How does the Christmas card frame the story?
Rohlehr describes a narrator away from a lover who has stayed at home. Reading her Christmas card gives the song its setting of separation and seasonal nostalgia. The commentary does not place the lover in America.
He contrasts this affectionate, sentimental mode with the cynical treatment of romance he finds in much of Sparrow’s early repertoire. That comparison explains the song’s place in the selection without treating a fictional narrator’s circumstances as a biographical account of the singer.
Sources: Smithsonian Folkways — First Flight: Early Calypsos from the Emory Cook Collection booklet
From an earlier album to First Flight
The track header references King Sparrow’s Calypso Carnival, listed elsewhere in the booklet as a 1959 edition. The two printed years are retained with their separate meanings; neither is presented as an exact recording date.
| Detail | Source information |
|---|---|
| Writer(s) | Slinger Francisco |
| Year printed beside the song | 1958 |
| Earlier album named in track notes | King Sparrow’s Calypso Carnival |
| Earlier edition reference | King Sparrow’s Calypso Carnival — C 00920, 1959 |
Sources: Smithsonian Folkways — First Flight: Early Calypsos from the Emory Cook Collection booklet
Find the documented performance
Use the Smithsonian track link below to find this selection on the 2005 First Flight edition. The earlier album reference and the year printed beside the song are retained separately in the tables.
| Detail | Source information |
|---|---|
| Album | First Flight: Early Calypsos from the Emory Cook Collection |
| Edition year | 2005 |
| Catalog number | SFW40534 |
| Track position | 14 |
| Label track title | Post Card to Sparrow |
Mighty Sparrow artist profile ↗
Sources: Smithsonian Folkways — First Flight: Early Calypsos from the Emory Cook Collection booklet · Smithsonian Folkways — First Flight: Early Calypsos from the Emory Cook Collection tracklist