"Summer '81 Medley" by The Cantina Band

Song#:  0677
Date:  07/25/1981
Debut:  90
Peak:  81
Weeks:  3
Genre:  Pop



Pop Bits:  When an odd piece of music hits the charts in a big way, like the #1 Stars on 45 medley, imitators usually show up. Meco, of the #1 discofied "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" fame, decided to do his own version of Stars on 45 using songs from The Beach Boys. He gathered a few vocalists, created the fake Cantina Band, and produced this medley. This sound-alike version didn't gather many fans especially since The Beach Boys decided to commission their own medley of the real deal. Both singles debuted on the chart the same week, but the stitched edit of real Beach Boys songs far overshadowed Meco's creation reaching #12 and kicking off a mini-revival of the group. This would be the only singled credited to The Cantina Band.

ReduxReview:  For ripping off an idea, this is not too awful. The vocalists do a nice job imitating The Beach Boys and the songs picked fit the beat with only minor alterations. Had The Beach Boys not done their own medley, this one may have had a chance to take off. The Stars on 45 medley is far superior in comparison, but this one was not as bad as I expected.

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  One of the sound-alike voices heard on this single was provided by Lou Christie. A pop star throughout the 60s, Christie had three Top 10 hits including the #1 "Lightnin' Strikes" in 1965. Famous for a three-octave range, he provided the falsetto voice for this single.

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