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Review, Analysis and Recordings Containing
Bo Mambo!
Bo Mambo! Monophonic
  (Moisés Vivanco, Billy May - 3:17)
Recorded in 1954

Review and Analysis of Bo Mambo! by Nicholas E. Limansky
From Yma Sumac - The Art Behind the Legend
used with permission - all rights reserved, © Nicholas E. Limansky
Read more on the Legacy of the Diva Web site!
This is a good first song for the album.  The introduction boasts brilliant brass writing, after which Yma enters with a bouncy tune in her most seductive contralto voice.  (The "lyrics" resemble a type of bastardized Spanish.)  This melody is repeated up an octave and the middle section finds Yma intimately carressing a descending line of "Ay-yay-yay-yay-yay-yay" which is repeated three times.  The finish has a repetition of the theme and a slow glissando to high B flat.
Bo Mambo!  is included on the following releases
catalog no: AMR536
Another collection featuring tracks from Yma Sumac's various Capitol Records releases of the '50s. This release is available only as a download. 2010 United Kingdom
catalog no: ASIN: B002B2LZWC
Another collection of download only tracks that includes several of Yma Sumac's early South American recordings along with her later cuts from Capitol Records. Interestingly, the makers of this release chose to use English translations for some of the songs but the track listing shown here has been . . . 2008 United Kingdom
Download-only version of Yma Sumac's Mambo!, probably a bootleg as no EMI/Capital Records licensing information could be found. These are the same tracks that can be found on legitimate releases of Mambo! but in a different order. The exact country of origin is unknown. 2013 Australia
catalog no: AMR381
Download-only version of Yma Sumac's 1954 Mambo recordings. 2010 United Kingdom
catalog no: ASIN: B002GM2RAQ
A download-only collection of recordings that includes several of Yma Sumac's early songs from South America along with her later material. Although the exact country of origin is vague and it seems to appear most often on sites in Germany, the record label seems to be located in the United Kingdom. . . . 2006 United Kingdom
catalog no: FB-284
High Fidelity demonstration disk with four popular Capitol Stars on side one and three classical recordings on side two. 1954 United States
catalog no: EAP 1-564
Fourth album 1955 United States
catalog no: EAP 1-564
One of Yma Sumac's most popular albums, Mambo! was released many times over around the world. This French release is part 1 of a two part EP. 1955 France
catalog no: EAP-1-564
Australian pressing with Optional Centers, which were molded as part of the disk in such a way as to be removable. They allowed the EP to be played on a turntable without the need of a spindle adapter but once broken out, the center could not be put back in again. 1955 Australia
catalog no: H-564
This particular release was the first pressing of Yma Sumac's fifth album and both then when it was new, and now, it is one of her most popular albums. 1954 United States
catalog no: L-564
As with most South American pressings, this release from Brazil was made by Odeon. 1955 Brazil
catalog no: H-564
Unusual South American pressing with woodgrained borders 1955 Argentina
"Promo test" pressing as a three LP set of a Compact Disc collection with the same title featuring many performers along with three of Yma Sumac's Mambo! tracks. 2002 France
catalog no: ST-26 498
12" LP compilation from Spain.  Manel Domínguez-Navarro, who wrote the liner notes, is a regular visitor to this site and is also an Yma Sumac fan. 1982 Spain
catalog no: SAL 9027
Boxed 12" LP compilation demonstration recording and mastering techniques. Booklet includes details about each track and performer 1955 United States
catalog no: T-564
A reissue, first 12" LP release of fourth album with additional tracks from Capitol vaults 1956 United States
catalog no: M-11892
Reissue of fourth album with additional tracks from Capitol vaults.  This is an abridged version (as noted on the lower back sleeve) which is missing Cha Cha Gitano from side two that is found on most other 12" LP and later reissues. 1979 United States
catalog no: 599331
Some later reissues of this title were abridged and had only ten tracks but this one is complete with eleven. 1987 France
catalog no: 7 80863
