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{{short description|Disco group}}
{{more citations needed|date = May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist|<!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name              = Boney M.
| image             = Boney M. (1977 Atlantic Records publicity photo).jpg
| caption           = Boney M. in 1977. From L-R: [[Marcia Barrett]], [[Maizie Williams]], [[Bobby Farrell]], [[Liz Mitchell]]
| origin            = [[West Germany]]
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]|[[disco]]|[[reggae]]}}
| years_active      = {{hlist|1974–1986|1988–1989|1992–present}}
| label             = {{hlist|[[Hansa Records|Hansa]]|[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]|[[Sony Music|Sony]]}}
| module            = {{Infobox
| child             = yes
| title             = '''Logo'''
| headerstyle       = background:#b0c4de
| image             = [[File:Boney M. Logo.svg|200px]]
}}
| current_members   = [[Liz Mitchell]]
| past_members      = * [[Marcia Barrett]]
* [[Maizie Williams]]
* [[Bobby Farrell]]
* [[Reggie Tsiboe]]
}}
 
'''Boney M.''' is a [[reggae]], [[funk]] and [[disco]] music group founded in 1974 in West Germany. It achieved popularity during the disco era in the second half of the 1970s.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2010/12/30/boney-m-bobby-farrell-dead/|title=Boney M. frontman Bobby Farrell found dead|date=30 December 2010|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|first=Brad|last=Wete|access-date=24 July 2022|archive-date=24 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724044345/https://ew.com/article/2010/12/30/boney-m-bobby-farrell-dead/|url-status=live}}</ref> The band was created by German record producer [[Frank Farian]], who was the group's primary songwriter and singer. Originally based in [[West Germany]], the four original members of the band's official line-up were [[Liz Mitchell]] and [[Marcia Barrett]] from [[Jamaica]], [[Maizie Williams]] from [[Montserrat]], and [[Bobby Farrell]] from [[Aruba]]. Since the 1980s, various line-ups of the band have performed with different members.

The band sold over 100 million records during their commercial heyday, and are known for hits including "[[Daddy Cool (Boney M. song)|Daddy Cool]]", "[[Ma Baker]]", "[[Belfast (Boney M. song)|Belfast]]", "[[Sunny (Bobby Hebb song)#Boney M. version|Sunny]]", "[[Rasputin (song)|Rasputin]]", "[[Rivers of Babylon]]", "[[Brown Girl in the Ring (song)|Brown Girl in the Ring]]", "[[Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday]]", "[[Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord|Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord]]" and "[[Gotta Go Home]]". They achieved eight number one singles in their native Germany, and two in the United Kingdom, both of which are among that country's all-time bestsellers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Boney M - full Official Chart History |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15971/boney-m/ |access-date=24 April 2022 |website= [[Official Charts Company]] |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424160248/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15971/boney-m/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
===1974–1976: Formation and early career===
German singer-songwriter [[Frank Farian]] recorded the dance track "[[Baby Do You Wanna Bump]]" in 1974. Farian sang the repeated line "Do you do you wanna bump?" in a deep voice, as well as performing the high [[falsetto]] chorus. When the record was released as a single in early 1975, it was credited to "Boney M.". Farian had created this pseudonym for himself after watching the Australian television detective series ''[[Boney (TV series)|Boney]]'',<ref name="Boney">Boney M by John Shearlaw and David Brown, Hamlin Paperbacks, 1979 {{ISBN|0 600 20009 4}}-page 35-6</ref> whose main character was named Napoleon Bonaparte.  Farian said:

{{blockquote|I turned on the TV one day and it was the end of a detective series. I just caught the credits and it said Boney. Nice name, I thought – Boney, Boney, Boney... Boney M. Boney, Boney, Boney M. Nice sound. Simple.<ref name="Boney"/>}}

After a slow start, the song became a hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. It was then that Farian decided to hire performers to create a troupe for TV appearances.

In 1975, model-turned-singer [[Maizie Williams]] (originally from Montserrat) recalls that she and her friend [[Sheyla Bonnick]] were approached by an agent while at a restaurant in Hanover, Germany, and invited to join a new pop group. The job offered was to dance and mime to the studio recording of “Baby Do You Wanna Bump”. Williams and Bonnick were joined by two other performers identified only as “Nathalie” and “Mike”, and together the four embarked on a discothèque tour and made a few television appearances in the subsequent months.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome from Maizie Williams of Boney M |url=http://www.maiziewilliams.com/history.shtml |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=www.maiziewilliams.com}}</ref> However, no footage of this early lineup of Boney M. has ever surfaced. Nathalie left the group and was replaced by [[Claudja Barry]]. Bonnick decided that lip-synching was not for her and departed with the aim of pursuing a solo career, and Mike also left. They were then replaced by new members [[Marcia Barrett]], a singer from [[Jamaica]], and [[Bobby Farrell]], a dancer from [[Aruba]]. When Claudja Barry also left, Barrett brought in [[Liz Mitchell]], also from Jamaica and formerly a member of the [[Les Humphries Singers]], and the group’s classic lineup was finally complete.

