Saturday, July 10, 2010

Musical Memories - sometimes different for migrants...

I've found this in the past when on Today FM, the British migrants having a different listening history, sometimes had me scratching to remember a particular song that was big for them. Debbie from South Africa had sought help from me at Coast to pull up some of her memories with the help of Alex. Then just recently came this request ...
I need your help AGAIN please. I was watching a movie the other day and a song came up from the seventies that I haven't heard for ages!! I tried to see it in the credits but they rolled too fast. I cannot remember the movie it was in either, seen too many since then. All I can tell you is that it sounds very "hippyish", has a beat that sounds as if there is someone knocking a cow bell and the only words I can come up with are in the chorus - "Why did you do it, why did you do that thang to me"? Please tell me you know it!!
How is Alex? Regards Debbie

That knocking a cowbell reference had me thinking of Blacksmith Blues but that was the fifties (and someone in Nelson Riddle's Orchestra tapping an ashtray). So I sent a message off to Alex and to Scotty, music collector maestros and Scott came up trumps ...

Ray, this is probably it. . I'd never heard it in my life before, but apparently reached # 16 UK charts 1975.

Stretch - Why Did You Do It? on You Tube

Debbie came back with ... Thank you so much, that is the exact one, was quite popular in "Rhodesia" in my sister's era and I really liked it.

Interesting story on Wikipedia
about how the group got ready to do a 'Fleetwood Mac' tour to help out Mick Fleetwood but he left them to manage on their own and there were a number of peeved fans. The song was a expression of frustration that Fleetwood had left them hanging in the gallows of public opinion.



Another song I was interested in finding a single version copy of, was the Dutch group Focus with Hocus Pocus - being used by Nike for their Football World Cup promotions.
Our daughter in Amsterdam didn't recall the name of the band, perhaps if I'd told her I used to play the LP really loud, she might recall.

There are a number of versions available

but my Google search even brought up a lyric site for the 'instrumental'
Now isn't that marvelous

Ôi orôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi ohrorô poPÔ
Yôi orôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi ohrorô
poPÔ

Aaaah aaah aaah aaah
Uuuh oooh oooh ooooooooh

Ôi orôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi ohrorô poPÔ
Yôi orôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi rôrôrôi ohrorô
BoumPÔ

Aaaah aaah aaah aaah
Uuuh oooh oooh ooooooooh

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