20 Best Harry Belafonte Songs
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Harry Belafonte couldn't quite put his finger on what made his music so good, and despite being the "King of Calypso," transcending genres and racial barriers throughout his career, he remained remarkably humble about his talents.
"I don't have a great voice," he told The New York Times in 1959. "Others have a voice with a wider range and a better timbre and could do things vocally that I could never do. But somehow or other something compensates when I begin to apply myself to a song, and this lack doesn't bother me."
The best Harry Belafonte songs are glorious because of his very voice, as well as for his theatrical touches, showmanship and cheeky humor, as well as the activism that would ultimately define his career.
While it's quite difficult to narrow down the best of a catalog with such a wide breadth, these are the best Harry Belafonte songs to introduce yourself to the legend. Dancing along isn't required, but it's probably inevitable.
Related: Harry Belafonte, Legendary Singer and Activist, Dead at 96
Best Harry Belafonte Songs
20. "Cocoanut Woman"
Whether or not you're a fan of the fruit, "Cocoanut Woman"—complete with its glorious gang vocals on the "coconut!" chant—can appeal to almost anyone.
19. "Brown Skin Girl"
Before Beyoncé and Blue Ivy teamed up with SAINt JHN and Wizkid, Belafonte delivered "Brown Skin Girl." The sweet melody, restrained vocals and soft guitar may camouflage the message: A searing protest against American colonization and exploitation of Black Caribbean women and the land on which they lived.
18. "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)"
Whether or not you agree with the song's sentiment (ahem), you absolutely cannot deny that "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)" is a banger. Play it at a party and see how many sing-alongs and arguments you can start. The live version is particularly fun because you can hear Belafonte chuckling at the cheeky lyrics.
17. "Angelique-O"
"Angelique-O" may not have the most feminist message, but boy, does it have a great hook.
16. "Jamaica Farewell"
You may have heard "Jamaica Farewell," a reworked classic folk song, in Barry Season 1, episode 8, or in Rabbids Go Home.
15. "Matilda"
Before there was "Hit 'Em Up Style" and Blu Cantrell, there was "Matilda." Get money, girls.
Related: Harry Belafonte's Net Worth
14. "Hold 'Em Joe"
"Hold 'Em Joe," a ditty about a donkey, charted at No. 30 in 1954, then again at No. 89 in 1957.
13. "Island in the Sun"
Belafonte is credited as a co-writer on "Island in the Sun," released for the film of the same name in which he starred. In 1999, 42 years after the song's release, it was adapted into a picture book.
12. "Hava Nagila"
Oh yes, Belafonte delivered his own rendition of this Jewish wedding staple. It's as glorious as it is unexpected, whether or not you're a member of the faith.
11. "This Land Is Your Land"
With an almost audible grin and a tone of firm resolve, Belafonte's civil rights and social justice activism are wrapped up in "This Land Is Your Land," a cover of the Woody Guthrie classic.
Related: 50 Songs About America
10. "Will His Love Be Like His Rum?"
Talk about being ahead of his time—this precedes "Drunk in Love" by an entire generation.
Related: Read an Exclusive Excerpt From Harry Belafonte's My Song
9. "Suzanne (Every Night When the Sun Goes Down)"
Belafonte sounds just as good when he's sad as he does when he's ready to party, as evidenced in "Suzanne (Every Night When the Sun Goes Down)."
8. "I'm Just a Country Boy"
Proving there's basically no genre the man couldn't master, Belafonte released "I'm Just a Country Boy" in 1954 without having to fake a twang. The song was covered by everyone from Sam Cooke to Don Williams, whose 1977 version hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
7. "Don't Ever Love Me"
Belafonte's harmonies soar on "Don't Ever Love Me."
6. "Man Piaba"
"Man Piaba" drops references to everything from Albert Einstein to astronomy, and Belafonte's smooth vocals deliver big time.
5. "Midnight Special"
You hear that harmonica in "Midnight Special?" That's the first-ever officially released recording of a guy named Bob Dylan.
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4. "Forever Young/Jabulani"
Nearly two decades after Dylan's debut on "Midnight Special," Belafonte covered one of Dylan's biggest hits, mixing in his own co-written "Jabulani" for a medley that became "Forever Young/Jabulani."
Related: Bob Dylan's Best Lyrics of All Time
3. "Noah"
Belafonte delivers a straight-up sermon with "Noah," rife with fire and brimstone elements in the intro and a smile you can hear throughout.
2. "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)"
OK, we believe you! "Jump in the Line (Shake, Señora)" was a massive hit and an instant classic, though many people don't realize it was actually a cover. Belafonte's rendition, released in 1961, enjoyed a renaissance upon the 1988 release of Beetlejuice, as well as in the stage adaptation of the film more than three decades later.
1. "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)"
Belafonte told BET in 2011 that he didn't consider the song his own and was hesitant to take credit for its endurance in pop culture and pop canon alike.
"It’s not my song. It’s a song that belongs to millions of people in the Caribbean. An ancient work song that people, of which my family was one of them, [who] were plantation workers, sang in the day and they sang in the night," he said. "They sang every opportunity they could get to throw off the burdens of poverty, and therefore the song has great significance."
