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Official Charts Pop Gem #9: Betty Boo – Doin’ The Do
05/10/2012
By Dan Lane
We like a pop tune. No, rephrase, we LOVE a pop tune. And throughout 2012 the Official Charts Company are celebrating 60 years of the Official Singles Chart – the home of said pop tunes.
But, ever wondered what happens to some songs when they disappear out of the charts, off radio playlists, pulled from music TV channels, never to be seen again?
Well, with a little help from you guys, every Friday OfficialCharts.com will be unearthing these lost glorious musical nuggets of pop brilliance with Official Charts Pop Gem!
This week’s Official Charts Pop Gem was suggested by OfficialCharts.com user Ross Carter. It’s Betty Boo’s Doin' The Do!
Betty Boo – Doin’ The Do
Born Alison Clarkson, the singer / rapper earned the nickname Betty Poop for her similarity to the 1930’s cartoon character of the same name, however she was later forced to drop the ‘p’ due to trademark issues.
Boo’s first hit was providing guest vocals on The Beatmasters’ 1989 smash Hey DJ, which peaked at Number 7 in the Official Singles Chart. Her first solo single, Doin’ The Do would hit Number 7 a year later. She would go on to clock up three more Top 40 albums, and the Number 4 album, 1990’s Boomania, which currently holds the title as the highest-charting album by a British female rapper.
“It’s a gem that was on my record player through most of the early ‘90s,” says Ross. “It still gets played (in MP3 format). I have both of Betty's albums and it's a pity she was not bigger, she could have been huge, like (the rather awful) Nicki Minaj is now.”
Steady now Ross!
Sadly Betty Boo’s solo career came to an abrupt end when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. But, at the request of music manager Chris Herbert, who cited her as the inspiration for a little girl group he was putting together called the Spice Girls, she decided to turn her hand to songwriting. To date she has penned tracks for Popstars winners Hear’Say (Pure And Simple), Louise, Dannii Minogue and um, er, The Tweenies!?!
So sit back, crank up the volume and enjoy a ‘a go-getter, you know, a trend setter’!
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