Ricardo Marrero And The Group* - Babalonia / My Friend

Funk / Soul, Latin

1975

Four different releases were made of “Babalonia” / “My Friend”, containing 3 different versions of each track. The first release of Ricardo Marrero and The Group’s "Babalonia" / "My Friend" contains the original versions of both Babalonia and My Friend (the latter sung by Angela Bofill). These first versions were recorded at Columbia University for the movie "Tecato (Jesus Saves)", which no-one seems to have seen. These recordings were issued as a 7” single on Marrero’s freshly founded Yu Qui Yu Records Inc. label as YQ-101. Unsatisfied with the sound quality of these first recordings, Marrero re-recorded both Babalonia and My Friend at Electric Lady Studios, with better sound and both versions slightly different in arrangement and speed than the first recordings. These second versions of both songs were released in their edited form as a 7" single on the Yu Qui Yu Records Inc. label, with the same catalog# YQ-101 as the first recordings. The re-recorded versions were also released in their unedited version on a Yu Qui Yu Records 7" single as YQ-102. Finally, a fourth release of "Babalonia" / "My Friend" happened on the Don King Productions label (DK-101), containing the same re-recorded edited versions as on the second Yu Qui Yu release.