George Baker Selection ~ Paloma Blanca 1975 Disco Purrfection Version

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Most people think of the Netherlands as the land of wooden clogs and tulips. However, they have produced some of the most remarkable pop music from artists like Golden Earring (Radar Love), Shocking Blue (Venus), Focus (Hocus Pocus), Mouth & Macneal (How Do You Do), The Tee Set (Ma Belle Ami), The Stars on 45 (Beatles Medley) and the George Baker Selection. There is no real George Baker, just Johannes Bouwens who took on an americanized moniker. He joined a group called the Soul Invention in 1967 which morphed into the George Baker Selection. Band members Jan Hop, Jacobus Greuter, George The, Bouwens and Jan Visser had a #21 US hit with the mysterious "Little Green Bag" in 1970. They kept putting out albums and in 1975 brought in female vocalist Nelleke Brzoskowsky to help out with "Paloma Blanca". The song went #1 in several countries and on the AC charts in the US and Canada. Released in 1975, it peaked at #26 on the Hot 100 in early 1976. The thumping string laden song had a simple bass line pluck that would have done any polka proud, and was very similar to the line the Bee Gees used in "You Should Be Dancing". I finally got my hands on the LP version which runs 3:49 to do this version. The single version cut out several instrumental passages and truncated the female vocals to edit it down to 3:27. I thought it would be fun to make this one longer...it certainly bounces along doesn't it? Admit it, you were tapping something while listening, huh? The band broke up in 1978 and was reformed in 1985 and dissolved in 1989. Keeping the George Baker name, Johannes continues to record solo but has not had any US hits since this one.