Oceans of Fantasy

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Oceans of Fantasy
Studio album by Boney M.
Released	September 1979
Recorded	1979
Genre	R&B, Pop music, Disco
Length	LP 54:17, CD 51:49
Label	Atlantic Records (UK) Sire Records (USA) Hansa Records (FRG)
Producer	Frank Farian
Professional reviews
All Music Guide [1]
Boney M. chronology
Nightflight to Venus (1978) Oceans Of Fantasy The Magic of Boney M. - 20 Golden Hits

Oceans of Fantasy is the fourth studio album by Boney M. Released in September 1979, Oceans Of Fantasy became the second Boney M. album to top the UK charts and features hits "El Lute" based on Eleuterio Sánchez life, "I'm Born Again", "Bahama Mama" and "Gotta Go Home". The album had been preceded in the spring of 1979 by double A-side single "Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday" (based on American folksong Polly Wolly Doodle) / "Ribbons Of Blue", also one of the band's biggest hits. The A-side was surprisingly not included on Oceans Of Fantasy but the B-side was - if only in a heavily edited form. The original length of the track is 4:02 and songs like "Gotta Go Home" and "Bahama Mama" were also longer on 7" than on the actual album. Just like in the case of its predecessor Nightflight to Venus the original Hansa Records pressings of the album also included a range of different edits of certain tracks. Several pressings also contained the wrong running order on cover & labels, incorrectly listing "El Lute" as the opening track on side 2, followed by "No More Chain Gang" and "Oceans Of Fantasy".
Oceans Of Fantasy also features a guest appearance by Eruption's lead singer Precious Wilson on "Let It All Be Music" as well as on the cover of Sam & Dave's "Hold On I'm Coming", which earlier in 1979 had been issued as Wilson's first solo single.
The album was the only Boney M. album to feature a full track-by-track vocal credits list which only confirmed what had been a public secret since the very beginning - that only two of the four band members, Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, actually sang on the Boney M. records, and that producer Frank Farian sang the characteristic deep male vocal as well as high falsetto vocals - he even duetted with himself on the track "Bye Bye Bluebird". Maizie Williams and Bobby Farrell didn't take any part in the studio sessions. The revelation didn't seem to harm the band's popularity that much at the time, but ten years later Farian was to be involved in a similar scandal with band Milli Vanilli, that time unfortunately with serious consequences for both the producer and the band.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Personnel 3 Production 4 Release history 5 CD releases 6 Single releases 7 Charts 8 Sources and external links

[edit] Track listing

Side A:

1. "Let It All Be Music" (Van Vugt) - 5:33
   • Featuring Special Guest Star Precious Wilson. 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 4:55
2. "Gotta Go Home" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay, Heinz & Jürgen Huth) - 3:46
   • Album edit. Original 7" mix ( - 4:40) remains unreleased on CD.
3. "Bye Bye Bluebird" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay, George Reyam (Hans-Jörg Mayer)) - 5:12
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 4:47
4. "Bahama Mama" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay) - 3:33
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 3:17
5. "Hold On I'm Coming" (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) - 4:00
   • Performed by Precious Wilson. 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 3:37
6. "Two of Us" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) - 3:16
7. "Ribbons Of Blue" (Keith Forsey) - 2:00
   • Album edit. Original 7" mix - 4:02.

Side B:

1. "Oceans Of Fantasy" (Kawohl, Zill, Jay) - 5:26
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 5:07
2. "El Lute" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay, Hans Blum) - 5:03
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: 12" version - 5:51
3. "No More Chain Gang" (Rainer Ehrhardt, Frank Farian, Fred Jay) - 5:51
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 5:24
4. "I'm Born Again" (Fred Jay, Helmut Rulofs) - 4:09
5. "No Time To Lose" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay, Stefan Klinkhammer) - 3:26
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 2:56
6. "The Calendar Song (January, February, March...)" (Frank Farian) - 3:24
   • 1994 & 2007 CD editions: edited version - 2:41

