The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #118380 Message #2558401
Posted By: Joe Offer
05-Feb-09 - 05:40 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Sucu Sucu
Subject: ADD: Sucu Sucu
In another thread, there's mention of "Sucu Sucu," recorded by Nina and Fredrik. One message says the song was the theme music from the William Franklyn TV series "Secret Agent" - was the Nina and Fredrik recording the theme music?
This page gives me the impression that "Sucu Sucu" was a dance that originated in Cuba as early as 1840.
This page at answers.google.com gives the following information about the song:You are definitely right, the song you remember does really exist. It was the title theme of the British secret agent TV series, "Top Secret", which was broadcast in the USA in 1961 and 1962. The action took place in Argentina, thus the South American flavored theme.
The title theme's original name was "Sucu Sucu", composed by Tarateno
Rojas and Ren Jan Van Hoogten. The English vocal version had the
title "Step Right Up (And Say You Love Me)", though it is known as
"Sucu Sucu"; the British lyricists were Ray Maxwell and Phil Belmonte.
It was played by the Laurie Johnson and his Orchestra, the same who
later also did the famous title theme for the British TV series "The
Avengers". The single became a 1961 Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at
#9 on 30 Sep 1961.
The answers.google.com Website offers a transcription of the lyrics. Here's that transcription, with corrections I've added from what I hear on the Nina & Fredrik recording (YouTube):
SUCU SUCU
(English lyrics by Ray Maxwell and Phil Belmonte)
(Male singer, spoken:)
- Come and do the Sucu Sucu!
(Male singer:)
Ay ay ay the beat is crazy,
Sucu Sucu is everywhere.
Ayay ay ay I feel so hazy,
Sucu Sucu I do not care.
It is becoming the moda,
In every big capital.
From Buenos Aires to Paris,
From Rajastan to Nepal.
Ay ay ay the beat is crazy,
Sucu Sucu is everywhere.
Ayay ay ay I feel so hazy,
Sucu Sucu I do not care.
Please come with me to bailar
This thing is most popular.
I hope you don't mind I sigh,
How Sucu Sucu you are.
Ay ay ay the beat is crazy,
Sucu Sucu is everywhere.
Ayay ay ay I feel so hazy,
Sucu Sucu I do not care.
(Spoken:)
- Excuse me, please?
- Yes, miss?
- What is the Sucu Sucu?
- Sucu Sucu is most complicated. If you comprende Sucu Sucu, you can
feel it. But if you don't have Sucu Sucu, it is nothing.
- Oh!
- Sucu Sucu!
(Male and female singer in duet:)
Ay ay ay the beat is crazy,
Sucu Sucu is everywhere.
Ayay ay ay I feel so hazy,
Sucu Sucu I do not care.
(Female singer:)
I am beginning to feel it,
Something is making me high.
Everything seems to be giggit,
Everything's so me oh my!
(Male and female singer in duet:)
Ay ay ay the beat is crazy,
Sucu Sucu is everywhere.
Ayay ay ay I feel so hazy,
Sucu Sucu I do not care.
(Male singer, spoken:)
- Sucu Sucu!
(Male and female singer in duet:)
Ay ay ay the beat is crazy,
Sucu Sucu is everywhere.
Ayay ay ay I feel so hazy,
Sucu Sucu I do not care.
You'll find a Spanish-language recording of the song on this YouTube Video. Can somebody give us a Spanish transcription, and more information about the song?
-Joe-