"Biddu, Kitsch? How Dare You!"

Celebrating Biddu Appaiah, born 8th February 1944.

 

The title of today's post was Ernie "27 Leggies" Goggins' riposte to my throwaway but ill-advised reference to Biddu as a "kitsch producer" in December last year. Not my only mistake, either: I also referred in the post to Biddu as co-writer of the Carl Douglas hit single, Kung Fu Fighting; he produced it, the words and music were all Carl's. Thankfully, I was spared the wrath of Ernie, although I did receive an educational visit from funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chong, who were instructed by the Big Boss to "get it on".

 

Not that Biddu didn't prove to be a dab hand at composing as well as producing pop earworms. Exhibit A: (Holy Moses!) Everything's Coming Up Roses by teen actor Jack Wild. The name didn't particularly ring a bell, until I found that he was the Artful Dodger in the 1968 film Oliver! and, more memorably for me, Jimmy in TV series H.R. Pufnstuf.

No Biddu tribute would be complete without Tina Charles' 1976 disco smash, I Love To Love (But My Baby Loves To Dance). Here's a vibrant performance on Dutch TV treasure trove Top Pop. Health warning for sensitive fashionistas: this video contains multiple shots of triple denim.

 

Not one to miss out on the disco action, Biddu & The Orchestra released a number of singles, including this rather compelling cover of a Neil Diamond classic in 1977. However, I've belatedly discovered the even better Boogiethon (It's A Marathon) on the flip side, which Biddu wrote, arranged and produced. Here's the Special Disco Version for your extended entertainment.

 

In 1980, Nazia Hassan topped the singles chart in Pakistan with Disco Deewane. Guess who wrote and produced it? You betcha! Here's the video featuring a bird of prey (fleetingly) and lots of brass instruments. If you can hear either on the song itself, you're a more discerning listener than I.

 

Biddu continued to write, record and release music up to the early 2000s, but it's been more difficult (with 30 minutes' "research" at least) to find anything beyond that. But hey, Biddu's turned 80 today, he deserves a day off by now, surely?!

 

Here's Biddu's interpretation of a Hindu mantra (and which I probably have the most versions of in my music collection) from the 2004 album Diamond Sutra by the Biddu Orchestra.

 

And I would be called to surrender my blogosphere bus pass if I didn't wrap up with this one.

 

Have a happy 80th birthday, Biddu!