Thomas August Darnell Browder (aka August Darnell, aka Kid Creole) was born in Montreal, Canada, on 12 August 1950, the son of a French Canadian mother and a father from the Caribbean island of Dominica, but was raised in the New York City borough of the Bronx.
Darnell began his career in a band named The In-Laws with his half-brother in 1965, which disbanded so August could pursue a career as an English teacher. He obtained a masters degree, but in 1974 again formed a band with his half-brother under the name Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. They played to some initial success, reaching a gold and Top 40-charting album with their debut release, but could not match this on subsequent releases.
Darnell began producing for other artists before adopting the name Kid Creole (from the Elvis Presley film King Creole) in 1980, and forming The Coconuts, a trio of female backing vocalist/dancers, including his wife Adriana Kaegi, and a band including vibraphone player Andy Hernandez aka Coati Mundi. Cheryl Poirier joined that year as lead vocalist of the Coconuts, followed by Taryn Hagey as "Coconut #3" on background vocals in 1981. This line-up remained in place throughout the band's heyday. Hagey left the group in 1985 and was replaced by Janique Svedberg.
Their debut album was the heavily disco-influenced Off the Coast of Me, which was critically well-received but not successful commercially. The sophomore release Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places was a concept album matched with a New York Public Theatre stage production; it received rave reviews, and Darnell was recognized as a clever lyricist and astute composer, arranger and producer. The album charted briefly, and subsequently Coati Mundi's "Me No Pop I", though not originally on the album, became a Top 40 UK hit single. Their breakthrough came with 1982's Tropical Gangsters, which hit #3 in the UK and spun off three Top 10 hits with "Stool Pigeon", "Annie, I'm Not Your Daddy" and "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby". "Dear Addy" also made the Top 40. In the US the album was retitled Wise Guy and reached #145, and "I'm a Wonderful Thing, Baby" flirted with the R&B charts. 1983's Doppelganger was a relative commercial disappointment, despite the single "There's Something Wrong in Paradise" reaching the Top 40.
Kid Creole and the Coconuts were a spectacular live act, complete with lavish set designs with a tropical motif, wild costumes and intricate choreography by the Coconuts (provided by Kaegi). On stage they infused an energy, rhythm and playfulness in their music that drove audiences wild. Though Kid Creole never achieved mainstream success in the US, the band was hugely popular in major cities (especially its hometown NYC) and hit pop superstar status in England and Europe, where its eclecticism and sophistication were much more appreciated.
Darnell and Kaegi divorced in 1985, though she remained with the band. She and Cheryl Poirier also formed their own group, Boomerang, with Perri Lister, which released an album on the Atlantic label in 1986. Darnell continued Kid Creole and the Coconuts and in the mid to late 1980s contributed to various film soundtracks and other such projects. He appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1986 and in this period released the albums In Praise of Older Women and Other Crimes and I, Too, Have Seen the Woods, neither of which charted despite the hit "Endicott". 1990's Private Waters in the Great Divide had a hit with single "The Sex of It", a song written by Prince and recorded at Paisley Park Studios with Sheila E. It reached Top 40 in the US and UK and is to date one of his most well-known songs.
Darnell now lives in London (and occasionally Sweden and Denmark), and still tours with the Coconuts occasionally. He is currently collaborating with writer/producer Peter Schott on a Contemporary Opera, to be produced by Son Of Kong Productions.The project features vocals/guitar by former Creole band member and rising star Mark Anthony Jones.
Through 1997 to 2008 Kid Creole toured the UK whilst starring in the stage show Oh! What a Night, a disco musical produced by Random Concerts.
The Kid is currently working with Younger and Lord highOwl, from audio-visual electronica project 'Picture Book' (www.myspace.com/picturebookaregreat), on new material, due in the new year.
Annie
Kid Creole & The Coconuts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When mama stayed in St. Tropez, she had a fall or two
And I'm telling it to you straight
So you don't have to hear it in another way
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy
Oh Annie
They say that out of sight is out of mind and child, believe it
Your mama was in search of love, but all she got was used
And I'm telling it to your face
So you don't have to hear it in another place
Bring it to me gently now
Don't forget, I'm just a child
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy (mama's baby's papa's baby)
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy (mama's baby's papa's baby)
See, if I was in your blood then you wouldn't be so ugly
Oh!
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
Yes, I'm telling it to you straight
So you don't have to hear it in another way
Bring it to me gently now
Don't forget, I'm just a child
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy (mama's baby's papa's baby)
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy (mama's baby's papa's baby)
The song "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy" by Kid Creole & The Coconuts is a narrative recounting of a young man's illegal relationship with a woman and the daughter she bore from him. In the first verse, the singer begins by explaining that sometimes people do unfair things in love and war, and confesses that while his mother was living it up in St. Tropez, she may have had some unsavory experiences. He then makes it clear to his potential daughter that he is not her father and wants to tell her directly so she doesn't have to hear it elsewhere.
In the second verse, the singer continues on the theme of a complicated family situation. He suggests that when people are out of sight, they are often out of mind, and that his lover was seeking love but ended up being used. Again, he emphasizes that he wants to tell her in person and gently so that she won't be hurt by hearing about it from someone else. Interestingly, towards the end of the song, the singer scathingly tells his potential daughter that if he were her actual parent, she wouldn't be so ugly.
Overall, "Annie I'm Not Your Daddy" is an assertive yet melancholy song that deals with the consequences of casual relationships and the complexities of familial connections.
Line by Line Meaning
They say that all is fair in love and war and child, believe it
People say that anything goes when it comes to love and war, and you should take their word for it.
When mama stayed in St. Tropez, she had a fall or two
When your mother was in St. Tropez, she had a few sexual encounters.
And I'm telling it to you straight
I'm being honest with you.
So you don't have to hear it in another way
I don't want you to hear this from someone else.
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy
Oh Annie
I'm not your daddy
I am not your biological father, Annie.
They say that out of sight is out of mind and child, believe it
When something or someone is out of sight, they are often forgotten about, and you should believe that.
Your mama was in search of love, but all she got was used
Your mother was looking for love, but she was taken advantage of instead.
And I'm telling it to your face
I am being honest with you, directly.
So you don't have to hear it in another place
I don't want you to hear it from someone else.
Bring it to me gently now
Tell me the truth, but be gentle about it.
Don't forget, I'm just a child
Remember, I am still young and vulnerable.
See, if I was in your blood then you wouldn't be so ugly
Oh!
If I were your biological father, you would not be so unattractive (implying that her appearance is not like his, therefore he cannot be her father).
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I don't wanna, I don't wanna be a
I do not want to be your father.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: August Darnell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dave piano
You cannot help feeling really wonderful with all that this performance offers: areal orchestra, a real show and a real music act performing a great fun song. It is absolute perfection.
michael g
I've seen them twice live in Chicago.
Same amazing show both times.
They have one of the best sound engineers in the business.
They sound as crisp and live as they do on recordings.
C vVv
🤩🤩
dave smith
The king of Zoot never ages and still has the voice and moves what a true performer.!!!
Dan Rogers
How can you not smile when there's stuff like this in the world
LordVampire99
:(
Jim Pickard
Always loved this song, but that performance is on another level !
Martine1love
So well said!
HitchHikersBlues
Indeed... Great record. I'm now dreaming of what it must be like to be in Barbados or somewhere like that 🌴🍹🏖
Eric Williams
That boy has some serious style. Very few people could wear those clothes and get away with, but the Kid just nails it!