Boney M

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Boney M.
From left to right: Liz Mitchell, Bobby Farrell, Maizie Williams, Marcia Barrett
Background information
Origin West Indies/Germany
Genre(s) Disco, Dance-pop, Hi-NRG, pop
Years active 1975–-
Members
Liz Mitchell (1976- ) Official Line-Up
Marcia Barrett (1976- )
Maizie Williams (1976- )
Bobby Farrell (1976-83, 1985- )
Reggie Tsiboe (1983-1990)
Former members
Sheila Bonnick (1975)
Claudja Barry (1975)

Boney M. was a pop and disco group, comprised of four West Indian singers and dancers and masterminded by West German record producer Frank Farian, and who were successful during the 1970s. They sold nearly 150 million albums worldwide.[1]

Boney M., with their bubble-gum infectious tunes, became one of the few Western groups at that time to become well-known outside of the West, including Africa, Arab countries, Iran, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the USSR. To this day, along with Swedish pop group ABBA, they are among the most widely known 1970s Western music acts in these regions.

Contents

[edit] History

Frank Farian recorded the single "Baby Do You Wanna Bump?" in 1975, performing the sparse vocals of the song himself. Released under the name Boney M., it became a hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. It was then that Farian decided to hire a team of dancers and vocalists to 'front' the group, so it was created thereafter, and made up of four West Indian artists working in London, Germany and the Netherlands: singers Marcia Barrett and Liz Mitchell, model Maizie Williams, and DJ Bobby Farrell.

The line-up of the group went through numerous changes, Maizie Williams being the only original member that remained. Not satisfied with merely miming to Farian's songs, one of the members, Claudja Barry, left on short notice in February 1976 – days before the group was scheduled to appear on a local television gig in Saarbrücken. Liz Mitchell, then an unemployed singer and formerly a member of the Les Humphries Singers, was brought in as a temporary replacement for the gig, under the recommendation of Marcia Barrett. Farian was impressed with her performance, and she went on to record Boney M.'s first LP, Take The Heat Off Me, along with Marcia Barrett, who had already recorded some songs with Farian for the album; these were the title track, and "Lovin' Or Leavin'".

The commercial response to the album was lukewarm. However, the group rigorously toured discos, clubs and even country fairs, to earn a reputation for themselves. The group's big break came when, at the end of that summer, music-TV-producer Michael 'Mike' Leckebusch of Radio Bremen, requested the group for his show Musikladen. Boney M. appeared on the live music show on 18 September 1976, after 10pm, in their now trademark daring costumes; by the end of the following week, "Daddy Cool" became Germany's #1 single in the charts. The album was to follow the success of the single.

In 1977, Boney M. released their second album Love for Sale, and this contained further hits "Ma Baker" and "Belfast". Neither Love for Sale nor Take The Heat Off Me did very well in the UK Album Charts, due to their rather risqué covers. In 1978, Boney M. had their biggest year: they released a new single, "Rivers of Babylon", which became a massive-selling single all over Europe and #1 in the UK Singles Chart. (It also became their closest attempt to a hit in the United States, reaching number 30 on the U.S. pop singles chart). Next came their biggest-selling album, Nightflight to Venus, which spawned a further single "Rasputin". Continuing with their success, they released "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord", which was the 1978 Christmas number one single in the UK. Also during 1978, Boney M. toured the Soviet Union.

1979 saw Boney M. release their fourth album, Oceans Of Fantasy, containing two hit singles – "El Lute"/"Gotta Go Home" and "I'm Born Again"/"Bahama Mama". The track "No More Chain Gang", one of a number of black freedom songs the group recorded, exemplified Boney M.'s mix of white and black music – the producer Farian is white, and the singers are black. They also released another hit single, "Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday". In 1980, Boney M. released a greatest hits album, The Magic Of Boney M., which also contained two new songs, "My Friend Jack" and "I See A Boat On The River". This album made the #1 spot in the UK, and was their last big UK-seller until "Boney M. Megamix" in 1992. American-born singer Madeleine Davis, who was one of the group's recording backing vocalists, replaced Liz Mitchell for live concerts, because Liz wished to promote her solo career, rather than join Maizie, Marcia and Bobby on stage. She appeared in the video, "The Summer Mega Mix" and became a member of Marcia / Maizie and Bobby's Boney M. for the single release "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker".

Despite his success with Boney M., controversy followed the group's founder, Frank Farian, in what was to foreshadow his fakery involvement with Milli Vanilli. Bobby Farrell – the male face of the group – and Maizie Williams contributed to studio recordings, but, for reasons only known to Farian, were apparently left off the final mixes, while their numerous and highly competent live performances from 1977 onwards were never in any doubt. Almost all of the male vocals, along with some of the choir sections in songs such as "Dancing In The Streets" and "Bye Bye Bluebird", were performed by Farian himself. Farrell, as Farian had finally admitted on German television in 2003, had been chosen for his personality and innovative dancing. However, in Germany, it was considered acceptable that 'producer music' just works this way.

