Sportsong of the Week #4
Johnny Wakelin & The Kinshasa Band
"Black Superman"
1975
PYE Label
Here's Johnny! And The Kinshasa Band! These guys aren't the best known artists in the world, but they definitely made a sportsong how a sportson is meant to be. A catchy tune, giving tribute to one of the biggest stars ever. With a story about the athlete and oneliners incorparated: "This is the story of Cassius Clay who changed his name to Muhammed Ali"; "He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee"; "I'm the greatest the world has ever seen".
Johnny Wakelin was born in 1939 in Brighton, England. He was a not so succesful recording artist, until he wrote this homage to boxing champion Ali, being inspired by the fight against George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974. The song reached nr. 7 in the UK Singles Chart and even reaching nr. 1 in Australia. Johnny wrote more songs, with not that much succes, except for the song In Zaire, which was also about Ali (see below). So Johnny has to be thankful for the inspiration and finances Mohammed Ali gave him, but he can join the club of a lot of other people who made careers out of his. "I'm Ali, catch me if you can!"
Full lyrics "Black Superman" - Johnny Wakelin & The Kinshasa Band
This here's the story of Cassius Clay Who changed his name to Muhammad Ali He knows how to talk and he knows how to fight And all the contenders were beat out of sight Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee Mohammed, the black superman Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can Now all you fight fans, you've got to agree There ain't no flies on Muhammad Ali He fills the arena wherever he goes And everyone gets what they paid for Muhammad, was known to have said You watch me shuffle and I'll jab off your head He moves like the black superman And calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can He says I'm the greatest the worlds ever seen The heavyweight champion who came back again My face is so pretty you don't see a scar Which proves I'm the king of the ring by far Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee Mohammed, the black superman Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee Muhammad, the black superman Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can I'm Ali catch me if you can