"Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)"

Wakelin wrote a tribute to the boxing champion Muhammad Ali who fought on 30 October 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire, against George Foreman in a matchup known as The Rumble in the Jungle. Ali gained victory in the eighth round. Wakelin used a reggae style at a time when West Indian music was growing in popularity. The new song was Wakelin's "Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)" released in late 1974.

In January 1975 the song reached number seven on the singles charts of both the UK^[2] and Australia. By October of the same year, it had reached number one in Canada on the RPM Singles Chart.^[3] It also spent six months in the US Billboard Hot 100 in more than one chart run in 1975, eventually peaking at No. 21 in September of that year.^[1][4]

Later songs

1975 brought a further single, "Cream Puff," backed by "Gotta Keep on Going"; it flopped, but both songs would be incorporated into Wakelin's March 1976 album, Reggae, Soul & Rock 'n' Roll.^[1]

A bigger success was "In Zaire", also about the 1974 fight, which reached the charts in many parts of Europe in 1976.

After few further releases ("Africa Man", "You Turn Me On", "Dr. Frankenstein's Disco Party") his success cooled down.^[1] He re-recorded his hit "In Zaire" in different versions which had a little success. He stayed active as a songwriter, and continued to release albums.^[1]

Wakelin sang "Where Seagulls Fly", the Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. anthem released for their appearance in the 1983 FA Cup Final.^{[citation needed]}

Albums

• Black Superman (1975)
• Reggae, Soul & Rock 'n' Roll (1976)
• In Zaire (1976)
• African Man (1976)
• Double Trouble (1978)
• Gems from the Pen (1984)
• Rock 'n' Country Blues (1996)
• From Ali to the Naz (1997)
• Sway with Me (2005)
• In Africa (2005)
• Right Before My Eyes (2006)
• No Smoking (2007)

Singles