Our top Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs list looks at the catalog of an American band best known for its influence on the ‘80s pop culture. August Darnell, a former member of the big band/disco band Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, is credited to be the brainchild of Kid Creole and The Coconuts. Since its establishment in 1980, August Darnell has fronted the band under the persona Kid Creole, a name inspired by Elvis Presley’s 1958 musical drama film King Creole.
Initially, The Coconuts were a group of backing female vocalists whose lineup included Andy Hernandez, Fonda Rae, Taryn Hagey, Cheryl Lee Poirier, and Kid’s then-wife Addy Kaegi. The Coconuts would eventually narrow down to a trio by 1982 when the band issued its most successful album Tropical Gangsters. Kid Creole and The Coconuts are best known for their luscious blend of disco, funk, swing jazz, and Latin music.
Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ Career Beginnings and Breakthrough
Kid Creole and The Coconuts hit the ground running, releasing their debut studio album Off the Coast of Me. The album was issued through ZE Records, a label (once) home to artists/bands such as Breakfast Club, Lydia Lunch, The Waitresses, Ron Rogers, and Suicide. Off the Coast of Me was critically acclaimed despite not achieving commercial success. “Maladie d’Amour,” “Mister Softee,” and “Bogota Affair” are some of the most popular songs from Off the Coast of Me.
The band returned in 1981 with its sophomore record Fresh Fruits in Foreign Places. Fresh Fruits from Foreign Places saw the band take on a blend of rock and disco sound influences. The album guided Kid Creole and The Coconuts to greater critical acclaim rising to the ninety-ninth spot on the UK Albums Chart. Fresh Fruits from Foreign Places also made it to the Billboard 200 Chart, peaking at position one hundred and eighty. “Going Places,” “Dear Addy,” “Gina Gina,” and “Table Manners” are some of the most popular songs by Kid Creole and The Coconuts from the album.
1982 is by far one of the most definitive years in the career of Kid Creole and The Coconuts. During this year, the band issued its third and most acclaimed album Tropical Gangsters. Initially, the album was considered to be August Darnell’s solo record going under the title Wise Guy. However, the album would be issued as Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ third record and ZE Records’ most momentous record.
Tropical Gangsters went ahead to retain its initial title, Wise Guy, in some nations like Canada and the US. The album is Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ most acclaimed album rising to the third spot on the UK Albums Chart. In the US, the album managed to climb to position one hundred and forty-five on the Billboard 200 Chart. The album went ahead to earn platinum certification in the UK and a gold certification in the Netherlands.
Tropical Gangsters went ahead to become a mainstream success in other nations including Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, and Norway. “I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby,” “Loving You Made a Fool Out of Me,” “Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy,” “I’m Corrupt,” and “Stool Pigeon” are the best Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs from the album. Tropical Gangsters has been lauded by critics and fans alike for its influential role in the pop genre.
Other Album Releases by Kid Creole and The Coconuts
Since the release of Tropical Gangsters, Kid Creole and The Coconuts have been in pursuit of more success in the music scene. While the efforts have been notable, the band has barely issued any recording that can come close to the album Tropical Gangsters. While the band’s fourth studio album Doppelganger failed to make it to the Billboard 200, it was quite successful in the UK where it reached position twenty-one.
Doppelganger also made it to the Swedish, German, Dutch, and New Zealand Albums Charts. Unfortunately, the album was a commercial flop. Doppelganger is home to notable musical gems including “The Lifeboat Party,” “There’s Something Wrong in Paradise,” and “The Seven Year Itch.” The album also features Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ cover of the 1963 doo-wop song “If You Wanna Be Happy” which was first recorded by Jimmy Soul.
In 1985, Kid Creole and The Coconuts returned with their fifth studio album In Praise of Older Women… and Other Crimes. The album saw the band take on a blend of new wave and disco—the album was issued through Sire Records, a label known for its affiliations with artists such as Barenaked Ladies, Acid Test, My Chemical Romance, The Avalanches, Cyndi Lauper, and Primal Scream. “Endicott,” “Caroline Was a Drop-Out,” and “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down,” are the best Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs from the LP.
I, Too, Have Seen the Woods, issued in 1987, marked the band’s sixth studio album. The album is home to musical gems including “Dancing at the Bain Douches” and “Call It a Day.” Kid Creole and The Coconuts have issued several other albums since 1987 with the most recent being I Wake Up Screaming in 2011.
Kid Creole and The Coconuts Legacy
Over the years, the band has issued over ten studio albums with its prime years being the mid-‘80s. Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ musicianship, especially on Tropical Gangsters, guided its members to winning the 1983 Brit Awards International Artist accolade—this saw the band overcome competition from Julio Iglesias and Barry Manilow. The band has also contributed songs to several film soundtracks, one of them being “My Male Curiosity” for the 1984 film Against All Odds. Here we present the ten best Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs of all time.
# 10 – Mister Softee
Ushering us to the top ten Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs list is the striking hit “Mister Softee.” The song is among the earliest songs by the band featuring on the album Off the Coast of Me. “Mister Softee” was the first single off the band’s debut studio album. Kid Creole and The Coconuts debuted on national TV in late 1980 with their performance of the hit “Mister Softee” on Saturday Night Live. The band performed this song alongside the hit “There But For The Grace of God Go I.” While the song never made it to the mainstream chart, it paved way for Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ later success in the early and mid-‘80s.
