PHATA PHATA
Created on 29/07/2009Latest update on 08/04/2024
Artist: Brown Cool Six
Author: Shumi Ntutu/Zacks Nkosi
Label: Columbia
Year: 1959
Instrumental; lead trumpet: Gray Mbau. Title inspired by local dance craze in the townships of Johannesburg and a far cry of what later became the most famous Kwela song ever (as Pata Pata). Phatha means Touchy in both Xhosa- and Zulu lingo and became a highly erotic dance since Dorothy Masuka's Ei-Yow, also featuring pata pata yells but on a different melody. But this Brown Cool Six version, the first one entitled Phatha Phatha, opened the floodgates to more versions. Reissued (as Phata Phata) on VA-album Music & Rhythm of Africa - Hits of 1959 (Concord).
Covers:
- 1959:
Black Mambazo [as Some More Phatha Phatha, also for Columbia]
- 1959:
- 1959:
Sunbeams [with Miriam Makeba; vocal version for Tropik]
- 1959:
Spokes Mashiyane, Miriam Makeba & The Skylarks [as Miriam And Spokes' Phatha Phatha with credits for Miriam; released on Gallotone New Sound]
- 1962:
Killingstone Stars [as Phatha Phatha Rock, for Columbia]
- 1967:
Miriam Makeba [Top 10 R&B & top 20 US, NL & B as Pata Pata, popped-up by Jerry Ragovoy with some English lyrics; became her theme song until the very end; she died of a heart attack on stage in Italy while finishing performing her song]
- 1967:
Wes Montgomery [idem]
- 1968:
Tito Puente [idem]
- 1980:
Osibisa [idem]
- 1980:
Sylvie Vartan [hit Fr as Tape tape]
- 1991:
Dorothy Masuka [from Zimbabwe; continued to claim Miriam Makeba stole her song; she did cut her own Phatha Phatha before the Skylarks all right, but that version (as Ei-Yow) does not show the slightest link with the future hit; anyway, this underdog position gave Dorothy the opportunity to keep touring on the back of her so-called original, which of course she performed in the Makeba way for every promotor falling in her trap]
- 1994:
Championettes [in Go Latin medley]
- 1998:
- 1999:
- 2001:
Yamboo [all as Pata Pata]
- 2011:
Milk And Sugar feat. Miriam Makeba [as Hi-a-Ma (Pata Pata)]
By 1967, out of the townships and into the world of pop, that highly erotic Touchy Touchy aspect was veiled. The summer of love sure had limitations. In 1959 Miriam Makeba left South Africa (to attend the Venice Film Festival) and was refused re-entry. With Mandela in power that ban was finally lifted.
