Maoris on 45
1982 medley single by The Consorts
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"Maori's on 45" is a 1982 novelty single by New Zealand group The Consorts, produced by Dalvanius Prime. Inspired by the Dutch hit single "Stars on 45" concept, the song was a Māori language medley of songs performed on the guitar, including "Pā Mai", "Me He Manu Rere", "Hoki Mai e Tama Mā", "E te Hokowhitu" and "Taringa Wairua". The song was a hit in New Zealand, reaching number four.
| "Maori's on 45" | |
|---|---|
| |
| Single by The Consorts | |
| Released | May 1982 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:12 |
| Label | RCA Victor |
| Songwriter | Traditional |
| Producer | Dalvanius Prime |
| Music video | |
| "Maoris on 45" at NZ On Screen | |
Background and composition
The song was based on a sparse hand-clap and guitar arrangement.[1] The song was produced by Dalvanius Prime (later known for the Pātea Māori Club), however Prime did not want his name associated with the record.[2] Terence O'Neill-Joyce (of Ode Records) is the listed producer on the single.[3] Prime created the song as a tribute to the songs created at parties on the guitar of his childhood, and the Māori "jingajik" strum style of guitar.[4][3] The song featured a bridging verse in English, followed by a medley of traditional songs including "Pā Mai", "Me He Manu Rere", "Hoki Mai e Tama Mā", "E te Hokowhitu" and "Taringa Wairua".[3][5]
The Consorts were a group created specifically for this song, and Prime was commissioned to create the group.[4] One of the members of the group is Jay Laga'aia, later famous as an actor.[6]
The song was a sleeper hit, debuting at number 12 on the New Zealand charts, and five weeks later peaking at number four.[7] The song was the 39th top single of 1982 in New Zealand, with only three other local artists among those having higher placed singles on the annual chart: Split Enz, Sir Howard Morrison and Prince Tui Teka (the latter's single "E Ipo", was another Māori language single produced by Prime, and was the top performing single by a New Zealand artist that year).[4][8] The success of the song was one of the reasons which led to Prime forming his own record label in 1984 called Maui Records.[2]
Track listing
- NZ 7-inch single[5]
- "Maori's on 45" – 3:12
- "Maori's on 45" (Singalong) – 3:12
Charts
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] | 4 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1982) | Position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Singles Chart[8] | 39 |