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Post by Shireblogger on Aug 17, 2016 11:22:23 GMT 1
The sun is out, and the Olympics has brought a spirit of fun and internationalism. So let's swing back to the gloriously cosmopolitan summer of 1978.
Boney M's cover of the Melodians' "Rivers Of Babylon" had spent all of May at #1, and was sliding down the charts, having sold a million copies. But then DJs flipped the single, and found an ancient Caribbean children's playground song accompanied by steel band percussion and a mariachi trumpet. It seemed to resonate with the British public, and, over the next two months, the single climbed back up from #20 to #2, where it was blocked from returning to the top by the Commodores' "Three Times A Lady". By the time the Winter Of Discontent had arrived, it had sold 2 million copies, and become the UK's third best selling 7" of all-time.
But how do we feel now ? Do 21st century ears still find it as innocent and fun ? Is it a diabolical novelty ? Would you like to "show me your motion" ? Or does all the "tra-la-la"ing really irritate ?
Please give us your opinion of "Brown Girl In The Ring", along with a score between 0 (very bad) and 10 (very good). You must write a minimum of 5 words and a maximum of 5 paragraphs for your score to count, and scores outside the range of 0-10 will not be included.
5.2 AVERAGE from 9 judges
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Post by Earl Purple on Aug 17, 2016 13:12:35 GMT 1
Unfortunately, a guilty pleasure... Technically it's not that strong (Rasputin is, and I would give that 9 or 10) but given how much I have always liked it, I have to give it 8 out of 10.
By the way you have said it became the 3rd biggest selling single. I think it was 2nd at the time, with only Mull of Kintyre (a hit within a year before it) ahead of it. It subsequently moved to 3rd with Band Aid and 4th with Elton John (albeit that one might not have sold a lot of 7" singles, selling CD singles instead).
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Post by o on Aug 17, 2016 14:53:08 GMT 1
Grew up listening to a lot of their songs and remember liking them quite a bit, Rasputin was my fave, but this was alright as well. 6/10
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Post by Shireblogger on Aug 17, 2016 17:05:39 GMT 1
By the way you have said it became the 3rd biggest selling single. I think it was 2nd at the time, with only Mull of Kintyre (a hit within a year before it) ahead of it. It subsequently moved to 3rd with Band Aid and 4th with Elton John (albeit that one might not have sold a lot of 7" singles, selling CD singles instead). You may be right. I have John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John higher, but "You're The One That I Want" may have overtaken Boney M at a later date. Does anyone know which got to 2m first ? |
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Post by Earl Purple on Aug 17, 2016 17:10:01 GMT 1
Boney M was the #1 of the year above "You're The One That I Want", but the latter had another chart run in 1998, plus I imagine it got more "slow" sales in the download era, and thus has probably sold more now.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Aug 17, 2016 18:00:53 GMT 1
ok, Boney M are a bit of a guilty pleasure here too, so many great songs, Gotta Go Home, Rasputin, Daddy Cool, Sunny, Ma Baker but Brown Girl In The Ring was always one of my least favorites so 6/10
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Post by raliverpool on Aug 17, 2016 18:34:36 GMT 1
The German producer Frank Farian's perfect illusion (male model/dancer Bobby Farrell mimed over the less photogenic's male producer's vocals) over a decade before he invented Milli Vanilli made some great Europop records. However, this nursery rhyme calypso track is not Daddy Cool, no Rasputin or Ma Baker.
In fact it is very irritating to listen to.
3/10
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Post by smokeyb on Aug 17, 2016 22:00:30 GMT 1
I could just about stand Daddy Cool, but I hated both the songs on this 7". One of the most annoying singles of the decade.
0/10
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Post by Laurence on Aug 17, 2016 23:16:37 GMT 1
I quite like this although A side is better I remember going to gay clubs and drag queens singing very rude versions.  7/10 |
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vastar iner
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Post by vastar iner on Sept 1, 2016 20:39:11 GMT 1
Never properly understood it, but that is presumably because the very small vas had never seen brown sugar, and probably not the inside of a plum either. It being a nursery rhyme makes sense as it's stupid. Not a patch on the a-side. 3/10.
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Post by Shireblogger on Sept 3, 2016 8:12:17 GMT 1
This track still brings a smile to my face, and a skip in my step. The arrangement is fun - lively and slightly corny. It is a very catchy number, but the childish lyrics do get rather wearing by the final chorus. 7/10 from me.
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Post by Kingpin on Sept 3, 2016 16:30:29 GMT 1
I love Boney M. Fun and harmless pop, theyve made so many great songs too.
Think I prefer Brown Girl to Rivers of Babylon, slightly less overplayed although not really heard many Boney M songs recently. Time to remedy that I think!
7/10
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7/10
