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La Mama (band)
Encyclopedia
La Mama is a German pop
and disco
trio who worked in Frank Farian
's studios in the first half of the 1980s. Adapting their name from New York theatre La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
, they released three singles and two albums and worked as backing singers on a number of recordings for other artists.
singer Ramona Wulf's album Shake What Yo Mama Give Ya, they were introduced to producer Frank Farian
by guitarist Mats Björklund. He hired them for backing Precious Wilson
on her debut album On the Race Track (1980) - at this time they had not yet adapted the collective name La Mama. Impressed with their harmonies, Farian also used La Mama to demo new songs for Boney M. - even doing one Boney M. recording, "Gadda-Da-Vida" with La Mama and himself doing all the vocals. Also several tracks on Boney M.'s 1981 album Boonoonoonoos
("Silly Confusion" in particular, "Don't Kill the World" and "Malaika") featured La Mama's uncredited backing vocals.
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While production on Precious Wilson's second album began late 1981, La Mama also commenced work on their first album, produced by Dietmar Kawohl and Mats Björklund. The Double A-side single "Elephant Funk" / "In and Out" was released in February 1982 ("In and Out" being the A-side on the 12" single) followed by a cover version of "Chanson D'Amour
" a few months later. Neither single performed well commercially and the LP release was postponed. While Madeleine Davis had contributed lyrics for Precious Wilson's single "I Don't Know", the group also did backing vocals on Boney M.'s "Going Back West".
When their third single was released in December 1982, a cover of La Belle
's "Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi (Lady Marmelade)
", lead singer Cathy Bartney had left the group after disagreements with Frank Farian, and when the group's LP Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec La Mama was released in January 1983, it sank without much notice. Meanwhile singer Judy Cheeks
- who had been signed to Ariola Records
between 1977 and 1980 - took Bartney's place. Farian had the new trio record a medley of contemporary hits for an Aerobics
album Aerobic Fitness Dancing with instructions by Sydne Rome
- the album topped the German charts early 1983 and had Farian remix the album without Sydne Rome's vocals for an unsuccessful album project MAD - For Dancin' in the summer of '83.
Also during 1983, La Mama once again contributed uncredited backing vocals to Boney M.'s seventh album Ten Thousand Lightyears
on the tracks "I Feel Good", "Barbarella Fortuneteller" and "The Alibama". By the end of the year, Precious Wilson's final album for Hansa, Funky Fingers - a medley-album of popular R&B, soul and disco classics - was released. The first edition of the album credited just Precious Wilson while the second edition credited Precious Wilson & La Mama. Lacking any promotion by the record company, the album was unsuccessful and quickly disappeared.
During 1984, La Mama backed Boney M. on the single "Happy Song
" and participated as a part of Frank Farian Corporation on the benefit single "Mother and Child Reunion
" early 1985. At this time, Judy Cheeks departed and ex-Silver Convention member Rhonda Heath stepped in for session work on Boney M.'s final album Eye Dance
on which the trio sang the choruses on the tracks "Todos Buenos" and "Give It Up". Before the group finally split, Patricia Shockley and Rhonda Heath furthermore sang additional backing vocals on Far Corporation
's hit single, a cover version of Led Zeppelin
's "Stairway to Heaven
".
In 1989, Madeleine Davis received a phone call by Boney M. member Maizie Williams
who invited her to take the place of original lead singer Liz Mitchell
who had just left the group. Davis appeared in the group's official video of "The Summer Mega Mix
", toured extensively with the group and also sang on their 1989 single "Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker
", not produced nor approved by Farian and subsequently withdrawn. Madeleine Davis now lives in Georgia, US, and works as a jazz singer.
Singles
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
trio who worked in Frank Farian
Frank Farian
Frank Farian , is a German record producer and songwriter. He started out as a trained cook before moving into the music industry...
's studios in the first half of the 1980s. Adapting their name from New York theatre La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club is an off-off Broadway theatre founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, and named in reference to her. Located on Manhattan's Lower East Side, the theatre grew out of Stewart's tiny basement boutique for her fashion designs; the boutique's space acted as a theatre for...
