, Maebo, Don't Buy, Who Squatting, Down At The Disco, No Money, No Pan, Morne Diablo
- 1981—Album: Merchant's Pilgrimage—Songs: Wine I, The Heart Of Me, Hit Me With Music, A Good Thing Going, Holy Pilgrimage, Pray, Righteous One, Instant Funk
- 1984—Let us build a nation together
- 1985—Album: Rock It—Songs: Be Careful, Pan in Danger, Caribbean Connection, Rock It
- 1985—Album: There Must Be A Way Songs: We Going Home, Paranoid, Rocking It, Say It, There Must Be A Way, Give I Beg You
- 1986—There Must Be a Way
- 1987—Album: Ah Coming Too—Songs: Pain, Tumble Down, Ah Coming Too, Leh We Do Ahthing, Ah Coming Jam
- 1988—Album: Power Play—Songs: Soca Powerplay, Don't You, Symphony Of Love, Simmer Down, Private Conversation, Hot Line Baby
- 1989—Album: Innervisions—Songs: Soca Music, Reaching Out, Silver Lining, You Make My Day
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Merchant Calypso Blend—Rock It Album
Artist/Performed by: Dennis Franklyn Williams aka The Merchant
Mixed/Blended by: DJ Dandelion of Ras FM Sound
Music Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Calypso
Songs on the blended mix/SoundCloud Player for the album: "Rock It"
- Be Careful
- Caribbean Connection
- Rock It
- Pan In Danger
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We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Sokah2Soca/Soca Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-SA/4.0/.
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