Cuba (song)
"Cuba" is a 1978 song by French musical group Gibson Brothers, released as the first single from their fourth album of the same name (1979). It was the group's first charting single: In the US, "Cuba", went to #81 on the US Billboard Hot 100,[2] and #9 on the Billboard Dance chart.[3] Outside the US, upon its original release, it reached number one in Finland, and was a top 30 hit in Belgium, the Netherlands and West Germany. It also peaked at number 41 in the UK, however, following the success of their follow-up top 10 hit songs "Ooh, What a Life" and "Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go)", it was re-released in 1980 as a double A side single with album track "Better Do It Salsa", reaching number 12 in the UK.[4] However, its chart performance did not improve in the US due in large part to the anti Disco Backlash in the States at the time.
| "Cuba" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Gibson Brothers | ||||
| from the album Cuba | ||||
| B-side | "Cuba" (instrumental) | |||
| Released | 1978, 1980 (re-issue) | |||
| Genre | Disco | |||
| Length | 3:00 (Short Single Version) 4:20 (Long Single Version) 7:28 (Album Version) 7:45 (12" Version) | |||
| Label | Island | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jean Kluger, Daniel Vangarde[1] | |||
| Producer(s) | Daniel Vangarde | |||
| Gibson Brothers singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Gibson Brothers - Cuba" on YouTube | ||||
Track listing
- 7" single (UK)
- A. "Cuba" - 3:02
- B. "Cuba" (Club Version)
- 7" single (US)
- A. "Cuba" - 4:20
- B. "Cuba" (Instrumental) - 4:20
- 7" single (1980 UK Re-release)
- A. "Cuba" - 3:00
- A. "Better Do it Salsa 1980" - 3:36
- 12" single
- A. "Cuba" - 7:50
- B. "Cuba" (Instrumental) - 7:50
- '88 remix single
- A. "Cuba" ('88 Remix) - 8:11
- B. "Cuba" (Original Version) - 6:27
- 12" single (1980 UK Re-release)
- A. "Cuba" (Long Version) - 7:45
- A. "Better Do it Salsa" - 6:43
Charts
| Chart (1978-1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[5] | 25 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6] | 1 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] | 32 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5] | 30 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 12* |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 81 |
| US Disco Top 100 (Billboard) | 9 |
| US Hot R&B (Billboard) | 64 |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[5] | 22 |
(*Only after re-release in 1980)
Popular culture
- The song is featured in the background in a scene in the 1979 film North Dallas Forty and in the 2001 film Sexy Beast.
- The song had an unexpected resurgence in 2020 after Liverpool fans adopted it for new signing Thiago Alcântara.
References
- "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 337.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 110.
- "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- "Gibson Brothers - Cuba (song)". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Gibson Brothers". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 89. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- "Gibson Brothers – Cuba". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
External links
- Gibson Brothers - Cuba on Discogs
- Music Video on YouTube