===1976–1979: ''Take the Heat off Me'' and international success===
Boney M.'s first album, ''[[Take the Heat off Me]]'', was released in 1976. It featured tracks that Marcia Barrett had already recorded with Farian, including the title track and "Lovin' or Leavin{{'"}}, both of which were previously recorded in German by another Farian act, [[Gilla (singer)|Gilla]]. As Maizie Williams' voice was not considered suitable for recording purposes by Farian, and a try-out with Bobby Farrell performing "[[No Woman, No Cry|No Woman No Cry]]" did not work, Farian decided to use only Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, along with his own studio-enhanced voice, to create the Boney M. sound.

The album's commercial performance was initially lukewarm. However, the group rigorously toured discos, clubs, and even country fairs to earn a reputation for themselves. The group's big break came at the end of the summer of 1976 when West German television producer Michael "Mike" Leckebusch of [[Radio Bremen]] requested them for his show ''[[Musikladen]]''. Boney M. appeared on the live music show on 18 September 1976, after 10:00&nbsp;p.m. and in their daring stage costumes, where they performed the song "[[Daddy Cool (Boney M. song)|Daddy Cool]]". The song quickly went to no.{{px2}}1 in [[West Germany]], with the album following the success of the single. Another single, "[[Sunny (Bobby Hebb song)|Sunny]]", a cover of the 1966 [[Bobby Hebb]] song, gave the group their second no.{{px2}}1 hit. The group's popularity had also grown throughout Europe, with "Daddy Cool" reaching no.{{px2}}1 in Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, France, and Austria. Both singles were also Top 10 hits in the UK, which would become one of their biggest markets.

In 1977, Boney M. released their second album, ''[[Love for Sale (Boney M. album)|Love for Sale]]'', which contained the hits "[[Ma Baker]]" and "[[Belfast (Boney M. song)|Belfast]]". The group embarked on their first major concert tours with a live band of musicians called The Black Beauty Circus, given their name after Maizie Williams' first band, Black Beautiful People. ''Love for Sale'' was certified Gold a year after its release in the UK.<ref name="BPI certifications">{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx |title=Certified Awards Search |publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |access-date=10 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924015932/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx |archive-date=24 September 2009 }}</ref> Both singles from the album reached no.{{px2}}1 in West Germany and the UK Top 10.

1978 was the group's biggest year. They released a new double A-sided single, "[[Rivers of Babylon]]" / "[[Brown Girl in the Ring (song)|Brown Girl in the Ring]]", which was a hit all over Europe, reaching no.{{px2}}1 in several countries as well as becoming one of the biggest selling singles of all time in the UK. It also became their most successful single in the United States, peaking at no.{{px2}}30 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. pop singles chart]]. Following this came their biggest-selling album, ''[[Nightflight to Venus]]'', which spawned further hit singles with "[[Rasputin (song)|Rasputin]]" and "[[Painter Man]]". Continuing with their success, they released "[[Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord]]", which was the 1978 [[List of Christmas number one singles (UK)|Christmas number one single]] in the United Kingdom and became another of the biggest selling singles of all time there. The same year, Boney M. made a much-publicised promotional visit to the [[Soviet Union]], one of the very few Western acts along with [[Elton John]] to do so, although tracks like "Rasputin" were not released in the Soviet Union due to their subject matter.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Risch |first=William Jay |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j4bpBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA259 |title=Youth and Rock in the Soviet Bloc: Youth Cultures, Music, and the State in Russia and Eastern Europe |date=17 December 2014 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing|Lexington Books]] |isbn=978-0-7391-7823-2 |language=en}}</ref>

While it had never been a secret that Bobby Farrell never sang on the group's records (Farian did the male vocals in the studio), in 1978 it became public knowledge that Maizie Williams did not sing on the studio recordings either, since "her voice wasn't suited for this kind of music" as Farian stated in an interview with German teen magazine ''[[Bravo (magazine)|Bravo]]''. Because this had become common practice within the disco genre of the late 1970s, few people cared{{px2}}{{mdash}}{{hsp}}unlike when Farian repeated the practice to much more severe backlash with [[Milli Vanilli]] in the late 1980s. While only two of Boney M.'s official members actually contributed to the sound of [[Boney M. discography|the band's records]], all four members of the group, including Williams and Farrell, performed the vocals live at Boney M. concerts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fantasticboneym.com/ |title=Fantastic Boney M. |publisher=Boney M. |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=3 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003125738/http://www.fantasticboneym.com// |url-status=live }}</ref> The band's live sound was also augmented by several [[backing vocalist]]s, which served to mitigate any vocal deficiencies the group may have had compared with the studio productions.

1979 saw Boney M. release a brand new single, "[[Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday]]", which became another Top 10 hit across Europe. Later in the year they released their fourth album, ''[[Oceans of Fantasy]]'', featuring two hit singles – [[El Lute / Gotta Go Home|"Gotta Go Home" / "El Lute"]] and [[I'm Born Again / Bahama Mama|"I'm Born Again" / "Bahama Mama"]]. The album also included lead and backing vocals credits for the first time. ''Oceans of Fantasy'' reached no.{{px2}}1 in the UK and was certified Platinum, though their run of Top 10 singles had now ended, with "Gotta Go Home" peaking at no.{{px2}}12 and "I'm Born Again" peaking at no.{{px2}}35.

===1980–1986: ''The Magic of Boney M.''; departure of Farrell and split===
[[File:Boney M 1981.jpg|thumb|Boney M. in 1981]]
In 1980, Boney M. released a greatest hits album, ''[[The Magic of Boney M. – 20 Golden Hits]]'', which also featured two new songs, "My Friend Jack" and "I See a Boat on the River". It made the no.{{px2}}1 spot in the UK, reaching Gold status within six weeks of release, though it was their last big-selling album in the UK.

