"Solomon Gundie" is a song by Jamaican

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

singer

Eric "Monty" Morris Eric "Monty" Morris (born c.1942)Campbell, Howard (2016)Eric 'Monty' Morris to perform at Grace Jerk Festival, ''Jamaica Observer'', 12 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016 is a Jamaican ska singer, known for his work with the Skatalites an ...

released in 1964 by

Black Swan Records Black Swan Records was an American jazz and blues record label founded in 1921 in Harlem, New York. It was the first widely distributed label to be owned, operated, and marketed to African Americans. (Broome Special Phonograph Records was the firs ...

. It was produced by Leslie Kong with lyrics based on the

nursery rhyme A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and many other countries, but usage of the term dates only from the late 18th/early 19th century. The term Mother Goose rhymes is interchangeable with nursery rhymes. From t ...

" Solomon Grundy". The song was later recorded by a number of artists, most notably by

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

singer Amanda Lear. Her version was released as a single by

Ariola Records Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international media conglomerat ...

in 1980 and was a minor chart hit in Germany. Australian band

Allniters The Allniters are a Sydney-based Australian ska pop band, founded in 1980. Original line-up was Ted Ayers on saxophone, sax, Dave Bebb on drums, Stuart Crysell on guitar, Martin Fabok on guitar, Peter Hill-Travis on vocals, Graham Hood (The John ...

released a cover of the song on their 1999 album ''Another Fine Mess''.

Music video

In the

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

, Amanda Lear performs the song in and around an

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...

, riding a

carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...

and dancing surrounded by onlookers. The clip begins with Lear writing "

solomon gundy Solomon Gundy is a Jamaican pickled (with salt) fish pâté usually served with crackers as an appetizer. The pâté is made with smoked red herring (although other fish such as mackerel and shad are also sometimes usedspray paint Aerosol paint (commonly spray paint) is paint that comes in a sealed, pressurized container and is released in an aerosol spray when a valve button is depressed. Aerosol painting is one form of spray painting; it leaves a smooth, even coat, unlike ...

on a wall and ends with her performing the last verse of the song in front of a sex shop.

Track listing

*7" Single (1980) :A. "Solomon Gundie" – 3:58 :B. "Rockin' Rollin' (I Hear You Nagging)" – 3:05 *Polish 7" Flexi Disc (1981) :A. "Solomon Gundie"

Chart performance

References

{{Solomon Grundy 1964 singles 1964 songs 1980 singles 1980 songs Amanda Lear songs Ariola Records singles Ska songs