As of 2006, Liz Mitchell is currently touring the world with her line-up of Boney M., which is the only official line-up supported by Farian (the court ruling of 1990 stated that all four members are entitled to perform their own Boney M. shows), as well as releasing solo albums. Marcia Barrett has released two solo albums, and Maizie and Bobby are touring with their own Boney M. groups which is not what Farian wants as he only allowed Liz Mitchell to use the name Boney M. Bobby Farrell recorded his own Boney M. tribute album in 2005, and Maizie Williams released her first solo album Christmas 2006. Maizie Williams releases her version of "Sunny" as a single February 2007, while Madeleine Davis is currently working on a solo jazz CD to be released in 2007.

A musical based on the music of Boney M., Daddy Cool, is now open in London, with a second show opening in Berlin in April 2007.

In October 2006, pop singer Peter Wilson, who during the mid-90's scored a couple of Top 40 hits in his native Australia, recorded a brand new song, co-written by Frank Farian, which is to be included on his forthcoming album, "Follow Me" – due for release in mid-2007. The song entitled "Doin' Fine" is described as paying tribute to the 'sound' of Boney M. and features the infamous string arrangement from their number 1 hit, "Daddy Cool".

In a sign of their continued popularity in South Asia, a concert by Boney M. (featuring Marcia Barrett) was a featured attraction at the 37th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which took place on 23rd November 2006 in Panaji, the state capital of Goa, India. The group is also popular in the Vietnamese Diaspora, and was recently featured in Thuy Nga music productions.

In the UK, a new album of their greatest hits, entitled "The Magic Of Boney M." was released via BMG on 27 November 2006. Special additions to this release were a Mousse T remix of "Sunny" and a brand new song from 2006, featuring Liz Mitchell, entitled "A Moment Of Love".

On April 3rd, 2007, Boney M.'s first four albums were re-released to compact disc for the very first time in the US music market since their original releases.

Boney M. featuring Liz Mitchell will be doing a big concert tour in Germany in November 2007, playing live with band.

[edit] Line-ups

  • Liz Mitchell, Lead and backing vocals (1976–), Official Line-Up
  • Marcia Barrett, Lead and backing vocals (1976–)
  • Bobby Farrell, Dancer, vocals (1976–1982, 1984–)
  • Maizie Williams, Dancer, vocals (1975–)
  • Reggie Tsiboe, Lead and backing vocals (1982–1990)
  • Claudja Barry, Vocals (1975–1976)
  • Madeleine Davis, Backing vocals (1982–91)
  • Patricia Lorna Foster - as a member of Liz's official line-up (1993–)
  • Carol Grey - as a member of Liz's official line-up (1993–)
  • Tony Ashcroft - as a member of Liz's official line-up (1994-)
  • Sheila Bonnick – as a member of Maizie's line-up (1975, 1993-)

[edit] UK sales marks

In 1978, "Rivers of Babylon", with lyrics partly based on Psalm 137[2], became (at the time) the second highest-selling single of all time in the UK. After "Rivers Of Babylon" slipped back down the chart, the B-side "Brown Girl in the Ring" was given extensive airplay on the radio, and the single climbed back up the chart to #2. It eventually sold 500 copies short of 2 million.

The group also achieved a second UK million-seller with their version of the calypso classic "Mary's Boy Child/O My Lord", which was previously a million-seller for Harry Belafonte. On the list of the all-time best selling singles in the United Kingdom, Boney M. appear in fifth place (with "Rivers Of Babylon") and tenth place (with "Mary's Boy Child/O My Lord"). Paul McCartney is the only other artist to appear twice (once with The Beatles, once with Wings) in the Top 10 of that list.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Title Chart positions
UK AUT SWE CHE
1976 Take The Heat Off Me 40 6 1 -
1977 Love for Sale - 1 1 -
1978 Nightflight to Venus 1 1 1 -
1979 Oceans of Fantasy 1 1 5 -
1980 The Magic of Boney M. 1 5 30 -
1981 Boonoonoonoos - 14 31 -
1986 The Best of 10 Years 35 - - -
1993 Gold - 20 Super Hits 14 6 14 5
More Gold - 36 - -
1999 20th Century Hits - - 8 37
2006 The Magic of Boney M. 45 13 - 39

All Albums

  • Take The Heat Off Me (1976)
  • Love for Sale (1977)
  • Nightflight to Venus (1978)
  • Oceans Of Fantasy (1979)
  • The Magic Of Boney M. (1980)
  • Boonoonoonoos (1981)
  • Christmas Album (1981)
  • Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984)
  • Fantastic (1984)
  • Kalimba De Luna (1984)
  • Eye Dance (1985) — Boney M. featuring Bobby Farrell
  • The Best Of 10 Years (1986)
  • The 20 Greatest Christmas Songs (1986)
  • Greatest Hits Of All Times - Remix (1988)
  • Greatest Hits Of All Time - Remix Vol 2 (1989)
  • Gold - 20 Super Hits (1992)
  • The Most Beautiful Christmas Songs Of The World (1992)
  • More Gold (1993) — incl. 4 brand new songs
  • 20th Century Hits (1999) — released with "Boney M. 2000" as group name
  • Their Most Beautiful Ballads (2000)
  • 25 Jaar Na Daddy Cool (2000)
  • Greatest Hits (2001)
  • The Magic Of Boney M., (2006) — incl. a new track "A Moment Of Love", and a remix of "Sunny" by Mousse T. This album is not the same as the 1980 release with the same name.

