The one good thing about this song – the band pronounce Cuba like “kooba”, not “kyewba”. Apart from that, it’s a novelty hit – a Latin flavoured cover of Dragon’s pub rock hit. Not that there’s no place in the world for novelty cover versions, but this one is just a little uninspired.
The video action takes place on a suburban Auckland beach, where the band and their friends have a big beach festival. Things then move to a night club where the band set up, before it all explodes into a giant ‘April Sun in Cuba cha-cha-cha sexy senorita dances the forbidden dance’ fest.
I wonder if the band (and NZ On Air) imagined this would be an accessible gateway into getting the world of Latin music in the pop charts, only for Kantuta to evolve into their natural form as event entertainment. Well, perhaps they paved the way for the Buena Vista Social Club.
Best bit: the April sun in Mission Bay.
Next… preaching at the markets.
