Song:Puttin' on the Ritz
Album:I Love 80s
This synth pop cover of the Irving Berlin standard Puttin' on the Ritz was a dance hit in Europe and then it crossed over to pop and was a top five hit in 1983. It was the only big hit for Taco Ockerse. He was born July 21, 1955 in Jakarta, Indonesia but he grew up in The Netherlands. He studied interior design and acting at the International School in Brussels, Belgium. He moved to Hamburg, Germany in 1974. For the next few years Taco was a member of the Thalia Theater ensemble and appeared in several musicals. Then he formed the band Taco's Bizz in 1979. After releasing a couple of singles on Polydor in Germany, he got together with disco producers David Parker and Werner Lang and signed with RCA. The 1982 album After Eight was synth pop covers of standards. Singin' in the Rain was the first single. That went nowhere but the second single Puttin' on the Ritz was a big dance hit in Europe. After RCA released it in the US, it reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983. There is a music video but it has been banned due to blackface images. I think they were trying to emulate 30s musicals and there was plenty of blackface in those films. I did find the video on Youtube but it wasn't good enough quality to use and I expect that it will be deleted anyway. That was Taco's only chart hit and you can get it on this various artists budget comp. Taco continued to record in Germany but he is a one hit wonder here. He continues to perform and he has also done acting on TV in Germany. Here's Taco performing Puttin' on the Ritz on Top of the Pops 1983.
It is a real shame to see his and other videos being deleted because right now we find them "offensive". I liked some of his videos and for me the song was a guilty pleasure. One day when this madness passes people will look back in regret for everything lost. Thanks again for the Bio and the one video Frank. David.
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