Saga Africa

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“Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)”
“Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)” cover
Single by Yannick Noah
from the album Black & What
B-side "Night of Blues"
Released 1991
Format CD maxi
7" single
7" maxi
Cassette
Recorded France
Genre World
Length 3:57
Writer(s) Yannick Noah
Daisy Mac Neels
Milan Zdravkovic
Certification Gold France, 1991
Yannick Noah singles chronology
"Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)"
(1991)		 "Don't Stay"
(1991)

"Saga Africa" (subtitled "Ambiance Secousse" in smaller letters on the single cover) is a song recorded by the former professional tennis player Yannick Noah, released in 1991 as the first single from his debut album, Black & What. The song is also available on the singer's album entitled Live, released in 2002.

Contents

[edit] Background, writing, music and lyrics

The album Black & What was a success (certified Gold), and the single "Saga Africa", that mixes a special and sportive dance (a kind of African caterpillar), became one of the summer hits in France. Yannick Noah created the surprise performing the song on December 2, 1991, at the Palais des Sports of Gerland, Lyon, during the honour tour of the Davis Cup just after the victory of the French team that he was the captain, accompanied by his team for the dance.[1]

Yannick Noah composed himself the words, a mixture of French and Cameroonian expressions, while the rest of the album Black & What is mainly in English-language. He sings voluntarily with a relatively pronounced accent. The lyrics include a tribute to the footballers of the Cameroon national football team named Les Lions Indomptables, especially Roger Milla, Francois Omam-Biyik and Thomas Nkono, whose names are mentioned in the words. He also refers to Paris and Yaounde, soukouss and makossa. The music uses a sample of a Snap!'s song, "Mary Had a Little Boy".

[edit] Chart performances

The single was charted in France. It went straight to #6 on the SNEP Singles Chart on June 1, 1991. It reached #2 two weeks later and stayed there for four not consecutive weeks, and was unable to disloge at #1 first Mylène Farmer's "Désenchantée", then Les Inconnus' "Auteuil, Neuilly, Passy". It totaled 15 weeks in the top ten and 22 weeks on the chart (Top 50).[2] The single achieved Gold status awarded by the SNEP for a minimum of 250,000 copies sold.[3] According to Infodisc website, the song was sold about 318,000 copies, remaining the second most successful song of the singer, behind "La Voix des Sages".[4]

[edit] Track listings

CD maxi
  1. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" (single version) — 3:57
  2. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" (savana club mix) — 4:46
  3. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" (special club mix) — 5:00
  4. "Night of Blues" — 3:45
7" single
  1. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" — 3:57
  2. "Night of Blues" — 3:45
7" maxi
  1. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" (single version) — 3:57
  2. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" (savana club mix) — 4:46
  3. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" (special club mix) — 5:00
Cassette
  1. "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)" — 3:57
  2. "Night of Blues" — 3:45

[edit] Chart and certification

Chart (1991) Peak
position
French Singles Chart[2] 2
Country Certification Date Sales certified
France[3] Gold 1991 250,000+

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 210 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
  2. ^ a b "Saga Africa (ambiance secousse)", in French Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved May 6, 2008)
  3. ^ a b Yannick Noah's certifications in France Chartsinfrance.net (Retrieved May 6, 2008)
  4. ^ Yannick Noah singles sales in France Infodisc.fr (Retrieved May 6, 2008)

This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding French Wikipedia article as of 2008-05-06.

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