Cuba (song)

"Cuba" is a 1978 song by French musical group Gibson Brothers, released as the first single from their fourth album of the same name (1979). It was the group's first charting single: In the US, "Cuba", went to #81 on the US Billboard Hot 100,^[2] and #9 on the Billboard Dance chart.^[3] Outside the US, upon its original release, it reached number one in Finland, and was a top 30 hit in Belgium, the Netherlands and West Germany. It also peaked at number 41 in the UK, however, following the success of their follow-up top 10 hit songs "Ooh, What a Life" and "Que Sera Mi Vida (If You Should Go)", it was re-released in 1980 as a double A side single with album track "Better Do It Salsa", reaching number 12 in the UK.^[4] However, its chart performance did not improve in the US due in large part to the anti Disco Backlash in the States at the time.

"Cuba"
Single by Gibson Brothers
from the album Cuba
B-side	"Cuba" (instrumental)
Released	1978, 1980 (re-issue)
Genre	Disco
Length	3:00 (Short Single Version) 4:20 (Long Single Version) 7:28 (Album Version) 7:45 (12" Version)
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Jean Kluger, Daniel Vangarde[1]
Producer(s)	Daniel Vangarde
Gibson Brothers singles chronology
"Heaven" (1977) "Cuba" (1978) "Ooh What a Life" (1979)
Music video
"Gibson Brothers - Cuba" on YouTube

Track listing

• 7" single (UK)

A. "Cuba" - 3:02

B. "Cuba" (Club Version)

• 7" single (US)

A. "Cuba" - 4:20

B. "Cuba" (Instrumental) - 4:20

• 7" single (1980 UK Re-release)

A. "Cuba" - 3:00

A. "Better Do it Salsa 1980" - 3:36

• 12" single

A. "Cuba" - 7:50

B. "Cuba" (Instrumental) - 7:50

• '88 remix single

A. "Cuba" ('88 Remix) - 8:11

B. "Cuba" (Original Version) - 6:27

• 12" single (1980 UK Re-release)

A. "Cuba" (Long Version) - 7:45

A. "Better Do it Salsa" - 6:43

Charts

Chart (1978-1980)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[5]	25
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7]	32
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5]	30
UK Singles (OCC)	12*
US Billboard Hot 100	81
US Disco Top 100 (Billboard)	9
US Hot R&B (Billboard)	64
West Germany (Official German Charts)[5]	22

(*Only after re-release in 1980)

Popular culture

• The song is featured in the background in a scene in the 1979 film North Dallas Forty and in the 2001 film Sexy Beast.
• The song had an unexpected resurgence in 2020 after Liverpool fans adopted it for new signing Thiago Alcântara.

References

1. "secondhandsongs.com". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 337.
3. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 110.
4. "officialcharts.com". officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
5. "Gibson Brothers - Cuba (song)". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
6. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Gibson Brothers". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 89. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
7. "Gibson Brothers – Cuba". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 26, 2022.

External links

• Gibson Brothers - Cuba on Discogs
• Music Video on YouTube