Kalimba De Luna

"Kalimba de Luna" is a 1984 single by Italian musician and drummer Tony Esposito. It was written by Esposito with his long-time collaborator Remo Licastro, pianist Giuseppe "Joe" Amoruso, keyboardist Mauro Malavasi and vocalist Gianluigi Di Franco. It was taken from Esposito's album ''Il grande esploratore'' (The great explorer). "Kalimba de Luna" was a European success and reached no. 3 in the Austrian chart, no. 6 in the Swiss charts and no. 14 in the Italian charts.

Charts

Boney M. version

"Kalimba de Luna" was instantly covered by German group Boney M. for the German market, giving the group their first Top 20 hit in three years, peaking at no. 16. It was added to their current album Ten Thousand Lightyears, seeing it rise to No. 23 in the German charts in October 1984. It was also included on the ''Fantastic Boney M.'' and '' Kalimba de Luna – 16 Happy Songs with Boney M.'' compilations. With lead vocals by new group member Reggie Tsiboe, the original idea was to release it as a solo single, and a video was shot with Reggie only before the plans were changed to release it as a Boney M. single, and a new video with the group was done. Neither Liz Mitchell nor Marcia Barrett sang on this recording — the backing vocals were done by producer Frank Farian and session singers Amy & Elaine Goff and La Mama.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Releases

7" Single
*"Kalimba de Luna" – 4:31 / "10.000 Lightyears" (Kawohl, Björklund, Farian, Bischof) – 4:29 ( Hansa – 106 760-100, Germany)

12" Single
*"Kalimba de Luna" (Club Mix) 7:07 / "10.000 Lightyears" – 4:29 ( Hansa – 601 470-213, Germany)
*"Kalimba de Luna" (US Club Mix) 9:15 / "Kalimba de Luna" (Dub Mix) – 6:40 ( Hansa – 601 532-213, Germany)

Note : This single is the first which does not have the name "Boney M." written with the logo created eight years before for the "Daddy cool" single (the only previous exception being the "Baby do you wanna bump" single, which went out before the group even existed)

Other cover versions

*In August 1984 Boney M. recorded the song on a 45 rpm single (Carrere – CRE A 4777), included in the album ''Fantastic Boney M.'' ( Hansa – 610 214-222).
*1984 - Pepe Goes to Cuba released a cover for the German market (Teldec – 6.14211), reaching 17th place in the charts of their country. The song was included in the compilation ''¡Que lo baile, Que lo baile!'' (Victoria – VLP-97), released in Spain.
*In the same year also Macho IIIthey released a cover of it (Five Record – FM 13064), featured on the 2014 album ''I'm a Man/Roll'' (New Fresh Records).
*1984 Dalida recorded two versions: one in English language and one in French, text by Jean-Michel Bériat and Patrick Jaymes, in a single ( Orlando International Shows – 13,604); the one in English was also remixed posthumously in 2010. The album of origin is ''Dali'' ( Orlando International Shows – 66.215).
*1984 - Robert Marton in the compilation ''Super Nonstop - 20 Ulkomaista Hittiä'' (M&T Tuotanto – NS1002), released in Finland.
*1984 - Agnetha Lindh, single for the Swedish market (Planet Records – MOP 134).
*In 1984 Elvira in the album ''Top Ten 2 - Internacionalni Hitovi'', text by Mišo Doležal (Jugoton – LSY-61977), published in Yugoslavia.
*1987 - Sunshine Family, single (ZYX Records – 1340), released in Germany, Portugal and Spain; album ''España Boot Mix - Vol. 1/Dance Reunion Of The 70's'' (Galaxis – GLX 9038), released in Germany, Portugal and Poland.
*1985 - Harry Holland & Dieter Reith, single for the German market (CBS – CBS A 6100); album ''Magic Accordion'' (CBS – CBS 26281), released in Germany, Israel and the Netherlands.
*1985 - 7 Seinähullua Veljestä, single for the Finnish market, lyrics by Raul Reiman (Rondo – ROS 91); compilation ''Kesä-Hitit'' ( Finnlevy – FTV 25), released in Finland.
*1985 - Party Service Band on the album ''Neverending Party'' ( Karussell – 825 764-4), released in Germany.
*1991 - Saragossa Band on the album ''Party with Saragossa Band'' (ZYX Records – ZYX 55002-1), released in Germany.
*1991 - Gipsy Rumba in the album ''Gipsy Rumba'' (Mistral Sound – CD 70060), released in Switzerland.
*1994 - L.M. Project in the album ''Dance in Italy Vol. 2'' (Prandi Sound Records – CD - 002).
*1995 - Goombay Dance Band, single (Columbia Records – COLSAMP 2837 2), released in Germany; album ''Caribbean Beach Party'' (CMC Records – 8231562).
*1996 - The Caribbeans on the album ''Macarena Party'' ( BMG – 74321 40969 2).
* In 1999 Garcia with an EP released in Germany (Maad Records – 3984 27105-2), included in the compilation ''Deep 60'' (Deep Records – DRCD 7/1999), released in Germany and Russia.
*2000 - Yellow Mellow on the album ''Good Vibrations'' (Universal – 159 309-2), released in Austria.
*2011 - Lorenzo Polidori in the album ''Kadin'' (Edizioni Musicali Bagutti – EB 404).
*On April 28, 2015 the Neapolitan rapper Clementino used a remixed version as a backing track for the song ''Luna'' (Moon). Although the lyrics are original by the rapper, the chorus is the same as the 1984 version.
*2023 - Puritano feat. Tony Esposito on the album ''Chi diavolo è Puritano?!'' (Who the hell is Puritano?!) (Aldebaran Records – ALDBN072LP).
*xxxx - The Biggest in the album ''Hit Radio TV Vol. N. 6'' (Aline Music – Al. 74), released in France.

Sources

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1984 singles
1982 songs
Boney M. songs
Hansa Records singles
Song recordings produced by Frank Farian
Songs written by Mauro Malavasi
Songs written by Tony Esposito (musician)
English-language Italian songs