Don’t worry, RC isn’t going to rehabilitate another hoary old turn just for the sake of it. But, one cannot undermine the scale of Boney M’s success in the late 70s. These two albums set out the stall for their populist brand of Teutonic disco. It’s testament to Frank Farian’s production and A&R skills as well as Liz Mitchell’s soulful, expressive vocal delivery. Ma Baker, Daddy Cool and Belfast are all well crafted slices of Europop, easily rivalling Abba’s supremacy.
1976’s Take The Heat Off Me is a slightly darker album, with their splendid version of Bobby Hebb’s Sunny, as well as a cover of No Woman No Cry. Through all their kitsch and glitter Boney M played their part in popularising reggae throughout the Western world (see also Rivers Of Babylon). Well-produced good fun. Later they went on their Nightflight To Venus and briefly became the soundtrack to a million socials.
