Juanita Banana (song)
Encyclopedia
"Juanita Banana" is a novelty song
co-written by Tash Howard and Murray Kenton. The song, which tells the story of a Mexican banana farmer's daughter with operatic ambitions and whose chorus is an adaptation of "Caro Nome" from Giuseppe Verdi
's opera Rigoletto
, was originally released in the United States in 1966.
The Verdi-inspired chorus of the Peels recording was sampled later that year in the Dickie Goodman
record "Batman & His Grandmother
".
and Luis Aguilé
were among the many artists who recorded non-English cover versions of the song.
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
co-written by Tash Howard and Murray Kenton. The song, which tells the story of a Mexican banana farmer's daughter with operatic ambitions and whose chorus is an adaptation of "Caro Nome" from Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's opera Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
, was originally released in the United States in 1966.
The Peels
The original release of "Juanita Banana" was performed by The Peels, a studio group assembled by co-writer Tash Howard, who also co-produced the single. Howard also wrote "Juanita Banana Part 2" for The Peels as a follow-up release later in the same year.The Verdi-inspired chorus of the Peels recording was sampled later that year in the Dickie Goodman
Dickie Goodman
Richard Dorian "Dickie" Goodman was an American music producer.-Career:In June 1956 Goodman created his first record, "The Flying Saucer", which he co-wrote with his partner Bill Buchanan, and featured a four-minute rewriting of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds radio show...
record "Batman & His Grandmother
Batman & His Grandmother
Batman & His Grandmother is a novelty single by Dickie Goodman released in 1966 on Red Bird Records.The record is a parody of the ABC TV show Batman....
".
Other Versions
Henri SalvadorHenri Salvador
Henri Salvador was a French Caribbean singer.-Biography:Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Indian from the Caribbean, were both from Guadeloupe, French West Indies...
and Luis Aguilé
Luis Aguilé
Luis María Aguilera Picca was an Argentine singer, songwriter and actor, best known for worldwide hit song '"Cuando Sali de Cuba" . This song become the unofficial anthem for Cuban exiles.-Biography:He started his career in Argentina, where he distinguished himself as a brilliant showman...
were among the many artists who recorded non-English cover versions of the song.
External links
- The Juanita Banana phenomenon at Poparchives