FAVORITE RECORD COVERS

[oliver]

I too have this collection from Belgium (and talking of favourite covers I think this one with the "Oceans Of Fantasy" costumes is quite nice) and yes, it's only the edit of "Children Of Paradise". Great though that it contains "Strange". Yesterday I listened to the "Kalimba de Luna- 16 Happy Songs with Boney M."- CD and again wondered about Farians tendency to squeeze so many songs on one album although we're talking vinyl here and 56 minutes or so running time is quite a lot. But somehow the tracklist doesn't make sense to me. "Happy Songs" ? Where is "Malaika" then ? And are "Consuela Biaz" and "Somewhere In The World" really happy songs ? Why didn't he include " I Shall Sing" ? I love the version of "African Moon" though. It's a great track in my opinion. But I would like to know what you all think of that collection. At the time I bought it on vinyl I had given up on Boney M. for quite a while (faithless me, I know, but at sixteen other things were cooler ) and I was surprised then to hear all the songs form the "twilight years". I had not heard those songs then and I quite liked them. So in that respect the album worked. But today I think the tracklist could be bettered. Which sonsg would you put on an album called "16 Happy Songs with Boney M." ?

[jdbaptist]

'16 Happy Songs'! It was such a cheapily done compilation for Boney M. and one that Farian should be embarrassed by. There was absolutely no thought put into it and it really was just a bad cash-in by him and the record company.
He got it completely wrong with '10,000 Lightyears' (it ranks up there with one of the worst album covers too) and really trying to promote this lp as Boney M.'s first 'concept' album - well, it's just a joke!
The album also has too many tracks on it (I think); 'Dizzy', 'Where Did You Go', 'The Alibama', 'Jimmy' are completely pointless to the album and should've never appeared on it.
I think if he had put together a really good album with '10,000 Lightyears' then we would never have had to put up with '16 Happy Songs'!

[richardjohn]

Yeah what an awful idea that album was. I am surprised that Farian didn't follow it up with 'Miserable Songs' featuring Still l'm Sad and Goodbye My Friend', or how about an album called 'Songs Ruined By Farians Vocals' featuring Bye Bye Bluebird, Ride to Agadir and Oceans of Fantasy.
Oops! I may have just given him another idea!!

[jdbaptist]

I'll probably be slated for this but 'RideTo Agadir' is, I think, probably one of the worst choice of tracks ever to be picked for a Boney M. album and I don't know why it is plonked onto 'Boonoonoonoos'. And the version of 'Jimmy' with Farian's vocal is also nauseating! I like 'African Moon' (the single version from 1983 being much better too) and can't stand 'Sad Movies'. I love 'Breakaway'; it sounds like Boney M. (Bobby would be good doing this live) and the rest of the tracks (I would have made 'We Kill The World' longer and dropped the hammy 'Don't Kill The World' altogether - maybe leave it on the single for those who like it - I don't) and forget about the Abba-rip-off 'Consuela Biaz'.

I think the album would have a good tracklisting if it had been like as follows: (1-6 Side One 5-12 Side Two)

1. We Kill The World
2. Silly Confusion
4. Boononoonoos
5. Train To Skaville
6. I Shall Sing
7. Homeland Africa (Ship Ahoy)
8. Malaika
9. Breakaway
10. Felicidad (Margherita)
11. African Moon
12. Goodbye My Friend

I like the album cover though! (lol) ;D

[boneyMitchell2006]

sad

[richardjohn]

I think that it's each to their own really. I like Ride to Agadir but would have prefered to hear more Liz and Marcia and much less of Frank Farian. Boney M have a lot to thank him for but he just didn't seem to know when to hold back. I would have to say that I like Consuela Biaz (even thought the ABBA influence is very clear) and Sad Movies too. I also prefer Strange to Felicidad but there you go. We're all different and there's no accounting for taste!

[boneyMitchell2006]

yes what people forget is boney m is franks baby he owns the name and hes as much apart of the group as liz and marcia are!! and i think hes amazing totaly amazing songs and superb production

[oliver]

Hey, jd, I agree with the tracklisting of "Boonoonoonoos" although I was wandering if "Gadda Da Vida" or "Children Of Paradise" should have been included ?? And also I agree with your opinion on "Ride To Agadir"- it's a completely overblown production and just not a very good song. And I also agree with you on "Lightyears": it's not a very good album. There are quite a few strong tracks on it like "Living like a moviestar" or "I Feel Good" but "The Alibama" or "Bel Ami" ?? Yeuk !!! Terrible, terrible, terrible. I think at that time Farian had really lost it and I'm still wondering why. Probably he just wasn't interested any longer. I think it's so sad that the final three Boney M. albums are really weak ("Lightyears", "Happy Songs" and "Eye Dance"). And just think of that dreadful- medley- mish- mash- cash in "10 Years with Boney M." Another terrible album. I still wish that someone would treat the Boney M- back- catalogue with all the care and knowledge it deserves.

