King of Moomba (song)
Encyclopedia
"King of Moomba" is a single by Australian rock
/pop
group Do-Ré-Mi
released by Virgin Records
in May 1987 and later appeared on their second album The Happiest Place in Town
. The song was written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway
, drummer
Dorland Bray, bass guitar
ist Helen Carter and guitar
ist Stephen Philip. While the B-side "Tearing up the Carpet" was written by Carter and Philip. Their 1985 single "Man Overboard
" had been a surprise top 5 hit, but "King of Moomba", from their second album, which was produced by Martin Rushent
, had less chart success peaking at #52. Moomba
in the song's title refers to the annual festival held in Melbourne
which had an appointed 'King of Moomba' from 1967–1987 and was then replaced by a 'Moomba Monarch'.
in 1981 when Deborah Conway
(lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals), both previously in Melbourne-based group The Benders, joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) ex-Friction. Stephen Philip (guitar), ex-Thought Criminals
, was initially a studio musician for their debut EP, Do-Ré-Mi
released in August 1982 and was asked to join formally. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room EP which was released in January 1983. "Man Overboard
" was released as a single in June 1985, from Domestic Harmony
on Virgin Records
, and peaked at #5 on the Australian singles charts. "King of Moomba ", from their second album The Happiest Place in Town
, which was produced by Martin Rushent
, had less chart success, peaking at #52. Moomba
in the song's title refers to the annual festival held in Melbourne
which had an appointed 'King of Moomba' from 1967–1987 and was then replaced by an appointed 'Moomba Monarch'. The 'Kings of Moomba' for the 1980s were TV actor Paul Cronin
(1980), former footballer
Lou Richards
(1981), film, TV and stage actor Frank Thring
(1982), TV Personality Daryl Somers
(1983), footballer Kevin Bartlett (1984), TV Personality Ian "Molly" Meldrum
(1985), motor racing driver Peter Brock
(1986) and champion doubles tennis player Paul McNamee
(1987).
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Do-Ré-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (band)
Do-Re-Mi aka Do-Ré-Mi were an Australian Rock/Pop band formed in Sydney in 1981 when Deborah Conway and Dorland Bray joined Helen Carter and later recruited Stephen Philip...
released by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in May 1987 and later appeared on their second album The Happiest Place in Town
The Happiest Place in Town (Do-Re-Mi album)
The Happiest Place in Town is the second LP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Re-Mi and was released by Virgin Records in August 1988. The album has twelve tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
. The song was written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
, drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Dorland Bray, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Helen Carter and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Stephen Philip. While the B-side "Tearing up the Carpet" was written by Carter and Philip. Their 1985 single "Man Overboard
Man Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)
"Man Overboard" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in June 1985. The 7" vinyl version has three tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
" had been a surprise top 5 hit, but "King of Moomba", from their second album, which was produced by Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
, had less chart success peaking at #52. Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
in the song's title refers to the annual festival held in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
which had an appointed 'King of Moomba' from 1967–1987 and was then replaced by a 'Moomba Monarch'.
Background
Do-Ré-Mi had formed in SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1981 when Deborah Conway
Deborah Conway
Deborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
(lead vocals) and Dorland Bray (drums, percussion, backing vocals), both previously in Melbourne-based group The Benders, joined Helen Carter (bass, backing vocals) ex-Friction. Stephen Philip (guitar), ex-Thought Criminals
Thought Criminals
The Thought Criminals were an influential and enterprising Australian punk band based in Sydney. They formed in late 1977 and disbanded in late 1981...
, was initially a studio musician for their debut EP, Do-Ré-Mi
Do-Re-Mi (Do-Re-Mi album)
Do-Ré-Mi or Standing on Wires is the debut EP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by independent label Green Records in August 1982. The album has four tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and...
released in August 1982 and was asked to join formally. They returned to the studio almost immediately and recorded The Waiting Room EP which was released in January 1983. "Man Overboard
Man Overboard (Do-Re-Mi song)
"Man Overboard" is a single by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in June 1985. The 7" vinyl version has three tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
" was released as a single in June 1985, from Domestic Harmony
Domestic Harmony
Domestic Harmony is the debut LP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Ré-Mi which was released by Virgin Records in August 1985. The album has ten tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, and peaked at #5 on the Australian singles charts. "King of Moomba ", from their second album The Happiest Place in Town
The Happiest Place in Town (Do-Re-Mi album)
The Happiest Place in Town is the second LP album by Australian rock/pop group Do-Re-Mi and was released by Virgin Records in August 1988. The album has twelve tracks, which were written by lead vocalist Deborah Conway, drummer Dorland Bray, bass guitarist Helen Carter and guitarist Stephen Philip...
, which was produced by Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent
Martin Rushent was an English record producer, best known for his work with The Human League, The Stranglers and The Buzzcocks.- Early life :Rushent was born on 11 July 1948 in Enfield, Middlesex. His father was a car salesman...
, had less chart success, peaking at #52. Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
in the song's title refers to the annual festival held in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
which had an appointed 'King of Moomba' from 1967–1987 and was then replaced by an appointed 'Moomba Monarch'. The 'Kings of Moomba' for the 1980s were TV actor Paul Cronin
Paul Cronin
Paul Cronin is an Australian actor who has played iconic roles in the Australian television series Matlock Police and The Sullivans.-Personal Life:...
(1980), former footballer
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
Lou Richards
Lou Richards
Lewis Thomas Charles "Lou" Richards is a retired Australian rules footballer, who played 250 games with the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1941 and 1955...
(1981), film, TV and stage actor Frank Thring
Frank Thring
Frank William Thring was an Australian character actor.-Early life:Thring was born in Melbourne and educated at the Melbourne Grammar School. His father, Frank W. Thring, was the head of Efftee Studios, in Melbourne, in the 1920s, and is said to be the inventor of the clapperboard...
(1982), TV Personality Daryl Somers
Daryl Somers
Daryl Paul Somers OAM , is an Australian television personality. The son of a dairy farmer and a cabaret singer, Somers rose to national fame as the host of the long-running comedy-variety program Hey Hey It's Saturday.-Early life:Somers, who has an Irish Catholic heritage, was educated at...
(1983), footballer Kevin Bartlett (1984), TV Personality Ian "Molly" Meldrum
Ian Meldrum
Ian Alexander "Molly" Meldrum AM is an Australian popular music critic, journalist, record producer , and musical entrepreneur...
(1985), motor racing driver Peter Brock
Peter Brock
Peter Geoffrey Brock, AM otherwise known as "Peter Perfect", "The King of the Mountain" or simply as "Brocky" was one of Australia's best-known and most successful motor racing drivers. Brock was most often associated with Holden for almost 40 years, although he raced vehicles of other...
(1986) and champion doubles tennis player Paul McNamee
Paul McNamee
Paul McNamee is a retired Australian tennis player and prominent sports administrator.-Tennis career:...
(1987).
Tracklisting
All tracks were written by Deborah Conway, Dorland Bray, Helen Carter and Stephen Philip, except where noted.- "King of Moomba"
- "Tearing up the Carpet" (Carter, Philip)
Personnel
Do-Ré-Mi members- Dorland Bray — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion, backing vocals - Helen Carter — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Deborah ConwayDeborah ConwayDeborah Ann Conway, is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, and had a career as a model and actor. She was a founding member of the 1980s rock band Do-Ré-Mi with their surprise top 5 hit "Man Overboard"....
— lead vocalist - Stephen Philip — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...