Boney M. - Ma Baker (Sopot Festival 1979) FIRST REACTION!

[@Alithia451]

He isnt singing, the German producer Frank Farian is. The guy is just there for show.

[@dieterchristmann3794]

And Frank Farian had did It again with Milli Vanilli.Put some Gogo Dancer in the Spotlight Who didnt Sing anything. Try Daddy COOL Next Time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@anxofernandez3344]

Bobby eventually learned to kinda sorta imitate the voice. I saw Boney M live a few times and he did sing, or more accurately he did an impression, not a great one but still. He was up in age and he was still moving like a madman and kinda sorta singing, his cardio was excellent.

[@hnwla1977]

And that German guy got all the money 😢

[@AP-gb3eh]

Ma Barker was a fantasy of a mom who was the head of a gang of her children robbing banks. This was just a silly pantomime

[@wernerclarssen2939]

Plus: only one of the three women sang for real. Frank Farian the producer was quite a genius to fake stuff. He also invented Milli Vanilli. Another fake-singer story...

[@daxcoco1229]

We didn't care if he sang or not it was playing on the radio this group made us happy 🥰🥰🥰

[@baccydemon3489]

By the rivers of Babylon is probably one of Bony M's best songs

[@AlvenmodFoto]

And Daddy Cool

[@EmmaBadOne]

and Brown Girl In The Ring

[@daxcoco1229]

Sunny

[@wtk6069]

Rivers of Babylon is definitely my favorite.

[@AlvenmodFoto]

Mary's Boy Child...

[@santacruz7455]

Ma Baker, yeah!! Its the second best song of Boney M. Greetings from Germany ( Its German 70ties Pop Music!) PS: saw the parallels to "Rasputin"? It was the German zeitgeist of the time to sing about foreign countries and historic people... we have loads of songs from the 60ties and 70ties with lyrics like that..And I am pretty amazed that a group from West Germany was allowed to perform in Sopot in 1979 ( its a Polish city and Poland was part of the communist states behind the iron curtain at the time). Music knows no boundaries!

[@anxofernandez3344]

True, Germans in the 70s sang a lot about historical figures. I remember the band Dschingis Khan' and their song "Moscaw" in Eurovision and also the song "Dschingis Khan" by the same group.

[@Snakehead1964]

Boney M were regular guests in East German TV shows from the beginning, you could even buy singles from them here. The same with ABBA, Suzi Quatro, Smokie and so on...

[@Timur21]

I wonder what the reaction of polish people was at that show lol.. When you look in the crowd they all seem to not move at all. If that was their first “non soviet” show, it must have been quite a trip

[@ki8398]

It was explained many times before, Boney M performed on Sopot International Song Festival in 1979 and it was many foreign music in Poland at that time. It was concerts of ABBA and others because Poland was quite open country in that block.

[@oleksandrbyelyenko435]

Boney M is a classic. My childhood was spent with their music. They were huge so many decades ago and as any classic they come back

[@petebrown6356]

All of a sudden...you realize Boney M. is cool and was totally off your radar. Great stuff - I'd forgotten about this group and their songs.

[@marcell6915]

This man is Bobby Farrel, born in Aruba but moved to The Netherlands. He was a great perfomer, but playbacked everything, it isn't his voice but Frank Farian a producer. Bobby passed away december 30 2010

[@anxofernandez3344]

Eres hablante de español verdad? Playback,❌ Lip sync ✅

[@TheSeNaBi]

@@anxofernandez3344 A great part of Europe calls it playback.

[@marcell6915]

@@anxofernandez3344 no hablo espanol. Lipsinc/playback you know what I mean.

[@Nachtdenker]

Frank Farian R. I. P. ❤

[@АнджейДубиковский]

Ci panowie oglądają Boney M jakby tamci byli z kosmosu, a to tylko wspaniała grupa, która po dzień dzisiejszy darzy nas wszystkich wiarą w lepsze jutro i zaprasza do tańca.

[@dailyreactive]

Boney M is legendary.. the ladies are angelic to listen to.

