Who sleeps in a church dress and petticoat, prepares sardines and biscuits for dinner, covers their bodies in candle grease, snaps like an alligator and calls immigration in matters of a mate?
I would give you the answer but I’m afraid that I’d be banned for life from the Land of the Flying Fish. Not that I’m in a hurry to get there after the song “GT Advice” but I’ve heard that the beaches are among the best in the Caribbean. But that’s minor and there is always St. Lucia anyway.
So a bit of advice for the Guyanese men: appreciate the women in your lives more and never, I repeat never, go looking for that special someone in Barbados. Unless of course…
The Guyanese singer is creating havoc in Barbados if one is to judge by the reaction. “Bees does always find honey, and ants does run to sugar”, ’Guyanese girl’ croons in ‘GT Advice’ and there is no mistake as to who are the sugar and the honey. Written, arranged and produced by Barbadian Eric Lewis, so he must know what he is talking about, ‘GT Advice’ is stirring up controversy in the Land of the Flying Fish and maybe, the truth indeed hurts, because there have been calls to have it banned from the airwaves in that country. The song is an entry for the Crop-over festival there.
‘GT Advice’ takes Barbadian women to task, with a series of low blows and dishes out advice on how to treat the men in their lives.”Do things to mek he hair curl” and put ice cream on a certain part of the body are two of the pieces of advice.
Lewis explained to the Barbados Nation newspaper that the idea for the song came after the recent controversy surrounding Guyanese, after the country’s Prime Minister David Thompson called for the thousands of CARICOM nationals who were illegally in the island to turn themselves into immigration authorities or face deportation from December 1.
Last month, Thompson told the Barbados Parliament that Caribbean nationals living and working illegally in Barbados must begin the process of regularising their immigration status in the country or face deportation if they don’t complete the process by the deadline. He had listed several conditions for regularisation, including proof of employment; an ability to substantiate a claim of residence in the country for at least eight years immediately prior to December 31, 2005; and background security clearance.
“As usual, every year we try to do something new and innovative in order to be still above the rest of the competition, so I was calling for some suggestions for songs and it was during a telephone conversation with Keith Browne, we decided since it was so topical, to find someone to do a song,” Lewis said. He recalled that at first they thought of getting a man to sing about why Bajan men seem to find favour with Guyanese women, but then they decided it would be even better to get a woman to do the song, since they are constantly accused of stealing the men.
“It is a song that half percent of the women will find distasteful, and some of them would have been those on the losing end. I know the song will mash some corns because it is very controversial, but a lot of the things in the song are also true,” he said.
And the internet forums have been busy. According to one contributor “Bajan women don’t need to wine and grind we are independent and don’t need Bajan men to support us. It only shows Guyanese women are taking up our left overs that we throw away. Bajan women don’t wear big panties or cook macaroni and corn beef”.
Not according to the song: “Every night yuh rubbing down, that does turn off de fella
Bengies balsam, citronella, candle grease and alcolada
Yuh sleep in a church dress, petticoat and two brassiere
Got de sheet pull up round yuh neck, and a big parachute underwear
And when de man he pull at you, yuh snap like alligator
Move man, leh muh sleep nuh, I gotta get up early tomorrow
But when he find a Guyanese girl to give him good movementation
Yuh get she deport, yuh run and call immigration”.
Another commentator says: “Guyanese woman have de sugar and de sweet hand too” while another says “…this song has nothing to do with disrespecting ourselves or even having brains its all past that to the emotional and physical side of a relationship that we neglect thinking that education keeps a man…a man needs to feel love, appreciated and treasured just like women.” Some support the song while others do not.
‘GT Advice’ urges the Barbadian women to stop complaining about Guyanese women “thiefing” their husbands and boyfriends and to treat the men “nice”.
The song asks the Bajan women how they expect to “keep a man with corn beef and macaroni”. There is a response to the song entitled ‘Keep yuh Guyanese wine’. The songs have not been heard here as yet but expect them soon.
So its back to the question asked at the beginning. If you haven’t figured it out yet…it’s apparently the Bajan women.
