"Jin-go-lo-ba" (or "Jingo") is a song by

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

n percussionist

Babatunde Olatunji Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist. Early life Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nige ...

, featured on his first album ''

Drums of Passion ''Drums of Passion'' is an album produced by Babatunde Olatunji, a percussionist from Nigeria, in 1960. It was the first recording to popularize African music in the West, becoming immensely successful and selling over five million copies. In 200 ...

'' (1959). In Yoruba (Olatunji's native language) it means, "Do not worry." The song featured "African-derived rhythms and chants" along with "swooping orchestration". In his autobiography, Olatunji said that this was the only song on his first album that he claimed formal ownership of, meaning that it was the only song he received royalties for. American disc jockey

Francis Grasso Francis Grasso (March 25, 1949 – March 20, 2001) was an American disco music disc jockey from New York City, best known for inventing the technique of beatmatching (sometimes referred to as mixing or blending) which is the foundation of the mod ...

described the song as "rhythmically sensual".

Media

The Fatboy Slim version is one of the playable songs on the Wii playable dance-game, '' Just Dance''.

Cover versions

It has been covered by Serge Gainsbourg, under the title "Marabout" and with no credit given to Olatunji, on his ''

Gainsbourg Percussions ''Gainsbourg Percussions'' is the sixth studio album by French musician Serge Gainsbourg, released in 1964. Gainsbourg reinvents his style with Latin, African, and Cuban influences. It would be his last album before 1968. Track listing "Joanna" ...

'' LP (1964). The song was also covered by

James Last James Last (, ; born Hans Last; 17 April 1929 – 9 June 2015), also known as Hansi, was a German composer and big band leader of the James Last Orchestra. Initially a jazz bassist (Last won the award for "best bassist" in Germany in each of ...

on his album ''Voodoo-Party'' (1971), by Pierre Moerlen's Gong on their ''Downwind'' album (1979), Candido Camero (aka Candido) on his ''Dancin' & Prancin album (1979), by Steve Lee on his album ''FKW – Jingo'' (1994) and by Fatboy Slim on his album '' Palookaville'' (2004). A cover version was also released by independent dance act the Ravish Brothers (featuring a Hot Funky Daddy Groove) in 1988, in

Lightwater Lightwater is a village in the Surrey Heath district of Surrey, England, about southwest of central London. Immediately surrounding towns and villages include Bagshot, Deepcut, Windlesham, Camberley, and West End, Woking. It is bounded to ...

, Surrey. The song was also featured in the Hindi serial "Chandrakanta" that aired on DD. In January 1988 a hit cover version by Jellybean (

John Benitez John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters ...

), from his album ''

Just Visiting This Planet ''Just Visiting This Planet'' is the second album by Jellybean, the nickname for American producer, remixer and songwriter John Benitez. The album was released in 1987 and contains the singles "Who Found Who", " The Real Thing", " Jingo" and "Jus ...

'', peaked at no. 12 during a ten-week run on the UK Singles Chart.

Santana version

The song was also covered by Santana, on their first album (1969), though Grasso noted this version was not as popular as the original on the dance floor. Spanish journalist Jose Miguel López stated that when Santana released "Jingo" as a single, it was first credited to Carlos Santana. Only years later the credits were corrected. Other multiple editions of Santana's Jingo single, viewable under a Google image search for it, list the composer as A. Copland, evidently confusing this song with Part V. of composer

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

's "Statements for Orchestra," which is unrelated.

References

1959 songs 1969 debut singles Santana (band) songs Fatboy Slim songs {{1950s-song-stub