[richardjohn]

I think that respect is something that has been missing for a long time. In fact, Boney M never had much respect from the media and the trendies. They were a bit like Abba in that it was OK to like them if you were very young but otherwise 'don't admit it in public!'. Of course, the trendies now say that they were always Abba fans, but they are probably lying. DJs on the radio hated the kind of success that acts like Boney M and Abba had and neither act were ever 'cool'.
But they were HUGELY successful, and it does annoy me when the media tries to change musical history. It's OK the praise Abba now. The Mamma Mia musical the the 'Gold' collection helped to change their image. In the late 80s you couldn't give Abba albums away and so cheap bits and pieces compilations appeared. This has also of course happened with the Boney M back catalogue. I hope that maybe when the musical (?!!) finally appears that maybe Boney M will get the praise and reevaluation that they deserve. They did after all outsell Abba around Europe in 1977 and 1978. In Britain in 1978 they sold more than 4m singles in one year. Remember, Abba never had a million seller in the UK. Mary's Boy Child sold 1.6 million and Rivers of Babylon nearly 2million. In fact if you discount the charity singles and charity re-issues (Bohemian Rhapsody), which people often buy through sense of duty rather than musical choice, Rivers of Babylon is still the second best selling single in the UK ever, some thirty years after its release.
So let's hope (and pray!) that the record company sees some sense and re-issues the original albums hopefully in expanded form with relevant bonus tracks and full length versions. Not the same old hits compilations with 3 minute edits . PLEASE!!!

[oliver]

I agree with you. It's so strange that nobody ever took care of the Boney M. back catalogue. Every artist had expanded versiions, remastered versions, original versions with bonus tracks and so on. Boney M. sold millions of at least the first four or five albums and I think it's very annoying that the record company never gave it a thought. The sound could be improved, there could be bonus tracks for every album, liner notes, new photos etc. And yes, the singles sold in bucket loads until 1980. I guess it's a question of rights again. Maybe Mr. Faraian doesn't want to work on those albums again and if I had a say as far as those re- issues are concerned: I would not allow Mr Farian to produce those. He just doesn't know how to treat the Boney M- back catalogue with the respect it deserves. I'm sure he would edit a little line there, add a few modern sounds (maybe "Malaika" in Shakira- style :-)) there and again we wouldn't have what we really want. There is a good example of how to treat a back catalogue with respect: Bucks Fizz ha alla albums remastered and re-released with album tracks. And it was the fans who made that possible because they wrote to RCA and Polygram. The record company finally yielded and released the albums. And also because of the interest of the fans there will soon be a "The Lost Masters- 25th anniversary" album. I like the group very much but they never had the million sellers Boney M. had. So if all that could be done to the back catalogue of Bucks Fizz this should also be possible for Boney M. And I don't write that because I want to offend any Bucks Fizz- fans- I am one myself. But as far as record sales are concerned they simply couldn't match Boney M.

[oliver]

P.S. JDbaptist, are you on holiday ??

[jdbaptist]

Hi guys hope all you are well and in good spirits (gin, Vodka, Whisky - whatever tickles your fancy!).

I would really love a proper reissue of the Boney M. back catalogue aswell with good sleeve notes. It would be great to get bonus tracks (extended versions, etc) and a proper package put together. I wonder would there be any legal reason as to why this might not happen? Would Farian have to pay royalties with respect to the original contracts to the members of Boney M.? Plus are there any ongoing cases against Farian from other concerned parties about royalties, production credits (which Farian just seemed to give to himself a lot of the time) and songwriting credits?
It is true about what richardjohn says too about Boney M. and Abba with regard to critics over the years and just who was buying Abba records. I remember (in school back in the 70's/80's) that it was mostly teen girls who bought the Abba records! As richardjohn says, it was only after the 'Gold' compilation and the Abba revival that everyone seemed to claim they were an Abba Fan!

[richardjohn]

I was an Abba fan, in fact Abba- The Album was the first album i bought. Nightflight to Venus was the second, with Take The Heat off Me and Love For Sale close behind. l think that it should be comforting for Liz,Marcia and Boney M fans to note that even the mighty Agnetha and Frida ( i was so in love with Agnetha), struggled with solo careers in terms of chart success. So they should't get disheartened if their albums don't set the charts alight. But why struggle alone? l would love to hear Liz and Marcia sing together again.

[richardjohn]

If Frank Farian wants some ideas on how to re-issue the Boney M back catalogue , he could do worse than to look at the Abba site. Apparently Abba's classic 'Arrival' album is getting a 30th anniversary re-issue later this year with all the appropriate b-sides and extras on the cd and a bonus DVD of TV appearances connected with that album. Is there any good reason why the same couldn't be done for 'Nightflight to Venus', 'Love for Sale' , 'Take the Heat Off Me' or 'Oceans of Fantasy'. Can you imagine? What a treat that would be!

[jdbaptist]

My fav Abba lady is Frida! I thought she just seemed to be enjoying herself and there was always a hint of something naughty about her! Frida and Benny were the more party animals than Agnetha and Bjorn and I always thought it would be great to have a night out with them. What a laugh!
I love Abba'a Voulez Vous album from 1979. They really produced a fabulous dance album with this one. It's ironic that while Abba in this year truly entered a Disco phase with their music, Boney M. (the legends of Disco) were trying to enter 'Abba' mode with stuff like 'El Lute'. Farian had a great idea with 'Oceans Of Fantasy' and the funkier songs like 'Bye Bye Bluebird' (pre release this was how 'Oceans Of Fantasy' was being reported as bringing a funky, more R&B sound to the album! What the Hell happened by the time it was released! With the decline of Disco in the States I think he chickened out and that was a mistake. The 'Eight Legged Sex-Machine' had become.... what?
'Oceans Of Fantasy' is still a great cover though. I still wold have liked a different fold-out poster to the one that was in it. Have you ever seen the photograph I referred to earlier where Boney M. are wearing the masks aswell as the undersea outfits? Brilliant!