The Late, Great Desi Arnaz Plays The Hell Out Of "Babalu"

Throughout the run of I Love Lucy the word Babalu was more a punchline than anything; I used to watch the show and hear the word and wonder why the audience went into hysterics at the mere mention of it. I mean, it is a funny word, but still...

It wasn't until I got a chance to watch the entire series in reruns on KVOS-TV (a kind of primitive version of TV Land where I earned my Ph.D in sitcoms) that I first saw the above clip, and recognized both the manic power of the song and the immense talent of the man performing it.

Written by Margarita Lecuona, the Santeria-flavored ditty was first recorded by Desi Arnaz in 1946 and released by RCA Victor.
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