| Paloma Blanca | |
| Cover: | Paloma_Blanca_-_George_Baker_Selection.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | George Baker Selection |
| Album: | Paloma Blanca |
| B-Side: | Dreamboat |
| Label: |
|
| Producer: | Hans Bouwens |
| Prev Title: | Sing a Song of Love |
| Prev Year: | 1974 |
| Next Title: | Morning Sky |
| Next Year: | 1975 |
"Paloma Blanca" (Spanish for "white dove"), often called "Una Paloma Blanca", is a song written by Dutch musician George Baker (under his real name, Johannes Bouwens) and first recorded and released by his band, George Baker Selection. The single—the title track of the group's fifth album—was released in 1975 with "Dreamboat" (or "Dream Boat") as its B-side.[1] The song was a hit throughout Europe, reaching 1 in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, and it also topped the charts of New Zealand and South Africa.
In the United States, the song became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Easy Listening Singles chart on 14 February 1976 (becoming that chart's overall No. 1 song for 1976), peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. In Canada and the United Kingdom, "Paloma Blanca" peaked at No. 10, and in Australia, it reached No. 2. The song sold over two million copies worldwide.[2]
Baker has been quoted as saying the song is about "a poor South American farmer who works hard all day and then sits by a tree and dreams of being a white bird with its freedom."[3]
| Chart (1975–1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 2 |
| Denmark (IFPI)[5] | 15 |
| Italy (Germano Ruscitto)[6] | 10 |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[7] | 1 |
| Spain (El Gran Musical)[8] | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 26 |
| US Easy Listening (Billboard)[10] | 1 |
| US Hot Country Singles (Billboard)[11] | 33 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[12] | 22 |
| Chart (1975) | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] [14] | 11 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] | 2 | |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] | 1 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[17] | 1 | |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] | 1 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] | 4 | |
| South Africa (Springbok Radio)[20] | 6 | |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] | 2 | |
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[22] | 1 |
| Chart (1976) | Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[23] | 94 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[24] | 110 | |
| US Easy Listening (Billboard) [25] | 1 | |
| US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[26] | 157 |
Following the George Baker Selection's success, the song was widely covered. In the UK, where the group took "Paloma Blanca" to a number 10 chart peak, the recording by Jonathan King achieved number five.[27]
"I Am a Cider Drinker" is a cover version of the song created by The Wurzels in 1976, which contains a number of references to rural West Country life, including scrumpy, rabbit stew, combine harvesters and evenings at the local pub. The single was a number three hit.[28] A remastered version was produced in 2007, with an accompanying video.
