"Daddy Cool" is a song produced and co-written by Frank Farian who had founded the group Boney M. to visually perform to his songs on TV and while touring discos. Farian also provided the male voice parts on the record. The song was included on their debut album Take the Heat off Me. It was a 1976 hit and a staple of disco music and became Boney M.'s first hit in the United Kingdom.
"Daddy Cool" | ||||
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Single by Boney M. | ||||
from the album Take the Heat off Me | ||||
B-side | "No Woman, No Cry" | |||
Released | 31 May 1976 | |||
Genre | Disco | |||
Length | 3:28 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Daddy Cool" (TopPop, 1976) on YouTube |
The second Boney M. single, it was released in 1976 and made no major impact at first. After a presentation on the German Musikladen TV show in September that year, the single became a hit, topping several European charts. It reached number six in the UK charts and number 65 in the United States Billboard Hot 100. The single also topped the German charts and reached the Top 20 in Canada. It proved to be the band's major European breakthrough.
Background
edit"Daddy Cool" was a novelty gimmick record with an unusual, percussive intro by producer Frank Farian doing rhythmic tic-tic-tics and playing on his teeth with a pencil. Farian also sang all male voice parts (Bobby Farrell always danced to full playback). His characteristic deep voice sings: "She's crazy like a fool..." and is answered by the multilayered voices of Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett: "...wild about Daddy Cool". This line has been misheard by listeners as "...what about Daddy Cool", so much so that the band started singing it that way during live performances.[1] The bass riff kicks in and builds to the instrumental theme followed by the repetitive, nursery rhyme-like verse and chorus twice.
The song breaks down into a spoken passage by Farian before it goes back into the bass riff and repeats the verse and chorus for the last time. With its slightly hypnotic, repetitive bassline and strings and likewise repetitive, bright female vocals, the track is highly typical of mid-1970s "Munich disco".
Originally, Hansa Records wanted Boney M.'s cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" as the A-side of the single but Farian - seeing that his own song was the clear winner when testing both tracks in his discothèque in St. Ingbert – managed to persuade the record company to have it his way. In the US, Hungary and Japan (where the single wasn't released until November), the single was backed by the album track "Lovin' or Leavin'". In East Germany the record was released in 1977, backed by their next hit "Sunny".
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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Certifications and sales
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada)[35] | Gold | 75,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[36] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP)[37] | Gold | 1,000,000[38] |
Germany (BVMI)[40] | Gold | 800,000[39] |
Italy (FIMI)[41] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[42] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Original Release |
Silver | 250,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] 2004 Digital Reissue |
Gold | 400,000‡ |
Summaries | ||
Benelux[37] | Platinum | |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
1986 anniversary recording
edit"Daddy Cool - Anniversary Recording '86" | ||||
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Single by Boney M. | ||||
Released | 1986 | |||
Length |
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Label | Hansa Records (FRG) | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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Boney M.'s 10th anniversary was celebrated with a TV special and the album The Best of 10 Years – 32 Superhits. The original plans of releasing another single ("Dreadlock Holiday") from the group's final album Eye Dance were cancelled, instead producer Frank Farian recorded a new version of "Daddy Cool" in a special "anniversary recording", featuring rap parts, and new instrumental parts. The single, however, proved to be Boney M.'s worst-selling single, failing to chart anywhere. The B-side "B.M.A.G.O." appeared in a longer version on the 7" than on the 12" single. The 12" single also included an edit version of "Daddy Cool" which was not credited on the cover. The 7" version made its CD debut on The Collection (disc 2, track 1).
Releases
edit7" Single
- ""Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86)" – (Farian, Reyam, Farian, Bischof) 5:18 / "B.M.A.G.O." (Farian) – 4:10 (Hansa Records 107 994–100, 1986)
12" Single
- "Daddy Cool (Anniversary Recording '86)" Special Club Mix – 9:07 / Extended Radio Edit (Not credited on label) – 5:50 / "B.M.A.G.O." – 3:15 (Hansa 607 994–213, 1986)
Boney M. 2000 version
edit"Daddy Cool '99" | ||||
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Single by Boney M. | ||||
from the album 20th Century Hits | ||||
Released | 1999 | |||
Label | BMG Records (FRG) | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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Following the successful Sash! and Horny United remixes of "Ma Baker", Frank Farian remixed "Daddy Cool" as a follow-up single. An all-new line-up Boney M. 2000 featuring three young girls and rapper Mobi T. was featured in the video and also announced to front a forthcoming remix album. This decision was not popular with the group's fan base, and Farian subsequently dropped the idea. "Daddy Cool" could not match the success of its predecessor, peaking only at no. 47 in the German charts.
