Daddy Cool (Boney M. song)

"Daddy Cool" is a song recorded by Boney M. and included on their debut album Take the Heat off Me. It was a 1976 hit and a staple in disco music and Boney M.'s first UK hit.

It was the second Boney M. single, released in May 1976 without making any major impact at first. It wasn't until a spectacular performance on the Musikladen TV show in September that the single became a hit, topping most European charts. It reached number six in the UK charts and number 65 in the United States Billboard Hot 100. The single also topped the German charts and reached the Top 20 in Canada. It proved to be the major European breakthrough of the band. The Dutch Eredivisie club Vitesse even used it as song for their footballer Wilfried Bony because his name is Bony, referring to Boney M.

The song

"Daddy Cool" was a novelty gimmick record with an unusual, percussive intro by producer Frank Farian doing rhythmic tic-tic-tics and playing on his teeth with a pencil. Frank Farian's characteristic deep voice sings: "She's crazy like a fool..." ("visually" performed by dancer Bobby Farrell) and is answered by the bright voices of Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett: "...wild about Daddy Cool". This line has been interpreted by listeners as "...what about it Daddy Cool", so much that the band started singing it that way during live performances. The bass riff kicks in and builds to the instrumental theme followed by the repetitive, nursery rhyme-like verse and chorus twice.

The song breaks down into a spoken passage by Farian before it goes back into the bass riff and repeats the verse and chorus for the last time. With its slightly hypnotic, repetitive bassline and strings and likewise repetitive, bright female vocals, the track is highly typical of mid-seventies "Munich disco".

The single

Originally, Hansa Records wanted Boney M.'s cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" as the A-side of the single but Farian - seeing that his own song was the clear winner when testing both tracks in his discothèque in St. Ingbert – managed to persuade the record company to have it his way. In the US, Hungary and Japan (where the single wasn't released until November), the single was backed by the album track "Lovin' or Leavin'", in East Germany the record was released in 1977, backed by their next hit "Sunny".

Belgium released 7" has a rare B-side version of "No Woman, No Cry" as the track does not fade out at the end but has a hard ending and thus runs slightly longer 5:03 instead the common 4:58. This rare version has so far not been released on CD.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1976–1977)	Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[1]	5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[2]	1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[3]	1
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)^[4]	1
Canada (RPM Top Singles)^[5]	18
Canada (RPM Top Thirty Playlist)^[6]	8
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[7]	1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)	1
France (IFOP)^[8]	1
Germany (Media Control Charts)^[9]	1
Italy (FIMI)^[10]	3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[11]	3
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[12]	3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[13]	15
Norway (VG-lista)^[14]	1
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[15]	2
Spain (AFE)^[16]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[17]	1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[18]	1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[19]	6
US Billboard Hot 100^[20]	65
US Cash Box^[21]	90

Year-end charts

Chart (1976)	Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[22]	10
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[23]	7
France (IFOP)^[24]	2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[25]	12
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[26]	10
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[27]	7

Chart (1977)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[28]	35
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[29]	20
Italy (FIMI)^[10]	23
South Africa (Springbok Radio)^[30]	18

All-time charts

Chart	Position
France (IFOP)^[31]	78
Norway (VG-lista)^[32]	5

Certifications and sales


Region	Certification	Sales/shipments
France		1,049,000^[31]
Germany (BVMI)^[33]	Gold	250,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[34]	Silver	250,000^{^}
^{^}shipments figures based on certification alone

