A perfect snapshot of Independence celebrations, The Jamaicans’ Ba Ba Boom remains one of the most popular of the Festival Song Contest winners.

Last year, singer Bunny Lye Lye decided to put his spin on the 1967 classic.

His version is produced by Trevor Elliott for Elliott’s Musical Ambassador label which had significant success during the 1980’s with singer Edi Fitzroy. It was released two months ago.

“Bunny and I started recording together a little over a year ago and have finished an album. We decided it was the right time to re-record one of Jamaica’s favorite Festival songs,” said Elliott. “Ba Ba Boom” is currently in the top ten of The Foundation Radio Network Top 30 Music Chart.

Producer Trevor Elliott
Producer Trevor Elliott

The beat for Bunny Lye Lye’s Ba Ba Boom was created by Damion Keezy, a musician from St Elizabeth. Saxophonist Dean Fraser and trombonist Nambo Robinson revived the original’s famous horn arrangements.Ba Ba Boom is The Jamaicans’ (Tommy Cowan, Norris Weir and Martin Williams) biggest hit. It was a popular winner 49 years ago, beating U.N.I.T.Y. by Desmond Dekker And the Aces into second.

The Jamaicans, 1967 Festival Song winners with "Baba Boom"
The Jamaicans, (L-R Tommy Cowan, Martin Williams, Norris Weir) 1967 Festival Song winners with “BaBa Boom”

This year, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission is celebrating 50 years of the Festival (now known as the Popular Song Contest) competition.

Bunny Lye Lye, who has an underground following in the UK, has been recording for 35 years.

BunnyLyeLye1

Elliott launched his production career in the late 1970’s. His greatest success came in the early 1980’s with Fitzroy, a Clarendon-born singer who was an accountant at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation when they began collaborating.

Fitzroy’s biggest hit songs such as Check For You Once, The Gun and Princess Black were produced by Elliott.

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