BAR MAR HIT PARADE
Release date: 1960
Label: Caribe
Back To Back
Choucoune (Destiny)
Island Woman
Jamaica Farewell (Iron Bar)
Ah Baby
Day O
Mary Ann
Big Bamboo
Crazy Like Mad
Bahama Lullaby
Mama La (Merengue)
The Conch
Island In The Sun
PAGING KING ERIC & HIS KNIGHTS
Release date: 1964
Label: Elite Records Ltd.
Nassau Calling
Coconut Woman
Perfidia
Back To Back, Belly To Belly
Sky Blue, Pink Caribbean
Man Smart, Woman Smarter
Matilda
My Way
Island In The Sun
Mary Ann
Bang BAng Lulu
Come Back Liza
AT THE BIG BAMBOO
Release date: 1964
Label: Caribe
Limbo Rock
Watermelon On The Vine
Dinasoar
Nassau Market
These Are The Times
Fools Rush In
Big Bamboo Bomba
Mambo Jambo
Do You Love Me
Uncle Lou
I Adore Her
Big Bamboo
ALL TIME FAVOURITES CALYPSO
Release date: Unknown
Label: Elite Records
Archie
Leave A Little Girl In Nassau Town
John B. Sail - Island Woman
Nassau MArket
Little Nassau and Delia's Gone
Lonely For Me Baby
Ring Ting Ting
Yes, Yes, Yes
Day - O
Yellow Bird
Gin And Coconut Water
ISLAND BOY
Release date: Unknown
Label: Elite Records
Island Boy
Sing Nassau
Bahama Babe
Goombay Summer
Feelings
Bahama Babe No.2
Fox Hill Gal'
Shame And Scandal
Day Break
Mamma And Daddy
Pongo Le Pongo
Letter From Miami
LIVE AT THE KING & KNIGHTS CLUB
Release date: Unknown
Label: Elite Records
Come To The Bahamas
Killing Me Softly
John And His Sexy Phone
Take The Ribbons
Quando
My Way
Joy To The World
Call Me
Doctor
For The Good Times
Sweet Gypsy Rose
Sail
WITH HITS FROM THE BAHAMAS
Release date: Unknown
Label: Elite Records
Goombay Summer In Nassau Town
Love Story
Bush Crack And Man Gone
Delilah
Spanish Eyes - Lara's Theme (steel drum)
Jane
Can't Find Jerry Roker In Town
I Love Her Better Every D-A-Y
Once In My Life
Burma Road
Yours - You Belong To My Heart (steel drum)
Margie
King Eric & his Knights: Bahama Goombay Summer
Release date: 1972
Label: Elite Records
No Information
ONCE IS NOT ENUFF...
Release date: Unknown
Label: Elite Records
Once Is Not Enuff
You Are My Lovesong
Wedding Toast
Thank Goodness It's Friday (instrumental)
Eleuthera
Thank Goodness It's Friday
Dorothy
Once Is Not Enuff (instrumental)
Abaco
Impossible Dream
The Bahamas enjoyed a time when native reviews were an important part of the tourist product. Of the few native shows that highlighted the talents of our many entertainers, The King & Knights Club stole the hearts of many tourists and locals alike. King Eric & His Knights presented a review that entertained guests with not only the popular island songs, but also included many of the standard tunes familiar to visitors to the Bahamas. During the years of these featured performances, the city of Nassau only had one other native show club, that was The Peanuts Taylor Drumbeat Club. The show was very fast paced and included fire dancers, limbo dancers, glass bottle eaters, and many other specialty acts. The glue that kept the whole presentation together was of course The King & Knights band. Non-stop, song to song, act to act action kept guests in a mood of truly being in the islands. Many of their recordings reflect the island spirit of the band. A close friend of the band Eric Minns composed many songs that helped in making the band popular on the local scene. Another contributing composer is Eddie Minnis. His usually fun lyrics were often used both in the review and on their recordings. The repertoire of the band reflects island life as it were in the early days. Let's take a listen to a few songs recorded by King Eric & His Knights.
This first song is one of many recorded by King Eric & His Knights that was composed by Eric Minns. The message is clearly directed to the tourist market, and was often featured on their native review. The chord progression, much like many of the other songs were simple I, IV, V further re-enforcing that the lyrics were of more importance than the music. The story told in this song often captivated, and brought humor to listeners. Apart from the use of the junkanoo cowbell rhythm, the style of this music is similar to that of Trinidadian calypso. There is also a hint of the rake 'n' scrape sound being played by the hi-hat cymbals. The music lands quite heavily on the down beat whereas in traditional calypso, the beat tents to point to the up beat of the measure.
Click play to hear "Once Is Not Enuff" (Composed by Eric Minns)
In this next excerpt, the King & Knights Band continues their promotion of the islands of the Bahamas through song. Abaco is one of our many islands that that songs have been written about. Again the use of the cowbell rhythm adds just a variation on the calypso rhythms made popular by other West Indian Countries.
