Mammy Blue – Charisma

Mammy Blue – Charisma (Charming!)

Mammy Blue

Charimsa was not really a band, but rather a group of session musicians under the leadership of Graeme Beggs, one of the leading producers in the country. He has been responsible for producing Clout’s Substitute, The Soweto String Quartet, Una Valli, The Dream Merchants, The Flames and Gene Rockwell to name a few. He also played with the Apaches, Dickie Loader and the Shangaans.

It is not surprising then, that he was involved in the song that spent the most number of weeks by a South African band at the top of the Springbok charts (12 weeks in total, 1 week less than the all time record by Johnny Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’).

‘Mammy Blue’ was originally a French song written by Hubert Giraud and was a minor hit in the  US for the Pop Tops in 1971 (peaking at number 57) and later in 1973 The Stories took it to number 50.  It has also recorded by Roger Whittaker, Dennis East, Ken Boothe and in more recent times, Steve Hofmeyr and Kurt Darren.

The song hinges around the chorus of ‘Oh mammy, oh mammy…’ and is a relaxed, almost mystic song. The chorus featuring the female vocals of Stevie van Kerken sort of swirls around in the clouds with Paddy Powell’s vocals floating over the top of them. It was a worthy number 1 and also worthy of the lengthy stay at the top.

Where to find it:

Various Artists – The Best of SA Pop Volume 2 (1994) GMP, CDGMPD 40486 (CD)

Lyrics:

Oh, mammy, oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue
Oh, mammy, oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue
Oh, mammy, oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (Oh, mammy, mammy)
Oh, mammy, oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue

I may be your forgotten son (Oh, mammy)
That wand’red off at twenty one (Oh, mammy)
It’s sad to find myself at home (Oh, mammy)
And you, you’re not around

If I could only hold your hand (Oh, mammy)
And say: “I’m sorry, yes, I am” (Oh, mammy)
I’m sure you’d really understand (Oh, mammy)
Oh, ma, where have you been?

Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue
Oh, mammy, oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue
Oh, mammy (I need you), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (I need
you, need you, need you)
Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue

The home we shared upon the hill (Oh, mammy)
Seems lifeless but it’s standing still (Oh, mammy)
And mem’ries of my child-hood fill (Oh, mammy) my mind

I’ve been through all the walks of life (Oh, mammy)
Seen tired days and lonely nights (Oh, mammy)
And now without you by my side (Oh, mammy)
I’m lost, and I do, girl, how will I survive?

Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (Oh, mammy, mammy)
Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (Oh, mammy, mammy, mammy)
Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (Oh,
lord, lord, lord)
Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (I need,
I need, I need you)

Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue (Oh,
where have you been?)
Oh, mammy (Oh, mammy), oh, mammy, mammy blue, oh, mammy blue

(Written by Phil Trim & Hubert Giraud)

Video:

Charisma:
Pop Tops:
Roger Whittaker:

Shabby Little Hut – The Bats

Shabby Little Hut – The Bats (aka a Krumbling Kraal)

The Bats

There should be a health warning on this song as it is so infectious that no matter how hard you try, you’ll be humming or singing it for days after it has faded from your speakers. Few of us born in the sixties or later would have realised that the man who used to Turn On The Telly (no, not the presenter, the skivvy who actually turned on the Telly) and the bloke who presented Video 2 with Delia Sainsbury had ever been in a group, let along one of the longest running groups in SA history.

Yes, Eddie Eckstein and Paul Ditchfield (remember them?) were half of the Bats, the other two members being Barry Jarman and Jimmy Dunning. They were responsible for a string of hits in the sixties, crowning their efforts with ‘Shabby Little Hut’.

Written by Van McCoy (who had a hit in SA with ‘The Hustle’) and also recorded by an American group called The Reflections, it’s a simple tale of boy meets girl, girl’s parents don’t like boy, boy arranges to meet girl in a shabby little hut down by the docks. We’ve all been there haven’t we?