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart positions
GER UK AUT SWE CHE
1976 "Daddy Cool" 1 6 1 1 1
1977 "Sunny" 1 3 1 11 2
"Still I'm Sad" - - - 17 -
"Ma Baker" 1 2 1 1 -
"Belfast" 1 8 2 - 1
1978 "Rivers of Babylon"/"Brown Girl In The Ring" 1 1 1 1 1
"Rasputin" 1 2 1 - 2
"Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord" 1 1 3 1 1
1979 "Painter Man" - 10 - - -
"Hooray Hooray It's A Holi-Holiday" 4 3 3 11 4
"Gotta Go Home/El Lute" - 12 1 10 2
"I'm Born Again" 7 35 9 17 6
1980 "I See A Boat On The River" 5 - 3 - 9
1981 "Felicidad (Margherita)" 6 - 6 - 3
"Consuela Biaz" 13 - 7 - -
"We Kill The World (Don't Kill The World)" 16 39 - - 3
1984 "Kalimba de luna" 17 - 11 - 23
1985 "Happy Song" 7 - 15 - 21
1992 "Boney M. Megamix" 26 7 11 - -
1993 "Brown Girl In The Ring (remix)" - 38 - - -
1999 "Ma Baker" versus Sash! 28 22 32 10 21

All Singles

  • "Baby Do You Wanna Bump?"
  • "Daddy Cool"
  • "Sunny" (Bobby Hebb remake)
  • "Ma Baker"
  • "Belfast"
  • "Rivers of Babylon"/"Brown Girl in the Ring" (double A-side)
  • "Rasputin"
  • "Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord"
  • "Little Drummer Boy"
  • "Painter Man" (a cover version of a song by 1960s psychedelic band The Creation, possibly about, or dedicated to, Andy Warhol)
  • "Hooray Hooray It's A Holi-Holiday"
  • "El Lute", about the Spanish outlaw Eleuterio Sánchez (coupled with "Gotta Go Home" - double A-side)
  • "I'm Born Again"
  • "I See A Boat On The River" (except United Kingdom and Scandinavia)
  • "My Friend Jack" (this was the B side of "I See A Boat On The River", but released as the A-side in United Kingdom and Scandinavia)
  • "Children Of Paradise"
  • "Felicidad"
  • "Malaika / Consuela Biaz"
  • "We Kill The World (Don't Kill The World)"
  • "Little Drummer Boy"/"Boney M. On 45"
  • "The Carnival Is Over (Goodbye True Lover) / Going Back West"
  • "Zion's Daughter / White Christmas
  • "Jambo Hakuna Matata"
  • "Somewhere In The World"
  • "Kalimba De Luna"
  • "Happy Song" - BONEY M. FEAT. BOBBY FARRELL & THE SCHOOL REBELS
  • "My Cherie Amor"
  • "Young Free And Single" - BONEY M. FEAT. BOBBY FARRELL
  • "Daddy Cool (Anniversary Remix)"
  • "Bang Bang Lulu"
  • "Rivers Of Babylon´88"
  • "Megamix"
  • "The Summer Megamix"
  • "Malaika (Lambada Mix)"
  • "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker"
  • "Stories", 1990 - BONEY M. FEAT. LIZ MITCHELL
  • "Boney M. Megamix", 1992
  • "Brown Girl in the Ring (Remix)", 1993
  • "Ma Baker (Remix´93)", 1993
  • "Papa Chico", 1994 - BONEY M. FEAT. LIZ MITCHELL
  • "Ma Baker (Boney M. vs. Sash!)", 1999
  • "Daddy Cool '99 (as Boney M. 2000 featuring Mobi T)", 1999
  • "Caribbean Night Fever (as Boney M. 2000) 1999
  • "Sunny" (as Boney M. 2000), 2000
  • "Daddy Cool 2001", 2001
Preceded by
Wings

Mull of Kintyre

 UK Christmas Number One single

Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord

1978

 Succeeded by
Pink Floyd

Another Brick in the Wall, Part II

[edit] Video / DVD / VCD releases

  • Gold - Video / VCD (in Hong Kong) (1993)
  • Gold - DVD (2001 Europe)
  • Greatest Hits (2001 UK)
  • Special Edition (2002 South Korea)
  • Special Edition EP (2003 UK)
  • The Magic Of Boney M. (2006)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1] BONEY M. BIOGRAFIE
  2. ^ Psalm 137 in the Bible (King James)

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../b/o/n/Boney_M_368e.html"