Boney M.'s fifth album had been scheduled for release in November 1980, but the recording sessions dragged on through 1981. When ''[[Boonoonoonoos]]'' was finally released by the end of that year, Bobby Farrell departed from the group due to issues with Frank Farian. While still a healthy seller in continental Europe, ''Boonoonoonoos'' failed to crack the UK Top 100 after three consecutive no.{{px2}}1 albums, due to the group being unable to promote it without Farrell. Following this, the group released ''Christmas Album''.

In 1982, "Rasputin" was played by local broadcasters in Vietnam during the waiting periods before live games of the [[1982 FIFA World Cup|España 82]] – the 1982 [[FIFA World Cup]]. This led to the popularity of the band in Vietnam for decades following.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pham |first=Khoi |date=28 March 2018 |title=For the Love of Boney M: How a West German Disco Quartet Charmed Vietnam |url=https://saigoneer.com/saigon-music-art/12960-for-the-love-of-boney-m-how-a-west-german-disco-quartet-charmed-vietnam |access-date=2024-06-04 |website=Saigoneer |language=en-gb |archive-date=4 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604114251/https://saigoneer.com/saigon-music-art/12960-for-the-love-of-boney-m-how-a-west-german-disco-quartet-charmed-vietnam |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Reggie Tsiboe]] was hired to replace Farrell as the new male member of Boney M. in 1982, but the singles "[[The Carnival Is Over|The Carnival is Over]]" and "Jambo" fared poorly, and the group's seventh album ''[[Ten Thousand Lightyears]]'', issued in 1984, marked another commercial low point, peaking at number 23 in the German album charts. However, they returned to the German Top 20 in the autumn of 1984 with "[[Kalimba de Luna]]" (a Top 10 hit in France) and "[[Happy Song (Baby's Gang song)|Happy Song]]", the latter seeing Farrell return to the group. Both songs were carbon-copies of the original Italian hits by [[Tony Esposito (musician)|Tony Esposito]] and [[Baby's Gang]] respectively.

By 1985, Farian clearly began losing interest in the group, and their eighth and final studio album ''[[Eye Dance]]'' was widely regarded as uninspired and disappointing. After celebrating Boney M.'s 10th anniversary in early 1986, the group officially disbanded after the release of the commercially unsuccessful single "[[Young, Free and Single]]",<ref>A cover version of the UK hit by Sunfire from 1983; the original version written and performed by Lorita Grahame was released almost simultaneously.</ref> which peaked at no.{{hsp}}48 in West Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-67054|title=Offizielle Deutsche Charts: Young, Free And Single|publisher=Offiziellecharts.de|access-date=25 December 2018|archive-date=26 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035517/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-67054|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1990 and on: failed reunions and public interest===
{{more citations needed|section|date=January 2019}}
From this point, different versions of the group were formed by members, some with the cooperation of Farian, others without, for example by independently obtaining the rights to use the Boney M. name in a different country. One version began touring in the first half of 1987 with Marilyn Scharbaai (Carrilho) taking Liz Mitchell's place. Mitchell returned for a second leg of the tour late 1987, and Marcia Barrett soon left the band. At the same time, Bobby Farrell had set up a deal for a new Boney M. album to be recorded without Farian in Belgium. When Farrell failed to show up for either recording or tour, and as Maizie Williams had never sung on record, the album ended up being released as Liz Mitchell's first solo album, ''No One Will Force You''. Mitchell and Williams completed a tour during 1987–88, adding singer Celena Duncan and Ron Gale as replacements for Barrett and Farrell. Carol Grey later replaced Celena Duncan and Curt De Daran later replaced Ron Gale.

In October 1988, the classic Boney M. line-up reunited without producer Frank Farian for the album ''[[Greatest Hits of All Times – Remix '88]]'', but tensions ran high between the members, and Mitchell left in the spring of 1989, to be replaced by Madeleine Davis. While Mitchell promoted her solo album, the group recorded the single "[[Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker]]", without Farian's knowledge or approval. Threatened with legal action by the producer over the use of the Boney M. name, the single was subsequently withdrawn and Farian issued "Stories" with his own new Boney M. line-up featuring Mitchell, Reggie Tsiboe and two new members, Sharon Stevens and Patty Onoyewenjo. "Stories" peaked at number 11 in the Swiss charts, and a second remix album, ''Greatest Hits of All Times – Remix '89 – Volume II'', was released, but fared poorly.

