Ooda bada bim bo, go yeh go...

May 29, 2007 7:09 PM

AlbumFilter: I've asked this to guys at used music stores and just got a duh. What is that album my ex got? Can I still get it?

Album only, to raise money for Africa. 80s-ish. Pretty sure it includes a live version of Biko performed by Gabriel. The bulk of the rest of the performers are from everywhere. World Music. Specifically looking for South American cut (Brazil?) that got animated into some mini-video about soccer. Extra credit for the video. Album cover looked like a banner for the Broadway version of Lion King. Please... I miss that song so much.

posted by Toekneesan to media & arts (24 comments total)

Hmmm, I can only think of Little Steven's Artists United Against Aprtheid but it doesn't meet all of your criteria.
posted by The Deej at 7:29 PM on May 29, 2007

The Amazon link.
posted by The Deej at 7:37 PM on May 29, 2007

Perhaps it is Mundo Afrika? [cover image]
Found by full-text searching freedb.org for 'biko africa.'
posted by Partial Law at 7:38 PM on May 29, 2007

A longshot, but going only by your description of the cover, could it be The Best of Music and Rhythm? The songs:

1. Drums Of Makebuko - Burundi
2. Peter Gabriel - Across The River
3. Ekome - Kpan Logo
4. XTC - It's Nearly Africa
5. Alhaji Ibrahim And His Dagbamba Cultural Group - Zuu-Waa
6. The Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom
7. Prince Nico Mbarga And Rocafil Jazz - Sweet Mother
8. Mighty Sparrow - Music And Rhythm
9. Rico - What You Talkin' Bout
10. Morris Pert - Marrakesh
11. Pete Townshend - Ascension Two
12. Vic Coppersmith-Heaven - Pengosekan
13. Balinese Ketjak - A short excerpt from the Ramayana Monkey Chant
14. Jon Hassell - Ba Benzele
15. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Noor Azli Chamkia
16. Peter Hammill - The Ritual Mask
17. David Byrne - His Wife Refused
18. Alhaji Bai Konte And Malamini Jobate - Sudurum Kumbosora
19. Lonesi Chewane And Joni Hetara - Mkazi Wa Mulomo
20. Shankar And Bill Lovelady - Himilaya
21. Holger Czukay - Persian Love
posted by iconomy at 8:00 PM on May 29, 2007

Oh, damn you, I'm going to have that song stuck in my head... I know exactly the album you're talking about, but of course I can't remember the name. It was out when I was working at a record store, which narrows it down to 1989 - 1992. Sorry I can't be more helpful.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:01 PM on May 29, 2007

I had a GREAT album that featured Peter Gabriel from the Music and Rhythm compilation put together for the 1982 WOMAD festival.

But can't find a link on google. But the album does exist. I remember it had a Brian Eno and David Byrne song. Persian Love by Holgar Czukay and Himalaya by Shankar. I bet this is what you are looking for.
posted by vronsky at 8:03 PM on May 29, 2007

The Biko song was on a Peter Gabriel album, of course. Maybe the Cry Freedom soundtrack? I don't see it listed there, though.
posted by The Deej at 8:04 PM on May 29, 2007

vronsky, look up 2 comments.

This discography has a decent listing of pretty much every album Biko has been on...maybe it's one of those. This one

Freedom Beat - 1988
[VHS: US: Pacific Arts Video PAV 682]
The Artists Against Apartheid "U.K. Freedom Festival", a concert featuring live performances by 13 artists including Peter Gabriel who performed Biko.

jumped out at me but it seems to be only a DVD and not an album.
posted by iconomy at 8:06 PM on May 29, 2007

If it helps any... the animation you mention was in a film compilation that also had a Beastie Boys video.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:08 PM on May 29, 2007

Ooops. The track listing I gave was for the original album from 1982. It was rereleased in 1983 with the Lion King-ish cover and 13 songs on it, listed here, with more info.
posted by iconomy at 8:17 PM on May 29, 2007

Here's the cover of the original, in case that's the one you remember, although neither are probably it, since Biko isn't on them, and they don't strike me as being that well-known that an employee in a music store would say "duh" if asked about them.

I promise not to post again ;)
posted by iconomy at 8:31 PM on May 29, 2007

Cool iconomy! (I was searching in another window so I missed that post) Your "cover of the original" link is the album I have. But most of the good stuff is on that compilation. (I wonder why I couldn't find it on google?)
posted by vronsky at 8:41 PM on May 29, 2007

I bet the OP is mistaking "Biko" for "Across the River".
posted by vronsky at 8:48 PM on May 29, 2007

Okay, I don't know why I'm so confident about this, but I'm going to throw my hat in the ring. Well, if I had a hat.

