Cho Ka Ka O

"Cho Ka Ka O"
Single by Annie Cordy
Released	1985
Recorded	1985
Length	3:00
Label	CBS Records International
Songwriter(s)	Vivien Vallay Patrick Bousquet Pierre Carrel

"Cho Ka Ka O" or "Chaud cacao" ("Hot cocoa") is a song performed by Belgian singer Annie Cordy. The song was written by Vivien Vallay, Patrick Bousquet and Pierre Carrel. ^[1] The song was released in France and Belgium in 1985. The song sold more than two and a half million singles worldwide ^[2] In 2021, the song was criticized for being racist, a claim one of the writers, Vallay, denied. ^[3]

Gummibär version

"Cho Ka Ka O"
Single by Gummibär
from the album I Am Your Gummy Bear
Released	2008
Recorded	2007
Length	3:09
Label	Gummybear International
Songwriter(s)	Pierre Carrel / Patrick Bousquet / Andre Charles Tabutin [4]
Gummibär singles chronology
"I'm a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song)" (2007) "Cho Ka Ka O" (2008) "Itsi Bitsi Bikini" (2008)

Background

In 2007, German virtual singer Gummibär covered "Cho Ka Ka O (Choco Choco Choco)" for his debut album I Am Your Gummy Bear . This version peaked at number 16 on the French chart. ^[5]

Music video

"Cho Ka Ka O" was released on March 23, 2008 on YouTube and features Gummibär dreaming of being immersed in a tropical island virtual video game reality. He then gets into a series of mishaps such as being run over and hit by coconuts, getting covered in hot chocolate, and being chased by crabs. He is also shown doing the hula dance. As of September 2023, the song has 280 million views.

Charts

Annie Cordy version Chart (1985) Peak position France (SNEP) [6] 18

Gummibär version Chart (2007–08) Peak position Australia Physical Sales Chart (ARIA Charts) [7] 37 France (SNEP) [5] 16

Covers

• In 2013, the controversial comedian Dieudonné made a cover of the song by turning the words : this new version, entitled "Shoananas" (in reference to The Holocaust), earned the comedian a sentence to a €28.000 fine for defamation, libel and incitement to hatred and racial discrimination. ^[8]
• In 2015, Chico & the Gypsies made a cover of the song during the show "This is Your Life Annie Cordy".
• In 2017, some lyrics of Cho Ka Ka O featured on Lartiste song Chocolat.

References

1. "Site officiel d'Annie Cordy : Discographie 1980". Archived from the original on 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2014-07-03.
2. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "C'est votre vie !" Annie CORDY (France 2). YouTube .
3. "Cho Ka Ka O" d'Annie Cordy, une chanson raciste ? "Elle ne l'est pas et ne le sera jamais" réagit son auteur Vivien Vallay
4. "Gummibär - Cho Ka Ka O Lyrics".
5. "Lescharts.com - Funny Bear - Cho Ka Ka O".
6. "Annie Cordy – Cho ka ka o" (in French). Le classement de singles.
7. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 122.
8. http://www.liberation.fr/societe/2013/11/28/shoah-nanas-dieudonne-condamne-a-28-000-euros-d-amende-en-appel_962684. Archived 2014-08-30 at the Wayback Machine