If you are quoting from the songwriter you should take all of his statements. Eric Lewis said while trying to find a woman to sing the song he interviewed 21 women and 20 were illegal.A woma who is illegal in a country will do anything and I mean anything to get what she wants. Maybe you should come to the strip clubs and see who is “dancing” in them.
Many Barbadian men have been fooled by the woman who does all types of things in bed only to lose their homes and money when she brought in her “cousin” or “brother” from Guyana.
Barbadian women are busy working, raising children, acquiring homes and cars and taking care of life’s everyday needs, while bajan men hang out at the bars and drink with their friends.
And remember Eric Lewis’ songs are very satirical.
are u bajan, Heaven? u seem to be well read and knowledgeable. If not, hope they dont kick you out too.
Heaven maybe if you took the advice your men would spend more time at home with you. And are you implying that because Guyanese women believe in taking care of their men that we aren’t also “busy working, raising children, acquiring homes and cars and taking care of life’s everyday needs”? Try take the advice before you have to take your car and home to bed. Children need both mother and father. The nuclear family is the foundation of the society so both men and women need to take care of each other and keep the love in the family. I am not in Barbados illegally and I am not married to a Bajan so my legal status has nothing to do with how good a treat my man and you know what he gives it right back to me. As for it being satircal…that is so true. Satire makes fun you true situations in a society. So instead of getting worked up maybe you should laugh a little.
Heaven… you sound jealous.
“A woma who is illegal in a country will do anything..”
What about you?
You did everything legal to stay?
Did you adapt and manoeuvre yourself?
Generally satire reflects society but try to make it
jovial. Sparrow’s Jean and Dinah comes to mind.
I would like to hear the song…in fact I would like to
see the rest of the lyrics.
It is clear that the Guyanese women are better than the
Bajan women legal or not….so jump on your baloon and
reach your heaven….you jealous person.
Boy Eric Lewis u better come a Guyana come live because them bajans will discard u boy……LOL
The gentleman who wrote this song used the Guyanese lady to make money. The Guyanese singer should have refused..to sing the song.. Sorry to say, look at the opinion the Bajans have of us. It makes the Guyanese women look real bad, like we are only good for one thing and one thing only. Rather than making yourselves look cheap,Guyanese women should try and empower them selves, like the Bajan womem.I am not taking sides.. I really do not care for the Bajans…never been to Barbados..I love it where I am.. and I am also empowered…sweetgeorgia peach..
Thank you Heaven. Bajan women are on the move in terms of academic achievement, career advancement, and financial independence. Unsuccessful men in most societies, not just in Barbados, pull that “I am going to get a foreign woman” routine when they see the women of their society surpassing them. In the West Indies, women usually surpass men in terms of the numbers who attend institutions of higher learning and also in the pass rates of exams, so you will encounter a lot of these types of men in the Caribbean. Ignore the people on this blog who will say you are jealous. Many of them have long been jealous of Bajans because of our success and their failures. Now that many of them are being kicked out of Barbados or not being let in, you will see them acting out in all kinds of silly ways. lol.
Sweet Georgia Peach, I agree with you. I have never been able to understand why some women get caught up in that “I can take care of a man better than you can” and “Maybe if you took the advice your men would spend more time at home with you” jive. Bajan women are making great strides at climbing economic, academic, and career ladders. That is why many Bajans are incensed by the song. We don’t want our young girls being sent the message that to be able to “take care of a man” is something they should aspire to. Unfortunately for Guyanese women, the image of the Guyanese woman singing that song on stage next week will send Bajans and others the message that that is all Guyanese women aspire to.
Lighten up, girls, it’s only a song!
SN can really find the link to keep it going, BUT YOU ARE LATE TO PUT IT ON THE HEAD LINE> it’s not news.
Heaven, WE GOT THE SUGAR FACTORY
Heaven,
Let me tell you a secret – GY women are Multitaskers and Dyn –O-mite to booth! They own their own homes, cars, can cook, are HIGHLY educated and know how to take care of their children and their MAN. And did I mention…they are warm, cuddly and “simply irresistible.”Yeah baby!