[edit] Personnel

• Liz Mitchell - lead vocals (A1, A6, A7, B2, B4 & B6), backing vocals (A1, A2, A4, A7, B2, B3, B5 & B6)
• Marcia Barrett - lead vocals (A1 & B5), backing vocals (A1, A2, A4, A6, A7, B2, B3, B5 & B6)
• Frank Farian - lead vocals (A1, B2, B3), lead and backing vocals (A3 & B1) backing vocals (A1, A2, A4, A5, A6, A7, B3, B4, B5 & B6)
• Precious Wilson - guest lead vocals on track A1, lead and backing vocals on A5
• Linda Blake - voice of "Bahama Mama" on A4
• Bill Swisher - narrator on B2
• Gary Unwin - bass guitar
• R. Besser - bass guitar
• Keith Forsey - drums
• Mats Björklund - guitar
• Nick Woodland - guitar
• Michael Cretu - keyboards
• Lisa Gordanier - saxophone (alto)
• American Horns In Europe - brass instruments
• Lance Burton - saxophone (baritone)
• Bobby Stern - saxophone (tenor)
• Geoff Stradling - trombone
• Jim Polivka - trumpet
• Scot Newton - trumpet
• Etienne Cap - trumpet on "Oceans of Fantasy"
• Walter Raab - trumpet on "Oceans of Fantasy"
• Karl Bartelmes - trumpet on "Oceans of Fantasy"
• Benny Gebauer - saxophone on "Oceans of Fantasy"
• Dino Solera - saxophone on "Oceans of Fantasy", pan flute on "El Lute"
• George Delagaye - trombone on "Oceans of Fantasy"
• Ludwig Rehberg Jr. - sound effects on "Oceans of Fantasy"
• The Original Trinidad Steel And Showband - performers

[edit] Production

• Frank Farian - producer
• Rainer M. Ehrhardt - production assistant
• Christian Kolonovits - arranger
• Keith Forsey - arranger
• Michael Cretu - arranger
• Stefan Klinkhammer - arranger
• Fred Schreier - sound engineer
• Michael Bestmann - sound engineer
• Tammy Grohé - sound engineer
• Manfred Vormstein - art direction & design
• Jürgen F. Rogner - illustration
• Didi Zill - photography
• Recorded and mixed at Europasound Studios, Friedrichsdorf and Union Studio, Munich.

[edit] Release history

• UK: Atlantic Records K50610.
• Germany: Hansa Records 200 888-320 (7 different pressings), 24x24" double gatefold sleeve.
• Germany: Hansa 38 339 2.
• Germany: Hansa 200 919-424, picture disc.

[edit] CD releases

• Germany 1994: BMG 74321 21270 2.
• EU & US 2007: Sony-BMG 88697-08263-2. Bonus tracks: "I See a Boat on the River" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay, Helmut Rulofs) - 4:40, "My Friend Jack" (The Smoke) - 4:40

[edit] Single releases

UK
7"

• "Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday" (Frank Farian, Fred Jay) - 3:57 / "Ribbons of Blue" - 4:02 (Atlantic Records K11279, 1979)
• "Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday" - 3:57 / "Ribbons of Blue" - 4:02 (Atlantic K11279P, picture disc, 1979)
• "Gotta Go Home" (Edited 7" Mix) - 4:00 / "El Lute" - 4:58 (Atlantic K11351, 1979)
• "I'm Born Again" (7" Mix) - 4:17 / "Bahama Mama" (7" Mix) - 3:35 (Atlantic K11310, 1979)

12"

• "Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday" - 3:57 / "Ribbons of Blue" - 4:02 (Atlantic Records K11279CT, transparent green vinyl, 1979)

Germany
7"

• "Hooray! Hooray! It's A Holi-Holiday" - 3:57 / "Ribbons of Blue" - 4:02 (Hansa Records 100 444-100, 1979)
• Precious Wilson: "Hold On I'm Coming" - 4:10 / "Funky Dancer (You Got Me Dancing)" (Precious Wilson, Rainer Ehrhardt) - 3:09 (Hansa 100 803-100, 1979)
• "El Lute" - 4:58 / "Gotta Go Home" (7" Mix) - 4:40 (Hansa 100 804-100, 1979)
• "El Lute" - 4:58 / "Gotta Go Home" (Edited 7" Mix) - 4:00 (Hansa 100 804-100 second edition, 1979)
• "Let It All Be Music" - 4:46 / "Oceans of Fantasy" - 5:05 (Hansa 101 027-000, promo-only, 1979)
• "I'm Born Again" (7" Mix) - 4:17 / "Bahama Mama" (7" Mix) - 3:35 (Hansa 101 101-100, 1979)

