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Johnny Wakelin (born 1939) is an English recording artist best known for songs like "Black Superman" and "In Zaire", both celebrating boxer Muhammad Ali.
In January 1975 the song reached number seven on the singles charts of both the UK and Australia. By October of the same year, it had reached number one in Canada on the RPM Singles Chart. Library and Archives Canada: RPM Top Singles Chart, October 25, 1975 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.
A bigger success was "In Zaire", also about the 1974 fight, which reached the record chart in many parts of Europe in 1976, including #4 in the UK Singles Chart.
After few further releases ("Africa Man", "You Turn Me On", "Dr. Frankenstein's Disco Party") his success cooled down. 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.
Wakelin sang "Where Seagulls Fly", the Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. anthem released for their appearance in the 1983 FA Cup Final.
| 1974 | "Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)" (as Johnny Wakelin & the Kinshasa Band) | 7 | 7 | — | — | 1 | — | 9 | — | 21 | 21 |
| 1975 | "Tennessee Hero (Elvis)" | — | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Cream Puff" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1976 | "Reggae – Soul – And Rock 'n' Roll" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "In Zaire" | 4 | 25 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 10 | 2 | — | — | |
| "Africa Man" | — | — | 8 | 24 | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1977 | "Doctor Frankenstein's Disco Party" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978 | "Afro Afrique" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979 | "Lay Down and Rock Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Grand Theft" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1983 | "Where Seagulls Fly" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986 | "Bruno" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988 | "Get Off the Street" (Germany-only release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989 | "One Million to One" (Germany-only release) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | |||||||||||
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