Order of precedence
Preceded by "Let Your Love Flow" by The Bellamy Brothers	Austrian number-one single 15 November 1976 – 15 February 1977 (16 weeks)	Succeeded by "Sunny" by Boney M.
Preceded by "Les Femmes" by Sheila	French number-one single (first run) 28 October 1976 – 11 November 1976 (3 weeks)	Succeeded by "San Francisco" by Frédéric François
Preceded by "Ein Bett im Kornfeld" by Jürgen Drews	German number-one single (first run) 13 September 1976 (1 week)	Succeeded by "Dancing Queen" by ABBA
Preceded by "Dancing Queen" by ABBA	German number-one single (second run) 27 September 1976 – 29 November 1976 (10 weeks)	Succeeded by "Jeans On" by David Dundas
	Belgian Ultratop 50 Flanders number-one single 30 October 1976 – 20 November 1976 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" by Tavares
	Swedish number-one single 30 November 1976 – 8 February 1977 (6 weeks)	Succeeded by "Shenandoah" by Jan Lindblad
	Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single 13 November 1976 – 4 December 1976 (4 weeks)	Succeeded by "Money, Money, Money" by ABBA
Preceded by "San Francisco" by Frédéric François	French number-one single (second run) 2 December 1976 – 9 December 1976 (2 weeks)
Preceded by "Jeans On" by David Dundas	German number-one single (third run) 13 December 1976 (1 week)
Preceded by "Mon Amour" by BZN	Belgian VRT Top 30 Flanders number-one single 6 November 1976 – 20 November 1976 (3 weeks)
Preceded by "Mississippi" by Pussycat	Norwegian number-one single 03/1977 – 12/1977 (10 weeks)	Succeeded by "Living Next Door to Alice" by Smokie
Preceded by "The Best Disco in Town" by The Ritchie Family	Spanish number-one single 21 February 1977 – 4 April 1977 (7 weeks)	Succeeded by "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago
Preceded by "Verde" by Ricky King	Swiss number-one single 15 October 1976 – 15 January 1977 (12 weeks)	Succeeded by "Anita" by Costa Cordalis

1986 anniversary recording

"Daddy Cool -
Anniversary Recording '86"

Single by Boney M.

Released

February 1986

Format

7" single, 12" single

Genre

Synthpop, dance

Length

5:18 (7" mix)
9:07 (12" mix)

Label

Hansa Records (FRG)

Producer(s)

Frank Farian

Boney M. singles chronology

"Young, Free and Single"
(1985)

"Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86)"
(1986)

"Bang Bang Lulu"
(1986)

Boney M.'s 10th anniversary was celebrated with a TV special and the album The Best of 10 Years – 32 Superhits. The original plans of releasing another single ("Dreadlock Holiday") from the group's final album Eye Dance were cancelled, instead producer Frank Farian recorded a brand-new synthpop version of Boney M.'s 1976 breakthrough single "Daddy Cool" in a special "anniversary recording", featuring rap parts, and new instrumental parts reminiscent of New Order's synth style of the era. The single, however, proved to be Boney M.'s worst-selling single, failing to chart anywhere. Interestingly, the dub B-side "B.M.A.G.O." appeared in a longer version on the 7" than on the 12" single. The 12" single also included an edit version of "Daddy Cool" which was not credited on the cover. The 7" version made its CD debut on The Collection (disc 2, track 1).

Releases

7" Single

""Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86)" – (Farian, Reyam, Farian, Bischof) 5:18 / "B.M.A.G.O." (Farian) – 4:10 (Hansa Records 107 994-100, 1986)

12" Single

"Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86)" Special Club Mix – 9:07 / Extended Radio Edit (Not credited on label) – 5:50 / "B.M.A.G.O." – 3:15 (Hansa 607 994-213, 1986)

Boney M. 2000 version

"Daddy Cool '99"

Single by Boney M.

from the album 20th Century Hits

Released

26 August 1999

Format

12" single, CD single

BMG Records (FRG)

Boney M. singles chronology

"Ma Baker (Boney M. vs. Sash!)"
(1998)

"Daddy Cool '99"
(1999)

"Hooray! Hooray! (Caribbean Night Fever)"
(1999)

Following the successful Sash! and Horny United remixes of "Ma Baker", Frank Farian remixed "Daddy Cool" as a follow-up single. An all-new line-up Boney M. 2000 featuring three young girls and rapper Mobi T. was featured in the video and also announced to front a forthcoming remix album. This decision was not popular with the group's fan base, and Farian subsequently dropped the idea. "Daddy Cool" could not match the success of its predecessor, peaking only at no. 47 in the German charts.

