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Radio Bemba Sound System
Live album by Manu Chao
Released	17 September 2002
Recorded	4–5 September 2001
Genre	Latin, reggae, ska
Length	1:04:24
Label	Virgin
Producer	Renaud Letang
Manu Chao chronology
Próxima Estación: Esperanza (2001) Radio Bemba Sound System (2002) Sibérie m'était contéee (2004)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Entertainment Weekly	A−
Pitchfork Media	(8.0/10)

Radio Bemba Sound System is a live album by Manu Chao that was released in 2002. It is the accompanying CD to the performer's live DVD Babylonia en Guagua, filmed over two nights (4–5 September) in 2001 during the tour for Proxima Estacion: Esperanza. Many of the songs found on Radio Bemba Sound System, such as "Machine Gun", "Peligro","Mala Vida","King Kong Five" and "The Monkey", are songs originally recorded by Manu Chao's previous band, Mano Negra. However the arrangements performed with Radio Bemba Sound System are more reggae-, ska-, and rock-oriented. The album is sequenced and edited in such a way that there is very little audience noise and cheering between the tracks, thus giving the impression of an all-night happy party - which calms down in the penultimate track ("Minha Galera") only to explode again in the last one ("Promiscuity"); the cheering at the end of "Promiscuity" is cut short by a very early fade.

Track listing

1. "Intro" – 0:50
2. "Bienvenida a Tijuana" – 01:55
3. "Machine Gun" – 02:13
4. "Por Dónde Saldrá el Sol?" – 02:41
5. "Peligro" – 03:09
6. "Welcome to Tijuana" – 02:50
7. "El Viento" – 02:41
8. "Casa Babylon" – 02:34
9. "Por el Suelo" – 03:55
10. "Blood and Fire" – 02:35
11. "EZLN... Para Tod@s Todo..." – 01:41
12. "Mr. Bobby" – 03:36
13. "Bongo Bong" – 01:05
14. "Radio Bemba" – 00:20
15. "Qué Pasó Qué Pasó" – 00:54
16. "Pinocchio (Viaggio In Groppa Al Tonno)" – 00:45
17. "Cahí en la Trampa" – 02:10
18. "Clandestino" – 02:59
19. "Rumba de Barcelona" – 03:31
20. "La Despedida" – 04:02
21. "Mala Vida" – 02:26
22. "Radio Bemba" – 00:34
23. "Qué Pasó Qué Pasó" – 01:10
24. "Pinocchio (Viaggio In Groppa Al Tonno)" – 00:45
25. "La Primavera" – 03:32
26. "The Monkey" – 01:59
27. "King Kong Five" – 02:44
28. "Minha Galera" – 03:17
29. "Promiscuity" – 01:44

Personnel

Radio Bemba Sound System is also the name of Manu Chao's backing band, named for the communication system used in the Sierra Maestra by the Castro-and-Guevara-led rebels in the Cuban Revolution.

• Vocals and rhythm guitar – Manu Chao
• Lead guitar – Madjid Fahem
• Bass guitar – Jean Michel Dercourt a.k.a. Gambeat
• Drum kit – David Bourguignon
• Percussion – Gerard Casajus Gaita
• Keyboards – Julio García Lobos
• Vocals – Bidji a.k.a. Lyricson
• Trumpet – Roy Paci
• Trombone – Gianny Salazar Camacho
• Accordion – B-Roy

Charts

Certifications

References

1. Radio Bemba Sound System at AllMusic
2. Hermes, Will. "Music Review: Radio Bemba Sound System", Entertainment Weekly, 25 October 2002.
3. Pitchfork Media review
4. "Austriancharts.at – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
5. "Ultratop.be – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
6. "Ultratop.be – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
7. "Danishcharts.dk – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
8. "Dutchcharts.nl – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
9. "Lescharts.com – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
10. "Offiziellecharts.de – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
11. "Italiancharts.com – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
12. "Norwegiancharts.com – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
13. "Swedishcharts.com – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
14. "Swisscharts.com – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
15. "Rapports Annuels 2002". Ultratop. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
16. "Canada's Top 200 Alternative albums of 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on September 2, 2004. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
17. "Top de l'année Top Albums 2002" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
18. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2002". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
19. "Jaaroverzichten 2003". Ultratop. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
20. "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
21. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2005". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
22. "French album certifications – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
23. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 964. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
24. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Radio Bemba Sound System')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.

• Manu Chao albums
• 2002 live albums
• Virgin Records live albums