I was flipping through used vinyl when this glorious album cover said hello, and instantly I knew that there had to be a good song somewhere on it. I didn't recognize any names at first, but when I saw that Michael Cretu was credited for keyboards, I knew I had to have it. (plus it was only $3).
You might know the longhaired Romanian Michael Cretu better as Curly, the "mastermind" behind Enigma and all the other Monk-Wave stuff, but for the record he did actually release some quality stuff, like Sandra's 'Maria Magdalena' (which sounds awfully a lot like RAF's 'Self Control'. You can hear them combined in our first Italo-mix, fast forward to 6:30). But enough about him, let's talk about these folks:
Behold, Goombay Dance Band, in all their current glory.
At first I guessed that the band's music concept was similar to Boney M: Calypso-flavored Disco-Pop, them both being German and all, and when I saw this picture I figured the member-swapping was yet another Boney M thang. But hot damn, I'm pretty sure these babes are the ones on the cover. Up yours, Boney M!!!
( But, all love aside, I can't say I'm really loving this terrible faux-beach happening.
You can actually see the horizon through their bodies. Savin' some money on photo-editing, are we? )
'Land of Gold' was Goombay Dance Band's first of many LPs, released in 1980. The track I'm posting is from that album, and is one of their hits, in 1981 the single was no. 3 in Germany.
"They came 500 years ago,
They stole the gold of Mexico,
Killed the people one by one,
Only talking with their guns."
Regardless of age and beauty, the track I'm posting is amazing. It's about some rather evil dudes crossing rivers and deserts, fighting the Golden Dreams of Eldorado by torturing, killing and stealing, selling young mothers as slaves, and making a whole lotta babies cry. It's so dramatic and huuuuge! The best $3 I've spent, ever! And the guitar-rhythm is just like Iron Maiden, all horsey-galloping like, dudduru-dudduru, and it's irresistible for horse lovers like myself, who also like to dance.
Goombay Dance Band - Eldorado
Listen / Buy: GEMM / eBay / Music Stack
Sing with me: "Goooolden dreams of Eelldooraaadooo..."