Who’s smarter: man or woman? For the record, Harry Belafonte sides with the ladies. And the chorus to his song “Man Smart, Woman Smarter” is churning through my dome today for no apparent reason.

You know Belafonte. He’s the guy that gave the world “Day-O (Banana Boat)” from his 1956 album, Calypso. That well-known record put Belafonte and calypso music on the map and topped the Billboard album charts for an amazing 31 weeks (that’s basically 8 months).

“Day O” is a classic sing-along song and was the backdrop to one of the most charming moments of the 1986 Tim Burton movie classic, Beetlejuice.

Listen to “Day O (Banana Boat)”

Less known is “Man Smart (Woman Smarter)” from the same Calypso record. I love this song. Amazing arrangement. Great vocals. And I’m certain the most pro-feminist lyrics to hit the AM radio airwaves in the 1950s (and they’re all true). Here’s a quick tease:

I say let us put man and a woman together
To find out which one is smarter
Some say man but I say no
The woman got the man the day should know

Chorus:
And not me but the people they say
That the men are leading the women astray
But I say, that the women of today
Smarter than the man in every way
That’s right the woman is uh smarter
That’s right the woman is uh smarter
That’s right the woman is uh smarter, that’s right, that’s right

Hear “Man Smart, Woman Smarter”

Listen to this song. And pick up either Pure Gold to get the best of his Calypso songs. Or you can pick up Very Best Of Harry Belafonte, a great set that covers pretty much all the highlights from this talented man’s entire career. You’ll prove you’re much smarter than all your friends who don’t own any Belafonte.

Filed under: Pop · Tags: 1950s, 1956, calypso, Day O (The Banana Song), Harry Belafonte, Man smart woman smarter, Pop