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How Neneh Cherry Reinvented a Finished Song To Score an Iconic 80s Hit
Neneh Cherry's 1989 hit "Buffalo Stance" began life as a rap she improvised for a 1987 B-side, "Driving With The Wild Bunch," before she and producers Tim Simenon and Mark Saunders reworked it into one of the decade's most distinctive pop singles. The story illustrates how a seemingly finished piece of music can be salvaged and transformed with fresh production into something far more culturally significant, turning a minor side project into a defining hit of the era.
Cherry, raised in Sweden with musical roots through her Sierra Leonean father and stepfather Don Cherry, had recorded her original rap for a B-side released by her future husband Cameron McVey and Jamie Morgan. A year later, with a solo deal secured, she rebuilt the track with Simenon and Saunders, who added scratching, samples, guitar and a signature synth hook. The reworked song, "Buffalo Stance," reached number three on the pop charts in 1988, became the centrepiece of her debut album Raw Like Sushi, and its lyrics—dismissing a flashy "gigolo" in favour of genuine affection—cemented its status as a feminist pop anthem.
In short
- Neneh Cherry reworked an old B-side rap into "Buffalo Stance"
- Producers Tim Simenon and Mark Saunders helped transform the track
- The 1988 single reached No. 3 and became a feminist pop classic
Explained simply
Neneh Cherry's "Buffalo Stance" became one of the 1980s' most memorable pop songs, yet it started from modest beginnings. In 1987, Cherry improvised a rap for a B-side, a lesser-known song that accompanied a major single release. A year later, with a solo record deal in hand, she and producers Tim Simenon and Mark Saunders completely reimagined the track with new instrumentation and a distinctive electronic hook.
Cherry brought a distinctive perspective to pop music through her mixed heritage—raised in Sweden with a Sierra Leonean father and a stepfather, the musician Don Cherry, who influenced her artistic direction. When "Buffalo Stance" was released in 1988, it quickly climbed to number three on the pop charts and became the centrepiece of her debut album Raw Like Sushi. The song's lyrics, which dismissed a shallow "gigolo" character in favour of genuine connection, resonated with audiences and helped establish Cherry as an artist with something meaningful to express.
This story illustrates an important principle in popular music: pieces that initially seem finished or minor can be transformed completely through fresh creative input and better resources. Cherry's decision to reconsider and rebuild the original recording, rather than release it as initially conceived, resulted in one of the decade's most significant pop moments. It demonstrates that successful hits do not always emerge fully formed—sometimes the best version of a song only emerges through time, collaboration and the right production team.