1992 saw a renewed interest in Boney M.'s music with the "Boney M. Megamix" single returning the group to the UK Top 10 for the first time since 1980, and a subsequent greatest hits album, ''[[Gold – 20 Super Hits]]'', reaching the UK Top 20 in 1993. While Marcia Barrett, by then living in [[Florida]], had cancer and was unable to perform, Boney M. toured the world with a line-up of Liz Mitchell, Carol Grey, Patricia Lorna Foster and Curt Dee Daran (replaced by Tony Ashcroft in 1994). They released the single "[[Papa Chico]]",<ref>Originally a hit from 1985 by [[Tony Esposito]] whose preceding hit "[[Kalimba de Luna]]" had (in 1985) also been covered by Boney M.</ref> but it failed to chart. Maizie Williams assembled her own Boney M., with an ever-changing line-up. Bobby Farrell also toured with varying trios of female performers.[[File:BoneyMwGoleniowie.jpg|right|thumb|Boney M. featuring Maizie Williams performing at a concert]]
Mitchell was touring the world with her line-up of Boney M., which was the only line-up officially supported by Farian; a court ruling in 1990 stated that all four members are entitled to perform their own Boney M. shows. Farrell and Mitchell have released solo albums featuring their own re-recordings of Boney M.'s classic hits. Williams released her first solo album in 2006, and her own single version of "Sunny". In 2007, her rendition of "Daddy Cool" with [[Melo-M]] hit the number one spot in the Latvian (LMK) Charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvnet.lv/zinas/latvija/318666-melom_maizie_williams_ar_videoklipu_daddy_cool_lmk_top10_pirmaja_vieta|title=Melo-M & Maizie Williams ar videoklipu "Daddy Cool" LMK TOP10 pirmajā vietā|website=Tvnet.lv|date=31 August 2007|access-date=30 December 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202522/http://www.tvnet.lv/zinas/latvija/318666-melom_maizie_williams_ar_videoklipu_daddy_cool_lmk_top10_pirmaja_vieta|url-status=live}}</ref> Marcia Barrett has released two solo albums, with a third scheduled for release in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maiziewilliams.com/ |title=Maizie Williams official website |publisher=Maiziewilliams.com |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=20 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120162012/http://maiziewilliams.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{needs update|date=May 2025}}

A musical based on the music of Boney M., ''[[Daddy Cool (musical)|Daddy Cool]]'', opened in London in August 2006 to mixed reviews and sluggish ticket sales, causing it to close in February 2007. From April to July 2007, the show played in a mobile theatre in [[Berlin]], which was specially designed for it.

In April 2007, Australian pop singer Peter Wilson released a song co-written by [[Frank Farian]] entitled "[[Daddy Cool (Boney M. song)#"Doin' Fine"|Doin' Fine]]". It was described as "paying tribute to the sound of Boney M." and features the famous string arrangement from their first number 1 hit, "Daddy Cool". Boney M. (featuring Marcia Barrett) made a live appearance at the 37th [[International Film Festival of India]] (IFFI), which took place on 23 November 2006 in [[Panaji]], the state capital of [[Goa]], India.

In the UK, a new album of their greatest hits, entitled ''[[The Magic of Boney M.]]'' was released via [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]] on 27 November 2006. Special additions to this release were a [[Mousse T.]] remix of "Sunny" and a brand new song from 2006, featuring Liz Mitchell, entitled "A Moment of Love". On 10 April 2007, Boney M.'s first four albums were reissued on compact disc with bonus tracks, this time also in the United States (the first time these were available to the U.S. music market since their original releases in the 1970s).

In September 2007, Boney M.'s last four original albums, ''[[Boonoonoonoos]]'', ''[[Ten Thousand Lightyears]], [[Kalimba de Luna - 16 Happy Songs]]'' and ''[[Eye Dance]]'' were reissued on compact disc in Europe and the United States, all including bonus tracks. In November 2007, a new [[Christmas With Boney M. (2007 Edition)|Christmas compilation]] was scheduled for release, as well as the DVD ''Fantastic Boney M. – On Stage and on the Road'', featuring a live performance recorded in [[Vienna]] on 1 November 1977 (the DVD cover erroneously states it to be a live show from [[Hamburg]]), and a film from the band's 1981 visit to [[Jamaica]] (made to promote the ''Boonoonoonoos'' album that year).

Bobby Farrell's Boney M. performed a concert at the Amphi in [[Ra'anana]], Israel, in May 2007. On 28 June 2007 Boney M. featuring Matthew Felsenfeld and Liz Mitchell performed at the [[Oktyabrskiy Big Concert Hall|Oktiabrsky concert hall]] in [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]], Russia. In September 2007, Maizie Williams' Boney M. line-up performed live at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in Africa, performing her own renditions of "Brown Girl in the Ring" and "Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday".

The legal rights to the name "Boney M." have been a matter of controversy, and even court cases, between the former members of the band and producer Frank Farian ever since the late 1980s. Farian, the man who in effect created the group, continued to work with Liz Mitchell and her line-up all through the 1990s and 2000s. In January 2007, Bobby Farrell's daughter Zanillya Farrell and his ex-wife Yasmina Ayad-Saban renewed the trademark to the name Boney M. in Germany for a 10-year period.

In January 2009, Farian released the single "Felicidad America (Obama Obama)", a version of the 1980 Boney M. song "[[Felicidad (Margherita)]]" with new lyrics about newly elected U.S. president [[Barack Obama]]. The song was recorded with two new vocalists, and credited to "Boney M. feat. Sherita O. & Yulee B."

