Disco Profiles - Boney M

In 1976, German-based producer/composer Frank Farian invented a group to front a single he had already recorded, Baby Do You Wanna Bump?, which sold well in Belgium and Holland.

The line-up was Marcia Barrett (b. 14 October 1948, Jamaica; vocals), Bobby Farrell (b. 6 October 1949, Aruba, West Indies; vocals), Liz Mitchell (b. 12 July 1952, Clarendon, Jamaica; vocals) and Maisie Williams (b. 25 March 1951, Monserrat, West Indies; vocals).

Between 1976 and 1977, the group enjoyed four UK Top 10 hits with Daddy Cool, Sunny, Ma Baker and Belfast.

Their peak period, however, was 1978 when the chart-topping Rivers Of Babylon/’Brown Girl In The Ring’ spent 40 weeks on the UK chart, becoming the third best-selling UK single in history.

Its follow-up, Rasputin climbed to number 2 and Boney M ended 1978 with the festive chart-topper Mary Boy's Child/Oh My Lord.

They experienced similarly phenomenal success in Europe (over 50 million total sales). Their unusual choice of material was emphasized the following year with a revival of Creation's Painter Man, which reached the Top 10.

The singalong Hooray Hooray It's A Holi-Holiday and Gotta Go Home/’El Lute’ were their last Top 20 hits, after which their appeal declined.

However, the commercial power of their catalogue is emphasized by their third number 1 album, THE MAGIC OF BONEY M, which neatly punctuated their extraordinary hit career in 1980.

From Music Central