Wise Guy

Wise Guy (Tropical Gangsters outside the U.S. and Canada) was the third album by Kid Creole & the Coconuts -- Kid Creole being the on-stage persona of August Darnell, the Latin Lothario dressed in a sharp suit and wide-brimmed hat backed by a troupe of female singers dressed for a Caribbean holiday, which included his wife, Adriana Kaegi. It was the thumping bassline and irresistible beat of the song "Im a Wonderful Thing, Baby" that finally broke him through to the big time, but even better was to come as Kid Creole released two of the better fun pop songs of 1982, "Stool Pigeon" and "Annie, Im Not Your Daddy," totally irresistible, danceable, easy to sing along to, and guaranteed to bring a smile at a time when pop was dominated by synthesizers. Darnell brought a cool sense of style to the U.K. charts, hitting number three with Tropical Gangsters and remaining in the Top Ten for 11 weeks. Unfortunately, the Coconuts were given little to do, although their sassiness came through on the track "Loving You Made a Fool Out of Me." ~ Sharon Mawer