Babalu (album)

Infobox Album | Name = Babalu
Type = Album
Artist = Michael Bublé


Released = 2001
Recorded =
Genre = Jazz
Easy listening
Length = 40:53
Label =
Producer =
Reviews =
Last album = "First Dance"
(1996)
This album = "Babalu"
(2001)
Next album = "Dream"
(2002)

"Babalu" is a Michael Bublé album released before his studio debut album, "Michael Bublé" was recorded. It was released in 2001, but was not widely commercial.

Track listing

# "Spiderman Theme"
# "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby"
# "You'll Never Know"
# "Lazy River"
# "Oh Marie"
# "Can't Help Falling in Love"
# "Bill Bailey"
# "Buona Sera"
# "When You're Smiling"
# "What a Wonderful World"
# "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
# "Mack the Knife"
# "La Vie en Rose"

Album trivia

Michael Bublé has stated that his interest in singing jazz and swing standards stems from his listening to old Mills Brothers recordings, as is evident on albums such as Babalu, where he actually re-records several Mills Brothers hits, such as "Lazy River."

The title, "Babalu", refers to the Vancouver night club where Buble regularly performed in the late 1990's before gaining broad recognition outside of his home town. The club has since become Doolin's Irish Pub, located on Granville Street at Nelson. The word Babalu is a reference to a word used in Latin dance clubs; specifically Cuban dance clubs during the 1920s. Also seen, as such, with the character of Ricky Ricardo (influenced by the Desi Arnaz hit song "Babalu" in the 1940s) on the classic TV comedy series "I Love Lucy". The word originally refers to "Babalú-ayé", an orisha or deity in the Santería religion.

The album title, "Babalu" is often seen written as "BaBalu" because on the album art, the second B is also capitalized.

The track "Spiderman Theme" was remixed by Junkie XL, released as a single and also used in the movie "Spider-Man 2."