Manu Dibango, Soul Makossa | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the 44th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024), we highlight “Soul Makossa” performed by Manu Dibango.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the 44^th edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024), we dive into “Soul Makossa”, the one-hit wonder by Manu Dibango.

“Ma ma se, ma ma sa, ma ma coo sa…” Those lyrics came from a Michael Jackson classic, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’”, right? Yes BUT “Mama ko mama sa maka makossa” originally hails elsewhere – Jackson sampled it without permission or giving credit to the original performer and composer 🤯. Oopsies! Late Cameroonian 🇨🇲 saxophonist and songwriter Manu Dibango (1933 –2020) sued MJ and Rihanna who sampled “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” in her hit, “Don’t Stop the Music”.  The original song and source material for both Jackson and Rihanna (via Jackson) was “Soul Makossa”. Dibango released his best-known song, and one-hit-wonder, in 1972. If you’re like me, “Soul Makossa” predated my birth.  However, listen to this oldie, which peaked at no. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973, and the vibe is indisputable!

The repeated lyrics are part of the charm of “Soul Makossa.” They aren’t the sole reason his African song is a bop that became a significant crossover hit and is often sampled. The groove is electrifying and infectious from the get-go.  Unsurprisingly, rhythm plays a crucial role in an African song. The rhythm section is tight. The horns are sickening as well, bringing heat on epic riffs.  Among the sweetest sounds from “Soul Makossa” is the soulful, spirited saxophone playing by Manu Dibango.  The grit the Cameroonian musician brings to his horn is sublime.  Of course, given the repetitive, dance-catalyzing vocals, the background vocalists deserve to be shouted out for those charming African lyrics and the tuneful melodies. Manu Dibango only reached the pop charts once, but what better way to make history than “Soul Makossa” which speaks for itself?! This song is the definition of one-hit-WONDERful!

Manu Dibango // Best Of // Mercury Music Group // 2020

Manu Dibango, Soul Makossa: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 44 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Mercury Music Group; Antoni Shkraba, KoolShooters, Pavel Danilyuk, Photo By: Kaboompics.com, RDNE Stock project from Pexels; OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]