In July 2010, Maizie Williams headlined a Boney M. performance at [[Ramallah]]'s Cultural Palace, in the [[West Bank]], as part of the Palestine International Festival. The band played "Daddy Cool", "Ma Baker" and "Brown Girl in the Ring", but refrained from playing "Rivers of Babylon", rumoured to be at the event organisers' request because of its description of the Jewish yearning for Zion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetruthherzl.com/2010/07/despair-and-joy-24-hours-around.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914001759/http://www.thetruthherzl.com/2010/07/despair-and-joy-24-hours-around.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 September 2010|title=The Truth Herzl: Despair and Joy: 24 Hours Around Jerusalem|date=14 September 2010|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://yuvalbenami.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-shall-we-sing-lords-song-in-strange.html |title=How Shall we Sing the Lord's Song in a Strange Land? |website= Everywhere |first= Yuval |last=Ben Ami |publisher=Yuvalbenami.blogspot.com |date=21 July 2010 |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=8 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708072812/http://yuvalbenami.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-shall-we-sing-lords-song-in-strange.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jH-40LukweU-pTqtUy8NewItYahQD9H43R900|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725100557/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jH-40LukweU-pTqtUy8NewItYahQD9H43R900|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 July 2010|title=The Associated Press: Boney M asked to skip hit in West Bank gig|date=25 July 2010|access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref>

Bobby Farrell died at the age of 61 from heart failure on 30 December 2010. His agent said Farrell was complaining of breathing problems after performing with his band the evening before.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bobby Farrell (61) overleden | url=http://www.nu.nl/muziek/2412427/bobby-farrell-61-overleden.html | publisher=[[NU.nl]] | date=30 December 2010 | access-date=30 December 2010 | archive-date=30 December 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101230124130/http://www.nu.nl/muziek/2412427/bobby-farrell-61-overleden.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Boney M's Bobby Farrell has died, aged 61 |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/1230/farrellb.html |publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]] |date=30 December 2010 |access-date=30 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102013317/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/1230/farrellb.html |archive-date=2 January 2011 }}</ref> Farrell lived in [[Amsterdam]] until his death. His final performance was in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the city where [[Rasputin]] first became famous and was later killed. Farrell died in a hotel room there,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-12096781 |title="Boney M singer Bobby Farrell dies aged 61", BBC News |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=30 December 2010 |access-date=15 October 2011 |archive-date=1 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160401092823/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12096781 |url-status=live }}</ref> 94 years to the day after Rasputin.

Maizie Williams' line-up of Boney M. toured Australia in June 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://enmoretheatre.com.au/events/2014/06/14/boney-m|title=Enmore Theatre|access-date=30 December 2016|archive-date=13 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313150216/http://enmoretheatre.com.au/events/2014/06/14/boney-m|url-status=dead}}</ref> They sang at [[GuilFest|Guilfest]], [[Guildford]], UK, on 20 July 2014,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/guilfest/|title=07/20/2014: Guilfest @ Stoke Park|website=Concertarchives.org|access-date=22 December 2019|archive-date=22 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222194637/https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/guilfest/|url-status=live}}</ref> and Watchet Live music festival UK, on 24 August 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukfestivalguides.com/reviews/watchet-2014/|title=Watchet 2014|website=Ukfestivalguides.com|access-date=22 December 2019|archive-date=22 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222194639/https://www.ukfestivalguides.com/reviews/watchet-2014/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 2015, Farian released ''Diamonds'', a three-CD box celebrating the 40th anniversary of Boney M. It featured re-mastered versions of the original hit singles or of previously unreleased versions, a remix disc and the new digital single "Song of Joy", featuring Liz Mitchell. A major DVD set was also released.

In February 2017, the group performed at the closing ceremony of [[Patras Carnival]] in [[Patras]], Greece.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BONEY M AND GEO D FOR GREEK CARNIVAL – NEXO |url=https://www.nexo-sa.com/boney-m-geo-d-greek-carnival/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=www.nexo-sa.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Boney M at Patras Carnival|url=http://thegreekobserver.com/greece/lifestyle/article/877/boney-m-patras-carnival/|website=The Greek Observer|date=20 February 2017 |access-date=15 January 2018|archive-date=15 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115184622/http://thegreekobserver.com/greece/lifestyle/article/877/boney-m-patras-carnival/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Clarify|reason=Which version of the group?|date=May 2025}} At the end of 2017, the album ''World Music for Christmas'' was released under the name Boney M. and Friends, with Mitchell singing on three songs, along with the single and video "Like Diamonds in the Sky" featuring Mitchell, based on the song "[[El Cóndor Pasa (song)|El Cóndor Pasa]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=Like Diamonds in the Sky | date=4 December 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gma90QkTK9k |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=12 April 2020 |archive-date=2 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602074407/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gma90QkTK9k |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Boney M. feat. Liz Mitchell and Friends – World Music For Christmas |url=https://hitparade.ch/album/Boney-M.-feat.-Liz-Mitchell-and-Friends/World-Music-For-Christmas-344878 |website=Swisscharts |access-date=12 April 2020 |archive-date=27 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727040739/https://hitparade.ch/album/Boney-M.-feat.-Liz-Mitchell-and-Friends/World-Music-For-Christmas-344878 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Boney M. – World Music for Christmas (2017) – MusicMeter.nl |url=https://www.musicmeter.nl/album/702033 |access-date=9 June 2023 |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609015551/https://www.musicmeter.nl/album/702033 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2021, a remix of "Rasputin" by house music producer and [[KISS-FM (brand)|Kiss FM]] DJ Kevin Christie was released by [[Sony Music]]'s [[Ministry of Sound]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/majestic/|title=Majestic|work=Sony Music UK |access-date=21 December 2021|archive-date=21 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221181900/https://www.sonymusic.co.uk/artist/majestic/|url-status=live}}</ref> label. Credited to Majestic & Boney M (with the former being the DJ alias of Christie), the record reached number 11 on the UK singles chart<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/59662/majestic-and-boney-m/|title = Majestic & Boney M &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website = [[OfficialCharts.com]]|access-date = 21 December 2021|archive-date = 21 December 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211221181858/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/59662/majestic-and-boney-m/|url-status = live}}</ref> and was released with a video featuring [[Bimini Bon-Boulash]] from ''[[RuPaul's Drag Race UK]]''. In December 2021, Mitchell was one of the contributors to the [[5 (British TV channel)|Channel 5]] music programme ''Britain's Biggest 70s Hits'', alongside other musicians from the era such as [[Dean Friedman]] and [[Barry Blue]], and radio presenters like [[David Hamilton (broadcaster)|David Hamilton]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.channel5.com/show/britain-s-biggest-70s-hits/season-1|title=My5|access-date=21 December 2021|archive-date=21 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221181900/https://www.channel5.com/show/britain-s-biggest-70s-hits/season-1|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Sheyla Bonnick]], who had been part of the short-lived original 1975 line-up and performed with Boney M. featuring Maizie Williams in the 1990s, later formed her own Boney M. show, which performed in [[Jõhvi]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2022 |title=Jõhvi Suvekontsert |url=https://www.huvikeskus.info/2022/08/johvi-suvekontsert/ |access-date=2025-11-02 |website=Jõhvi Kultuuri- ja Huvikeskus |language=et}}</ref>

