Soul Makossa (4:26)
45,202 plays (19,343 listeners)
“Soul Makossa” is a 1972 single by Cameroonian makossa saxophonist Manu Dibango. It is often cited as one of the first disco records. In 1972 David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his Loft parties. The response was so positive that the few copies of “Soul Makossa” in New York City were quickly bought up. The song was subsequently played heavily by Frankie Crocker, who DJed at WBLS, then New York’s most popular Black radio station. Since the original was now unfindable, 23 or more groups quickly released cover versions to capitalize on the demand for the record. Atlantic eventually licensed the song from the French record label Fiesta. Their release of it peaked at #35 on the Billboard chart in 1973; in 1999 Dave Marsh wrote that it was “the only African record by an African” to crack the top 40. At one point there were nine different versions of the song in the Billboard chart. It became “a massive hit” internationally as well.
“Soul Makossa” was originally recorded as a B-side for “Mouvement Ewondo,” a song about Cameroon’s association football team.
It is probably best remembered for the chanted vocal refrain “Mama-ko, mama-sa, ma-ka-ma-ko-ssa”, which was also used in Michael Jackson’s 1983 “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” (albeit in a different key with a not-so-monophonic melody) during the song’s final bridge. It is also sampled in the hip hop song “Face Off” by artist Jay-Z on his album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 as well as the single “Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna. “Makossa” means “dance” in Duala, a Cameroonian language.
“Soul Makossa” was originally recorded as a B-side for “Mouvement Ewondo,” a song about Cameroon’s association football team.
It is probably best remembered for the chanted vocal refrain “Mama-ko, mama-sa, ma-ka-ma-ko-ssa”, which was also used in Michael Jackson’s 1983 “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” (albeit in a different key with a not-so-monophonic melody) during the song’s final bridge. It is also sampled in the hip hop song “Face Off” by artist Jay-Z on his album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 as well as the single “Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna. “Makossa” means “dance” in Duala, a Cameroonian language.
Video
Added by jazzwise
The godfather of the Soul Makossa spoke to Jazzwise about how he got started and his incredible 50 years in music - clips taken from his new CD and DVD Lion Of Africa - our now
Share Video
See 5 more
Related Tracks
-
Hot Chicken
Manu Dibango -
Soul Machine
Manu Dibango -
Mar teb yelal kafesh
Mahmoud Ahmed -
Blo
BLO -
Zombie
Fela Kuti -
Fever
Jingo
Albums featuring this track
-
The Disco Years, Volume 3: Boogie Fever
Various Artists Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
The Very Best Of Africa (disc 1)
Various Artists Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Anthology (disc 1)
Manu Dibango Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Crooklyn, Volume 2
Various Artists Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Shouts
-
MissClarck wrote:
Hi, I just want to present you this new afrogroove band call Bantunanu..Awesome http://www.lastfm.fr/music/Bantunani They need support from every meloman due to their engaged lyrics... Regards,
-
bootsiset wrote:
Back in 1974 Manu Dibango played at the Apollo, along with the Spiiners and the Temptations. The Apollo has a hard audience to please. Dibango turned it out. We kept screaming for more. This man was truly a master with his Sax and the African beats. I'll never forget it.
-
adia9785 wrote:
Love.
-
Chinita-X1 wrote:
makossa, makossa
-
niggalex wrote:
We love this.
-
adia9785 wrote:
Funky
-
kissmylips22 wrote:
funky house parties all night!!!
-
zapatosgrandes wrote:
my mother used to pay me $.10 cents to dance to this when i was a child. little did she know i would have done for free :P
-
sunsamba wrote:
fantastic tune
-
Theographix wrote:
Funky, i love it!
-
crystaltrips wrote:
nootdnoot.blogspot.com
-
RealFunkadelic wrote:
If you like Soul Makossa, you might listen to some other goodies of this album - e.g. New Bell "Hard Pulsation".
-
riomarcos wrote:
Vive Manu Dibango, il est vraiment genial!
-
kolhoznek wrote:
wow yea
-
lilly2626 wrote:
Ohh, Lord....... I love this song................................... I'm dancing already!!!!
-
peetee66 wrote:
mama ko mama sa mama makossa - MJ obviously liked it
-
subliminal_aura wrote:
man, ive only just got into african music. woow it's so good. fela kuti & Manu Dibango have become my favs. to all africans out there plz make more music like this. i need more!!!
-
connellbb wrote:
one of my favourite african artists. Great song!
-
gerrynev wrote:
he never fails to amazeeeeeee
-
Pepito14seven wrote:
bom
Listeners
-
grooveparlor
Top Listener
-
bluefade
Top Listener
-
heisala
Top Listener
-
brewmeacupoftea
Top Listener
-
live-for-music
Top Listener
-
jeffrbu
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
lossteinbergs and galuskewicz loved Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa. 8 hours ago
-
aristidebruant tagged Soul Makossa with ‘africa’. Friday evening
-
trailerpark tagged Soul Makossa with ‘saxophone’. Thursday afternoon
-
bodhisatyam, gjkjfk and novaxpress loved Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa. Thursday morning
-
drsfp added Soul Makossa to the playlist BL12m50. Tuesday afternoon
-
Carlemot20, jolien88, kai6854 and 4 other people loved Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa. Tuesday morning
-
harrisneck added Soul Makossa to harrisneck’s library. 12 days ago
-
flamingotiger and relahcanbe loved Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa. 13 days ago
-
lilly2626 shared Soul Makossa with Nmoran9501. 15 days ago
-
renejohnnyk and moyax39 loved Manu Dibango – Soul Makossa. 18 days ago
Related Journals
-
A Brief History Of...The Rise of Disco
by BadgerJohn31 |
6 Feb 2008 | 2 comments