12"

• "Gotta Go Home" (12" Mix) - 5:04 / "El Lute" - 5:09 (Hansa 600 081-213, 1979)
• Precious Wilson: "Hold On I'm Coming" (12" Mix) - 5:44 / "Funky Dancer (You Got Me Dancing)" (12" Mix) - 5:26 (Hansa 600 086-213, 1979)
• "Bye Bye Bluebird" - 4:47 / "Let It All Be Music" - 5:07 / "Oceans of Fantasy" - 5:05 / "No More Chain Gang" - 5:25 (Hansa 600 126-000, promo-only, 1979
• "Bahama Mama" (12" Mix) - 5:12 / "I'm Born Again" (7" Mix) - 4:17 (Hansa 600 166-100, 1979)

[edit] Charts

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1979	UK albums chart	1
1979	Norway's album chart	1

Single

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	"Hooray Hooray, It's a holi-holiday"	UK single chart	3
1979	"Hooray Hooray, It's a holi-holiday"	Norway's single chart	2
1979	"Gotta go home/El Lute"	UK single chart	12
1979	"El Lute/Gotta go home"	Norway's single chart	4
1979	"I'm born again"	UK single chart	35

[edit] Sources and external links

• Rate Your Music, detailed discography
• Discogs.com, detailed discography
• All Music Guide, biography, discography etc.

v • d • e Boney M. Studio albums and main compilations (1976 – 1985) Take the Heat Off Me (1976) · Love for Sale (1977) · Nightflight to Venus (1978) · Oceans of Fantasy (1979) – The Magic of Boney M. - 20 Golden Hits (1980) · Children of Paradise - The Greatest Hits of Boney M. - Vol. 2 (1981) · Boonoonoonoos (1981) · Christmas Album (1981) · Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984) · Kalimba de Luna - 16 Happy Songs (1984) · Fantastic Boney M. (1984) · Christmas with Boney M. (1984) · Eye Dance (1985) Main compilations and remix albums (1986 – 2008) The Best of 10 Years - 32 Superhits (1986) · The 20 Greatest Christmas Songs (1986) – Greatest Hits of All Times - Remix '88 (1988) · Greatest Hits of All Times - Remix '89 - Volume II (1989) · The Collection (1991) · Daddy Cool - Star Collection (1991) · The Most Beautiful Christmas Songs of the World (1992) · Gold - 20 Super Hits (1992) – The Greatest Hits (1993) · More Gold - 20 Super Hits Vol. II (1993) · Hit Collection (1996) · Best In Spain (1996) · The Best of Boney M. (1997) – Norske Hits (1998) · Ultimate (1999) · 20th Century Hits (1999) · 25 Jaar Na Daddy Cool (2000) · The Complete Collection (2000) – Their Most Beautiful Ballads (2000) · The Greatest Hits (2001) · The Magic of Boney M. (2006) · Hit Collection (2007) · Christmas With Boney M. (2007) · The Collection (2008) · Rivers Of Babylon (A Best Of Collection) (2008) Main single discography (1975-1990) Baby Do You Wanna Bump (1975) · Daddy Cool (1976) · Sunny (1976) · Ma Baker (1977) · Belfast (1977) · Rivers of Babylon / Brown Girl in the Ring (1978) · Rasputin (1978) · Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (1978) · Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday (1979) · El Lute / Gotta Go Home (1979) · I'm Born Again / Bahama Mama (song) (1979) · I See a Boat on the River / My Friend Jack (1980) · Children of Paradise / Gadda-Da-Vida (1980) · Felicidad (Margherita) (1980) · Malaika / Consuela Biaz (1981) · We Kill the World / Boonoonoonoos (1981)) · Little Drummer Boy / 6 Years of Boney M. Hits (1981) · The Carnival Is Over / Going Back West (1982) · Zion's Daughter (1982) · Jambo - Hakuna Matata (No Problems) (1983) · Somewhere in the World (1984) · Kalimba de Luna (1984) · Happy Song (1984) · My Cherie Amour (1985) · Young Free and Single (1985) · Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86) (1986) · Bang Bang Lulu (1986) · Rivers of Babylon (Remix) / Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Remix)´ (1988) · Megamix (1988) · The Summer Mega Mix (1989) · Malaika (Lambada Remix) (1989) · Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker (1989) · Stories (1990)