Eric Lewis is a member of the “Madd Comedians” and he is also a very good writer of satire . Bajans are finding this song to be very funny since there is plenty talk about Guyaneses’ in Barbados and yes ; bajan men seem to like Guyanese women – they are getting married to women with 3 & 4 children and still want their own from the new wifey . I have a weakness for sweetness and since I am single , I may benefit from the expertise of the guyanese women .
i am not barbadian and guyanese woman have taken my man; but some of what you say is so true, women of any nation that is illegle will do anythng for stay in a man country; things they would not do for the men in their own country; that also goes for jobs as well.
Heaven. At one time the bajan women used their charms to help tourism in Barbados. They entertained the tourists with pride, After an evening out, they even inquired if you had a good time, if not a repeat date with enhanced performancewas arranged. The guyanese women, with better skills, are simply filling the viod created by the upright bajan women. The bajans should be thankful.
Me na hear de song yet.
i too will like to hear the song it lyrics sounds intresting.
i drag/paste the words of the song yesterday on the blog.
LOL!! Dem a get jittery bout things. LOL!! Next Watch out for the TRINI ADVICE.
heaven, the song is meant to add humour to the tense situation over in Bim.Bajan gals worked hard to buy car,wear fancy synthetic hair, etc while ignoring their guys’ needs. One comentator in your blog on nationnews said your gals paint their faces but clean their houses onlt during the christmas season. Those add up, bro.
Richardo Wong, last week I read that a young Guyanese mother of 4 was killed in a car accident. It was pointed out that she lived in a shack that had an outdoor toilet. Yesterday on a popular Bajan radio talk show, a Bajan woman said she couldn’t see herself living with her Guyanese husband in Guyana, because many of the people still have outdoor toilets and wait for the rain to fall to get water. She also made the comment, “and the roads…” Considering that many Guyanese don’t have basic services like indoor toilets, running water, or proper roads in 2009, don’t you think you should be studying other things besides sexual prowess? Guyanese need to re-examine their priorities. I am sure that most of those homes that you said Bajan women clean only during the Christmas season have indoor plumbing.
LOL… bajegal ur so funny…really u make me laugh…it look like u can’t handle the fact about how sweet guyanese women are…and also the men on the other hand…guyanese all the way
I too heard the tape, but i don’t know which part of Guyana the yound woman is residing. Perhaps it is in one of the inland regions of the country. Because most Guyanese have indoor toilets.
From all that you have been saying about Guyana and Guyanese, it is clear that you have never been to Guyana. Although Barbados is much much smaller than Guyana, there are many people here who are using outside toilets(LATRIN). To speak about the houses, the poorest people in Guyana do not live in some of the things that you people call houses. I am speaking with authority because i live in Barbados.
On the issue of education, i am an educator her, and the level of illiteracy here is beyond belief. The most you women are doing here is to educate yourselves in how to make plenty children for different men, so that you can hang-out at their workplaces every thursday or friday to beg for financial support.
Many of the Guyanese women in Barbados(legal and illegal) are very educated, but the only reason why some have to do domestic jobs is because YOUR GOVERNMNENT IS PROTECTING YOUR JOBS, INSTEAD OF GIVING CSME A CHANCE TO WORK. Just pray that it always does that for you people, because the day that CSME is allowed to operate in Barbados, many of you will have to flee to other countries in search of jobs.
GT Woman, at the end of the day, you have to live among us Bajans who you can’t stand, because you don’t have a properly functioning country to go home to. What a shame. I have news for you. Bajans are not the only Caricom nationals who have a problem with thousands of Guyanese descending on their islands while offering nothing in Guyana for them to benefit from. If the flow of Guyanese out of Guyana continues unabated, some of the Caricom leaders who are now attacking Prime Minister Thompson may have to change course to appease their people who will be calling on them to follow Thompson’s lead. If you Guyanese don’t develop Guyana, many of you will forever have to roam the earth looking for someplace to lay your heads.
I’m glad to see Guyanese getting involved in Barbadian cultural scene rather than gheottotiising themselves. The song is basically in defence of Guyanese women’s home cooking and sexual attractions . But is this all our women have to offer ? It isn’t. Lewis as the song writer should give more cerdit to women’s intelligene and skills on par with men. Guyanese women are contribuing to Barabdian society as well a men.
