Boney M: Carried us Away in Captivity!

Boney M is the name of one of the discos groups that were a real success during the seventies, especially in Europe. In 1975, Frank Farian joined four West Indian performers in a group which combined black and white music. The group consisted of Maizie Williams, Bobby Farrell, Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett. The history of Boney M is interesting as well as unusual. Unlike most bands or groups that are born some time before their first hit reaches the top, Boney M is the result of the hit “Baby Do You Wanna Bump?” that was performed by Farian in 1975.

After the success of this hit, they kept playing in clubs and discos to build a reputation for themselves. In 1978, they appeared for the first time on a live music show. That was without a doubt the best year for Boney M. They released their great hit “Rivers of Babylon”. It was not only the second single most sold ever in the United Kingdom but also a single that it is still important after 28 years after it was released. “Brow Girl in the Ring” was another of the popular singles that give Boney M their own recognition and identity.

However, these were not the only achievements of Boney M. The calypso version of “Mary's Boy Child/O My Lord” reached the top and was part of the singles most sold. The success of this group relies in the singular voice of Maizie, the catchy melodies, rhythms and tunes. Their discography involves 19 albums, among them: Take The Heat Off Me (1976), Love For Sale (1977),Oceans Of Fantasy (1979), Magic Of Boney M (1980), Boonoonoonoos (1981), Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984), Eye Dance (1985), The Best Of 10 Years (1986), 20 Greatest Christmas Songs (1986), Greatest Hits Of All Times - Remix (1988), More Gold (1993), 20th Century Hits (1999) and Their Most Beautiful Ballads (2000).