Amazon.co.uk Review
Busted in the 1950s for marijuana possession, it's possible to discern the long-term effects of the weed in this, the actor's sole foray into the world of pop: an album of Carribean party tunes designed (presumably) to nestle comfortably between the fondue set and the cocktail shaker in one's swingin' bachelor pad. Shrugging off the existential melancholy he perfected in such noir classics as
Out Of The Past, Mitchum strives to reinvent himself as a tropical hipster, a cockeyed party-guy; and indeed, his genuine fondness for the genre is apparent throughout--though it must be said, his lugubrious vocals sit somewhat uneasily with the sunny disposition of the music, particularly on rambling diatribes like "What Is This Generation Coming To?" File between
William Shatner and
Leonard Nimoy, kitsch fans.
--Andrew McGuire
CD Description
If there was ever a celebrity whose reputation as one of Hollywood's hippest cats was solid enough that they could riskridicule by adopting a faux-Trinidadian accent for a novelty record, it was Robert Mitchum. The result is CALYPSO IS LIKE SOa, a collection of 12 Trinidadian tunes, some already made famous by Harry Belafonte, as well as some less well-known songs brought to the studio by Mitchum. Also included on the reissue of CALYPSO IS LIKE SOa are "The Ballad of Thunder Road", the theme from the Mitchum flick, and its B-side, "My Honey's Lovin' Arms".
Mitchum retains a dignified cool throughout the album, despite the kitsch subject matter ofsongs such as "Mama, Looka Boo-Boo", and "I Learn a Merengue, Mama". The album is equal parts Beat and Belafonte. In true Mitchum style, there is also a fair amount of risque material here, and this raunchy edge is perhaps what gives CALYPSO IS LIKE SOa its staying power.