Who sang this song?

Cafe Society
1

Yesterday, I heard the song Iko Iko on the local variety station. (The type of station that plays “everything.”) I decided to buy the song on Napster. I type “Iko” into their search engine and … Good Lord! They have 40 different versions of it, by about 35 or so different artists!

After a little Googling, I learned that Iko Iko is a fairly old song that’s been covered many times. That’s the problem. I’m looking for the version that was popular in the 1980’s. Does anyone know who might have sang that version? I’d rather not buy songs randomly, hoping to hit the right version (which might not even be in their catalog.) I think it made the pop charts, if that helps.

2

As a guess, a hit 80s version was by the Belle-Stars

The movie connection meant that it got played a lot, and probably still does,

3

Cyndi Lauper did a version in the 80s also, I want to say on her True Colors album, but it wasn’t a hit.

4

The Dixie Cups did a version on the Big Easy soundtrack. The movie came out in 1987.
-Lil

5

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Let’s take an Iko over to Cafe Society

Moved

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6

The Belle-Stars version sounds like it might be a good bet. I don’t think it was the Cyndi Lauper version. (I played the 30-second clip, and it didn’t ring any bells.)

Incidentally, I wondered which forum to put this thread in, but I decided that since I really wasn’t looking for a discussion, that GQ might be more appropriate than Cafe Society. I guess not.

7

This is the one I know best.

8

If ya care, The Grateful Dead had a great version of it. Very fun. :slight_smile:

9

Doesn’t Napster allow you to play a sample of the song before you buy it? iTunes does.

10

The version I’ll always think of first, alas, is that performed by “Justine Bateman & The Mystery” in the execrable movie Satisfation.