El Comite – Pasame el Hacha
Listen/Download – El Comite – Pasame El Hacha MP3
Greetings all.
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The track I bring you today is the result of one of the strangest bits of musical import/export that I have ever come across.
I have stated here before, and many times in many other places, that ‘Pass the Hatchet’ by Roger and the Gypsies is my all-time favorite 45. Period.
So, you can imagine my surprise, many years ago when I discovered that there was a version of it by a South American group.
Then, take that surprise, and multiply it exponentially when I discover that there were two different covers of ‘Pass the Hatchet’ by South American groups.
Then, take THAT (bear with me, please) and double it, when I find out that this was all based off of a release of the original version of the song in Argentina in 1970!
I don’t know how London Records decided to release ‘Pass the Hatchet’ in Argentina in 1970 (years after it’s original US/New Orleans release on Seven B), but when they did, it was popularized by a local DJ (whose name – once passed to me by a collector but since lost – I do not know) popularized it, so much so that it was covered by El Comite in 1971 and issued in both Argentina and Colombia on the Microfon label, and then again by Nicky and the Magnificents (on Interdisc, in a more new wave style) in 1977.
Naturally, king sized record nerd/obsessive that I am, I had to have both of these, which took me several years/dollars, but I did find them (an Argentinian pressing of Roger and the Gypsies still eludes me…).
That said, of the two covers, the version by El Comite is my favorite.
Sounding like it was recorded in a crowded subway station (though likely just ‘fake live” sound effects added in after the fact), ‘Pasame el Hacha’ moves along at a brisk pace with a heavily tremeloed guitar, pulsing bass, and drums.
The singer does his best to imitate Eddie Bo’s grunts and interjections, and the group adds a slightly psyched-out coda to the song with a guitar solo.
It may not pack the punch of the OG – and frankly, nothing does – but it’s such a cool/weird story, that as a ‘Hatchet’ completist I would be remiss were I not to bring it to you.
So dig it, and if any of you knows who that Argentinian DJ was, please drop me a line.
Until next week, let me chop it…
Keep the faith
Larry
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