Last revised: 4/12/15

Introduction

Golden-age Singles

 

A Count Sticky single on Caribou: "Tempting Powder" b/w "Sticky Mento". Both are very rural with bamboo and banjo. The former has something of a proto-reggae beat. I have not yet been able to decipher what the tempting powder that Sticky sings about is. (My copy is quite worn, and Sticky's easy

delivery, though pleasing to the ear, is hard to understand. ) But from the few snatches of lyrics that I've caught, I can tell that it's an interesting tale. The melody of this song has certain characteristics that are typical of many rural mento vocal lines. It's a pleasing, easy softness that makes the melody go down easy and lingers. The Count must have used up all his lyrics on the mysterious A-side, as the B-side, "Sticky Mento" is an raucous rural instrumental. As you will see on this page, other than "Tempting Powder", lyrics were not Count Sticky's  strong suit.

Because these tracks are favorites of mine and they are not in print, here are song clips of Tempting Powder and Sticky Mento.  [Click here for notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.]

A scan courtesy of Dan Neely: "Calypso Ten" by Count Sticky and His Calypsonians on the Caribou label. The b-side of this track is the same recoding of "Tempting Powder" as on the single above. The lyrics of this rural work-out, which consist of Sticky counting from "Calypso one" up to the title, did not win him any awards. But they were good enough for King Barou to borrow as the chorus for his "Calypso Cha Cha Cha".

A Count Sticky single: "Chico Chico" backed with "Bam Cielena".  RKR has this listed as a 1960 Dada Tuari production, originally released on Caribou in Jamaica, and re-released in the UK on Kalypso, as seen to the left.

As seen to the right, it was also released on the RCA label released in Jamaica. (Sorry, a larger version of this image is not available.)

A writing credit is given for both songs to Kenneth Scott, though whether this is the Count's real name is speculation. As the lyrics of "Chico Chico" open with "Chico Chico, from Puerto Rico, he plays the rumba...", it's not as surprising to hear a Latin-influenced more urban sound on this Count Sticky recording. It is surprising to hear the rumba being repeatedly described as being "from Chicago" ! An upbeat, fun song, that says absolutely nothing other than introducing the band (except for the saxophonist, who is unmentioned). The full lyrics are below, even though I may have put more effort into deciphering them than Sticky did in writing them. Happily, the 2009 CD "Soundman Shots" included both sides of this single. Because it is a favorite of mine and was not in print when I added it to this site, here is a clip of Chico Chico.  [Click here for notes About the Audio Clips On this Site.]

"Chico Chico" by Kenneth Scott

Chico Chico, from Puerto Rico
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
Chico Chico, from Puerto Rico
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

I am Count Sticky, from Jamaica
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
I am Count Sticky, from Jamaica
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

There go Georgie on his steel guitar
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
There go Georgie on his steel guitar
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

There goes Mustache[?] on his Spanish guitar                      ["Spanish" meaning acoustic guitar]
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
There goes Vasquez[?] on his marimba                                 ["marimba" meaning rumba box]
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago

There goes Danny on his poo-poos                                        ["poo-poos" are apparently hand drums]
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
There goes Gorilla on his maracas
He play the rumba like the rumba from Chicago
 

The b-side, "Bam Cielena" is more conventional, with a melody reminiscent of "Day-O" and the same instrumentation as above.

 

Here's the same 45, this time on the Caribou label courtesy of Peter Roth from Germany, who runs the www.skaville.de website.

Here's is a similar sounding 45, this time on RCA. "Moccassin Craze"    b/w: "Bolero"

This single is very similiar in sound to "Chico Chico" with the same band. If RKR didnt have it as being from the year before, I would have guessed that it's a followup.

Moccasin Craze  is self explanatory. Thank goodness Bolero the title is just visible, otherwise there would be no guessing the name of this instrumental. Its a fun jam with everyone getting turns in the lead.

Courtesy of Matthias Münchow of Germany, in all their faded glory are the labels of a Count Sticky rural reggae 78 RPM single on Caribou: "Now A Day's Children"     b/w "Linda Scandal"

"Now A Day's Children" decries rude behavior by the youth of today. Foul language, disrespect and fighting are all sited. Is this the progenitor of all rude boys songs?

"Linda Scandal" is about a woman who steals a ten pound note from a man. It's set to music of another nmento scandal song, Love (And Love Alone).

 

Added to this page in 2015, courtesy of a good friend to this site, Jeremy Collingwood of London, is, again on the Caribou label: "How to Dance the Merengue"   It's backed with: "Leave Me Pocket Dorothy". Tough to read even by the standards of such, Jeremy believes that the sides are designated 154A and B.

 

An advertisement from The Daily Gleaner from March 28, 1956 for an Easter show at the Gaiety theater. It starts with a move, then a live show that includes Count Sticky as one of the acts.