THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

279-Perez Prado-Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White.

1955-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.01. Perez Prado may have written ‘Mambo No 5,’ but this was definitely Mambo’s Number 1 song.

Mambo is a genre of Cuban dance music that was developed by the Cuban multi-instrumentalist Orestes Lopez, (1908-1991) his brother Israel ‘Cachao’ Lopez, (1918-2008) and the Cuban flautist Antonio Arcario (1911-1994) in the late 1930’s. By the late 1940’s Mambo had become a dance craze in the United States, with bandleaders such as Perez Prado refining the genre. Prado adapted the fast Mambo rhythm to the American style Big Bands of the 1940’s, distancing the style away from it’s more traditional quieter Cuban roots.

Perez Prado was born Damaso Perez Prado on December 11th, 1916, in Matanzas, Cuba, he died of complications from a stroke after being in ill health for the previous two years on September 14th, 1989, at the age of 72. In 1949 Prado moved to Mexico where he formed his own band, after signing with ‘RCA Victor’ records in Mexico City. Prado had 23 Albums released by that label between 1951-1976, he also provided the soundtrack to four films in the 1950,s. His most well known compositions include his 1958 American Number 1 song ‘Patricia,’ and ‘Mambo No 5,’ from 1949. In 1999 ‘Mambo No 5’ was sampled by the German singer Lou Bega for his worldwide hit ‘Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit’) In 2001 the song once again topped the UK chart, when a novelty version by ‘Bob the Builder,’ from the BBC children’s television show, was sung by the British actor Neil Morrissey. Perez Prado who became affectionately known as the ‘King of the Mambo’ performed for the last time in 1987, but his son Perez Jr. continues to direct the Perez Prado Orchestra in Mexico City.

‘Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White’ is the English version of ‘Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs’ with the music written by Louiguy,’ (1916-1991) his other most notable composition is ‘La Vie en Rose,’ which became the signature song of Edith Piaf (see also best songs 178.) The French lyrics to ‘Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White’ were written by Jacques Larue, while the English lyrics were written by Mack David, (1912-1993) the older brother of Hal David.

Perez Prado’s instrumental with his orchestra, which features the very distinctive trumpet playing of Billy Regis, was first recorded for the 1955 movie ‘Underwater!’ where Jane Russell can be seen dancing to the song. When released as a single it topped the American chart, and went onto be the best selling song of 1955. The most successful vocal version in America was by Alan Dale (1925-2002) whose recording made Number 14, also in 1955. In the UK the Perez Prado version spent two weeks at Number 1, while a competing instrumental recording by the British trumpeter Eddie Calvert (1922-1978) also made Number 1, but for four weeks. The song also charted in the UK in 1982 for the British Pop/Salsa group ‘Modern Romance,’ whose vocal version peaked at Number 15.