Jamaica Farewell

I’m just a plainspoken Colorado criminal defense lawyer, but the way I see it…

When I sang “Scarlet Ribbons” to my children, at their bedtime, it was Harry Belafonte I was thinking of. The same with “Abraham, Martin, and John.” He could tear your heart with his voice; he tore mine, many, many times.

In the late 90s, I took the older one way past his bedtime to hear the legend sing at an age most men have retired. He was still in strong voice — Belafonte, not my son, who was four and doesn’t remember; I do.

His voice was just as strong for human rights. He was more than a friend to Martin Luther King, Jr. He marched with him, diverted a large part of his personal fortune to the civil rights movement, helped Coretta Scott King pick out the suit he was buried in.

He worked to end apartheid in South Africa; originated United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa) to fight disease and famine, including with the hit song “We Are the World” for which he selflessly sang chorus from the back row; was goodwill ambassador for UNICEF to protect children’s rights everywhere.

He was part of the world for ninety-six years until his death today, and will remain part of it as long as recordings exist of that magnificent voice and memory remains of his magnificent commitment to the human family.

The album pictured above is “The Best of Harry Belafonte.”

Harry Belafonte was the best of us.