Day-O (Banana Boat Song)



Artist: Harry Belafonte (peak Billboard position # 5 in 1957)

Words and Music by Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess, and Bill Attaway

Based on a Jamaican folk song

Other versions in 1957- Tarriers (#4); Fontane Sisters (#13); Steve Lawrence

(#18); Sarah Vaughan (# 19); and Stan Freberg (#25)



Day-o, day-ay-ay-o

Daylight come and he wan' go home

Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day-ay-ay-o

Daylight come and he wan' go home



Work all night on a drink a'rum

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Stack banana till thee morning come

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



Day, he say day-ay-ay-o

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Day, he say day, he say day, he say day,



he say day, he say day



(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



A beautiful bunch a'ripe banana

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Hide thee deadly black tarantula

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



It's six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Six foot, seven foot, eight foot, BUNCH!

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



Day, he say day-ay-ay-o

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Day, he say day, he say day, he say day,



he say day, he say day



(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Come, Mr. Tally Mon, tally me banana

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



Day-o, day-ay-ay-o

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)

Day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day, he say day-ay-ay-o

(Daylight come and he wan' go home)



Transcribed by Ronald E. Hontz

ronhontz@worldnet.att.net