Do you remember Mithun and Kim in “Jimmy Jimmy”?
WATCH VIDEO: “Jimmy Jimmy Ajaa Ajaa” from Disco Dancer
"Jimmy Jimmy" was originally a punk rock song by Northern Irish band The Undertones.
In 1979, this song was released and soon reached at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.
WATCH VIDEO: “Jimmy Jimmy” by The Undertones
But, the Undertones “Jimmy Jimmy” has nothing to do with Bappi Lahiri’s classic from the Disco Dancer (1982).
Disco Dancer was a Bollywood musical drama starring Mithun Chakraborty.
The film tells the rags-to-riches story of a young street performer.
But the film became famous world-over for its peppy disco tracks.
Disco songs composed by Bappi Lahari includes "I am a Disco Dancer" and "Yaad Aa Raha Hai" and the super popular “Jimmy Jimmy.”
Parvati Khan who sang the song "Jimmy Jimmy" won a Gold Disc award.
The film’s popularity extended to Southern and Central Asia, Eastern and Western Africa, the Middle East, East Asia, Turkey and Soviet Union.
Bappi Lahiri Source: Bappi Lahiri Youtube
Parvati Khan Source: Parvati Khan Youtube
In fact, Disco dancer was one of the most successful Indian films in Russia and made Mithun a household name.
In 1998, Russian techno group Ruki Vverh mixed "Jimmy Jimmy."
And then it was the main attraction on a Russian reality show.
WATCH VIDEO: “Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja” performed in Russia
Baimurat Allaberiyev, an ethnic Uzbek from Tajikistan, became an internet sensation by singing "Jimmy Jimmy" in a warehouse.
To double the entertainment he sang it in both male and female voices.
WATCH VIDEO: "Jimmy Ajaa”
In 2007, popular British-Sri Lankan artist M.I.A. recorded Bollywood’s "Jimmy Jimmy" for her second studio album - Kala.
This song was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam, Dave "Switch" Taylor and Bappi Lahiri.
WATCH VIDEO: “Jimmy” by M.I.A.
The song was re-arranged as an uptempo pop-electro tune with disco influences.
M.I.A. and Switch say they wanted to create a dance-pop disco record using a song that the singer was familiar with from her childhood.
"My mum used to hire me out when I was a kid...as a party buffer.... 'Jimmy' was my track that I used to do my routine to. I had a little tape recorder, and a cloak and a cardboard cut out guitar, and that was my joint," M.I.A. told Wayback Machine.
The music of this song was also used in the final scene of Adam Sandler’s movie You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008).
WATCH VIDEO: Zohan ending fight from You Don't Mess with the Zohan
Russian artists DJ Slon and Angel-A also produced a cover version.
WATCH VIDEO: “Jimmy Jimmy” by DJ Slon and Angel-A
Another Russian version takes “Jimmy Jimmy” to hilariously totally another level of interpretation.
WATCH VIDEO: “Jimmy Jimmy”
“Jimmy Jimmy” even has a Tibetan version produced by artist Kelsang Metok.
Recently, DJ KSHMR played “Jimmy Jjimmy” to a packed house at Sunburn 2016.
WATCH VIDEO: KSHMR play "Jimmy jimmy aaja" at Sunburn 2016
But, it is hard to believe that Bappi Lahiri originally composed "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja"!
Bappi da lifted “Jimmy Jimmy” from the 1980 hit song "You're Ok" by Ottawan.
WATCH VIDEO: “You' re O.K.” by Ottawan
Looking at all the versions of "Jimmy Jimmy" we can say that this Bollywood hit is now part of folklore.