, they released three singles and two albums and worked as backing singers on a number of recordings for other artists.
History
The original members Madeleine Davis, Patricia Shockley and Cathy Bartney, all hailing from the United States of America, had settled in Germany in the late 1970s where they had done various session work. While singing backing vocals on ex-Silver ConventionSilver Convention
Silver Convention was a German euro disco recording act of the 1970s. The group was originally named Silver Bird Convention, or Silver Bird.-Career:...
singer Ramona Wulf's album Shake What Yo Mama Give Ya, they were introduced to producer Frank Farian
Frank Farian
Frank Farian , is a German record producer and songwriter. He started out as a trained cook before moving into the music industry...
by guitarist Mats Björklund. He hired them for backing Precious Wilson
Precious Wilson
Precious Wilson is a soul singer.-Background:Wilson started out as a backing singer for the all-male group Eruption. The group enjoyed a minor hit when they won a talent competition in 1975 with the song "Let Me Take You Back in Time"...
on her debut album On the Race Track (1980) - at this time they had not yet adapted the collective name La Mama. Impressed with their harmonies, Farian also used La Mama to demo new songs for Boney M. - even doing one Boney M. recording, "Gadda-Da-Vida" with La Mama and himself doing all the vocals. Also several tracks on Boney M.'s 1981 album Boonoonoonoos
Boonoonoonoos
Boonoonoonoos is the fifth studio album by Boney M. It was released on November 1, 1981.Despite producer Frank Farian having announced that Boney M...
("Silly Confusion" in particular, "Don't Kill the World" and "Malaika") featured La Mama's uncredited backing vocals.
Chanson D'Amour
"Chanson D'Amour" is a popular song written by Wayne Shanklin which was a Top Ten hit in 1958 for Art and Dotty Todd; a remake by the Manhattan Transfer was an international hit - #1 in the UK - in 1977....
" a few months later. Neither single performed well commercially and the LP release was postponed. While Madeleine Davis had contributed lyrics for Precious Wilson's single "I Don't Know", the group also did backing vocals on Boney M.'s "Going Back West".
When their third single was released in December 1982, a cover of La Belle
La Belle
La Belle may be a place in the US:* La Belle, Florida* La Belle, Missouri* La Belle Township, South DakotaLa Belle may also be:* La Belle * La Belle * James D. La Belle, U.S. Marine Hero...
's "Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi (Lady Marmelade)
Lady Marmalade
"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
", lead singer Cathy Bartney had left the group after disagreements with Frank Farian, and when the group's LP Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec La Mama was released in January 1983, it sank without much notice. Meanwhile singer Judy Cheeks
Judy Cheeks
Judy Cheeks is a female dance music singer born in Miami, Florida in 1954 and is the daughter of gospel singer and preacher Rev. Julius Cheeks. In 1978 she hit #10 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart with "Mellow Lovin'," and then had a career resurgence in the 1990s, when she re-emerged with a...
- who had been signed to Ariola Records
Ariola Records
Ariola Records is a German record label. As of the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of BMG which in turn has since become a part of the international media conglomerate Sony Music Entertainment...
between 1977 and 1980 - took Bartney's place. Farian had the new trio record a medley of contemporary hits for an Aerobics
Aerobics
Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness...
album Aerobic Fitness Dancing with instructions by Sydne Rome
Sydne Rome
Sydne Rome is a United States-born, Italy-based film actress. Her first name is often misspelled Sydney or Sidney....
- the album topped the German charts early 1983 and had Farian remix the album without Sydne Rome's vocals for an unsuccessful album project MAD - For Dancin' in the summer of '83.