# 9 – Going Places
Kid Creole and The Coconuts achieved greater success with their sophomore studio album Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places compared to the debut album. “Going Places” is among the songs that broadened the mainstream appeal of Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ sophomore record. The song has since become one of the live staples—among the most eclectic live performances of this hit is Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ 1982 live version at Rockpalast.
# 8 – There’s Something Wrong in Paradise
Coming in at the eighth spot on our top ten Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs list is the hit “There’s Something Wrong in Paradise.” The song is one of the most sought-after hits off the band’s fourth studio album Doppelganger. “There’s Something Wrong in Paradise” feels quite funky thanks to its luscious blend of tropical, Latin music, and funk sound influences.
This musical gem made it to the UK mainstream rising to the thirty-fifth spot on the Singles Chart. The song also made it to the twenty-ninth spot on the Irish Singles Chart. “There’s Something Wrong in Paradise” was later covered by French singer and animator Dushka Esposito in 1984.
# 7 – Caroline Was a Drop-Out
In Praise of Older Women… and Other Crimes, the band’s fifth studio album, was quite an impressive record as depicted by songs like “Caroline Was a Drop-Out.” The song served as the debut single off the record with its B-side being the hit “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down.” “Caroline Was a Drop-Out,” like most of the songs from the band’s fifth LP, showcases August Darnell’s ability to churn out humorous lyrics.”
Humor aside, “Caroline Was a Drop-Out” alludes to a lady who dropped out of school with the singer crooning the outcomes that befall the subject lady. While the song never made it to the mainstream charts, it remains one of the band’s most sought-after hits. Together with “Endicott,” “Caroline Was a Drop-Out” adds some musical glamour to the humorous record In Praise of Older Women… and Other Crimes.
# 6 – My Male Curiosity
Number six on our ten best Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs list is the groovy hit “My Male Curiosity.” As earlier mentioned, Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ musicianship earned the band several chances to record songs destined for a number of soundtracks. “My Male Curiosity” is probably one of the most popular songs by Kid Creole and The Coconuts from a movie soundtrack. The song is featured in the 1984 film Against All Odds.
Other artists who made songs from this film’s soundtracks include Big Country, Larry Carlton, Stevie Nicks, and Phil Collins. “My Male Curiosity” has its lyrics alluding to the singer’s curiosity about a woman. The song maintains Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ signature funk/disco influences. “My Male Curiosity” made it to the eighty-third spot on the UK Singles Chart. The song also made it to position twenty-three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart.
# 5 – The Lifeboat Party
In November 1983, Kid Creole and The Coconuts issued the song “The Lifeboat Party.” The song was featured on the band’s fourth studio album Doppelganger—it went ahead to become Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ most revered song off the album. While most of the songs by Kid Creole and The Coconuts heavily explore funk and disco, “The Lifeboat Party” inflects more into tropical vibes. The song was a mainstream success rising to the forty-ninth spot on the UK Singles Chart.
# 4 – I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby
“I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby” introduces us to Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ musicianship on the band’s third studio album Tropical Gangsters. Kid Creole and The Coconuts co-wrote the song in conjunction with Peter Schott. Talking about the song, August Darnell revealed that he performed the song in a yellow suit to draw attention, something he loved in his musical pursuits.
“I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby” has its lyrics alluding to the singer’s overflowing confidence in his assertion of being a “wonderful thing.” The song was a mainstream success, rising to the fourth spot on the UK Singles Chart. “I’m a Wonderful Thing, Baby” also graced the Billboard Club Play Chart, peaking at the eighteenth spot. The song was sampled in the 2014 song “Summer Dem” by Basement Jaxx.
# 3 – Endicott
The third song on our ten best Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs list is the prodigious hit “Endicott.” “Endicott” is the album-opening song to the band’s fifth studio album In Praise of Older Women… and Other Crimes. It is easy to rank “Endicott” as the best post-Tropical Gangsters hit thanks to its impressive groove.
The song is the only song from the band’s fifth studio album to have made it to the mainstream charts. “Endicott” managed to the eightieth spot on the UK Singles Chart. The song also rose to number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs Chart. “Endicott” also made it to the Canadian Singles Chart peaking at the eighty-eighth spot.
# 2 – Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy
“Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy” is yet another impressive hit from the band’s third studio album Tropical Gangster. The song is to date Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ highest-charting song—it reached position two on the UK Singles Chart, only surpassed by the hit “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” by Culture Club. “Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy” also graced the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart peaking at the eighteenth spot.
The song brings the best of Kid Creole and The Coconuts’ blend of pop and calypso. “Annie, I’m Not Your Daddy” has its lyrics alluding to a man’s response to the allegations that he is the father to a girl in the name of Annie. August revealed in a 2011 interview that the royalties collected from this song alone would be just enough to survive comfortably.
# 1 – Stool Pigeon
Number one on our top ten Kid Creole and The Coconuts songs list is the alluring hit “Stool Pigeon.” The song is the band’s signature hit off the album Tropical Gangsters. “Stool Pigeon” has been cited to be a tribute song to the 1940s dress style—this refers to the double-breasted pinstriped suits complemented by hats, a style that August adored.
A remix version of the hit “Stool Pigeon” features guitarist Nile Rodgers of the disco/funk band Chic. “Stool Pigeon” was a success, rising to the seventh spot on the UK Singles Chart. The song also made it to number twenty-five on the Billboard Club Play Chart. “Stool Pigeon” was sampled by The Avalanches in the songs “Close to You” and “Diners Only.”
Feature Photo: Roland Godefroy, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
Top 10 Kid Creole And The Coconuts Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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