Amazulu - "Montego Bay"

(Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted July 25, 1987, Peaked #90, 4 Weeks on the Chart)

To American listeners, "Montego Bay" is probably best-remembered as a 1970 hit by Bobby Bloom. Bloom co-wrote the song with producer Jeff Barry. It was Bloom's only Top 40 hit. Unfortunately, Bloom battled depression and shot himself in 1974. It's one of the "what could have been?" stories of the 1970s...even considering the large number of One-Hit Wonders that abounded during the era.

Despite the Caribbean rhythm of "Montego Bay" and its exotic band name, Amazulu was a British pop/ska band. They originally started as a six-piece band but had been reduced to a trio when the song was recorded and a duo by the time of their only American hit. They enjoyed much more success in their native U.K., scoring nine chart singles and four Top 20 hits, three of which charted higher than "Montego Bay."