In August 2023, Boney M., headed by Mitchell, embarked on a multi-city US tour, along with [[Samantha Fox]] and [[Bad Boys Blue]], which included stops in [[Boston]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Chicago]], New York City and [[San Jose, California|San Jose]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Boney M/Samantha Fox/BBB |url=https://www.choosechicago.com/event/boney-m-samantha-fox-bbb/ |access-date=10 September 2023 |website=Choose Chicago |language=en-US |archive-date=9 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230909210725/https://www.choosechicago.com/event/boney-m-samantha-fox-bbb/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The shows were put together by Los Angeles-based promoters LA Concert Group.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Argyrakis |first=Andy |date=25 August 2023 |title=Boney M., Samantha Fox, Bad Boys Blue ignite a Europop explosion inside the Copernicus Center |url=https://chicagoconcertreviews.com/2023/08/24/boney-m-samantha-fox-bad-boys-blue-copernicus-center/ |access-date=10 September 2023 |website=Chicago Concert Reviews |language=en-US |archive-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826222343/https://chicagoconcertreviews.com/2023/08/24/boney-m-samantha-fox-bad-boys-blue-copernicus-center/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2024, the group's producer and main founder Frank Farian died, aged 82.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dw.com/en/german-music-producer-frank-farian-dies-aged-82/a-68063478|title=German music producer Frank Farian dies aged 82|publisher=[[Deutsche Welle|Duetsche Welle]]|date=23 January 2024|accessdate=23 January 2024|archive-date=23 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123122608/https://www.dw.com/en/german-music-producer-frank-farian-dies-aged-82/a-68063478|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/jan/23/frank-farian-creator-of-boney-m-and-milli-vanilli-dies-aged-82|title=Frank Farian, creator of Boney M and Milli Vanilli, dies aged 82|first=Philip|last=Oltermann|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=23 January 2024|accessdate=23 January 2024}}</ref>

The group were scheduled for a farewell tour in Australia in June and July 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-15 |title=Boney M. Add New Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Shows to 2024 Australian Farewell Tour |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/boney-m-add-sydney-melbourne-215656824.html |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Yahoo Entertainment |language=en-US |archive-date=24 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124005222/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/boney-m-add-sydney-melbourne-215656824.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-01 |title=BONEY M feat. Maize Williams {{!}} The Farewell Tour {{!}} Book Now! |url=https://metropolistouring.com/boney-m-2024/ |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Metropolis Touring |language=en-AU |archive-date=24 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124005223/https://metropolistouring.com/boney-m-2024/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== UK record sales achievements ==
In 1978, "Rivers of Babylon", a cover of a track by [[The Melodians]] with lyrics partly based on [[Psalm 137]] and partly on [[Psalm 19]],<ref>[[wikisource:Bible (King James)/Psalms#Psalm 137|Psalm 137]] in the [[Bible]] ([[King James Version|King James]])</ref> became (at the time) the second highest-selling single of all time in the UK. After remaining at no.{{px2}}1 for five weeks, "Rivers of Babylon" began dropping down the chart, at which point the [[B-side]] "Brown Girl in the Ring" was given extensive radio airplay, and the single ascended to no.{{px2}}2. The single spent six months in the UK Top 40, including 19 weeks in the Top 10. It eventually sold more than two million copies, the second single to do so, and is still [[List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom|one of only seven]] to achieve this feat.

The group achieved a second UK million-seller with their version of the [[calypso music|calypso]] song "[[Mary's Boy Child]]", released as a medley, "Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord", the first title having previously been a million-seller for [[Harry Belafonte]]. The single sold more than 1.8 million copies, 1.6 million of which were in the four weeks the song was at No. 1 in December 1978.