Releases
editCD Single
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Radio Edit)" – 3:51
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Extended Vocal Club Mix)" – 5:06
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Latino Club Mix)" – 3:33
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Solid Gold Edit)" – 3:45
- "Daddy Cool (Original Mix 1976)" – 3:26
12" Single
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Extended Vocal Club Mix)" – 5:06
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Disco Dub Edit)" – 4:26
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Latino Club Mix)" – 3:33
- "Daddy Cool '99 (Solid Gold Edit)" – 3:45
Charts
editChart (1999) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[45] | 2 |
Denmark (IFPI)[46] | 9 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[47] | 42 |
France (SNEP)[48] | 16 |
Germany (GfK)[49] | 47 |
Hungary (Mahasz)[50] | 3 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] | 19 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] | 49 |
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
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France (SNEP)[48] | 99 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] | 94 |
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
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France (SNEP)[48] | 138 |
2001 Remix
edit"Daddy Cool 2001" | ||||
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Single by Boney M. | ||||
from the album The Greatest Hits | ||||
Released | 2001 | |||
Label | BMG Records (United Kingdom) | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Frank Farian | |||
Boney M. singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Daddy Cool 2001” on YouTube |
United Kingdom 2001 remix to support the album The Greatest Hits. Remixed by Jewels & Stone, the single peaked at no. 47 in the United Kingdom charts.
Releases
editCD Single
- "Daddy Cool" (Jewels & Stone Radio Edit) – 3:58
- "Daddy Cool" (Original Mix) – 3:25
- "Daddy Cool" (Jewels & Stone Club Mix) – 5:18
Chart (2001) | Peak position |
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UK Singles (OCC)[53] | 47 |
Lizot remix
edit"Daddy Cool" | |
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Single by Lizot x Boney M. | |
from the album The Magic of Boney M. (Special Remix Edition) | |
Released | 3 December 2021 |
Length | 2:34 |
Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Music video | |
"Daddy Cool" on YouTube |
German DJ duo Lizot released a remix of "Daddy Cool" on 3 December 2021.[54]
Releases
editDigital single[54]
- "Daddy Cool" – 2:34
Club VIP mix[54]
- "Daddy Cool" (Club VIP mix) – 2:50
- "Daddy Cool" (Extended Club VIP mix) – 3:50
- "Daddy Cool" – 2:34
- "Daddy Cool" (Extended mix) – 3:36
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
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Year-end chartsedit
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Cover versions
editPlacebo included a cover version in their 2003 album Covers.[57] The song was covered by Latvian trio Melo-M featuring vocals by original Boney M. singer Maizie Williams on their 2007 album Singalongs.[58] "Daddy Cool" was used in an advert for Vauxhall, promoting their Zafira GSi, as well as in a Venmo ad in 2024.[59][60][61] The song was sampled by Korean hip hop band DJ Doc for their 2000 single "Run to You".[62]
See also
edit- Lists of number-one singles (Austria)
- List of European number-one hits of 1976
- List of number-one singles of 1976 (France)
- List of number-one hits of 1976 (Germany)
- List of number-one songs in Norway
- List of number-one singles of 1977 (Spain)
- List of number-one singles and albums in Sweden
- List of number-one singles from 1968 to 1979 (Switzerland)
References
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- ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
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- ^ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019 (in Italian). ISBN 9781093264906.
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- ^ "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
- ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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- ^ "TOP – 1976". Top-france.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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- ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1976". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
- ^ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ "Jahreshitparade 1977" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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- ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts: 1977". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Boney M – Daddy Cool". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Boney M – Daddy Cool". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Gold Records All the Way". Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 3. 22 January 1977. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP). Fabrice Ferment (ed.). "TOP – 1976". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles (in French). OCLC 469523661. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2024 – via Top-France.fr.
- ^ "Give Us a Smile" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. XXXVIII, no. 29. 4 December 1976. p. 48. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
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- ^ "Spanish single certifications – Boney M. – Daddy Cool". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
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- ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 49. 4 December 1999. p. 113. ISSN 0006-2510.
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- ^ a b "Boney M. 2000 feat. Mobi T. – Daddy Cool '99". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
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- ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
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- ^ Mills, Simon (7 June 2002). "Rebirth of Daddy Cool". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
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