Reissue of fourth album which had only eight tracks, with additional tracks from Capitol vaults to fill the larger 12" LP format 1987 Greece
catalog no: UV-120
Another vinyl release by the Italian company which already released Voice of the Xtabay, Inca Taqui and Legend of the Sun Virgin on vinyl. 2005 Italy
catalog no: SL-9799
Red-tone cover photo, available mail order only 1988 United States
catalog no: 7243 8 317161 3
Double LP Compilation from Greece features tracks from Voice of the Xtabay, Mambo! and Legend of the Jivaro 1971 Greece
catalog no: 12 801
Collection with a track by Yma Sumac 1996 United States
catalog no: BYD77004
27 track compilation featuring pre-1955 material along with several 1943 Argentina Session tracks. Good selection of material but the booklet contains many inaccuracies over the usual. For example, her name was spelled as Ymma throughout when that spelling was used only on one obscure release from t . . . 2008 United Kingdom
catalog no: C02152
Interesting compilation with three tracks by Yma Sumac and another by Bas Sheva, Les Baxter's later vocalist in the exotica realm. 2002 France
catalog no: PS39015
A collection featuring tracks drawn primarily from Yma Sumac's Mambo! (1954) and her Legend of the Sun Virgin (1952) albums with several others from various albums and singles. 2007 Germany
catalog no: 2711402146
Unusual Compact Disc collection from Greece, apparently available for only a single day as a promotional by a weekly newspaper. Packaged in a long DVD-type sleeve. 2008 Greece
catalog no: 4832692
EMI Rarities reissue of fourth album from France 1995 France
catalog no: 0777-7-80 863-2-1
Reissue of fourth album, first CD reissue 1996 United States
catalog no: 0777-7 8063-2-1
CD reissue on the Capitol Right Stuff label. From Canada, this release has a clear tray rather than a solid yellow one as found on the U.S. releases and has advertisments behind the disk. Image at the right shows the cover in the tray with the Valu Plus text showing from below.. 1996 Canada
Peruvian CD-R reissue of Mambo! using the Fuego del Ande cover art.  It is not known if this is a promotional release or a homemade CD-R.  2000 Perú
catalog no: TK-504
Compact disc made from vinyl sources pairs two records on one disk, with the two original cover arts on opposite sides of the CD packaging.  It is interesting to note that this CD has the uncut version of Sojello which has not been heard in that form since the early releases after which the master . . . 1994 United States
catalog no: CREVO 48 CD
Compact disc compilation with previously-unreleased tracks including several instrumentals.  This is a great compilation but is hard to find. 1997 United Kingdom
catalog no: CRREV175
Reissue of popular collection from England. Not to be confused with the reissue using the same cover art, this CD is a compilation that features previously unreleased material. 2002 United Kingdom
catalog no: ASIN: B001P5MG6A
Collection from the United Kingdom features tracks ranging from Yma Sumac earliest material from 1943 to 1954 at the height of her career. Includes tracks from Voice of the Xtabay (1950), Legend of the Sun Virgin (1952), Inca Taqui (1953) and Mambo! (1954) and also included are her two singles from . . . 2009 United Kingdom
catalog no: 796 642-1
Contains Voice of the Xtabay and half of Mambo!, volume one of two 1991 France
catalog no: INTROCD2086
Another compilation of early '50s material by Yma Sumac. 2006 United Kingdom
catalog no: MM1692
A collection from France with a song by Yma Sumac. 2006 France
catalog no: 7243-8-37 518-2-2
CD single with a track each of the 1996 CD reissues 1996 United States
catalog no: 7243837518-2-2
Reissue of CD single with a track each of the 1996 CD reissues and new cover art to match the Ultimate Yma Sumac Collection 2000 United States
catalog no: CD-367
Compact disc compilation. 1995 Italy
catalog no: CD 367
Part of a series of public domain CD releases from Promo Sound, formerly listed here is being in Italy but their business headquarters are in Ireland. 1997 Ireland
catalog no: CD 31507
Another compilation featuring selections from Yma Sumac's first four Capitol Records albums. This release is part of the Entertainers of the World series. Although the country origin is not stated anywhere on the packaging inside or out, the publisher is located in Ireland. This release does not hav . . . 2009 Ireland
catalog no: PCD-1172
This compilation was the first CD released of Yma Sumac's material 1987 United States