Boney M. is the only artist to appear twice in the top 12 [[List of best-selling singles in the United Kingdom|best selling singles of all time in the UK]], with "Rivers of Babylon" in seventh place and "Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord" at number 11.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/naughty-boy-and-sam-smith-reach-1-million-sales-with-la-la-la-3074/|title=Naughty Boy and Sam Smith smash 1 million UK sales with La La La|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|date=10 June 2014|access-date=18 August 2014|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006093121/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/naughty-boy-and-sam-smith-reach-1-million-sales-with-la-la-la-3074/|url-status=live}}</ref> They are also one of six artists to sell a million copies with two singles in the same year.

== Back catalogue ==
Compared to other best-selling artists of the 1970s, like [[ABBA]], [[Donna Summer]], and the [[Bee Gees]], the Boney M. discography is quite unusual, in that while the greater part of the band's back catalogue has been remixed, remade, remodeled and reissued all through the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s by producer Frank Farian and record company [[BMG-Ariola]] (now [[Sony Music]]), most of the original 7" and 12" versions issued on vinyl in the 1970s and early 1980s remained unavailable on CD until 2007, when they were released on various compilations, most notably ''The Collection'' (2008), the ''Ultimate Boney M.'' series (2008), ''Let It All Be Music: The Party Album'' (2009), ''Hit Story'' (2010) and ''Diamonds'' (2015). Some of these CDs were compiled by Frank Eberlein, who had also been interviewed on a fansite called "Fantastic Boney M." about the compiling process.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fantasticboneym.com/home/news/|title=News|website=Fantasticboneym.com|access-date=16 August 2021|archive-date=14 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514184925/https://www.fantasticboneym.com/home/news/|url-status=live}}</ref>

"Greatest hits" collections containing edited and/or overdubbed versions of the original recordings are still being released, such as ''Boney M. & Friends (Their Ultimate Top 40 Collection)'' (2017),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/master/2047909-Boney-M-Boney-M-Friends-Their-Ultimate-Top-40-Collection | title=Boney M. – Boney M. & Friends (Their Ultimate Top 40 Collection) | website=[[Discogs]] | year=2017 | access-date=3 February 2023 | archive-date=3 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203223355/https://www.discogs.com/master/2047909-Boney-M-Boney-M-Friends-Their-Ultimate-Top-40-Collection | url-status=live }}</ref> ''Rasputin – Big And Strong: The Greatest Hits of Boney M.'' (2021)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/master/2410204-Boney-M-Rasputin-Big-And-Strong-The-Greatest-Hits-of-Boney-M | title=Boney M. – Rasputin – Big and Strong: The Greatest Hits of Boney M | website=[[Discogs]] | year=2021 }}</ref> and the 2022 re-issue of the 2006 compilation ''[[The Magic of Boney M.]]''

== Popularity outside the West ==
Boney M. was hugely popular in the [[Soviet Union]] in the 1970s, although the song "Rasputin" was banned by the Soviet authorities from being played at the group's concert in Moscow in December 1978.<ref>Boney M – Russkaya Narodnaya Gruppa = Boney M – Russian Folk Group : documentary film (in Russian) // [[Rossiya 1|RTR]]. Moscow: Biz-Group, 2005.</ref> The song has been used in several films and television shows, including ''[[Johnny English Strikes Again]]'', ''[[The King's Man]]'', ''[[Black Mirror]]'', the Brazilian telenovela ''[[Dancin' Days (1978 TV series)|Dancin' Days]]'' and in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' special ''[[The Power of the Doctor]]'', in which [[The Master (Doctor Who)|The Master]] dances to the song while disguised as Rasputin himself.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sacha Dhawan on his Doctor Who dance sequence: "Yeah, I went for it!" |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/sacha-dhawan-rasputin-doctor-who-dance-exclusive-newsupdate/ |access-date=1 December 2022 |work=Radio Times |language=en |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023192129/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/sacha-dhawan-rasputin-doctor-who-dance-exclusive-newsupdate/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the Soviet film ''[[Repentance (1987 film)|Repentance]]'' (1984, released 1987), "Sunny" is played at a party attended by high-ranked communist officials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WddagkbOVo0|title=Repentance-1984/მონანიება ფრანგულად|date=19 February 2018 |access-date=16 August 2021|via=[[YouTube]]|archive-date=26 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126200633/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WddagkbOVo0&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> The song is also played during a few parts of the successful Korean film of the same name, ''[[Sunny (2011 film)|Sunny]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_P5xnBCvcg|title=[LYRICS] SUNNY BONEY M ( OST SSEO NI / 써니)|date=13 June 2014 |access-date=16 August 2021|via=[[YouTube]]|archive-date=2 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202072833/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_P5xnBCvcg|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[2002 South Korean presidential election|2002 presidential election]] campaign of South Korea, then-candidate [[Roh Moo-hyun]], who eventually won the presidency at that event, used "Bahama Mama" to promote his aim of positive political reform.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDcNm6rA2Vo YouTube – Cheerful Political Reform](Korean), from the official media outlet of Roh Moo-hyun {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707132424/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDcNm6rA2Vo |date=7 July 2015 }}</ref>

The 2005 Chinese film ''[[Shanghai Dreams]]'' features a scene depicting a rural Chinese disco in 1983, with teenagers dancing to "Rivers of Babylon" and "Gotta Go Home".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahdawi |first=Arwa |date=7 September 2006 |title=Shanghai Dreams |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/sep/08/worldcinema.drama |access-date=23 January 2023 |website=the Guardian |language=en |quote=But she finds herself tempted from her studies by a pair of red stilettos and by the lure of the local disco – a miniature Gomorrah where the kids dance in a desultory fashion to the sounds of Boney M.}}</ref>

