For some odd reason we nicknamed our grandson Babaloo!!!!!!! It wasn't because of Club Babaloo on I Love Lucy but I have since become a fan and would like to know what Babaloo means. I would also like to find the words to the song Ricky sings with Babaloo in it.
Thanks (:

Recently on network TV, Lucy Arnez & Desi Jr. hosted a show about their parents & showed many old film clips. During the clip showing Desi Sr. doing his famous "Babaloo" signature song, Desi Jr. told the meaning of the song. IF I heard it right..., the song Babaloo was a native "chant or prayer" to the native's Gods. Something like the way the old Hawaiian natives sang to their Gods. At least, I THINK that this is close to what he said about the song. Bob P.

Certainly does seem to be the case, according to most sources. Possibly of African origin originally, though clearly given extra Spanish lyrics at some point. The sleeve notes for The Mambo King - The Best Of Desi Arnaz say that it was probably an old tribal chant to Chango, an African god of war, which was first recorded by Benny Carter, then toned down a lot and popularised by Xavier Cugat. Desi apparently first played it in 1946 at Ciro's, which is one performance I would love to have seen. He gave it so much more force and power than most previous versions, so it must have been one hell of a shock to anybody familiar with the Cugat version!

:wave: