Day-O (Banana Boat Song)

Day-O (Banana Boat Song)

Day-O (Banana Boat Song) is the song in the video I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing. Originally sung by Harry Belafonte, it features Sh'Vaughn Heath, Kiki Scott, Shanika Washington, and Ashande Gravenberg in their debuts, even though they were uncredited in the video. Delane Vaughn, who played one of the dads in the next video, was the Jamaican banana counter in this song.

Lyrics

Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Work all day til the mornin’ come
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)
Stack banana til the mornin’ come
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tallyman, tally me banana
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)
Come, Mr. Tallyman, tally me banana
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)

Lift one bunch, two bunch,
Three bunch, four!
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)
Five bunch, six bunch,
Count some more!
(Daylight come and me' wan go home)

Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home

Seven bunch, eight,
'til my arms are sore.
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)
Nine bunch, ten bunch,
Go back for more!
(Daylight come and me wan' go home)

Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day-o...me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan'...go...home...

Trivia

• The original lyrics reference a "drink of rum" and a "deadly black tarantula". The lyrics were changed to make the song family friendly.