I hear the rhythms of the music I buy the product and never use it I hear the talking of the DJ Can't understand just what does he say?

Quick Hit

“Mexican Radio”, Wall of Voodoo (1983)

Pretty much a one-hit-wonder, or as some say, a rare gem, “Mexican Radio” was reminiscent of an old Clint Eastwood movie or something. It was like something from a spaghetti western. I have always liked the sassy punk feel to this unorthodox ditty, with its strange synthesisers and funky percussion. It is just a lot of fun.

The baritone Stan Ridgeway and guitarist Marc Moreland got the idea from listening to high-voltage Mexican unregulated AM radio – so called “border blasters”, reminiscent of the ‘pirate radio’ popular in the ‘50’s to ‘70’s in Europe. Although the U.S. had an agreement around FM radio output and Mexico complied, they didn’t worry too much about AM, as nobody much listened to it anymore.

Commercially the song was in the top 100, peaking at #54 in the U.S., but it seems to have become one of those songs that endures over time and appears on many ‘80’s compilations.

It always left me asking “Do they really eat bar-b-qued iguana?”