[@pyrointeam]

The song's lyrics are based on the story of Kate "Ma" Barker, a legendary gangster from 1930s Chicago, and her sons. Baker is portrayed in the song as a gang leader who becomes the most wanted criminal in the United States. Her sung death at the end of the song is also based on the true story: Ma Barker was killed along with her son Fred in a shootout by the FBI in 1935.

[@vakhv2493]

actually, she was Ma Barker

[@pyrointeam]

@@vakhv2493 That's what i said.

[@KimForsberg]

Boney M is great. The christmas album is a classic.

[@germaniapreungesheim6758]

First of, I want to thank you for your wonderful reactions not only to Boney M. but to other groups as well. Have been coming back for your reaction videos and absolutely love them. - Now - I'm from Germany, (Frankfurt/M. born) and grew up with the music of Boney M. I still own Vinyl LP records from back then - including "Nightflight to Venus". As a child of around 5y I used to hop around like Bobby Farell († 30. Dezember 2010) - the lead dancer of the group to the then new song of Ma Baker and their other hits and at that age I neither knew nor did I care that he was not the one singing the main deep voiced lyrics. When I grew older and learned that it was really Frank Farian († 23. Januar 2024) who sang the lead voice I was disapointed that he had felt it was necessary to lie about that fact but it did not change the fact that the groups performance was outstanding, Farell's dancing captivating and Farian's deep voice impressive. Please keep up your wonderful reactions and thank you again Greetings from Frankfurt/M (boy - do I feel old now for that seemed so long ago)

[@Erol_808]

I used to play this on repeat as a kid, dancing crazy around the house... it used to drive my mum nuts! 'By the rivers of Babylon' and 'Brown Girl in a Ring' also very good :)

[@Urugami45]

You mentioned "Rasputin"; I'm picking up the same formula of music/lyrics in this song, which I haven't heard before. Thanks. I first heard Rasputin(and Boney M) in 1991 on a bus from Bangkok to Pattaya Beach, Thailand. The driver had this mix tape that made it about 2 times through on the drive. The songs I remember from that tape are Rasputin and "Bahama Mama" by Boney M, and "Mother and Child Reunion" by Paul Simon. It took me years to find out who sang Rasputin and Bahama Mama; I'd never heard anything like that before. Thanks for the horizon expansion 😁👍

[@fromSweden4u]

Boney M is one of the biggest and best groups ever. Check the lists back then. They filled every dancefloor with every song.

[@Alithia451]

Daddy Cool, By the rivers of Babylon. While you're at it: Milli Vanilli - Girl you know it's true

[@Jessioska]

Sunny 🌞

[@stefanstock953]

the producer Frank Farian destroyed those two poor, naive guys....they trustfully signed his evil scam contract, so they had to do what they told. Ended up as sickest move in music history at that time....Milli Vanilli went over night from zero to hero...they looked good, they could dance...but couldn´t quite sing. So the vocals were recorded by two unknown but great singers and Milli V. had to lip sync in the videos, on stage. Imagine, these two nobodys, broke, nearly homeless, no clothes, became Nr, 1 superstars over night. Of course they lost it, couldnt handle the fame...so they went party every night, alcohol, speed/coke..living the dream. Until they got cought red handed, and the world and music buisness found out they were fake, with amateure singing skills, and lip syncing...damned, they got ripped apart, Farian could talk his self out and blamed these two defensless boys, who couldn´t do anything because of the contract they had signed. Two naive boys, with no friends or family, all alone and the whole world against them, with a stream of hate into their faces...Fab Morvan was a bit tougher as his close friend: Rob Pilatus actually couldnt handle the shitstorm, the hate, the blame...his only solutuion was a suicide try in 1992. After he failed killing himself, depression tooks over even harder...so his alc and cocaine addict went fatal for everyone to see. And no one there to help him. What was actually an easy move for producer Frank Farian and his power in this buisness. But he gave a shit bout both of them. Rob Pilatus, 32, was found with blood around his mouth and nose in 1998, by Frank Farian. Police were reported to be unsure whether the former disgraced Milli Vanilli star took his own life or died accidentally by overdose. One of the saddest and evil happening in Music. And, Hell, i still hate that Son of a Witch Frank Farian for that.....

[@azarazar007]

Have you heard Ship Ahoi?

