Sexy mama

 

I haven´t double-checked the claims of the sexy mama in this YouTube clip, but I suppose "ancient giants" and "American megaliths" do have a certain intrinsic interest. 

The participants in this exchange on alternative history (including Thomas Sheridan) cover a lot of ground, from supposed giants on the island of Aruba to standing stones in New York State. The latter make your corn grow larger, while the former have a connection to Atlantis. And the Nephilim? 

We can´t say we haven´t been warned. 

Made my Christmas great again

Boney M's Christmas collection seems to exist in a number of different versions. So many, in fact, that I wonder whether they released the same album every year for Christmas, but with different covers?

As I said in a review of another edition, I played this on a very high volume in mid-summer when my neighbor went mustang with Britney Spears songs. It was a veritable culture war, Christmas carols versus Daughter of Sin, LOL. You *could* play this on normal volume during the actual Christmas season, too, if you like that approach better…

I usually find Christmas carols boring or plain terrible, and some make me feel weirdly uneasy (I mean, “Silent Night”, what's up with that?), so I suppose you could say that Boney M saved my Yuletide sanity and made Christmas Day great again!

Five stars.

2 Long

This is not the first Eurovision CD, as wrongly stated by an anonymous reviewer. The first official ESC album was released in 2000. (There is also at least one unofficial Euro-album, from 1991.)

Personally, I think Copenhagen 2001 was a relatively bad year, with too many worthless entries lacking even elementary turkey qualities: Mumiy Troll from Russia, Skamp from Lithuania and Arnis Mednis from Latvia. Little Lindsey Dracass from the UK at least had the turkey factor firmly on her side.

But yes, a few nations put their acts together and managed to send classics: France, Malta and Greece (represented by Elena Paparizou's old band Antique). Both Malta's and Greece's songs were international hits, as I remember. Weirdly, the contest was eventually won by the relatively anonymous entry from Estonia, performed by Dave Benton, a gentleman from the Caribbean island of Aruba who happens to live in this tiny North European country.

Since this album contains too many duds, I only give it two stars - you have to search for the jewels in this crown of torns. Frankly, this CD feels 2 Long!

Joy to the world

A review of "20 Greatest Christmas Songs" 

Boney M was a disco band based in Germany, although the band members were Caribbean. Their Christmas album exists in several different versions, suggesting that it must have been very popular. This seems to be one of the longer versions. I admit that I like these pop-disco enhanced versions of various classical Christmas songs, including “Hark the Herald Angel Sing”, “Come all ye faithful”, “Zion's daughter” and “Joy to the world”. I admit that I sometimes listen to Boney M's songs even in the dead heat of summer! But then, that's me. Five stars.

Works on Christmas, too

A review of Boney M´s "Happy Christmas" CD album

This is one of several versions of Boney M's popular Christmas album. Most of the songs are the same, but there are a few differences of importance to the hard line fans. For instance, this particular edition doesn't include “Joy to the world”.

I have “Happy Christmas” at home, and sometimes played it aloud in response to my naughty neighbour, who listened to heavy metal or Britney Spears on very high volume. “Hark the Herald Angel sing”, “Oh Christmas Tree” or “Mary's Boy Child”, ha, take that! Right in the middle of the summer, too.

Works perfectly during the Christmas holidays, as well.

Gold made in Germany

Boney M was a German disco band, popular during the late 1970's and early 1980's. The band members were Jamaicans and Arubans, but the real mover behind Boney M was the German producer Frank Farian, who actually sings (uncredited) on many of the tracks. Indeed, many of the "band members" were actually dancers and photo models who didn't really sing on the actual albums. Belatedly, I also realized that many Boney M songs are covers. Others have melodies or lyrics pilfered from traditional folk music. But then, who cares? Boney M is sheer entertainment.

Still, I'm intrigued by this band. Many of their songs have unusual lyrics, at least for disco music. What are we to make of "Rivers of Babylon", based on two psalms in the Psalter? Or "Ma Baker", which is about an (apparently fictitious) female robber in the Wild West. Then there's the bizarre song "Rasputin", with the equally bizarre line "Ra-ra-rasputin, Russia's biggest love machine, it was a shame how he carried on". And yes, the song is about *that* Rasputin. When Boney M performed in Moscow, they were explicitly prohibited from singing this particular tune.

And while Boney M weren't religious, as far as I know, they also recorded religious songs about the Virgin Mary or the Fall of Man. It seems Farian was experimenting with different styles and concepts, anything but the usual love-and-heartbreak formula.

I must say I somehow like the result...

This isn't particularly deep music. Indeed, the constant up tempo beat (almost no ballads on this CD!) might get you really annoyed after a while. Still, the strange lyrics and weird choices of subject at least make it possible to pretend that this is something out of the ordinary.

Very light dessert

A review of the Boney M greatest hits album "More Gold".

Boney M was a German-based disco band, popular around 30 years ago, but still commercially viable enough for compilations to be released.

The best of Boney M can be found on another album, simply called "Gold" (the one with the blue cover). "More Gold" feels more like a very light dessert.

The songs are very easy going, sometimes bordering the childish. I'm sure your toddler can swing along to "I shall sing" or "I see a boat on the river". Or what about the love song "Jimmy"? Gee, is it puppy love or something? There is even a song with something sounding like an accordion playing in the background. 

I also wonder about "Going back west", a song about a Black pop star who gets "played" by his manager. A self-ironic song? Boney M's flirtation with reggae and Black Power ("Da La De La") is also quite entertaining. Come on, these guys lived in West Germany. They probably never came closer to Afrika than some tourist magazine featuring lions and zebras, LOL.

Still, if you like Good Old Pop Music, both "Gold" and "More Gold" are probably essential additions to your collection...