The Ritchie Family: African Queens [Full Album, Lyrics + Bonus] (1977)

The Ritchie Family’s third album Life Is Music did not yield any big hits like Brazil and The Best Disco In Town had been, and after an unsuccessful side-project with The Lovers’ Discomania in April 1977 (with vocals by The Sweetheart Of Sigma), Jacques Morali & Henri Belolo parted ways abruptly with Richard ’Richie’ Rome. Cheryl, Cassandra & Gwendolyn were quickly back in the studio again. Unlike the previous albums, African Queens was recorded away from Philadelphia, the new Sigma Sound Studios in New York were used instead, “and the frothy pop sound of the Life Is Music album has been replaced, for the most part, with a more audacious powerhouse disco styling,“ wrote Billboard’s Vince Aletti on July 9, 1977. “The vocals are rich and the music irresistibly grabbing. Clearly designed to match the hot, hedonistic mood of summer-in-the-city,“ “African Queens“ should be one of the season’s dominant albums.“ For the third summer in a row, The Rit