Skip to content

February 24, 2011

14

Our top 9 soca songs for Trinidad Carnival 2011… as of now!

Kees Dieffenthaller & KES the Band.
Photo: Andrea De Silva

So it’s Carnival time in Trinidad & Tobago… and with MEP headquarted in the suburbs of Port of Spain, Trinidad, we’re in the thick of it. We’ve also got a pretty diverse staff, so we did a little internal survey to see what the most popular soca tunes for Carnival 2011 were among our small but eclectic staff (nine Trinis, two Trini-Brits, and one South African/Aussie new to T&T via Antigua).

These were the results, in order of “votes”:

  1. Wotless – KES the Band 
  2. TIE:  
    • Ah Coming Again – Machel Montano HD
    • Consider it Done – Fay Ann Lyons & Asylum
    • Tong [Town] Ting – Cassie
    • Wine to the Side – Benjai
  3. TIE:  
    • Dance & Dingolay – Denise Belfon
    • Hold a Burn – Dance Bunji Garlin & Asylum
    • Trini – Benjai
  4. TIE:   
    • Go Dong – Lil Rick featuring Machel Montano HD
    • Middle of de Road – Destra Garcia & Swappi

Here are the official videos for the songs as of right now – do let us know if there are any we haven’t seen yet!

And since I’m the soca junkie doing this post (heh heh), I’m going to take the liberty and post my other favourites for the season that didn’t make the MEP top picks list (in alphabetical order):

  • Carnival Jumbie – Blaxx
  • Cool it Down – Destra Garcia
  • Come to Meh – Iwer George
  • Machel Montano HD at his AC Concert.
    Photo: Keown Thomas

    Duracell Plus – Skinny Fabulous featuring Machel Montano

  • Feel Like Wukkin – Destra Garcia
  • Flirt – Farmer Nappy
  • Get Away – KMC
  • Get Wild – Ricardo Drue
  • Good Time – Kerwin Du Bois, Blaxx & Roy Cape
  • Hold a Burn – Bunji Garlin
  • I Am/Run De Riddim – 3canal (rapso, but more groovy dan power, ent?)
  • Lighters – Nadia Batson & Tallpree
  • Me Alone – Bunji Garlin
  • Motorbike – Shal Marshall
  • Rapso band 3canal. Photo: Jeffrey Chock

    Over Me – 3canal

  • Proppah – Destra Garcia
  • Ramajay – Lyrikal
  • Soak It – Buffy
  • Speaker Boxx – Super Jigga TC
  • Tantie Woi – Blaxx
  • We Not Leavin – Nadia Batson & Patrice Roberts
  • Welcome Back – Destra Garcia

Would love to hear your top picks, in case there are any I haven’t heard yet or should revisit! And who do you think will win Soca Monarch??

Have a safe & wonderful Carnival season, folks!


By: Caroline Taylor.
Read more from Caribbean Beat, Discover Trinidad & Tobago, Festivals & Events, View All Blog Posts
  • Racquel

    Check out Bunji's Obeah. I LOVE IT! Also, I would love to know what the international staffers personal 1st picks were. :-D

  • Caroline Taylor

    Hi Racquel,
    Thanks for your comment! I don't think it's Bunji that sings "Obeah", though – isn't it Pelf? That's the "unga bunga" song, right?

    The top picks from the international folks were "Tong Ting" (from the South African/Aussie new Trini via Antigua), and one of the Trini Brits (me) can't choose a top one… Hence the exhaustive list of other favourites. ;)

    -CT

  • Racquel

    Question – How come Fetting fuh days is not on the list? Check out Bunji's Obeah – I LOVE IT!
    Would be very interested in finding out the international staffers personal first picks.

  • Racquel

    sorry I reposted those questions in error except for the one about Fettin fuh days. Will recheck that Obeah

  • Caroline Taylor

    Hi Racquel, no worries. "Feteing for Days" didn't come up with any members of staff, and it's not one of my favourites so that's why I didn't include it in my extended list.

  • Racquel

    These are the lyrics for the chorus for Bunji's Obeah for 2011 "'when yuh was sick, what yuh healin wit? when yuh feelin d vibe, what yuh feelin wit? when gunshot fly, what yuh shieldin wit? Obeah …………watch yuh powder, watch yuh oil, watch yuh water, watch yuh foil…………….' I'll check out the unga bunga song. Thanks for this list!! Cant' depend on the television stations to be this extensive. I have added Blaxx's songs to my picks for 2011.

  • Caroline Taylor

    Ahhhhh, thanks Racquel – you just introduced me to Bunji's "Obeah"! Hadn't heard it before. Very cool… will listen to it some more and see if it might be time to add it to my list! And this is the "unga bunga" song… *smh* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZXImGMZYW8

  • Racquel

    Thought I would ask this here as I can't seen to get an answer from anyone. What is the name of the orignal song and name of artist that Benjai used for Iza Trini?

  • Caroline Taylor

    Sure, Racquel: it's Singing Diane’s 1979 song “You Gotta Give Away”, produced in New York

  • Racquel

    Lastly, continue to do this list every year. You do an excellent job

  • Caroline Taylor

    Aww, thanks Racquel! Will do. ;)

  • Guyanne

    Good list, but my favourite is Farmer Nappy's Flirt!
    GW

  • Caroline Taylor

    Listened… added. ;)

  • Pingback: Our top articles of 2011