SUPERVENTAS STARLUX, Pata Pata, 1968

Of course the name of the group that is playing on this record is not Superventas Starlux, although I do think that would be a cool band name.  Starlux was a Spanish company that produced a variety of  food products, particularly soups and stock cubes. In the late 60s they issued some records for promotional purposes, that were so clearly throwaway products, that the Starlux people didn´t even bother to put names to the recording artists. They should have been a little more foresighted. Apparently the Starlux brand still exists. But the company is long gone and nothing commemorates its existence. The only things that do – because they are still being used today – are these 45s.

I bought this record last year in Barcelona for the same reason I´ve been picking up other second or third rate budget records. I always hope to be surprised, because there is that rare moment, when a cheapo version of a hit song actually is interesting to hear for the first time.  Pata Pata was Miriam Makeba´s  biggest hit record from 1967. This Spanish uptempo beat version does sound pretty cool. It even has a nice guitar break.

Pata Pata

The Spanish version of Wilson Pickett´s Deborah is not so bad either…

Deborah