Ma Baker
Encyclopedia
"Ma Baker" is a 1977 disco hit single by German disco band Boney M. It was the first single of their second album Love for Sale
and their third consecutive chart-topper in Germany and their best yet placing in the UK, peaking at #2 (only surpassed by Donna Summer
's "I Feel Love
") although only a minor single in the US (#96).
n folkloric song, "Sidi Mansour
" while on holiday, and rewrote the song into a disco track.
The lyrics by Fred Jay were inspired by the story of legendary 1930s outlaw Ma Barker
although the name was changed into "Ma Baker" because "it sounded better".
With a structure similar to Boney M.'s breakthrough single "Daddy Cool" with the same gimmick percussion, alternating answer-back vocals, a spoken mid-part, the song also opened with a snarling "Freeze, I'm Ma Baker, put your hands in the air! Gimme all your money".
Although it has never been officially credited, the voice was done by Linda Blake, the wife of Frank Farian's American friend Bill Swisher who was a soldier in Germany at the time. Bill Swisher also performed the spoken mid-part, announcing a bulletin from the FBI. He was also used on several later Boney M. recordings, including "Rasputin" and "El Lute
". Frank Farian re-recorded the song with Milli Vanilli
in 1988. Boney M.'s version was remixed the same year, 1993 and again in 1998. The song has been covered a number of times by Banda R-15, Knorkator
and others.
A sample of "Ma Baker", particularly the chorus, is prominent in the recent RedOne
-produced electropop international chart-topper "Poker Face
", by the American pop singer Lady Gaga
.
' "Still I'm Sad" which even charted on its own in Sweden (#17). In Germany, the first single pressing came out with a backcover with tour dates and a 4:47 version with a slightly different mix, leaving out the verse line "of one who left no friends", plus it features a longer instrumental outro which can be heard in the 1988 remix. "Still I'm Sad" also fades four seconds later than the album version. This pressing was also released in Yugoslavia. Although the LP cover would also list the timing 4:47 of "Ma Baker", it was the much more common second single mix 4:33 that was included in the album. Subsequent German single pressings featured a picture of Boney M. and their tour crew Black Beauty Circus on the backcover.
In Spain, Brazil, Mexico, France, Canada and the US, the single was backed by "A Woman Can Change a Man". In Japan, the initial pressings (October 1977) had "A Woman Can Change a Man" as the A-side and an alternate shot off the album's controversial chain photo sessions as the cover. It was soon repressed with "Ma Baker" as the correct A-side and the album front cover photo for the artwork.
In Hungary, "Ma Baker" was backed with the follow-up single "Belfast".
in October 1993.
Side A - Gangster
Side B - Fashion
started to chart as a 12" single. Just as the CD-single was about to follow, it was withdrawn, and a new version appeared, re-titled "Somebody Scream! Ma Baker" featuring Horny United. The single was a Top 30 hit in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and even peaked at #6 (2 Weeks) in Finland and #10 in Sweden. When released in the UK in April, it peaked at #22. The accompanying video featured a young woman, kickboxing, training with a gun, the only relation to the original group being her watching the original 1977 video of "Ma Baker" on a TV set.
Side A
Side B
Side C
Side D
Side A
Side B
Love for Sale (Boney M. album)
Love for Sale is the second album by Boney M. The album includes the hits "Ma Baker" , and "Belfast"...
and their third consecutive chart-topper in Germany and their best yet placing in the UK, peaking at #2 (only surpassed by Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
's "I Feel Love
I Feel Love
"I Feel Love" is a song by Donna Summer, taken from her 1977 concept album I Remember Yesterday.The song constituted the "future" segment of the album, which represented a stylistic progress through time...
") although only a minor single in the US (#96).
The song
Frank Farian's assistant Hans-Jörg Mayer (aka Reyam) had discovered a popular TunisiaTunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n folkloric song, "Sidi Mansour
Sidi Mansour (song)
"'Sidi Mansour" is a hugely successful pan-Arab song originally a traditional Tunisian folkloric tune.There were a number of versions of the song for a few decades. An adaptation of the song was also the basis for the Boney M. hit "Ma Baker"...