I'm gonna say it was the Sun City album compiled by Steve Van Zandt. Biko wasn't on it, but there is a Peter Gabriel song and Little Stevie has said that "Biko" inspired him to write Sun City.

Side A
"Sun City" (Steven Van Zandt) – Artists Against Apartheid, featuring Zak Starkey, Ringo Starr - 7:26
"No More Apartheid" (Peter Gabriel) – Peter Gabriel and L. Shankar - 7:07
"Revolutionary Situation" - Rap Artists from Artists Against Apartheid, compiled and edited by Keith Le Blanc and The News Dissector – 6:07

Side B
"Sun City (Version II)" – Artists Against Apartheid - 5:42
"Let Me See Your I.D." – Rap and Jazz Artists from Artists Against Apartheid, featuring Gil Scott-Heron, Miles Davis, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Peter Wolf, Sonny Okosuns, Malopoets, Duke Bootee, Ray Baretto, Peter Garrett - 7:29
"The Struggle Continues" – Jazz Artists from Artists Against Apartheid, featuring Miles Davis, Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Okosuns, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Richard Scher - 7:01
"Silver and Gold" (Bono) – Bono with Keith Richards and Ron Wood - 4:41
posted by miss lynnster at 8:57 PM on May 29, 2007

(I think I'm wrong though... since none of the other songs seem Brazilian. But oh well.)
posted by miss lynnster at 9:01 PM on May 29, 2007

I have one called Music and Rhythm: A benefit double lp for A World of Music Arts and Dance from 1982. It has Peter Gabriel singing "Across the River". I can post the track listing later.
posted by euphotic at 9:34 PM on May 29, 2007

I've been doing some Googling and Amazoning. I am going to suggest that you may be mixing your memories. I'm pretty sure that the Sun City album, suggested by myself and miss lynnster, is likely THE album you are thinking of.

It was pretty popular, and it raised the awareness of apartheid instantly. Plus, since artisits from various genres were featured, it crossed cultural lines. As a result, other Africa-related songs and causes became popular. At about the same time, Paul Simon's Graceland won a grammy and was a big hit.

Obviously, I don't a have a Malkovich-style portal into your brain, but I can't think of anything else.
posted by The Deej at 9:43 PM on May 29, 2007

Yes, Music and Rhythm. Had the original. Anyone remember which song that was? Nothing is jumping out as Brazilian.
posted by Toekneesan at 3:32 AM on May 30, 2007

For what it's worth, Music and Rhythm is one amazing album. Unfortunately, even the Western artists contributed some fairly atypical tracks, so I couldn't hazard a guess as to which one pursued a Brazilian line. (My first thought might be Rico, but you can verify that on any number of 2-Tone Records compilations, if you scout around a little.)
posted by mykescipark at 3:44 AM on May 30, 2007

Seconding the "mixing your memories" idea. There was an album with a cover that looked just like the Lion King -- a woodcut, perhaps, of a lion's face.

I don't think the ooda bada bim bo song is on Music and Rhythm. I'm thinking it's on a Luaka Bop compilation, perhaps? Not Dancing With the Enemy or the greatest hits of Tom Ze... hmmm...
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:00 AM on May 30, 2007

Jorge Ben! Ponte de Lanca!
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:14 AM on May 30, 2007

Umbabarauma... not the animated version, sorry. (And now I can get that damn song out of my head.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 6:19 AM on May 30, 2007

I agree with corpseinthelibrary: I think you are definitely thinking of "Umbabarauma" (also known as "Ponta De Lança Africano") by Jorge Ben, and perhaps mixing memories. "Umbabarauma" appeared on a compilation of Brazilian music produced by David Byrne -- Beleza Tropical: Brazil Classics Vol. 1. -- which I listened to a LOT in the early 90s.
posted by tigerbelly at 7:40 AM on May 30, 2007

Yes!!!

Thanks you wonderful ol' corpse. It was either only on the full earlier release of Music and Rhythm or I have in fact confused it with some other world music compilation album. I'm a bit of a David Bryne freak so I wouldn't rule that out. But that is indeed the song.
posted by Toekneesan at 8:05 AM on May 30, 2007