Ten Thousand Lightyears
Ten Thousand Lightyears is the seventh studio album by Boney M. and the first to feature new member Reggie Tsiboe who had taken over Bobby Farrell's role as the band's leading man in early 1982...
on the tracks "I Feel Good", "Barbarella Fortuneteller" and "The Alibama". By the end of the year, Precious Wilson's final album for Hansa, Funky Fingers - a medley-album of popular R&B, soul and disco classics - was released. The first edition of the album credited just Precious Wilson while the second edition credited Precious Wilson & La Mama. Lacking any promotion by the record company, the album was unsuccessful and quickly disappeared.
During 1984, La Mama backed Boney M. on the single "Happy Song
Happy Song
"Happy Song" is a 1983 hit single by Baby's Gang. The single became a European hit single when covered by German band Boney M. the following year.-Boney M. version:...
" and participated as a part of Frank Farian Corporation on the benefit single "Mother and Child Reunion
Mother and Child Reunion
"Mother and Child Reunion" is a song by Paul Simon on his album, Paul Simon , his first solo album after Bridge Over Troubled Water. It was released as a single on February 5, 1972, reaching #4 on the U.S...
" early 1985. At this time, Judy Cheeks departed and ex-Silver Convention member Rhonda Heath stepped in for session work on Boney M.'s final album Eye Dance
Eye Dance
Eye Dance is the eighth and final studio album released under the Boney M. moniker and was released in the autumn of 1985. The cover artwork was significant of the state the group was in at that time : neither the famous "Boney M." logo nor the "singers" photograph did appear, replaced by an...
on which the trio sang the choruses on the tracks "Todos Buenos" and "Give It Up". Before the group finally split, Patricia Shockley and Rhonda Heath furthermore sang additional backing vocals on Far Corporation
Far Corporation
Far Corporation is a band created by record producer Frank Farian, who created the bands Boney M. and Milli Vanilli. The name was shortened from "Frank Farian Corporation", which was originally put together to record a cover of the Paul Simon piece "Mother and Child Reunion" as a charity record and...
's hit single, a cover version of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's "Stairway to Heaven
Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...
".
In 1989, Madeleine Davis received a phone call by Boney M. member Maizie Williams
Maizie Williams
Maizie Ursula Williams is one of the original members of successful 70s disco music group, Boney M.-Early years:...
who invited her to take the place of original lead singer Liz Mitchell
Liz Mitchell
Liz Mitchell is a singer, best known as the former lead singer of the 1970s disco/pop band, Boney M.-Early life:...
who had just left the group. Davis appeared in the group's official video of "The Summer Mega Mix
The Summer Mega Mix
"The Summer Megamix" is a 1989 single by German band Boney M. The single peaked at #11 in the French charts and #3 in Norway. In the UK, the single barely reached the top 100, peaking only at #92. The megamix is a medley of remixed Boney M...
", toured extensively with the group and also sang on their 1989 single "Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker
Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker
"Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker" is a 1989 single by German band Boney M. Produced by Barry Blue and recorded by original Boney M. members Marcia Barrett, Bobby Farrell, Maizie Williams and singer Madeleine Davis replacing Liz Mitchell, the single was withdrawn when original producer...
", not produced nor approved by Farian and subsequently withdrawn. Madeleine Davis now lives in Georgia, US, and works as a jazz singer.
Discography
Albums- Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec La Mama (January 1983)
- Funky Fingers (with Precious WilsonPrecious WilsonPrecious Wilson is a soul singer.-Background:Wilson started out as a backing singer for the all-male group Eruption. The group enjoyed a minor hit when they won a talent competition in 1975 with the song "Let Me Take You Back in Time"...
) (December 1983)
Singles
- "Elephant Funk" / "In and Out" (February 1982)
- "Chanson D'AmourChanson D'Amour"Chanson D'Amour" is a popular song written by Wayne Shanklin which was a Top Ten hit in 1958 for Art and Dotty Todd; a remake by the Manhattan Transfer was an international hit - #1 in the UK - in 1977....
" / "I'll Be Your Woman" (April 1982) - "Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi (Lady Marmelade)Lady Marmalade"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
" / "They Call You V.I.P." (December 1982)