[@elzbietasowik4421]

This is a recording from the Song Festival that took place in Sopot, Poland, and my grandma was there, she tells me it was quite cool.

[@Superrobil]

ThIs is one of Frank Fabians (German producer) -Projects where he has place "actors"/"dancers" for the representation of the music. "Milli Vanilli" was a 2nd big success with the same business model: good looking actors/ dancers that also had topped the US-Charts ~25Y ago

[@uguryilmaz1174]

Boney M girls were singing, Liz and Marcia were great vocalists, it was not the case with Milli Vanilli.

[@wilfriedmatusch9293]

Cheers from Australia 🦘🇦🇺 great reaction Boney M great quirky band in their day great to see you babies appreciate the songs from the soundtrack of my life

[@cliffgraham9892]

Ma Baker is a reference to Ma Barker, who according to legend was the leader of the Karpis-Baker gang in the 30s. complete fiction the gang existed but she really had nothing to do with the crimes they committed

[@shawa7470]

Ma Baker, Mama Baker "the meanest Kat";). Boney M legacy lives4ever. Good job guys.

[@das_murks]

RIP Frank Farian, Producer and male Voice of Boney M. died some days ago. He also produced Milli Vanilli for example.

[@Haffelpaff]

Boney M are a german disco formation produced by Frank Farian, who first just used the name to release a disco track with very much effect on his voice, then he hired some artists to become the faces of boney m. They didn't really sing live, some of them not even in the studio version, because they wanted only perfect "disco voices". Kinda like boy groups in the 90s created to be cashcows for the record label and producers.

[@codexdelux]

Frank Farian is also the man behind Milli Vanilli, where the not singing live part started to bite back :P Then again, they were honest and open about it with Boney M :D

[@thomaskruck4474]

Actually, two of the women sang and were recorded, namely lead singer Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett. I remember that this was known in public and still the group had a huge success. You can find some videos where they sang live, and Liz is clearly the voice from the records, but they added a lot from a playback, otherwise it would have been too far from the origin (and musically, really bad).

[@stubyles1654]

Kate Barker (born Arizona Donnie Clark; October 8, 1873 - January 16, 1935), better known as Ma Barker (and sometimes known as Arizona Barker and Arrie Barker), was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker-Karpis Gang during the "public enemy era" when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwestern United States gripped the American people and press. She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers. Barker gained a reputation as a ruthless crime matriarch who controlled and organized her sons' crimes. J. Edgar Hoover described her as "the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade". She has been presented as a monstrous mother in films, songs, and literature. Those who knew her insisted that she had no criminal role and that Hoover created the allegations to justify her shooting by the FBI in 1935. Reports as of 2022 are consistent that Kate Barker's role in her sons' crimes was falsely created by the media to increase newspaper and media sales. Wikipedia

[@pablolazaromartinez3541]

❤ Boney M

[@DirkRichterArt]

loved seeing your reaction to one of the most iconic german groups of the 70s and 80s Boney M... I grew up with that music, and I still love it... has that classic soul train vibe... greetings from Germany!

[@jonhorrocks]

“Ma ma ma ma”, as used by Lady Gaga in Poker Face :)

[@perrosol-ns4cc8ot4t]

At the beginning of his career, the producer Frank Farian tried to become famous as a singer of "Schlager" (specifically German pop). With moderate success. Only when he started his project as a producer, where he held the reins firmly and often took over the singing part in the studio, like with Boney M, did national and international success come. One of his few projects in which he also appeared officially as a singer was Far Corporation (short for Frank Farian Corporation). It was a super group with musicians, among others, from the british band Barclay James Harvest, Robin McAuly (singer of the Michael Schenker Group) and Bobby Kimball, David Paich and Steve Luckather from Toto. He has also appeared as a producer for Meat Loaf. Boney M's biggest success was a cover of the caribbean song The Rivers Of Babylon.

[@trickydick6152]

The great mystery is why Boney M was a hit everywhere but in USA.

[@siliconSPIRIT]

The producer Frank Farian died a few days ago. He produced Million Vanilli too.

