Alice Babs (born Hildur Alice Nilsson on January 26, 1924) is a singer and actor from Kalmar, Sweden. While she has worked in a wide number of genres, she is best known internationally as a jazz singer. Making her breakthrough in the Swedish film "Swing it Magistern" (1940), she appeared in more than a dozen Swedish language-films. In 1958, she was the first artist to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in 4th place with the song "Lilla stjärna" ("Little Star"). The same year, she formed the Swe-Danes with Ulrik Neumann and Svend Asmussen. The group would later tour the United States together, before dissolving in 1961. A long and productive period of collaboration with Duke Ellington started in 1963. Among other works, Alice Babs performed his second and third Sacred Concerts that were originally written for her. Her voice has an extreme range; Duke Ellington once said that when she did not sing the parts that he wrote for her, he had to use three different singers. Alice Babs currently resides in Spain.
Here, Alice Babs sings "Mama ist aus Kuba," her 1957 cover of Harry Belafonte's "Mama Look-A Boo Boo."
Thanks... glad you liked it :) I've heard the original many times. In fact, I think I have a 45 of it in my record collection.
onehundredfour 3 years ago
I love almost every song I have heard on Youtube by Alice Babs. The video (slide show) is excellent. This version is very good. Check out Harry Belafonte's version (Mama look a Boo Boo), which is the best recording of this song.
VealParmigiana 3 years ago 2
you betcha!
onehundredfour 3 years ago
ooooooh I have some competition now :)
BBCHZ 3 years ago 2