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Cha Cha Heels

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"Cha Cha Heels"
Single cover with Eartha Kitt, Jonathan Hellyer and Steve Bronski
Single by Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat
from the album I'm Still Here
B-side"My Discarded Men"
ReleasedJune 1989
Recorded1988
StudioBerwick Street
Genre
Length3:50
LabelArista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Rod Gammons
Eartha Kitt singles chronology
"Arabian Song"
(1987) 		"Cha Cha Heels"
(1989) 		"Primitive Man"
(1989)
Bronski Beat singles chronology
"C'mon! C'mon!"
(1986) 		"Cha Cha Heels"
(1989) 		"I'm Gonna Run Away from You"
(1990)

Cha Cha Heels is a pop song recorded by Bronski Beat and Eartha Kitt, released in June 1989 and is a tribute to late drag actor and singer Divine. It was originally written to be sung by the actor but he died before he could record it and as a result, Bronski Beat and Kitt decided to record it and release it in memory of him.[1][2]

History

The song was written by John Waters originally for Divine to sing and perform but the actor had passed away before it could be recorded. As a result, the song was later pitched to Bronski Beat member Steve Bronski and he teamed up with singer Jessica James as she reminded him of "Eartha Kitt". However, eventually Bronski brought in Eartha Kitt herself to record the lines with James providing backing female vocals and Jonathan Hellyer for the male backing vocals and certain choruses. Hellyer also got his own solo part towards the end of the song with Kitt talking over him.[3] The songs lyrics and instrumentation were recorded by Bronski Beat members Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek in what would be Steinbachek's final chart song and video appearances with Bronski Beat. Although he did appear on the covers of "I Love the Nightlife" and "I'm Gonna Run Away from You" with Bronski and Hellyer before quietly departing the band and being replaced by Ian Donaldson.[4] Following the release of the single, the BBC interviewed both Bronski Beat and Kitt with stock footage of them passing through Hyde Park, and the song was also briefly shown on Top of the Tops.[5]

Music video and performances

The song was lip synced and performed on two television shows although not much exists to confirm where they were filmed. In one performance, all the members of Bronski Beat are present with Kitt and two male African dancers.[6] However, in a second one, Steinbachek is not present and only Hellyer and Bronski with Kitt and the same dancers are present.[7]

The music video was filmed in a nightclub and consists of Eartha Kitt performing in the club with two African male dancers and her eyeing up a man who was played by actor Rayner Bourton who played both Julius Scaramonger and Skarkill. He plays the main antagonist who is on a mission to steal the cha cha heels which are a pair of red high heels similar to what Divine wanted. Eartha Kitt plays the owner of the shoes and instructs henchman to get them back. Eventually Bourton's character is cornered with subluminal LGBTQ+ messages and props. Towards the end of the video, he is wearing the heels and Kitt plays a magic trick making him dance around in a circle before he is tired out and Kitt departs through a red fog.[8] Throughout the video, the members of Bronski Beat are seen wearing red glowing sunglasses when staring at certain points at Kitt and Bourton. They look through a spy mirror at the scenes with Bourton and Kitt with Hellyer on the right providing backing vocals while Bronski is on the left with a keyboard. Interestingly, Steinbachek is present for the intro and outro with the sunglasses being put on and close ups of the band but is missing from the rest of the video. Which is likely a result of him slowly departing the band at the time.[9]

Track listings

7" & Cassette

  1. "Cha Cha Heels" (Radio Mix) – 3:50
  2. "My Discarded Men" – 3:38

12"

  1. "Cha Cha Heels" – 6:40
  2. "Cha Cha Heels" (Radio Mix) – 3:50
  3. "My Discarded Men" – 3:38

12" (Remix)

  1. "Cha Cha Heels" (Remixed Version) – 7:10
  2. "Cha Cha Heels" (Radio Mix) – 3:50
  3. "My Discarded Men" – 3:38

Personnel

Musicians[10]

Technical

  • Rod Gammons – producer
  • Danny Hyde – engineer
  • Graham Bonnett – engineer
  • Peter Lorimer – assistant engineer
  • Rob Miller – assistant engineer
  • Francis Loney – photography

Charts

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 22
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 32

Covers

Steve Bronski teamed up with singer, Jessica James in 2015 with Bronski on backing vocals but this was simply a one off version of the song.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "Steve Bronski, founding member of Bronski Beat, dead at 61". OUTInPerth | LGBTQIA+ News and Culture. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  2. ^ Cochrane, Lauren; Cochrane, Interview by Lauren (17 July 2014). "Divine: the drag queen muse who is 'still so relevant now'". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. ^ reporter, Mike Boehm Mike Boehm is a former arts; Times, pop music critic for the Los Angeles (31 December 1988). "POP MUSIC REVIEW : Singer Adds Luster to New Bronski Duo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Larry Steinbachek". Sound Of The Crowd. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Bronski Beat & Eartha Kitt : Interview & video". YouTube. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Bronski Beat & Eartha Kitt : Cha Cha Heels". YouTube. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Eartha Kitt - Cha Cha Heels - 1989". YouTube. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Knightmare actor and Top of the Pops 1989 - Knightmare.com". www.knightmare.com. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Eartha Kitt & Bronski Beat – Cha Cha Heels (UK 12")". Burning The Ground: DjPaulT's 80's and 90's Remixes. 8 June 2023.
  10. ^ Cha Cha Heels (sleeve). Arista. 1989.
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cha Cha Heels". Irish Singles Chart.
  12. ^ "Eartha Kitt and Bronski Beat: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  13. ^ "Bronski Beat - Cha Cha Heels - Cover by Jessica James". YouTube. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  14. ^ "A Divine Tribute" (in French). 14 February 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
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