Well, the first hint to YMA I got through MARC ALMOND, who has a line in one of his songs. The song is MOTHER FIST, and is about himself satisfying himself. Anyways, the words go "and I wail just like Yma Sumac, mother fist she never complains". Throughout Marc Almonds tour of his album THE STARS WE ARE, he played Yma's MAMBO-LP as the intro music, while people were waiting for him, that was great and very much appropriate.
I have bought all the recordings of Yma since then, that I could get - hoping that I can fill my collection up with Yma Rocks! and Especially For You.
There is a film which I once saw. I must look up the title, which I am quite sure, is including one song by Yma, but she is not mentioned in the title. This film is not mentioned on this site so I wonder if I am right. Please, webmaster of this page, if you read this, give me a sign. In German the film was called DAS SCHWERT VON PERSIEN, I believe, and it featured JOAN COLLINS - that's what I remember at least. There is this scene, where in a romanic Ceasar's Palace or something like this, some girls are doing belly-dance, and the music, heard troughout this must be Yma. Then there is the harems eunuch or whoever saying something like: "Whats that son of a pregnant's dog wailing like. Stop it!" Funny, isn't it???
Another thing from German televison that springs to my mind is Yma's appearance on German trash-theatre-show, DIE SCHMIDTSHOW, which came from Hamburg and was presnted by gay theatre-crew of the SCHMIDTS TIVOLI. Yma was announced, entered the stage and began to sing. One must confess, that she was a little out of key. Anyways, some people in the first row of the theatre were chatting and Yma was so very disturbed by this, that she stopped her performance and left without any more words. The host of the evening was irritated, but knew he wouldn't get her back on stage, so he continued with the program. Funny, too!!!
That was, what I wanted to tell. I hope you enjoyed at least my faults of english language. Please mail me, if you want to, and if you are interested in exchanging Yma items or related music.
Bye, Hanko
posted by Archive Entry on Tuesday, April 20th, 1999 at 10:56:00 AM