There are two songs that I know of that go through the calendar. One was written and sung by Neil Sedaka: “Calendar Girl.” The other is performed by the unusual group that goes by Boney M.
Wikipedia calls Boney M “a Euro-Caribbean vocal group created by German record producer Frank Farian.” While the line-up has changed over the years, one thing has stayed the same: the people you see are probably not doing the singing you hear. The male voice is actually Frank Farian himself, with some help from filters to make his voice sound deeper than it really is.
In 1974, Farian recorded a dance song called “Do You Wanna Bump?” (The bump was a dance where you would bump hips with another person. Deliberately. I didn’t say it was a good dance. It was, however, very easy to learn, if occasionally painful.) (And in the video, no one is even doing the bump!) In this song, Farian provided all the vocals. Somehow it became a hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. Farian decided that he needed a group to front the song. And, thus was born Boney M.
They had a few smallish hits in Europe. My favorite is their song “Rasputin.” It has some amazing lyrics:
Wikipedia calls Boney M “a Euro-Caribbean vocal group created by German record producer Frank Farian.” While the line-up has changed over the years, one thing has stayed the same: the people you see are probably not doing the singing you hear. The male voice is actually Frank Farian himself, with some help from filters to make his voice sound deeper than it really is.
In 1974, Farian recorded a dance song called “Do You Wanna Bump?” (The bump was a dance where you would bump hips with another person. Deliberately. I didn’t say it was a good dance. It was, however, very easy to learn, if occasionally painful.) (And in the video, no one is even doing the bump!) In this song, Farian provided all the vocals. Somehow it became a hit in the Netherlands and Belgium. Farian decided that he needed a group to front the song. And, thus was born Boney M.
They had a few smallish hits in Europe. My favorite is their song “Rasputin.” It has some amazing lyrics:
There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the bible like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
He ruled the Russian land and never mind the czar
But the cassock he danced really wunderbar
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who would heal her son
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
But when his drinking and lusting and his hunger
For power became known to more and more people
The demands to do something about this outrageous
Man became louder and louder
This man's just got to go, declared his enemies
But the ladies begged, don't you try to do it, please
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute they just fell into his arms
Then one night some men of higher standing
Set a trap, they're not to blame
Come to visit us they kept demanding
And he really came
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and said, I feel fine
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him 'til he was dead
Oh, those Russians.
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the bible like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
He ruled the Russian land and never mind the czar
But the cassock he danced really wunderbar
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who would heal her son
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
But when his drinking and lusting and his hunger
For power became known to more and more people
The demands to do something about this outrageous
Man became louder and louder
This man's just got to go, declared his enemies
But the ladies begged, don't you try to do it, please
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute they just fell into his arms
Then one night some men of higher standing
Set a trap, they're not to blame
Come to visit us they kept demanding
And he really came
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and said, I feel fine
Ra ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
Ra ra Rasputin
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him 'til he was dead
Oh, those Russians.
You really should check out the video. It is fabulous. You may be wondering how they rhymed Rasputinwith queen? They pronounced Rasputin Ras-poo-teen.
Why am I talking about “Rasputin”and not the “Calendar Song?” Well let me give you the lyrics for that one:
January, February, March, April, May June, July,
August, September, October, November, December.
That’s it. They repeat a few times. Just a listing of the months of the year.
Keep in mind that the people we see in the videos are not the ones singing. (One of the women was singing some of the time, but that’s it.) Somehow, it does not come as a surprise that Farian was the producer who gave us Milli Vanilli.
Why am I talking about “Rasputin”and not the “Calendar Song?” Well let me give you the lyrics for that one:
January, February, March, April, May June, July,
August, September, October, November, December.
That’s it. They repeat a few times. Just a listing of the months of the year.
Keep in mind that the people we see in the videos are not the ones singing. (One of the women was singing some of the time, but that’s it.) Somehow, it does not come as a surprise that Farian was the producer who gave us Milli Vanilli.
If you haven’t heard of them, they were a German R&B duo that won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1990. The only problem was that the two men you saw were not the ones you heard singing. When this came out, they were forced to give their Grammy back. It was a huge scandal at the time. And Frank Farian was their producer.
I understand that there are other, well-known singers who have lip-synced to someone else’s vocals. Jennifer Lopez(allegedly) comes immediately to mind. To me, this is another facet of the actor/singer problem that a lot of movies face. To cast someone who is well-known but cannot sing, or someone who might be less well-known but cansing. Must all of our respected performers be pretty? Meatloaf wasn’t easy on the eyes, but what a voice!
I understand that there are other, well-known singers who have lip-synced to someone else’s vocals. Jennifer Lopez(allegedly) comes immediately to mind. To me, this is another facet of the actor/singer problem that a lot of movies face. To cast someone who is well-known but cannot sing, or someone who might be less well-known but cansing. Must all of our respected performers be pretty? Meatloaf wasn’t easy on the eyes, but what a voice!
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll be playing some of the songs mentioned here on my Minnich Music Facebook page, (I promise, not many will be by Boney M!) so please be sure to check them out.
Until next time!
Until next time!
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