An organ underpins the beat guitar and a trumpet comes in every now and then to lend a warm brassiness to the song. The Bats also recorded a Spanish version ‘Una Chocita Abandonada’ which was released in Argentina. Kariba, another South African group who mostly did reggae cover versions of Bob Marley songs, did a cover of this, but, to be honest, stick with The Bats English version.

Where to find it:

The Heart And Soul Of – The Bats (2001), Polygram, CDREDD 659
The Best Of The Bats – The Bats (1996) Polygram, MORCD 612

The Best Of SA Pop Vol 2 – Various Artists (1994) GMP, CDGMPD 40486
SA Party -  Various Artists (2009) Gallo, CTS 5028

Lyrics:

Your folks they say they don’t want me hanging round
Cause I come from the wrong part of town
So I’ll meet you in a secret place
After dark when the sun goes down

In a shabby little hut
By the dock
Down by the sea
It ain’t nothing fancy but
It’s paradise to me

In the shelter of your tender arms
When the jukebox begins to play
Then the warmth of your many charms
Seem to melt all my cares away

In a shabby little hut
By the dock
Down by the sea
It ain’t nothing fancy but
It’s paradise to me

Suddenly I look and I see the time
And I know I must go right away
But my darling when we kiss goodbye
How it hurts when you walk away

From the shabby little hut
By the dock
Down by the sea
It ain’t nothing fancy but
It’s paradise to me

(Written by Van McCoy)

Video:

The Bats:
Kariba:
Reflections:

Website:

The Bats

Otis – November 5

Otis – November 5 (A date to remember)

November 5

Okay, this is a bit of an obscure one. Not too many people would have picked up on the album 617 when it was released circa 1998, but it was an album worth getting and none more so than for the opening track ‘Otis’ which has the subtitle ‘A Renegade Lift’. Now the subtitle could be read as a reference to the Otis Elevator company, but also be construed to what the song does to you as it really lifts one.

It starts off pleasantly with a jangly guitar and Abraham (he who is November 5) but quickly builds to the grand chorus with a pleasant piano adding its voice to the overall effect. Tuneful and powerful, this should have been a hit, but somehow got missed. It’s worth trying to find the whole album, but in particular this track.

Where to find it:

617 – November 5 (Independent Release)

Review:

Amuzine 7 June 1999

Video:

Trippin’ – Wonderboom

Trippin’ – Wonderboom (One to stumble upon)

Tell Someone Who Cares – Wonderboom (2003)

Wonderboom have grown to be one of the most popular bands in South Africa. The energy they generate is infectious and they tend to make a rather feel good kind of rock. They have also been the forerunners in paying homage to South African music with 2 albums of covers of SA classics (Rewind and Hoekom) such as ‘Shadows’, ‘Charlie’ and Juluka’s ‘Africa’.

Trippin’ which appeared on their album ‘Tell Someone Who Cares’ finds them in a quieter mood. It features a swooping chorus and strings that bring a relaxed feel to the usual frenetic pace the group take. Perhaps the clue’s in the line, ‘Everybody’s getting louder and everybody’s getting harder baby, except for me’. But this is only true of a few of their songs for two songs later on the album, there is the noisy, energetic ‘Soul Doubt’ which makes one question the permanence of the claim. It’s possible that the slower one was written to impress a girl (it’s been known to happen).

Whatever the reason for slowing things down, rest assured that Wonderboom are more than capable of doing so in style and tune without becoming too sentimental. And yes, some of their more energetic stuff will feature later on in this list.

Where to find it:
Tell Someone Who Cares – Wonderboom (2003), Gresham Records, CDDGR1561

Lyrics:

The sun it rises everyday
Or so I hear some people say
I don’t know I must’ve been away
Everybody’s getting louder
And everybody’s getting harder
Baby, except for me

Trippin’ on the moon, you could see me
Trippin’ on the moon
On that lazy cosmic afternoon
If you look around and I’m not in my room
Trippin’ on the moon

Don’t ask me now I’ll tell you later
I’m having lunch with my Creator
In a while – crocodile
If you left it up to me
I’d lift you up for all to see now
Baby, we’ll reconcile

(Written by Wonderboom)