Jamaican Honeymoon Song

Jamaican Honeymoon Song
by Greg Larson

I dedicate this blog post to my Wife, Gretta, who is the love of my life.

       I can sing in public, but it is not my forté. It has to be a really special occasion, and I have to really believe in what I’m singing. Such is the case with the Jamaican Honeymoon Song, which I wrote when . . . you guessed it . . . Gretta and I were on our 2004 honeymoon.

       The Montego Bay airport had a book shop to which we gravitated. While browsing, I found a small booklet with Jamaican slang terms like ya-man, etc. I was intrigued by the term oo-man, so I looked at the definition, which was “wife or girlfriend.” I looked at Gretta and thought “she’s my oo-man!” But I wondered if it was pronounced ohh or ooo.

       On the flight back home, between naps of honeymoon memories, I wrote the short song in my head. I pictured the warm sand and the palm trees framing the deep blue ocean water. While relaxed, I could smell the Jamaican barbeque and listen to the steel drums playing the melody.

       It’s a great song for me to sing in my head while I ride the bike or mow the lawn. It’s always with me, just like Gretta.

       The first time I sang it, we were on a bike tour in Italy. One evening after a little wine, with people we hardly knew, I belted it out. The second time was the other night at our tenth-anniversary party, a most appropriate venue. You never know, I may sing it again, but probably just once in a Jamaican blue moon.

Now that I’ve put the words to paper, the lyrics are copyrighted, so I’m anticipating royalty checks:

Jamaican Honeymoon Song

by Greg Larson

          Oh man, she’s my oo-man

          Oo man, she’s my oh-man
          Oh man, she’s my oo-man
          And I love her all of my day!

          I love her in the morning                                             [point to the east]

          I love her in the evening                                              [point to the west]
          I love her in the afternoon                                           [point to the sky]
          And all night long!                                                      [fist pump to the sky]

         Oh-oh-oh oo-man, my pretty, pretty oo-oo-oo-man

         And I love her all of my day!                                      [kiss Gretta, crowd cheers]