Jamaica Farewell

Down the way

Where the (1) … are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop
I took a (2) … on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
Down at the (3) … you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear
Ackee, rice, (4) … are nice
And the rum is fine any time of year
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
Sounds of (5) … everywhere
And the dancing girls swing to and fro
I must declare my (6) … is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
1
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
Down the way
Where the … are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop
I took a … on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down
My head is turning around
I had to leave a little girl in Kingston town
"Jamaica Farewell" is a Jamaican-style folk song. The lyrics for
the song were written by Lord Burgess (Irving Burgie), an
American-born, half-Barbadian songwriter. It is about the
beauties of the West Indian Islands.
The song appeared on Harry Belafonte's 1956 album Calypso. It
reached number 14 on the Billboard Pop chart. Many, including
Belafonte himself, have said that the song was popular in the
West Indies since long before Burgess. It is believed that
Burgess compiled and modified the song from many folk pieces
to make a new song. Burgess acknowledged his use of the tune
of another mento, "Iron Bar". The line "ackee, rice, saltfish are
nice" refers to the Jamaican national dish.

2
 The history of ackee rice and saltfish
Ackee and saltfish, Jamaica’s staple breakfast, is a tasty
and nutritious way to start the day. However, even though
ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica, neither ingredient is
indigenous to the island. As with so much of modern Jamaica,
even the breakfast has its roots in 18th-century colonialism.
The fruit is African, the fish is European, but the
finished dish is definitely Jamaican.
The ackee fruit, which grows on a large tree, originates in
West Africa and is thought to have been brought to the
Caribbean during the mid-1700s. It is easy to grow and prepare,
and is one of the many African legacies of the Jamaican people.
Care must be taken in the preparation of ackee due to
poisonous toxins present in parts of the fruit. The outer red
fruit looks something like a red bell pepper before it is fully
ripe. When ripe, the fruit opens and releases some of its toxins
(it shouldn’t be picked or prepared before this time). Inside the
fruit there are dark coloured seeds, again not to be eaten due
to toxicity, and yellow flesh — the bit that is eaten. The yellow
flesh is then boiled. The fruit is so ubiquitous in Jamaica that it
can be purchased fresh, in bags from street vendors, or even
canned in the supermarket. During ackee season, it is normal to
see people picking ackee from roadside trees to take home.
Saltfish is another import and is traditionally made from
cod, although today any whitefish can be used (oily fish
wouldn’t work due to the drying process). The fish is prepared
and then dried before being salted to preserve it. Historically,
3
drying is the oldest form of food preservation known. The
northern European nations have been drying whitefish for
more than 500 years. Salting was introduced during the 17th
century, and subsequently this preserved and nutritious food
began to be exported. The triangular trade between northern
Europe, western Africa and the Americas introduced this
otherwise northern European dish to the Caribbean at a similar
time to ackee. Being able to preserve fish in a hot humid
climate had a transformative effect on local diet and soon
saltfish became a staple.
To prepare this Jamaican breakfast staple, the saltfish is
soaked to remove most of the salt, and is then broken up and
added to the pre-boiled ackee. Both are then sautéed together
with a mix of vegetables and seasoning — most common are
scotch bonnet peppers, onions and tomato. The dish is usually
served with other breakfast dishes such as bammy, callaloo,
breadfruit and even good old bacon.
https://theculturetrip.com/caribbean/jamaica/articles/a-brief-
history-of-ackee-and-saltfish-jamaicas-staple-breakfast/