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)^[35]	2
Denmark (IFPI)^[36]	9
France (SNEP)^[37]	16
Germany (Media Control Charts)^[38]	47
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[39]	19
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[40]	49

Chart (2000)	Peak position
France (SNEP)^[37]	99
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[40]	94

Chart (2013)	Peak position
France (SNEP)^[37]	138

2001 Remix

"Daddy Cool 2001"

Single by Boney M.

from the album The Greatest Hits

Released

December 2001

Format

BMG Records (UK)

Boney M. singles chronology

"Sunny (Remix)"
(2001)

"Daddy Cool 2001"
(2001)

"Sunny (Mousse T. Remix)"
(2006)

UK 2001 remix to support the album The Greatest Hits. Remixed by Jewel & Stone, the single peaked at no. 47 in the UK charts.

Chart (2001)	Peak position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[41]	47

Cover versions

The song was covered by Lakis Tzordaneli in 1979, in Greek under the title "Pes mou pote pou".
The song was covered by Montreal artist QRN in 1999 and released as an industrial-kitsch version both on radio and on the second volume of the Studio 54 disco compilation.
The song was also covered by Placebo and appeared on the bonus disc of their special edition release of the album Sleeping with Ghosts in 2003. This guitar based interpretation interestingly used a mix of vocal samples from the original version and new vocals by the band's singer Brian Molko.
The song was also covered by Swedish child pop duo Peaches in 2004.
It was covered by the Mini-Pops on their self-titled album in 1981.
The song was also covered by Latvian trio Melo-M featuring vocals by original Boney M. singer Maizie Williams on their 2007 album Singalongs.^[42]
The song was also covered by Massalia Dj's, Erwan & Rubra featuring vocals by Original Boney M singer and French vocalist. The song was remixed by one of the best commercial electro-house producers in Poland - Zoot.
The song was also covered in 2000 by the German metal band The Traceelords, on their album "Sex, Money, Rock'n'Roll"

Fans of Liverpool F.C. created a chant based on the song's chorus for winger Harry Kewell, replacing "Daddy, Daddy Cool" with "Harry, Harry Kewell", during his period at the club from 2003-2008. This chant was also adopted by his former clubs, Galatasaray and Melbourne Victory.

During rehearsals for the London 2012 Opening Ceremony, volunteers used to chant 'Danny, Danny Boyle' to the tune of the Boney M. song, to director Danny Boyle.

"Doin' Fine"

A disco/dance/pop composition which was written in October 2005 and includes samples of the strings from "Daddy Cool" was released in 2006, and again in 2008. The main string loop from the chorus as well as string hooks from the verses are interwoven into the musical arrangement and feature quite prominently in the new song. The song was recorded twice, the first time in 2006 by Australian singer, Peter Wilson and the second in 2008 by disco singer, Amanda Lear. Wilson's version was first released in April 2007 on the Klone Records album, Mad About The Boy 15 (CDKOPY172) as an extended club mix, entitled, "Doin' Fine (Daddy's Cool 12" Mix)". Seen as a tribute to Boney M and well received by fans, it subsequently peaked at number one on the Euro NRG dance charts in August 2007.^[43]

A radio length mix followed in October 2007 on Wilson's debut album, Follow Me (CDKOPY175). Lear's version, recorded in November 2008, was released in 2009 as part of her studio album, "Brief Encounters" which she recently announced on French television.

Both Wilson and Lear's versions are produced by Nathan Thomas and Carl M Cox of British production team PMG (Prolific Media Group) Productions, the same people behind 80s singer and X Factor mentor Sinitta's pop comeback.^[44]
The song is credited as being written by Carl M Cox/Nathan Thomas/Baz Qureshi/Chris Rudall/Peter Wilson/Chris Richards/Frank Farian/George Reyam and published by First Degree Music (BACS)/Copyright Control/In Demand Music/Sony ATV Music Ltd.

