"Brown Girl in The Ring" is a ring play song
originating many years ago in Jamaica. Jamaican poet, folklorist, actress, writer
and singer Louise Bennett-Coverley recorded “Brown Girl in The Ring” in 1957 on
an album of Children’s Jamaican Songs and Games, which was re-released by
Smithsonian Folkways in 2007 (Source: Zingzangwallawalla). Bahamian entertainer
and singer Tony McKay ("Exuma The Obeah Man") from Cat Island,
Bahamas, sang and recorded this song in 1972.
Acoustic cover by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter
Erskine Knowles from The Bahamas. Background "chorus" by Erskine’s
wife Fay. Erskine played and sang this song over many years at parties. Women
and girls would form a ring and dance. Another woman would dance in the middle
of the ring. Then they would take turns dancing in the middle.
