Harry Belafonte made calypso briefly popular in1950s America, but Trinidad’s Mighty Sparrow wasits sharpest-tongued golden-age singer. This tour of his 1960-76 output has too many novelties and covers – stick with Louis Jordan’s version of “What’s the Use of Getting Sober.” But Sparrow the social commentator is in force, sometimes in atime-capsule way (playlist “Kennedy and Khrushchev” for your next Mad Men party). And rap-battle fans should hear the uproarious head-to-head with Lord Melody, “Picong Duel.” “You have a facelike a crocodile,” Sparrow taunts, while Melody offers “a right hookin your belly” – delivered with a laugh.

Listen To: "Sweet Loving"

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• Photos: Random Notes

“He Will Break Your Heart”

A lightly swinging Latin-influenced, almost cha-cha groove and close harmonies decorated Jerry Butler's early soul hit "He Will Break Your Heart," delivering a stately warning that his rival would never love his girl like he did. The melody came to Butler as he was driving on the highway from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Philadelphia with Curtis Mayfield, and as Butler told Rolling Stone, "I just sang the melody and Curtis put the chords to it." The song's premise, Butler added, "was something that I'd lived ...The lyric was an experience rather than a revelation. Whereas music is usually a revelation."