Oh well, Lewis has some talent but is overated as a song writer when it comes to social issues involving ethnic minorities, and this case,women . He had a song calld “Singh’s Song” denigrating (enterpising and hard working) Indian tradres in Barbados. It would be banned in palces like Canada and UK…
So, Reddy? No criticism of Stabroek News today? I like YOUR new TUNE better than Eric’s…
Still, watch your typos… can’t go lowering the standards ’round here so now’
I never taught Bajan women would be this insecure… and they say GY women don’t have skills.
Swat, Bajan women aren’t insecure. We want our young women to stay on the upwardly mobile path they are on. We don’t want them to spend time worrying about pleasing men. Anybody who knows anything about West Indian men knows that it is not wise for women to rely on most of them too heavily. In recent years, Bajans have been successfully nudging Bajan women to achieve academically, financially, and career wise. We don’t need bimbos from abroad or insecure men, who statistics show are not competing well on many levels with Bajan women, telling them they need to change focus and do things that will not help them to advance.
And sadly enough when the new squeeze gets too tired to whine and mek e hollar, like a cell phone she is cast aside for a newer model with more features.
Swat, Prostitution is the worst job a person can do..at least the Bajan women educate themselves so they wouldn’t have to bring themselves to THAT level to make a living.They are the smart ones..not the Guyanese ones who end up with Aids and whatever. I do not care for the Bajans, never went to Barbados, but fair is fair.
sweetgeorgia peace.
BAJEGAL, I HOPE THAT THE FACT THAT MOST OF THE YOUNG WOMEN IN BARBADOS are going around HAVING DIFFERENT CHILDREN FOR DIFFERENT MEN, IS NOT YOUR DEFINITION OF ‘the path to upward mobility.
According to Darwin’s theory of evolution, sex is a powerful natural selector, hence the song is no surprise.
People, its just a song. Probably with a grain of social truth but don’t let it put knots in your parachutes!
I’m a Bajan Limey. I met my Guyanese husband in Barbados several years ago. We’re happily settled in England raising our family.
It amazes me how ignorant a lot of Barbadian people are. I’ve never encountered anything near the vitriolic bile which some Bajans spew from their mouths from any of my Guyanese family or friends.
Yeah and Rihanna (pop Star) has Guyanese lineage!!!
Keep up that kind of talk. It is helping to solidify Prime Minister Thompson’s support among the Bajan people. Please stay in England. As you know, we are trying to free up space in Barbados now.
K-rice, now we even have a Bajan cussing fellow Bajans.
BAJEGAL, HEAVEN and all the others, there is only one word that describes your behaviour(JEALOUSY).
I really dont blame you guys, because if i was a Bajan and the men were ignoring me and going after Guyanese women, i might have reacted in like manner.
HOPE YOU REALISE THAT THE MEN ARE ALSO TAKING OTHER NATIONALITIES, AS WELL.
No GT Woman. I am not jealous. I just don’t want Bajan women to develop the reputation that Guyanese women have. Every time I pull up SN or other Guyanese papers, there is usually a picture of a battered Guyanese woman or one who has been killed by her reputed husband. A report came out recently that states Guyanese women contribute to the prostitution problem in Barbados. I don’t want Bajan women to become poster girls for domestic violence and prostitution. Regarding what you said about Bajan women having children for different men, I noticed that in Guyanese papers the words “reputed husband” come up a lot. I guess a lot of shacking up goes on there too.
Oh come on, Bajan men and women are fleeing their own country to hook up here in Bermuda.
Self righteous bajans generalizing about their so called virtues.
blacksage, the Bermudian government actively recruits Bajans to work legally in Bermuda as police officers and nurses. The Bermudian government likes to hire Bajan professionals because of their great skills.
You tell them blacksage…them hanging out in SPRING GARDENS an playing highty tighty and mighty
Hey Bajegal
So why the bajans not using their skills in barbados? why the leave the openings for guyanese.
They are not fleeing Barbados. If they couldn’t get the work permits for Bermuda, they would remain in Barbados working in their fields of expertise in Barbados.
Bahama Mama, we have so many bright, talented, and gifted people in Barbados that some of us can afford to leave without causing undo stress on the nation. Being the wonderful people that we are, we like to leave some jobs available for foreigners so that they can come in and experience the wonderful nation that we have created. How is that for an answer?