[@CostasCostoulas]

Bob Farell was a moving fire on stage. He used to work as a dj in Holland clubs back to 70's. He was chosen by the German music producer Frank Farian, who past away few days ago, age 82. Farian was Boney M's founder. He sang all Boney M'S tracks. Bob was a great performer and was one of the main reasons for group's success back then. I still remember the great argument between disco fans which group was better, ABBA or Boney M. Try Bob on Daddy Cool big hit on stage, live... trust me!!

[@char1737]

Boney M. are a disco group that specialises in R&B, reggae, disco and funk, created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary songwriter. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, Maizie Williams from Montserrat, and Bobby Farrell from Aruba. The group was formed in 1976 and achieved popularity during the disco era of the late 1970s

[@sarahberke7194]

Ma Baker reminds me of Bonnie and Clyde ❤😂😊 I enjoy your reactions a bunch. 😊😊😊

[@sarahberke7194]

Boney Parker was from Rowena, Texas a small rural town north of Midland.

[@rmbn5]

Boney M was a big hit in the days. They were always on.

[@frankhusemann9174]

Boney M was produced by Frank Farian who just passed away , Frank Farian was also famous for the Milli Vanilli Scandal where both Frondmen were only Dancers and doing Playback to tracks sung by professionals (which had a short try later as "The real Milli Vanilli" - but unsucessful) ... and there is the roumor that Frank Farian was the Male voice of Boney M .. maybe also somebody else ... but at least Frank Farian was responsible for the sound arrangement and the beats of Boney M and many other Artists. You should also react to "Daddy Cool" ;-)

[@mohammedchampkhan9586]

The afro brother is busting some awesome moves well ahead of his time its fire 🔥🔥🔥

[@rule-of-thumb]

The producer, was the man behind Milli vanilli too!

[@polgara3000]

Happy music from happier times... 🥳

[@PaulsWanderings]

I love this tune. It was on one of those cheap disco compilation albums from k-tel in the 70s.

[@mikew4001]

RIP Frank Farian!

[@Andy.Smurphy]

I grew up with these cats, Boney M are the goats ... funk and disco done very well ...

[@parkiwi4787]

Boney M's songs were like true history lessons. Rasputin, Ma Baker, the lyrics and songs should have made school history lessons more fun.

[@eddye.2358]

Kate Barker (born Arizona Donnie Clark; October 8, 1873 - January 16, 1935), better known as Ma Barker (in the Song its "Ma Baker") and sometimes known as Arizona Barker and Arrie Barker, was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker-Karpis Gang during the "public enemy era" when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwestern United States gripped the American people and press. She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers.

[@tubelious]

lol.. back in '88 an 8 year old me was soo rocking to this, DaddyCool, By the rivers of Babylon, Sunny, etc.

[@saturahman7510]

My mother .liked Boney M. Greetings from Finland.

[@christelsegbars1630]

Rasputin was beautiful covered by aurora!!! When I was young we listnened to the radio, this was our disco❤

[@martinvalentine9228]

Another great reaction. Id love to see you react to the Fine young Cannibals. "Good thing" would be a fantastic place to start......

[@rule-of-thumb]

Bobby Farrell is the 'singer'. He may not be able to sing, but you can't deny his presence tho

[@char1737]

Classic disco at its best! You know it's legendary when lady gaga sampled it for her hit poker face.

[@Milchos666]

Boney M are immortal. Please don't forget to react to "Daddy cool", another amazing smash hit by them!

[@lgugue]

Hi from Brazil! I recommend you another German gems: 70's - Mireille Mathieu - Akropolis Adieu 80's - Modern Talking - Just we two 90's - Modo - ein swei Polizei

[@IchSaluki74]

Frank Farian, the producer and the voice died today. He was behind Milli Vanilli as well. Germany will miss him, I guess.

[@charlespaschal25]

The also had a song called "Rasputin" which has been recently covered by Aurora. Very good.

[@susanfriend-k5m]

The scene in the 70s UK was tamla motown, Disco, black artists taking it from us big time. this band was everywhere.