" while on holiday, and rewrote the song into a disco track.
The lyrics by Fred Jay were inspired by the story of legendary 1930s outlaw Ma Barker
Ma Barker
Kate "Ma" Barker was the mother of several criminals who ran the Barker gang from the "public enemy era", when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the U.S. Midwest gripped the American people and press...
although the name was changed into "Ma Baker" because "it sounded better".
With a structure similar to Boney M.'s breakthrough single "Daddy Cool" with the same gimmick percussion, alternating answer-back vocals, a spoken mid-part, the song also opened with a snarling "Freeze, I'm Ma Baker, put your hands in the air! Gimme all your money".
Although it has never been officially credited, the voice was done by Linda Blake, the wife of Frank Farian's American friend Bill Swisher who was a soldier in Germany at the time. Bill Swisher also performed the spoken mid-part, announcing a bulletin from the FBI. He was also used on several later Boney M. recordings, including "Rasputin" and "El Lute
El Lute / Gotta Go Home
"El Lute" / "Gotta Go Home" is a double A-side single by German band Boney M. It was the lead single off their fourth album Oceans of Fantasy and was the group's eighth and final number 1 single in the German charts...
". Frank Farian re-recorded the song with Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli was a pop/dance music project formed by Frank Farian in Germany in 1988, visually fronted by Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus. The group's debut album achieved international success and earned them a Grammy Award for Best New Artist on Feb. 21, 1990. Milli Vanilli became one of the most...
in 1988. Boney M.'s version was remixed the same year, 1993 and again in 1998. The song has been covered a number of times by Banda R-15, Knorkator
Knorkator
Knorkator is a German band from Berlin that combines heavy metal with comical elements. They proclaim themselves to be "Germany's most band in the world" , as the title "The best band in the world" was already taken by Die Ärzte...
and others.
A sample of "Ma Baker", particularly the chorus, is prominent in the recent RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
-produced electropop international chart-topper "Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
", by the American pop singer Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
.
The single
In Germany, Benelux, England and Yugoslavia, the single came out backed with a cover of The YardbirdsThe Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
' "Still I'm Sad" which even charted on its own in Sweden (#17). In Germany, the first single pressing came out with a backcover with tour dates and a 4:47 version with a slightly different mix, leaving out the verse line "of one who left no friends", plus it features a longer instrumental outro which can be heard in the 1988 remix. "Still I'm Sad" also fades four seconds later than the album version. This pressing was also released in Yugoslavia. Although the LP cover would also list the timing 4:47 of "Ma Baker", it was the much more common second single mix 4:33 that was included in the album. Subsequent German single pressings featured a picture of Boney M. and their tour crew Black Beauty Circus on the backcover.
In Spain, Brazil, Mexico, France, Canada and the US, the single was backed by "A Woman Can Change a Man". In Japan, the initial pressings (October 1977) had "A Woman Can Change a Man" as the A-side and an alternate shot off the album's controversial chain photo sessions as the cover. It was soon repressed with "Ma Baker" as the correct A-side and the album front cover photo for the artwork.
In Hungary, "Ma Baker" was backed with the follow-up single "Belfast".
1993 Remix
Following the remix of "Brown Girl in the Ring", Farian remixed "Ma Baker" in the summer of 1993. While a modest club hit, it failed to enter the European charts. "Borsalino" and "The Most Wanted Woman" are two dub mixes of the track. The new remix was included in the compilation album More Gold - 20 Super Hits Vol. IIMore Gold - 20 Super Hits Vol. II
More Gold – 20 Super Hits Vol. II is a 1993 greatest hits album by Boney M.. As PolyGram released More ABBA Gold in 1993 to follow up the highly successful Gold: Greatest Hits, BMG and producer Frank Farian issued More Gold - 20 Super Hits Vol...
in October 1993.
