Boney M is a pop group whose popularity in Europe has resulted in sales of over 100 million units and a series of amusing cover versions by notable bands including Placebo (“Daddy Cool”), and Belisha and Turisas (“Rasputin”).
Originally the group was no more than a foil for the producing and singing talents of Frank Farian who put together the track “Do You Wanna Bump” without the input of any of the band. Boney M (the band) were assembled after the single charted in Europe. Thereafter only the two of the girls sang, Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, and the remainder of the band lip-synched to the vast majority of the album material, though they did all perform live. Farian performed studio trickery on his own voice in order to create the trademark bass tones attributed to Bobby Farell. Subterfuge aside, the band enjoyed huge success in Europe during the late 70s and a series of successful albums and singles followed.
After just 10 years, they had achieved 18 Platinum and 15 Gold albums, more than 200 Gold and Platinum singles, and about 150 million sold units all over the world.