[@angelsantino]

This is fire 🔥

[@LunaJo67WDHTMJ]

Remember Milli Vanilli? Came out of the same "stable" of Frank Farian a German producer who actually sang all the male parts. The dancer, Bobby Farrel, was Dutch. It was a bit corny disco but immense popular at the time. As a child I liked Boney M a lot. :) LJ

[@davewilson3569]

Kate Barker (born Arizona Donnie Clark; October 8, 1873 - January 16, 1935), better known as Ma Barker (and sometimes known as Arizona Barker and Arrie Barker), was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker-Karpis Gang during the "public enemy era" when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwestern United States gripped the American people and press. She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers.

[@davereinhardt1801]

It's about a month late but Mary's Boy Child by Boney M is one of the best ever Christmas songs.

[@trickhayproductions]

BP you will most likely recognize the song "Sunny" from them. It was on the radio alot in the 70's

[@HouseOfRussell420]

The secret to his energy is called cocaine. It was the 70's man! LOL

[@mikrokupu]

Wow 😁 music of my childhood (in Finland)

[@ac8907]

Bobby Farrel never sang for Boney M, he performed in playback. Perfect performance since it was not until his death in 2010 that the truth was revealed. Frank Farian, the man in the shadows The one who sings on Raspoutine and other Boney M tracks is actually German producer Frank Farian. At the beginning of the 70s, he released his first song “Baby do you wanna bump”, he did not show himself and chose to stay in the shadows, convinced that he did not correspond to his song, being a white German man. Faced with the success of his song, he started looking for a group to promote his song and mime it on television.

[@brino7278]

OK, Sopot simply is a town in poland, situated at the baltic sea. And apparantly they made a music festival there back then.

[@jorgjorgsen7528]

this band was just one german man with alot of actors on stage.

[@ytnamax]

Did that german man sing all female vocals and play all instruments?

[@jorgjorgsen7528]

@@ytnamax yes he did all male voices and some of the "female" voices for the rest he used "females" from his family mostly his aunt.

[@logantawhiti55]

The Best Live performance I've seen is the song.Voula Done by 15yr old Emma Kok it is so beautiful and moving. I don't know you just have to check it out.👍❤

[@garthmccarthy4911]

check out DISKOteka Festival 2019 bony M Rasputin 100% live. Shocking how good they sound live to this day, but sadly Bobby Farrell passed in 2010

[@davidmazzell2332]

Ma baker was a outlaw back in the 1800's wild west days.

[@jackieblue1267]

1920 to 1930s. The Ma Barker gang. Ma Barker and one of her sons was shot to death by police in 1935 in Chicago. Charlie Manson learned guitar by one of the Ma Barker gang Alvin Karpis.

[@omaramador4669]

Papa this is an old jam. This is so epic. The music and the films/“videos “in those times were so high quality, you missed those times. This was a Music Festival in Poland 🇵🇱 ( Communist at that time) the group were from West Germany but at the same time all of them were Caribbean people (Jamaica-Aruba) singing in English and wearing Russian costumes. For me at that time was normal because I saw so many times people from The Soviet Union performing (70-80’s)in Cuba. Their album were printed / edited on Russian / East Germany music Studios. Crazy 😛 eh? The cultural blend goes on and on

[@astrocohorsclub]

Fun fact: the clicking sound in the beginning doing the rhythm was producer Frank Farian hitting his own teeth with a pencil in his open mouth.

[@hazelanglin5907]

Everyone has heard of them . Great songs

[@agricolaurbanus6209]

Frank Farian was the most prolific German producer of the 70's and 80's, and also the male voice for Boney M. He also produced any international artists.

[@supergiangibar]

soundtrack of my childhood...

[@Herr_Wagner_]

good old german disco funk... its a crazy rabbithole, check the stuff out.

[@darleendionne6403]

Cool. You are into the "disco" era...heavily maligned but I lived it and loved it.

[@Jessioska]

Fun times🤩

[@paulozavala3232]

After this! I want ABBA!!

[@EmmaBadOne]

Don, it was at the beginning of Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock's, Make It Hot, from It Takes Two album

[@maciejbroda8485]

Boney M. - Daddy Cool (Sopot Festival 1979) check it out. The concert took place at the famous Polish festival in Sopot

[@angelsantino]

this is DISCO my friends. i want to see you dance. best regards from germany

[@patrickschindler2583]

The record contract with Bonney M was limited from the start. When the contract was terminated, the group wanted to continue under the same name. According to my memories, there was also a trial. However, the name was protected by copyright. So that a new edition came to nothing. By chance I read that front man Bobby Farrel died in 2010.

