Two Forgotten Friday Favorites: Kid Creole and The Coconuts

Friday, October 05, 2012

I've had two songs by Kid Creole and the Coconuts stuck in my head all week, which makes me wonder why I never seemed to hear them on radio stations in the 80s. Perhaps they just weren't "80s" enough to chart high up on the pop charts. This group's sound has been described as Latin American, South American and Caribbean but the one genre I hear the most in Kid Creole and the Coconuts is the Big Band sound. Kid, whose real name is Thomas August Darnell Browder, adopted a musical look and persona that was directly inspired by Cab Calloway, down to the color popping zoot suits. 

But what about those Coconuts? They were the female trio of backup singers/dancers in the group made up of Adriana Kaegi (who helped cofound the group and who was married to Kid, but stayed in the band after their divorce), Cheryl Poirier and Taryn Haegy (who was replaced by Janique Svedberg.) My introduction to Kid Creole and the Coconuts was when the Jeff Bridges movie Against All Odds was shown on TV. They perform a song called My Male Curiosity and I'll be honest--when I watched the Coconuts do their thing, I thought they looked downright 80s glamorous and sexy with their big hair and shimmery two pieces (but not the slightly unshaven armpits!) It would be fun to be a Coconut. 

The band is still active today but sadly, the new Coconuts that have recently toured with Kid Creole are nothing like the original ladies. It's actually kind of painful to watch. Best to stick with the 80s line-up of the band. So without further ado, here's the two songs I've had in my craw all week...how can I not when the music is this contagious and good? 



7 comments:

  1. Tremendous group and sort of bitter sweet sound. Big hits in New Zealand, much played in clubs and bars.

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  2. Where did you EVER get the VH1 video?
    YouTube keeps yanking that off the moment it is posted.
    I remember watching that video on USA Up! All Night in the early 1980s.
    During slumber parties we would sing it over and over again with our hairbrush microphones.
    Great find.

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  3. Johnny - I am not surprised to hear they had more foreign flavor. Standard U.S. radio would always stick to the same format, especially the pop stations.

    Lacey - From YouTube...I think it's been on there for a couple of years, knock on wood. The poster said he/she put it up because it wasn't already uploaded to YT...but I guess now we know the reason why! Fun stuff, indeed!

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  4. Too funny! As soon as I read the title of this post "Endicott" started going through my head. What a fun way to start the day - thanks!

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  5. I'm ashamed to admit that (a) I only knew this band from their appearance in 1990's Lambada: The Forbidden Dance; and (b) I actually saw Lambada: The Forbidden Dance. ;)

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  6. Spent the day watching the Coconuts... they've aroused my curiosity.

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  7. “I thought they looked ...sexy .... (but not the slightly unshaven armpits!)”
    Sorry but their slightly unshaven armpits was THE SEXISTS thing about them! I’m not being sarcastic....it REALLY was sexy! What was the norm in Europe at one time will one day become the hottest fashion trend...give it time. Just like Trans-Woman of the 2010’s, the race for the next Trend that normalizes the irregular is never ending. But regardless, a hot woman with some pit hair IS damned sexy...especially brunette ! It’s a fond call back to a time before the Brazilian destroyed the erotic look of The Muff. Now, not even Men are allowed to look like natural, masculine men. All body hair must be shaven off to destroy the natural human traits. There are still men and woman who are happy, secure and sexually excited by TRUE, NATURAL gender identification...even if it includes some natural Muff.

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