Over the weekend, Barbados’ own Mighty Gabby went to compete in Antigua for a 50+ contest of performers and could as well stayed home, not as he may be too old as I joked, but rather that an Antiguan won… As Iago the parrot in the Disney cartoon Aladdin screamed; “Why am I not surprised?” Here’s the Antigua Sun‘s justification (BTW: poor Gabberts is not even mentioned, OMG – did he not even PLACE? Gasp!) –

Belting out one of his most memorable hits, Sir McLean ?King Short Shirt? Emmanuel, a living legend of the calypso art form, added yet another title to his long and distinguished career on a memorable night for the 50th anniversary of Carnival.

In 1973, Lamentation, was not good enough to capture the Calypso crown for the Monarch, as he was beaten by Rupert ?The Mighty Swallow? Philo, whose March for Freedom, earned him the title that year.

But Saturday night belonged to ?Shorty? as a perennial favourite did the trick for him in the second round, as he blew the field away with one of the most memorable calypso hits of our time.

It seems the only other worthy competition was from Trinbago and St Kitts –

Short Shirt, however, was not without some strong competition, provided by none other than Trinidad?s Cro-Cro (Weston Rawlins), who placed first runner-up. His first song My Father was followed in the second round by the popular Nobody Ain?t Go Know, which was skillfully mastered in typical and unique Cro-Cro style. But he was not good enough on that night to beat the elder and had to settle for first runner-up.

The second runner-up spot went to Sylvester ?Socrates? Hodge of St. Kitts, with his two songs, Ode to Toussaint and Killer on the Road.

The other Antiguan king who took part in the competition was Leroy ?Creole? Hunte who won back to back crowns in 1967 and 1968.