[@TheUberDark]

German group but the lead man Bobby Farrell was from the dutch antilles (Aruba) which is why i knew about him being from the Netherlands. I think in the 70's the USA just didnt get much of the european music and being that large you may just have had plenty other things to listen to so Boney M stayed under your radar. Oh and uuuh he was usually doped up and the ladies clearly caried the music.

[@TheFireMonkey]

Boney M was from West Germany and they mostly did disco and funk.

[@christinehutchinson767]

Sounds of the 70s Disco 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻🇬🇧

[@adamlubieniecki]

This Festival was in Poland - Sopot is one of threecity cities This festival was really big, maybe check another artist from there

[@Icedmorgans]

If you want to see a masterclass of performing live , go for Eric Burdon & War performing Spill The Wine , or Tobacco road. Stunning live performance.

[@jermynryan2286]

Guys!!!!!!! Hammer pants are in since 500 years in other countries!

[@nelerhabarber5602]

Boney M. - Daddy Cool (Musikladen 1976)! There he is dancing much crazier!

[@erikahlander3489]

Interesting that there were different songs of Boney M. which hitted in Europe vs. USA. They made covers of quite different song, among them Mike Batt's "The ride to Agadir" in original (which I prefer), ft. London Symphony Orchestra. Seems to be unknown in the US. Great song with Arabian influences.

[@SnoopOlliB]

And keep in mind ... Frank Farian did this "singing trick" years later again ... with an unknown band called "Milli Vanilli" ;)

[@Yougottalaugh-p9u]

Yes, did the same trick again with Milli Vanilli.

[@imperiuminteligents7150]

In 2024 … it is. Literally a lit 🔥

[@richter6699]

Metal head here. This shit is funky as hell lol

[@mariapanagiotaki4335]

"Daddy cool" and " By the rivers of Babylon" next!!!!!

[@OnkelKnuffel]

Boney M was a german music project from the 70 s. The frontman did not sing, it was allways a playback. The original voice was the producer him self. But it was the great dancing Performance that makes the frontman a part of the show an the band. And this was the reason of the great success they had. Boney M is one of the gratest german music project. There are so many eary Songs. Look for them. One example is one of my favorite christmas songs "Mary s boy child". But if you do a research for songs from Boney M you will find only top Performance songs. Many greatings from Duisburg in Germany!

[@maryslack6169]

Ma Baker was part of the Ma Baker gang during the twenties or thirties. Her sons was the rest of the gang

[@news11101]

IIt's very interesting that you mentioned Milli Vanilli. The producer Frank Farian, who founded Boney M, also founded the group Milli Vanilli... In my childhood in the late 70s to mid 80s, Boney M. was very popular. Boney M.'s performances have been a highlight of every music show. One of my Boney M. favorite song is "Rivers of Babylon". It has a touch of reggae.

[@germankitty]

Just FYI, Sopot is a seaside resort on the Baltic Sea, in Poland -- not too far away from Gdansk.

[@Tommysimonsen]

This is yayo fuelled.

[@rainermarb5528]

Frank farian ist the Mastermind behind bony m and Milli vanilli

[@vecktorvis1219]

That's right, same ideologue, same result; With the difference in Boney M the girls did sing, the male voice was performed by Fran Farian himself

[@jimsteinmanfan80]

In the 1980's singers like Meatloaf, David Lee Roth, Jon Bon Jovi, Steven Tyler and Mick Jagger were all moving around on stage.

[@thomaskruck4474]

Definitely, it is playback. The voices were often not from the persons on stage. Boney M. is the creation of Frank Farian who died a week ago. He was a great producer, knew how to build up successful sounds and stage performance. Later, there was the scandal with Milli Vanilli, after Farian selected these two good-looking young men which drove the girls crazy but did not sing the initial hit. However, the music itself is really well done and you can still make a crowd dance and sing.

[@davesandall4530]

You'll do well to find any "live" performance from these