Fan Me Solja Man

 Fan Me Solja Man is from Jamaica. It's about a young wife, whose husband has gone to war. This young wife  loses her good reputation, although she continues to be well dressed, because she is carousing with and accepting the gifts of (ill reputed) soldiers. 

Around 1945 Lion (Hubert Charles) wrote and recorded "Fan Me, Saga Boys." A "saga boy" was "a lower-class male whose garb and behavior were copied from American zoot-suitrers of the 1940s.... The song utilizes images of World War II to metaphorically describe sexual intercourse.... 'Fan Me Soldier Man, Fan Me' is probably based upon the same lavway as this song" (Donald R. Hill, "Calypso Calaloo" (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1993), p. 264; The Lion with Gerald Clark and His Original Calypsos, "Fan Me Saga Boy", Guild 125A, 1945?)). It seems unlikely that the source for "Fan Mi Solja Man" is a Trinidad lavway (calypso road march). Lion's chorus is "Fan me, saga boys, fan me / I said, Oh! fan me, saga boys, fan me / Long live our gracious king / But I kiss me saga boy Christmas morning." The chorus from Jekyll-JamaicanSongAndStory is "Fan me, soldier man, fan me / Fan me, soldier man, fan me/ Fan me, soldier man, fan me oh! / Gal, you character gone.' 

To download the easy alphanotes and chords sheet music, look here. Enjoy!

Lyrics:

Fan me solja man, fan me,
Fan me solja man. fan me,
Fan me solja man, fan me, oh !

Gal, yuh character gawn.

Wey de use yuh dah shawl up, shawl up, (3x)
Gal yuh character gawn.

Wey de use dah lace-up stays-up, (3x)

Gal, yuh character gawn.

Sake a Coolie-man bangle, (3x)

Gal yuh character gawn.

Fan me solja man, fan me,
Fan me solja man, fan me,
Fan me solja man, fan me, oh,

Gal yuh character gawn.