In the 2008 Kazakh film ''[[Tulpan]]'', the tractor driver Boni continually plays a cassette of "Rivers of Babylon", an example of his fascination for all things Western.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kisyk |date=26 January 2011 |title=Тюльпан |trans-title=Tulip |url=https://www.azattyq.org/a/2287856.html |newspaper=Азаттық Радиосы |language=kk |quote=...listened to the group "Boni-M" (he sings "Sale!")... |archive-date=23 January 2023 |access-date=23 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123201715/https://www.azattyq.org/a/2287856.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 2008 Chinese film ''[[Cheung Gong 7 hou]]'' (English title: ''[[CJ7]]''), "Sunny" is a vital part of the soundtrack.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=IMDb|title=CJ7 (2008) Soundtracks|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0940709/soundtrack|access-date=2 June 2018|archive-date=24 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424105755/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0940709/soundtrack|url-status=live}}</ref> "Sunny" is the theme song of the 2011 Taiwanese drama, ''[[Sunny Girl]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3bbWIfOMV8|title=陽光天使片頭 Sunshine Angel Theme Song|date=10 July 2011 |access-date=16 August 2021|via=[[YouTube]]|archive-date=30 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230005422/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3bbWIfOMV8|url-status=live}}</ref> The song has also appeared in ''[[The Umbrella Academy (TV series)|The Umbrella Academy]]'' and ''[[Boogie Nights]]''.

Boney M. was immensely popular in India throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Liz Mitchell recalled her visits to India in the 1980s in a 2015 interview with ''[[Hindustan Times]]'': "It was amazing. We've had the most-wonderful tours here. We even went out shopping to so many places. We met several Bollywood stars and had dinners with them."<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 November 2015|title=To this day, I get fan mail from India: Boney M's Liz Mitchell|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/to-this-day-i-get-fan-mail-from-india-boney-m-s-liz-mitchell/story-9F5PDcrUhPN9OgAFnGKQjN.html|access-date=23 August 2021|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|language=en|archive-date=23 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823011325/https://www.hindustantimes.com/music/to-this-day-i-get-fan-mail-from-india-boney-m-s-liz-mitchell/story-9F5PDcrUhPN9OgAFnGKQjN.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Personnel ==
* [[Liz Mitchell]] – lead and backing vocals (1976–1986, 1988–1989, 1990, 1992–present)
* [[Marcia Barrett]] – lead and backing vocals (1975–1986, 1988–1989)
* [[Maizie Williams]] – dancer, live vocals (1975–1986, 1988–1989)
* [[Bobby Farrell]] – dancer, live vocals (1975–1981, 1984–1986, 1988–1989; died 2010)
* [[Reggie Tsiboe]] – lead and backing vocals (1982–1986, 1990)

== Live performances ==
=== Uncredited backing vocalists (Sopot Festival 1979) ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2025}}

During Boney M.’s televised performance at the [[Sopot International Song Festival]] in Poland on 24 August 1979, three uncredited backing vocalists appeared alongside the main lineup. Based on visual analysis of the performance footage and corroborated by fan sources, the trio is believed to have included:

* ''[[Sylvia Tella]]'' — A British-Jamaican singer affiliated with Frank Farian’s studio ensemble. She was active in Germany during the late 1970s and performed with Boney M. as part of the ''Black Beautiful Circus'', a live backing band supporting their concerts between 1977 and 1979. Tella is positioned on the ''left'' in the performance footage and later launched a successful solo career in lovers rock and soul.

* ''Jacinth Mitchell'' — Sister of lead vocalist [[Liz Mitchell]]. She toured with Boney M. during the late 1970s and was also a member of the vocal trio ''Body, Soul & Spirit'', which released singles such as ''Show Me the Way'' in 1979. She is believed to be the ''center'' backing vocalist in the Sopot footage.

* ''Elizabeth Chin'' — A vocalist of Caribbean or African descent, widely believed to be the ''rightmost'' performer in the footage. Although frequently confused with individuals of the same name, including academics and filmmakers, fan consensus supports her identification as part of the Black Beautiful Circus. 

These vocalists, though uncredited in official releases, provided live harmonies and visual presence that contributed significantly to Boney M.’s sound during their 1979 tour. Their contributions have been acknowledged in fan communities and archival research efforts.

== Discography ==
{{main|Boney M. discography}}
'''Albums'''
*''[[Take the Heat off Me]]'' (1976)
*''[[Love for Sale (Boney M. album)|Love for Sale]]'' (1977)
*''[[Nightflight to Venus]]'' (1978)
*''[[Oceans of Fantasy]]'' (1979)
*''[[Boonoonoonoos]]'' (1981)
*''[[Christmas Album (Boney M. album)|Christmas Album]]'' (1981)
*''[[Ten Thousand Lightyears]]'' (1984)
*''[[Eye Dance]]'' (1985)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Boney M}}
* [http://www.fantasticboneym.com Fantastic Boney M. – The Story of Boney M.]

{{Boney M.}}
{{Boney M. singles}}
{{UK best-selling singles (by year) 1970–1989}}

{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:German disco groups]]
[[Category:German Eurodisco groups]]
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[[Category:German pop music groups]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in West Germany]]
[[Category:Atlantic Records artists]]
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