Kid Creole & The Coconuts present: Leprosy Awareness, A PSA

June 15, 2012 3:46 PM

The Video Since choosing the moniker "Kid Creole" in 1980, August Darnell has created a prolific musical legacy including such albums as Off the Coast of Me, Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places, Tropical Gangsters, Wise Guy, Doppelganger, In Praise of Older Women and Other Crimes, and Too Cool to Conga. With a Master's Degree in English, Darnell stated that his character began as a satire; at 62 he is still in the studio recording and occasionally appearing in film and television projects.
posted by caribbeanblue (21 comments total)

...and Stool Pigeon, the song most people know him by.
posted by chococat at 3:56 PM on June 15, 2012

Ha-cha-cha-cha!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:56 PM on June 15, 2012

I've been a fan of his since back in the day and would love to see him live. I was very sad that the new album didn't do as much for me as the older material (which I still love) but maybe it'll catch my fancy after a few more spins.

Glad he's still working, though.
posted by immlass at 4:00 PM on June 15, 2012

Why can't you be like Endicott?
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:04 PM on June 15, 2012 [5 favorites]

My Male Curiosity (click on "film" above) totally redeemed Against All Odds. (Well, that and the epic title track.)
posted by roger ackroyd at 4:11 PM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I was on board with Darnell's first band/project "Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band" in '77. A refreshing alternative to disco in its most boring period.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:22 PM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

You can keep the tip.
posted by chavenet at 4:23 PM on June 15, 2012

My personal fav has always been Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy (with the unforgettable chorus, "ona, ona, onamonapia") And since when do we have male Coconuts?
posted by DaddyNewt at 4:30 PM on June 15, 2012 [3 favorites]

I'm not sure what it has to do with leprosy, but my fave Kid Creole bit was always from Lambada: The Forbidden Dance.
posted by Chichibio at 4:48 PM on June 15, 2012

I went to go see Talking Heads around the time of Fear of Music. I was way excited but got really annoyed when it was announced there was a surprise opening act. I generally hate opening acts, but out came Kid Creole. I was befuddled for a couple minutes then out of my seat dancing like only a suburban teenage geek can for the rest of the show. Been a fan ever since.
posted by williampratt at 5:17 PM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm actually really excited to hear the new thing - I like Hercules and Love Affair a lot. I also really like "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy", but it's definitely one of those songs that one simply cannot play at events. "If I was in your blood, child, you wouldn't be so ugly" indeed.
posted by Frowner at 5:19 PM on June 15, 2012

Lambada! The Forgotten Dance!
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:30 PM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

I was a bit confused until I realized that I was thinking of The Kidd Creole.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 5:35 PM on June 15, 2012

One of the most electric parts of the Jean Michel-Basquiat film DOWNTOWN 81 is the concert scene of Kid Creole + The Coconuts rocking it out with Coati Mundi with the song "Me No Pop-I"...
posted by theartandsound at 5:36 PM on June 15, 2012

Why can't you be like Endicott?

Cause I'm free...
posted by jonmc at 5:50 PM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

Oh, not Kidd Creole.
posted by symbioid at 6:27 PM on June 15, 2012 [1 favorite]

One of the most electric parts of the Jean Michel-Basquiat film DOWNTOWN 81 is the concert scene of Kid Creole + The Coconuts rocking it out with Coati Mundi with the song "Me No Pop-I"...

Found it!
posted by twoleftfeet at 6:46 PM on June 15, 2012

symbioid: At least I'm not alone.

Now it's my turn, so understand
that I'm the Kidd Creole, and I'm a ladies man.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 8:16 PM on June 15, 2012

I had forgotten about Kid Creole until I put on The Avalanches' "Since I Left You" and "Close To You" rolls around and suddenly I'm hearing ...

There's a man who's going round
Turning the joints upside-down ...
posted by kcds at 5:42 AM on June 16, 2012

I loved Kid Creole back in the day, and could never understand why he wasn't more popular (see also: The Blasters, The Long Ryders).
posted by languagehat at 6:44 AM on June 16, 2012 [1 favorite]

great, now I'll be humming ona, ona, onamonapia all week.
posted by dabitch at 1:13 PM on June 16, 2012 [1 favorite]