Kinky Afro Explained

Kinky Afro
Cover:	Kinky Afro.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Happy Mondays
Album:	Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches
B-Side:	"Kinky Afro" (live)
Length:	3:55
Label:	Factory
Producer:	Paul Oakenfold Steve Osborne
Prev Title:	Step On
Prev Year:	1990
Next Title:	Loose Fit
Next Year:	1991

"Kinky Afro" is a single by the English alternative rock band Happy Mondays, produced by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne. It was the second single from the band's third studio album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches on 8 October 1990. The song's chorus paraphrases the Labelle song "Lady Marmalade". The song was originally going to be called "Groovy Afro", but was changed to "Kinky Afro" after British band the Farm released a similarly named song titled "Groovy Train" earlier in 1990.^[1]

Release

The song was the band's biggest hit in the United States, reaching number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It reached number five in the United Kingdom, tied with "Step On" as the band's highest-charting single there. "Kinky Afro" was also the band's highest-charting single in Australasia, peaking at number 63 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart and number 34 on New Zealand's Recorded Music NZ (then RIANZ) chart.

Music video

The music video was produced and directed by Keith Jobling of the Bailey Brothers.^[2]

Track listings

7-inch

1. "Kinky Afro" – 3:55
2. "Kinky Afro" (live) – 4:36

12-inch

1. "Kinky Afro" (12" mix) – 5:07
2. "Kinky Afro" (live) – 6:38

CD

1. "Kinky Afro" (Radio Edit) – 3:58
2. "Kinky Afro" (12" Mix) – 5:08
3. "Kinky Afro" (live) – 6:38

Australian 12-inch

1. "Kinky Afro" (Euromix) – 7:26
2. "Kinky Afro" (Euromix edit) – 4:15
3. "Step On" (US Dub mix) – 5:55

"Kinky Groovy Afro" 12-inch

1. "Kinky Groovy Afro" (Peter Lorimer mix) – 7:32
2. "Kinky Groovy Afro" (live) – 6:38

Source:^[3]

Charts

Chart (1990–1991)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[4]	63
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[5]	22

See also

• List of Billboard number-one alternative singles of the 1990s

Notes and References

1. Web site: Happy Mondays: How we made Kinky Afro. TheGuardian.com. 23 June 2014.
2. Web site: Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro . 20 March 2013 .
3. Web site: Kinky Afro. happymondays.de. 27 August 2020.
4. Book: Ryan, Gavin. Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. 2011. Moonlight Publishing. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia.
5. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 7. 44. V. 3 November 1990. 27 August 2020.