12"
- "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (BMGBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
74321 15940 1, 1993)
Side A - Gangster
- "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Bonnie & Clyde mix) - 5:25
- "The Most Wanted Woman" - 3:30
Side B - Fashion
- "Borsalino (Trainee Mix)" - 4:55
- "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Radio Edit) - 3:58
CD
- "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (BMG 74321 15940 2, 1993)
- "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Radio Edit) - 3:58
- "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Bonnie & Clyde mix) - 5:25
- "Borsalino (Trainee Mix)" - 4:55
- "The Most Wanted Woman" - 3:30
1998 Remix
Late 1998, a new remix of "Ma Baker" by Sash!Sash!
SASH! is a German DJ / producer team, fronted by Sascha Lappessen , who works in the recording studio with Ralf Kappmeier and Thomas "Alisson" Lüdke. They have sold over 18 million albums worldwide and earned more than 65 Gold and Platinum awards.-History:Sascha Lappessen, Thomas "Alisson" Lüdke,...
started to chart as a 12" single. Just as the CD-single was about to follow, it was withdrawn, and a new version appeared, re-titled "Somebody Scream! Ma Baker" featuring Horny United. The single was a Top 30 hit in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and even peaked at #6 (2 Weeks) in Finland and #10 in Sweden. When released in the UK in April, it peaked at #22. The accompanying video featured a young woman, kickboxing, training with a gun, the only relation to the original group being her watching the original 1977 video of "Ma Baker" on a TV set.
12"
- Boney M. / Horny United Feat. Boney M. - "Ma Baker" / "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (2 x 12", Logic Records/Lautstark/BMGBMGBertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
74321 64561 1, 1999)
Side A
- Boney M. "Ma Baker" (Extended Vocal Edit) - 5:26
Side B
- Boney M. "Ma Baker" (Disco Dub Edit) - 5:35
Side C
- Horny United "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (Massive Mix) - 7:30
- Horny United "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (Screamless Mix) - 6:16
Side D
- Horny United "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (Full Vocal Mix)
- Horny United "Somebody Scream - Ma Baker" (Ma Baker House Mix)
CD
- Boney M vs. Sash!: "Ma Baker" (BMG 74321 63942 2, 1998)
- "Ma Baker (Tokapi Radio Edit) - 3:24
- "Ma Baker" (Original Edit) - 3:35
- "Ma Baker" (Extended Vocal Edit) - 5:26
- "Ma Baker" (Disco Dub Edit) - 5:35
- Boney M. vs. Sash!/Horny United Featuring Boney M.: "Ma Baker"/"Somebody Scream" (BMG 74321 64561 2, 1999)
- Boney M. vs. Sash! "Ma Baker" (Extended Radio Edit) - 4:54
- Boney M. vs. Sash! "Ma Baker" (Disco Dub Edit) (5:32)
- Horny United Featuring Boney M. "Somebody Scream (Ma Baker)" (Radio Edit) (Oliver Wallner, Re-Run) - 4:17
- Horny United Featuring Boney M. "Somebody Scream (Ma Baker)" (Massive Mix) (Oliver Wallner, Re-Run) - 6:59
12"
- Boney M. vs. Horny United "Ma Baker/Somebody Scream" (Logic Records 74321 65387 1, 1999)
Side A
- "Ma Baker (Club Mix by Horny United)
Side B
- "Somebody Scream" (Beatroute Star Bar Mix by DJ Slammer & Mark Bambach)
- "Somebody Scream" (Cosmic People Mix)
CD
- Boney M. vs. Horny United "Ma Baker/Somebody Scream" (Logic Records 74321 65387 2, 1999)
- "Somebody Scream" (Radio Edit) - 3:06
- "Ma Baker" (Sash! Radio Edit) - 3:27
- "Somebody Scream" (Massive Club mix) - 7:31
- "Ma Baker" (Sash! 12" Mix) - 4:55
Charts (1977 Boney M. version)
| Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 1 |
| Norway Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |