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The band debuted as Renaissance in 1968, with a one-shot single "The Hi-Way Song" on GNP Crescendo, which did not chart. Shortly thereafter, they changed their name to Shango. The full line-up consisted of Tommy Reynolds (keyboards, percussion; later of Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds), Richie Hernandez (guitar), Malcolm Evans (bass), and Joe Earle (drums, listed on the cover of the A&M album as Joe Barile). Hernandez and Evans handled most of the vocals.
Shango's best-known recording was their debut single, a 1969 Caribbean-flavored novelty hit called "Day After Day (It's Slippin' Away)" from their self-titled album Shango on A&M. Produced by Jerry Riopelle and co-written by Riopelle, Stuart Margolin and Reynolds, it mocked contemporary doomsday predictions that California was destined to be destroyed (presumably very soon) by an earthquake. The track reached #57 on the Billboard charts in the US. It was actually a bigger hit in Canada, where it sneaked into the top 40, peaking at #39 on the Canadian RPM charts.
Subsequent A&M singles were flops. Shango was dropped by A&M after their first album, but picked up by ABC/Dunhill, and assigned to producer Steve Barri. They recorded an album for ABC/Dunhill; the album's lead (and only) single "Some Things A... Read More ... Man's Gotta Do" hit #107 on Billboard in July, 1970. The song also peaked at number 70 in Australia.[2]
Shango dissolved shortly thereafter, with Reynolds moving almost immediately to Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds.
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