World Hits

Putumayo Presents (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 28, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Putumayo World Music
• ASIN: B000RI0NTI
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,369 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. (You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back

2. E'mma

3. 7 Seconds

4. Watermelon Man

5. Oye Como Va

6. The Harder They Come

7. Lambada

8. Pata Pata

9. Scatterlings of Africa

10. Soul Makossa

11. Bamboleo

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For most fans of what eventually became to be known as world music, developing a taste for the incredibly diverse--to say nothing of complex, thrilling, organic, sophisticated and/or seductive--styles from around the globe occurred gradually, but the vast majority can recall a few tunes that achieved mainstream or college radio airplay, acting as important catalysts, pointing the way toward future explorations. For boomers, it might have been Miriam Makeba's "Pata Pata," a joyous blast of Jo'burg jive, heard here in another but no less enchanting version. Or perhaps it was Manu Dibango's "Soul Makossa," an urbane b-side from a then-unknown Cameroonian bandleader that became an international dance floor sensation. Younger aficionados could cite the Gipsy Kings' "Bamboleo," a flamenco-laced perpetual motion machine that filled nightclubs from Paris to Pittsburgh, or maybe the Senegalese band Touré Kunda's insanely catchy, reggae-inflected "E'mma." Some may even cop to having been momentarily charmed by Kaoma's flagrantly tacky, neo-Brazilian "Lambada" and its appended craze of vertical simulated copulation, often performed by women in short skirts and no underwear. Then there were the western superstar/international icon duets, such as Mick Jagger and Peter Tosh's "Don’t Look Back" or Neneh Cherry and Youssou N'Dour's still-compelling "7 Seconds." All of these and many more appear on this evocative multiple-time-capsule of a disc, bringing back half-forgotten memories in poignant sensory swoops. --Christina Roden

Product Description

Though most world music exists largely under the radar, every once in a while a song comes along that achieves international success. World Hits brings together chart toppers from around the globe. Santana's 1969 version of Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" turned the rock world upside down, as their version soared up the charts. Cuban musician Mongo Santamaria big crossover hit came in 1963, with his version of the Herbie Hancock composition "Watermelon Man." Another crossover hit comes from the French group Gipsy Kings, whose "Bamboleo" connected the dots between salsa, flamenco and pop. "Lambada" swept first across Europe and then throughout the rest of the world. The hit version of the "forbidden dance" was performed by the French group Kaoma. Manu Dibango's funky "Soul Makossa" became a surprise Top 40 hit in 1973. World music superstar Youssou N'Dour and soul singer Neneh Cherry provide the instantly-recognizable "7 Seconds," while Johnny Clegg and Savuka contributes "Scatterlings of Africa". Miriam Makeba delivers the classic "Pata Pata", an international hit in 1967 that became the first African song to reach the Top 20 on the Billboard pop charts. Rolling Stones' front man Mick Jagger met the enigmatic Peter Tosh in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. Jagger joins Tosh on a cover of the Temptations hit "(You Gotta Walk) Don't Look Back." The movie The Harder They Come and it's title song became a cult classic in 1975 and made Jimmy Cliff a household name. A portion of Putumayo's proceeds from the sale of this album will be donated to World Learning in support of their efforts to foster global citizenship through international experiential education and community-driven development programs.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Putumayo dances down memory lane, September 10, 2007

By 

Amaranth "music fan" (Northern California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: World Hits (Audio CD)

Putumayo's "World Hits" is a fun,nostalgic exploration of world music artists who've had crossover appeal in popular music,long before the Colombian Shakira and the Portuguese Nelly Furtado. It's a perfect party album,and the high number of African and reggae-flavored songs keep it moving. It is surprisingly good,when it could've been campy with the Macarena and Lou Bega's "A little bit of Monica."

The opening Peter Tosh/Mick Jagger duet shows that even a Rolling Stone can sing reggae. Toure Kunda's "E'mma" is an African/reggae song that invites further exploration into the now out-of-print "Toure Kunda Collection." It's as if Bob Marley stopped by in Senegal. Youssou N'Dour&Neneh Cherry's "7 Seconds" is trance-y adult contemporary. (The Peter Gabriel/Youssou N'Dour duet "In your eyes" is a surprising omission) Kaoma's joyous "Lambada" makes the cheesy "Lambada" and "Forbidden Dance" movies both forgiven&forgotten. It's what happens when bad movies happen to a good song. Manu Dibango's "Soul Makossa" dates back to the '70s,yet it sounds like a rap song that would be charting today with T.Pain&Lil' Mama. Santana's "Oye como va" is from the Latin rocker's glory days,before he got into tepid duet albums thanks to Clive Davis. Both "Oye como va" and the Gipsy Kings' "Bamboleo" were played A LOT at parties when I went to college,so these songs have sentimental value. Johnny Clegg&Savuka's "Scatterlings of Africa" is fun South African township music-it invites exploration of Putumayo's now out-of-print "Johnny Clegg and Juluka Collection" (Clegg led Juluka before he started the more pop-ified Savuka)

There are some interesting omissions, considering they get radioplay. Peter Gabriel&Youssou N'Dour's "In your eyes" is absent,as is Sting&Cheb Mami's "Desert Rose." There isn't any reggae by Bob Marley&UB40 (whose "Red Red Wine" and "Fools Rush In" get overplayed) There aren't the late Israeli diva Ofra Haza's songs from the "Prince of Egypt" and "Colors" soundtracks (her "Im Nin Alu" was sampled in the rap song "Paid in full") However,the compilation does quite well without these...after all,UB40 is watered-down reggae&"In your eyes" is the only Peter Gabriel song that gets radioplay.

"World Hits" is a fun compilation,perfect for parties. Not only is it fun,but part of the proceeds goes to a worthy cause-World Learning,a charity that has promoted global citizenship for the past 75 years. The music is great,and its cause is great as well!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Fun Album, October 25, 2007

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: World Hits (Audio CD)

I loved 7 Seconds and the song sung by Mick Jagger and Peter Tosh. I just opened last night and am pretty intruiged by it. This CD is great to listen to in the car.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacking, December 16, 2008

By 

The Old Dutchman (Severna Park, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World Hits (Audio CD)

I suppose this CD is good for someone new to Putumayo, but I must have misread the specs, because I thought the tunes were newly collected from popular worldwide music. The songs are all old classics and so disappointed me. I wanted to hear something new.