: Released in 1956, it was the opening track of his album Calypso , the first record by a solo artist to sell over a million copies.
: The "Mister Tally Man" was a real figure who inventoried the load; workers could only leave once he had finished counting their tally.
: The repeated refrain "Daylight come and me wan' go home" literally describes the workers waiting for the sun to rise so their grueling shift can end. Harry Belafonte- Day-O Lyrics Video
: References to "hidey deadly black tarantula" were literal warnings about venomous spiders often found in the banana bunches. Cultural Significance
: The traditional call-and-response style used in the song served to build community and synchronize the rhythm of labor among workers. Pop Culture Legacy : Released in 1956, it was the opening
: It is famously featured in the dinner party possession scene in Tim Burton's 1988 film Beetlejuice .
: It has been performed in varied settings, from The Muppet Show with Harry Belafonte himself to being used as a distraction in Legends of Tomorrow . : References to "hidey deadly black tarantula" were
: The song gained a new generation of fans when its "six foot, seven foot, eight foot bunch" line was sampled by Lil Wayne in his 2011 hit "6 Foot 7 Foot".