"Maoris on 45"
Single by The Consorts
ReleasedMay 1982 (1982-05)
Genre
Length3:12
LabelRCA Victor
Songwriter(s)Traditional
Producer(s)Dalvanius Prime
Music video
"Maoris on 45" at NZ On Screen

"Maoris on 45" is a 1982 novelty single by New Zealand group the Consorts, produced by Dalvanius Prime. Inspired by the Dutch hit single "Stars on 45" concept, the song was a Māori language medley of songs performed on the guitar, including "Pā Mai", "Me He Manu Rere", "Hoki Mai e Tama Mā", "E te Hokowhitu" and "Taringa Wairua". The song was a hit in New Zealand, reaching number four.

Background and composition

The song was based on a sparse hand-clap and guitar arrangement.[1] The song was produced by Dalvanius Prime (later known for the Pātea Māori Club), however Prime did not want his name associated with the record.[2] Terence O’Neill-Joyce (of Ode Records) is the listed producer on the single.[3] Prime created the song as a tribute to the songs created at parties on the guitar of his childhood, and the Māori "jingajik" strum style of guitar.[4][3] The song featured a bridging verse in English, followed by a medley of traditional songs including "Pā Mai", "Me He Manu Rere", "Hoki Mai e Tama Mā", "E te Hokowhitu" and "Taringa Wairua".[3][5]

The Consorts were a group created specifically for this song, and Prime was commissioned to create the group.[4] One of the members of the group is Jay Laga'aia, later famous as an actor.[6]

The song was a sleeper hit, debuting at number 12 on the New Zealand charts, and five weeks later peaking at number four.[7] The song was the 39th top single of 1982 in New Zealand, with only three other local artists among those having higher placed singles on the annual chart: Split Enz, Sir Howard Morrison and Prince Tui Teka (the latter's single "E Ipo", was another Māori language single produced by Prime, and was the top performing single by a New Zealand artist that year).[4][8] The success of the song was one of the reasons which led to Prime forming his own record label in 1984, Maui Records.[2]

Track listing

  • NZ 7-inch single[5]
  1. "Maoris on 45"  – 3:12
  2. "Maoris on 45" (Singalong)  – 3:12

Charts

Chart (1982) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1982) Position
New Zealand Singles Chart[8] 39

References

  1. ↑ "The search for the sound of young Polynesia". Tu Tangata. No. 15. 1 December 1983. p. 5. Retrieved 12 November 2021 – via Papers Past.
  2. 1 2 "Maoris on 45". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Brown, Michael (23 February 2017). "Ten Riffs on the Maori Strum". Audio Culture. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Cammick, Murray (29 May 2013). "Dalvanius Profile". Audio Culture Iwi Waiata. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  5. 1 2 Maoris on 45 (7-inch Single liner notes). The Consorts. RCA Victor. 1982. 103990.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ Maniapoto, Moana (23 July 2016). "Dalvanius — no one-hit wonder". eTangata. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  7. 1 2 "The Consorts – Maoris on 45". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  8. 1 2 "END OF YEAR CHARTS 1982". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
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