Pink Panther is 2013 Calypso Monarch

ALL PREPARED: Eric "Pink Panther" Taylor
carries his travel bag during his performance of "Travel Woes"
en-route to clinching the 2013 National Calypso Monarch title
at the Queen's Park Savannah on Friday. -Photo: Micheal Bruce

There was a smile of contentment on the face of Eric "Pink Panther" Taylor when he was declared the winner of the 2013 National Calypso Monarch title at the Queen's Park Savannah early on Friday.

After the 12 contending artistes had completed their two rounds of competition, many patrons shared the opinion that it was a two-horse race between Kurt Allen and Taylor, with the former to come out on top.

However, when the results was announced around 1.50 a.m. it was Taylor who gained the nod and the $1m first prize with Allen having to settle for the runner-up position the second year in succession.

His first song "Travel Woes" is a tongue-in-cheek ditty aimed at the government in which he ac

counts the problems he encountered after booking a trip to London via sea but can't see the ship anywhere in sight.

He sings: "I see the scholarship, I see the sponsorship, I see the dealership, I see the ownership, I find the membership, some underhand relationship all around the Partnership, but I can;t find the Leadership."

In his other piece "Crying in the Chapel", Taylor puts into song the recent deaths of Sonny "Mighty Power" Francois and Seadley "Penguin" Joseph, along with other cultural icons who have passed away, coincidentally, around Carnival time.

Allen, in grabbing second, delivered two solid performances with "Political Sin Phony" and "Black Stalin Say", while Heather MacIntosh's rendition of "The Old Man's Lament and "Invisible, earned her third place.

Results
1. Eric "Pink Panther" Taylor - Travel Woes/Crying In The Chapel
2. Kurt Allen - Political Sin Phony/Black Stalin Say
3. Heather MacIntosh - The Old Man's Lament/Invisible
4. Roderick "Mr Chucky" Gordon - Bear With Me/The New Addiction
5. Karene Asche - Meh Pardna Ship/Eat Ah Food
6. Eunice Peters - None Of The Above/Keshorn D Javelin Champion
7. Duanne O'Connor - Building A Wall/ Seeking Sparrow's Advice
8. Alana Sinnette Khan - No Moral Authority/Pathological
9. Dr Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool - Prodigal Son/Virginia's Alzheimer
10. Kizzie Ruiz - In The Age Of Blog/T And T Forever
11. Marva "Marvelous Marva" Joseph - Come Back To What/Woman's Contribution To Trinidad And Tobago
12. Victoria "Queen Victoria" Cooper - D Betrayal/Club 34

Reproduced from Trinidadexpress