Released 1976 Genre Disco | Format 7" single
12" single Length 3:28 | |
Label Hansa Records (FRG)
Atlantic Records (United Kingdom)
Atco Records (United States) Writer(s) Frank Farian
George Reyam | ||
"Daddy Cool" is a song recorded by Boney M. and included on their debut album Take the Heat off Me. It was a 1976 hit and a staple in disco music, and became Boney M.'s first United Kingdom hit.
Contents
- The song
- The single
- 1986 anniversary recording
- Releases
- Boney M 2000 version
- 2001 Remix
- Cover versions
- References
It was the second Boney M. single, released in 1976, without making any major impact at first. It wasn't until a spectacular performance on the Musikladen TV show in September that the single became a hit, topping most European charts. It reached number six in the United Kingdom 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 major European breakthrough of the band. The Dutch Eredivisie club Vitesse Arnhem even used it as song for their footballer Wilfried Bony, because his name is Bony, referring to Boney M.
The song
"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. Frank Farian's characteristic deep voice sings: "She's crazy like a fool..." and is answered by the bright voices of Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett: "...wild about Daddy Cool". This line has been misheard by listeners as "...what about it Daddy Cool", so much that the band started singing it that way during live performances. 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-1970's "Munich disco".
The single
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".
Belgium released 7" has a rare B-side version of "No Woman, No Cry" as the track does not fade out at the end but has a hard ending and thus runs slightly longer 5:03 instead the common 4:58. This rare version has so far not been released on CD.
1986 anniversary recording
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
7" Single
12" Single
Boney M. 2000 version
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.
2001 Remix
United Kingdom 2001 remix to support the album The Greatest Hits. Remixed by Jewel & Stone, the single peaked at no. 47 in the United Kingdom charts.
Cover versions
"Daddy Cool" was used in an advert for Vauxhall, promoting their Zafira GSi.
Fans of Liverpool F.C. created a chant based on the song's chorus for winger Harry Kewell, replacing "Daddy, Daddy Cool" with "Harry, Harry Kewell", during his period at the club from 2003–2008. This chant was also adopted by his former clubs, Galatasaray and Melbourne Victory.
During rehearsals for the London 2012 Opening Ceremony, volunteers used to chant "Danny, Danny Boyle" to the tune of the Boney M. song, to director Danny Boyle.