catalog no: CDL 9568
Yma Sumac's first CD, this particlar pressing of the compilation was from Canada. 1987 Canada
catalog no: CDL 9568
Yma Sumac's first CD which in this case is a compilation.  This is a later reissue. 1991 United States
catalog no: CD 72 435-21 434-2-9
Compilation 2000 United States
catalog no: Promo
Compilation Promotional edition, Mfg. by Imperial Tape Company 2000 United States
catalog no: TOCP 50 037
CD compilation from Japan features a nice cross section of Yma Sumac's '50s material.  Now out of print, it still shows up once in a while. 1996 Japan
catalog no: EMI-RE-020 428
Contains early 1943 Argentina Session material, along with later Capitol Records tracks 1996 Perú
This CD compilation is one of the few known pressings from Greece in any format. 1997 Greece
catalog no: 3128692
Limited edition, subtitled Nova 1956-1980, seems to show unusual years for the Yma Sumac songs that are included, which have no relation to their original releases. Both are from her 1954 Mambo! album. 2007 France
2-CD set features one track by Yma Sumac from her 1954 Mambo! album. 2010 Italy
catalog no: 23351
76 Hits and Rarities from the goddess of Exotica. More details and track for this September 2012 collection coming soon. 2012 United Kingdom
Although this double CD has the tracks in a different order, it is basically the CD version of the LP, The Very Best of Yma Sumac, and is one of the few known pressings from Greece. 2003 Greece
catalog no: GSS 5482
This 3-CD set advertised as being from Holland but package and disk printing indicate it was made in Portugal. Released in March 2008 and contains 47 tracks, this boxed set contains three standard jewel cases all with the same cover art and no booklet or notes. The box cover is shown. 2008 Portugal
catalog no: 118734
Anthologie 1950-1959 Compact Disc set of Yma Sumac's containing all of Yma Sumac's 1950's Capitol Records original release catalog. Probably a bootleg as no EMI/Capital Records licensing information could be found. These tracks are included on legitimate releases of all the original albums. 2013 France
This 20 CD collection features full length and short versions of songs by many artists, including Yma Sumac. They contain intro and outro beats for easy mixing for DJs although we have not heard Yma Sumac's track to know whether it is intact or not. 2006 United States
catalog no: BLUE102CD
Double CD collection features remastered tracks from the 1943 Argentina Session along with those from the Capitol Records years. 2005 United Kingdom
Yet another compilation CD with the title of Queen of Exotica making three with that title. This one, which is a 2-CD set, combines four of Yma Sumac's '50s albums. 2005 United Kingdom
catalog no: 0777 7 99701 2 4
Two-CD reissue of Voice of the Xtabay (original eight tracks only), Mambo and Legend of the Jivaro, in one jewel case. Manufactured in Holland for EMI Germany. 1992 Germany
catalog no: B00006IWIC
Two CD set containing the entire Mambo! and Ultimate Yma Sumac Collection CDs, probably as individual CDs in a slipsleeve. 2002 France
catalog no: 4 M-11 892
This is the first, and as far as we know, the only cassette reissue of Yma Sumac's fourth album.  She toured and performed in several U.S. cities as part of the promotion, inclusing The Ballroom in New York and Theatre on the Square in San Francisco.  Abridged, this cassette release is missing Cha . . . 1987 United States
catalog no: 4 XL-9799
B/W cover photo, mail order edition. This early release has two addional tracks not found on later cassette reissues. 1988 United States
catalog no: PDK-2-1172
First cassette compilation has two tracks fewer than the compact disc version 1992 United States
catalog no: FE 020537
Contains early 1943 Argentina Session material, along with later Capitol Records tracks 1996 Perú
catalog no: promo
"Selections From the Forthcoming Albums" - this seldom seen cassette tape heralded the reissue of Yma Sumac's entire Capitol Records' catalog in 1996 and was later reissued on compact disc as Sampler Exotica with different, though similar, cover art and the same liner notes. 1996 United States
catalog no: TVT1320
Shown at the Cannes, Turin, Toronto and other film festivals, uses some material by Yma Sumac in the soundtrack. 78 minutes. Director: Nanni Moretti 1998 Italy
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