References

↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Austriancharts.at – Boney M. – Daddy Cool" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Ultratop.be – Boney M. – Daddy Cool" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Radio 2 Top 30 : 6 november 1976" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Top Singles – Volume 27, No. 1, April 02 1977". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
↑ "Dance/Urban – Volume 26, No. 12, December 18, 1976". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Song title 735 – Daddy Cool". TsorT. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
↑ "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
↑ "Chartverfulgong > Boney M. > Daddy Cool – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ 10.0 10.1 "I singoli più venduti del 1977" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Boney M. - Daddy Cool search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Boney M. – Daddy Cool" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Charts.org.nz – Boney M. – Daddy Cool". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Boney M. – Daddy Cool". VG-lista. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Boney M. – Daddy Cool". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Swisscharts.com – Boney M. – Daddy Cool". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Archive Chart: 1977-02-05" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
↑ "Take the Heat Off Me – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
↑ CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending JANUARY 22, 1977 at the Wayback Machine (archived 4 October 2012). Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Jahreshitparade 1976" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1976" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "TOP – 1976" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Top-100 van 1976" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1976" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1976" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Jahreshitparade 1977" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1977". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ 31.0 31.1 "Les Meilleures Ventes Tout Temps de 45 T. / Singles" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Best of All Time – Singles". Norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Boney M.; 'Daddy Cool')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
↑ "British single certifications – Boney M – Daddy Cool". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Daddy Cool in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
↑ "Ultratop.be – Boney M. 2000 feat. Mobi T. – Daddy Cool '99" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media) 111 (49): 113. 4 December 1999. ISSN 0006-2510.
↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 "Lescharts.com – Boney M. 2000 feat. Mobi T. – Daddy Cool '99" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Officialcharts.de – Boney M. 2000 feat. Mobi T. – Daddy Cool '99". GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Boney M. 2000 feat. Mobi T. – Daddy Cool '99". Singles Top 60. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ 40.0 40.1 "Swisscharts.com – Boney M. 2000 feat. Mobi T. – Daddy Cool '99". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Boney M: Artist Chart History" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "Melo-M – Singalongs". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
↑ "EuroDanceHits.com - Main Page". EuroDanceHits.com.
↑ "Prolific Media Group UK - Home". Prolific Media Group UK.

External links

Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Boney M.

Liz Mitchell Marcia Barrett Maizie Williams Bobby Farrell Reggie Tsiboe

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–present)	The Best of 10 Years - 32 Superhits (1986) The 20 Greatest Christmas Songs (1986) Greatest Hits of All Times - Remix '88 (1988) Ma Baker (1989) 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) Ultimate Boney M. - Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 1 (2008) Christmas Time (2008) The Complete Boney M. (2008) In the Mix (2008) The Magic of Boney M. - The Danish Collection (2008) Ultimate Boney M. - Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 2 (2009) Let It All Be Music - The Party Album (2009) Ultimate Boney M. - Long Versions & Rarities, Volume 3 (2009)

Main single discography	"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) "Painter Man" (1979) "Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday" (1979) "El Lute"/"Gotta Go Home" (1979) "I'm Born Again"/"Bahama Mama" (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) "The 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) "Christmas Mega Mix" (1992) "Megamix" (1992) "Brown Girl in the Ring (Remix)" (1993) "Ma Baker (Remix)" (1993) "Papa Chico" (1994) "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (1998) "Daddy Cool '99" (1999) "Hooray! Hooray! (Caribbean Night Fever)" (1999) "Sunny (Remix)" (2000) "Daddy Cool 2001" (2001) "Sunny (Mousse T. Remix)" (2006) "Felicidad America (Obama-Obama)" (2009)

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