Wonderful world, beautiful people - Amazulu

The reggae/ska/pop band Amazulu was started by Sharon Bailey and Lesley Beach, together with Rose Miner, the original lead singer. With Debbie Dread joining on drums, initially all the members were female. Miner was later replaced by Anne-Marie Ruddock, and Dread was replaced by John "Nardo" Bailey, whom they called their token male.

Their debut album Amazulu was quite successful, especially in New Zealand and Sweden. The biggest hit single taken from that album was 'Too good to be forgotten', originally recorded by the Chi-lites. By 1987, Ruddock and Bailey were the only members left and they released their second album Spellbound, which didn't chart. 'Wonderful world, beautiful people', a cover version of a song by Jimmy Cliff, was their final single, peaking at number 97 in the UK singles chart. 

My collection: 7" single no. 8447
Found: Plato, Leiden, 27 September 2026
Tracks: 'Wonderful world, beautiful people' / 'Wonderful world, beautiful people (instrumental)'