It's Christmas 1984, and I have returned home to spend the holidays with my parents. There isn't a lot on the TV at 10pm and surprisingly my mum puts on ITV, where "There's Something Wrong In Paradise" is being broadcast. This turns out to be a made for TV musical film featuring Kid Creole And The Coconuts, with a story line of overthrowing a corrupt dictator on a Caribbean island and featuring a few Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs. Pauline Black from The Selector and The Three Degrees were also in the cast.
Prior to this, I had hardly given any notice to Kid Creole, but the film was actually quiet good, the songs were catchy and fitted in well, and I found myself liking them.
A couple of months later, ITV then broadcast a show with Kid Creole And The Coconuts in concert, which was also very enjoyable. Whereas before I thought there was arrogance, now I saw humour and self depreciation !
Shortly after, I found this "Best of" collection, so purchased it. Disappointingly, "No Fish Today" one of my favourite songs from the concert, was not included here.
Kid Creole was the zoot-suit wearing, Latin lothario alter-ego of August Darnell with a musical concoction of Latin, Caribbean, funk, R&B, jazz and disco influences in the setting of a 1930/40s style Big Band. The Coconuts were three sexy female backing singers, who also had their own recording contract, and their cheesy dance routine dressed as air stewardesses to their single "Did You Have To Love Me Like You Did" still makes me smile.
Kid Creole was probably at his peak in 1982, with three top 10 singles in the UK. Although this was a "Best of" collection, there were 5 songs on the track listing I couldn't remember, all of which were amongst the earlier material.
Side One immediately gets into the fun mood with the fantastic "Lifeboat Party" and its bold, jazz brass fanfare and lines like "Welcome to the Lifeboat Par-tah ! Invitation only for the rank and file"
"Stool Pigeon", one of the top 10 hits, has a disco/funk beat before the brass and sax come in. There's a catchy, sing-a-long chorus, "He's an old ex-con that's been away, now he's back, no one's safe, Stool Pigeon, ha cha cha cha".
"Gina Gina" has a slow reggae beat and a soothing sax break. "Gina Gina, he is just a ski-instructor", "There's been no action here since William Tell".
Kid Creole's biggest hit"Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy" is a song where Kid tries to explain to a child that her mum liked to have a good time when she was younger and he was just one of many who took advantage. There's a disco/funk brass intro and great lines such as "If I were in your blood then you wouldn't be so ugly" and the backing vocal from The Coconuts "Break it to me gently now, don't forget I'm just a child". Plus, there is the tremendous idea to have "on a, on a, onamatopoeia" repeatedly sung as a backing vocal line. This was a year before Michael Jackson covered similar ground with "Billie Jean" !
"Me No Pop I" was released as a single in the name of Conti Mondi, the stage number of Andy Hernandez, one of August Darnell's confederates. It has a rap vocal over a funk music track and The Coconuts on backing vocals "me no pop I, you no olive oil". I actually quite liked this at the time but now it sounded awful !
"Latin Music" has a Tijuana brass feel to it. "I'm so confused, the accent is worse than cockney!" and I love The Coconuts chorus "Uh, oh. It's Carmen and Miranda, the Coconuts got a brand new cha-cha, Oh, no, the rhumba and the samba, whatever happened to the hullabaloo".
"Off The Coast Of Me" is title track of Kid Creole's first album. Its very, very slow, with a 1930s night club crooner vocal.
Side Two begins with another monster hit in "I'm A Wonderful Thing, Baby". It has a toe tapping disco beat, Chic style guitar and a long piano outro where Kid goes through all the girls in his address book. The live version of this was brilliant with banter between Kid and Conti Mondi, and better than the studio version.
"Don't Take My Coconuts" is up-beat with the jazz brass again to the fore. Doris can take all of Kid's possessions "but don't, don't, don't, don't take my coconuts !"
"Imitation" has some funky organ but is fairly forgettable and "Maladie d'armour" has more jazz brass, and is mostly sung by the Coconuts, but its fairly ordinary.
"Dear Addy" is a beautiful, sad ballad, with Chinese style music and it's one of my favourite Kid Creole Songs. Addy is Adriana Kaegi, Darnell's ex-wife but still a Coconut at the time.
"There's Something Wrong In Paradise" has a catchy Caribbean/Latin vibe before the album finishes with "Back In The Field Again", a really old fashioned slow, sentimental ballad, with hints of vaudeville and a doo-wop middle 8. I think it's great. "Forget the loafers and sneakers, I need my stepping out shoes"
Overall, the album remains a great way to appreciate the genius of Kid Creole without necessarily having to buy his first four albums.
1. Lifeboat Party ( 1983 - No 49 )
2. Stool Pigeon ( 1982 - No 7 )
3. Gina Gina ( 1981 )
4. Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy ( 1982 - No 2 )
5. Me No Pop I ( 1980 - No 32 )
6. Latin Music ( 1981 - )
7. Off The Coast Of Me ( 1980 )
1. I'm A Wonderful Thing, Baby ( 1982 - No 4 )
2. Don't Take My Coconuts ( 1981 - No 86 )
3. Imitation ( 1982 )
4. Maladie d'amour ( 1980 )
5. Dear Addy ( 1982 - No 29 )
6. There's Something Wrong In Paradise ( 1983 - No 35 )
7. Back In The Field Again ( 1983 )
Released 1984
UK Chart Position : 21
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