The Ritchie Family: African Queens [Full Album, Lyrics + Bonus] (1977)

The Ritchie Family's third album Life Is Music did not yield any big hits like Brazil and The Best Disco In Town had been, and after an unsuccessful side-project with The Lovers' Discomania in April 1977 (with vocals by The Sweetheart Of Sigma), Jacques Morali & Henri Belolo parted ways abruptly with Richard 'Richie' Rome. Cheryl, Cassandra & Gwendolyn were quickly back in the studio again. Unlike the previous albums, African Queens was recorded away from Philadelphia, the new Sigma Sound Studios in New York were used instead, "and the frothy pop sound of the Life Is Music album has been replaced, for the most part, with a more audacious powerhouse disco styling," wrote Billboard's Vince Aletti on July 9, 1977. "The vocals are rich and the music irresistibly grabbing. Clearly designed to match the hot, hedonistic mood of summer-in-the-city," "African Queens" should be one of the season's dominant albums." For the third summer in a row, The Ritchie Family found themselves on top of Billboard's Disco Charts again, but disappointingly the club success did not turn into pop hits. While African Queens proved another healthy seller in Europe, it only made #164 in the US charts, and neither of the single releases. Quiet Village and the title track, found pop success. Meanwhile, Morali & Belolo released their first album by an all-male group called Village People ...
00:00 African Queens
04:32 Theme Of Nefertiti
06:20 Theme Of Cleopatra
07:34 Theme Of The Queen Of Sheba
09:20 African Queens (Reprise)
13:00 Summer Dance
18:26 Quiet Village
24:16 Voodoo
Bonus Tracks:
29:50 African Queens (TV Performance)
33:05 Quiet Village (TV Performance)
36:09 Voodoo (TV Performance)

[@ReKaZch]

Still one of my best albums from this time.

[@dmitrijszinovjevs8389]

Masterpiece!

[@srenjensen5735]

Apologies for my crediting Cassandra as Cassandra Wilson instead of Cassandra WOOTEN on the cover. I have also been corrected for the lyrics of Cleopatra's Theme which should read "I am fire, I am sex, I am brown and I’m beautiful", and thanks for that. Just to clarify, the official lyrics have never been posted (except for the sheet music of the singles) so all the rest have been transcribed by myself, and due to the heavy tapestry of sound, it is not always easy to work out the lyrics. If you discover any other mistakes, do let me know here.

[@srenjensen5735]

00:00 African Queens 04:32 Theme Of Nefertiti 06:20 Theme Of Cleopatra 07:34 Theme Of The Queen Of Sheba 09:20 African Queens (Reprise) 13:00 Summer Dance 18:26 Quiet Village 24:16 Voodoo - Bonus Tracks: 29:50 African Queens (TV Performance) 33:05 Quiet Village (TV Performance) 36:09 Voodoo (TV Performance)

[@paulcarvalho8477]

Such an amazing lp. Was pure magic!

[@albeardmadd2146]

This was the first album I bought, what memories, I have the cover framed, it's beautiful, thanks for uploading all this.🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@tinajensen9593]

my fave with them

[@roberttydeman4771]

Soren, thanks for these beautiful Ritchie Family Videos..+ bonus..keep em coming

[@musicbrian]

Your chronological posts just keep on coming. Once again Thank You Soren for another job well done. Appropriate extras too. Love how they often wore the album costumes while promoting the songs. After purchasing Best Disco 7" this was the first Ritchie Family album I bought. It was 99 pence in a reduced section. I had not heard any of the tracks but thought the cover was fabulous and worth the price for that alone. However, upon getting it home and on my record deck I loved all the album too. Right up my street... banging disco, a theme, mixed together (mostly) and comprising only great songs. I would soon be on the lookout for the previous ones I had missed.

[@mucrim11111]

Thanks for upload

[@albeardmadd2146]

Voodo's performance is filmed in my country on the Costa del Sol (Malaga Spain)... I guess they must have been very hot with those costumes.😅😂

[@user-zo3eh9vl3n]

🖒❤

[@user-ob3cj2gt9f]

The printed lyrics need a little bit of cleaning up.

[@srenjensen5735]

Feel free to help.