Bongo Rock is the debut studio album by Incredible Bongo Band, released in 1973.[2] It peaked at number 197 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.[3] It includes the band's version of the Jerry Lordan-written song "Apache".[4]
| Bongo Rock | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1973 | |||
| Studio | Can Base Studios, Vancouver, Canada | |||
| Genre | Funk[1] | |||
| Length | 33:17 | |||
| Label | Pride | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Incredible Bongo Band chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editMichael Viner, who was an executive at MGM Records, started the project Incredible Bongo Band.[5] He was asked to provide music to the soundtrack for the film The Thing with Two Heads; he and Perry Botkin Jr. recorded the songs "Bongo Rock" and "Bongolia".[5] After that, they decided to create the album Bongo Rock.[5]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [5] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | [1] |
Jeff Tamarkin of AllMusic wrote, "Interesting as it is to hear how the bongo-centric beats were toyed with by the hip-hoppers, the original recordings stand up on their own as classically kitschy cheese-rock."[5] He added, "Bongos aren't the only sound heard, naturally, and fans of both lounge-rock and that crisp, reverby guitar sound prominent in old spy movies and Ventures records will dig what the IBB were all about."[5] Alan Ranta of Tiny Mix Tapes stated that "'Apache' may be the most recognizable, but there is still a rich field of extractable samples to be had for the next generation."[1]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Let There Be Drums" | 2:41 | |
| 2. | "Apache" | Jerry Lordan | 4:53 |
| 3. | "Bongolia" | Perry Botkin Jr. | 2:15 |
| 4. | "Last Bongo in Belgium" |
| 6:55 |
| 5. | "Dueling Bongos" |
| 2:58 |
| 6. | "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" | Doug Ingle | 7:43 |
| 7. | "Raunchy '73" |
| 3:24 |
| 8. | "Bongo Rock '73" | 2:39 | |
| Total length: | 33:17 | ||
Charts
edit| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top LPs & Tape (Billboard)[3] | 197 |
| US Top Soul LPs (Billboard)[6] | 58 |
References
edit- ^ a b c Ranta, Alan. "Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ Huey, Steve. "Incredible Bongo Band". AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ a b "Top LP's & Tape". Billboard: 64. August 25, 1973.
- ^ Patrin, Nate (December 11, 2018). "Breaks With Tradition: "Apache"". Stereogum. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Tamarkin, Jeff. "Bongo Rock - Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band / Incredible Bongo Band". AllMusic. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
- ^ "Soul LP's". Billboard: 23. September 1, 1973.
External links
edit- Bongo Rock at Discogs (list of releases)