"Hymne de la 8e Coupe d'Afrique des Nations" (original)
B-side
"Lily" (reissue)
Released
1972
Recorded
1971
Genre
Makossa
Length
4:30 (original non-edited version)
Label
Fiesta Records (France) Atlantic Records (US) London Records (UK/Canada) BorderBlaster (Europe)
Songwriter(s)
Manu Dibango
Manu Dibango singles chronology
"Soul Makossa" (1972)
"Pêpê Soup" (1973)
TV performance
"Soul Makossa" (ORTF, 1973) on YouTube
"Soul Makossa" is a song by Cameroonian saxophonist and songwriter Manu Dibango, released as a single in 1972. It is the most sampled African song in history.[1] The song was originally recorded as the B-side for "Hymne de la 8e Coupe d'Afrique des Nations", a song celebrating the Cameroon national football team's accession to the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, as well as Cameroon's hosting the games for the first time; the lyrics were written by Cameroonian poet and musicologist S.M. Eno Belinga. Except for some words in English, it was written in Duala, a native dialect continuum from Cameroon. Manu Dibango later recorded a new version for his 1994 album Wakafrika, titled "Mouvement Ewondo".[2]
In 1972, David Mancuso found a copy in a Brooklyn West Indian record store and often played it at his parties at The Loft.[3] The response was so positive that the few copies of "Soul Makossa" in New York City were quickly purchased.[3] The song was subsequently played heavily by Frankie Crocker, who deejayed at WBLS, then New York's most popular black radio station.[3] Since the original release was so obscure, at least 23 groups quickly released cover versions to capitalize on the demand for the record.[3]
Later in 1972, American-based Atlantic Records licensed the original Manu Dibango version from French record label Fiesta, and released it as a single (with the B-side track being "Lily"). The single peaked at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1973; Dibango's original version of the song and a cover by Afrique were on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time.[3][4][2] The song also became an international hit leading to even more cover versions by various groups around the world.[2]
The song is probably best known for the chanted vocal refrain "ma-ma-ko, ma-ma-sa, ma-ko ma-ko-sa", which was adapted and used in songs by many prominent artists such as Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" from his album Thriller (1982) and Rihanna's hit single "Don't Stop the Music" from Good Girl Gone Bad (2007). The refrain is a play on the word makossa, Dibango's main music genre.[5]
In 2011, a second version of the song titled "Soul Makossa 2.0" was recorded in France by Manu Dibango and Wayne Beckford and was issued as the first single from Dibango's album, Past Present Future.
^Durosomo, Damola (8 May 2020). "This Video Explores the Countless Songs That Sample Manu Dibango's 'Soul Makossa'". Okay Africa. Archived from the original on 14 May 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
^ abcCite error: The named reference world was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abcdeCite error: The named reference beat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference heart was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Ben Zimmer (26 June 2009). "Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa". Language Log. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
"SoulMakossa" is a song by Cameroonian saxophonist and songwriter Manu Dibango, released as a single in 1972. It is the most sampled African song in history...
Makossa is a music genre originating in Douala, Littoral Region, French Cameroons in the late 19th century. Like much other music of Sub-Saharan Africa...
while his mother was a Duala. He was best known for his 1972 single "SoulMakossa". The song has been referred to as the most sampled African song in addition...
amapiano, jùjú, fuji, afrobeat, highlife, Congolese rumba, soukous, ndombolo, makossa, kizomba, Taarab, and others. African music also uses a large variety of...
adopted the name Lafayette Afro Rock Band. The band's next two albums, SoulMakossa and Malik, included the songs "Hihache" and "Darkest Light" which would...
by Rodriguez that went on to go platinum in Australia before writing SoulMakossa, which samples Manu Dibango's saxophone. The song currently has over...
the Black Community. Crocker brought Cameroon-native Manu Dibango's "SoulMakossa" to the attention of American audiences.[citation needed] He also gave...
at the Woodstock festival. In the 1970s, Manu Dibango's funky track "SoulMakossa" (1972) became a hit, and Osibisa released "Sunshine Day" (1976). Fela...
(1973) Verve Forecast Records The Chubukos – "House of Rising Funk" (from SoulMakossa) (1973) Mainstream / Red Lion Production Records Eddie Bo – "Hook & Sling"...
tracks: "Al's Razor Blade", "Ain't That Lovin' You", "On Top of It", "SoulMakossa", and "She's the One". The Skull Snaps album contains drum breaks that...
well as sampling his 2009 song "Woods". It also contains portions of "SoulMakossa" written by Manu Dibango, and samples of "Comment No. 1", performed by...
The Morning After 2002 "You Can't Turn Me Away" by Sylvia Striplin "SoulMakossa" by Manu Dibango "Hurt So Much" Deborah Cox Deborah Cox James "Big Jim"...
Boogie" by Chicago Gangsters "Pump Your Fist" contains elements from "SoulMakossa" by Manu Dibango "Let's Go" contains elements from "Think (About It)"...
1973? David Amram Subway Night RCA Victor 1973 1973 Babatunde Olatunji SoulMakossa Paramount 1973 1973 Ron Carter All Blues CTI 1974 1973 Johnny Hammond...
traditional and modern musical genres. The best-known contemporary genre is makossa, a popular style that has gained fans across Africa, and its related dance...
and performed by Aphex Twin. "Lost in the World" contains portions of "SoulMakossa", written by Manu Dibango; a sample of "Think (About It)", written by...
High Life! (Columbia, 1963) Drums!, Drums!, Drums! (Roulette, 1964) SoulMakossa (Paramount, 1973) Dance to the Beat of My Drum (Bellaphon, 1986) Drums...
joining forces with African superstar (saxophonist) Manu Dibango of "SoulMakossa" fame. Even without knowing how to read or write music, and probably...
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