"Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker" is a 1989 single by German band

Boney M. Boney M. was a German-Caribbean vocal group that specialized in disco and funk created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary songwriter. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's o ...

Produced by

Barry Blue Barry Blue (born Barry Ian Green, 4 December 1950) is an English singer, producer, and songwriter. As an artist, he is best known for his hit songs "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" and "Do You Wanna Dance" (both 1973). Blue has also been a pro ...

and recorded by original Boney M. members

Marcia Barrett Marcia Barrett (born 14 October 1948) is a Jamaican-British singer and one of the original singers with the vocal group Boney M. Early years Barrett was born in Saint Catherine Parish, British Jamaica; her parents brought her to Croydon, Eng ...

Bobby Farrell Roberto Alfonso Farrell (6 October 1949 – 30 December 2010) was an Aruban dancer and singer. He was the male member of the 1970s pop and disco group Boney M. Biography Birth and early life Farrell was born and raised on the island of Ar ...

Maizie Williams Maizie Ursula Williams (born 25 March 1951) is a British model, dancer and singer who became one of the original members of the successful 1970s disco music group Boney M. Though she did not sing on the studio recordings of their songs, she ...

and singer

Madeleine Davis Madeleine may refer to: Common meanings *Madeleine (name), also Madeline, a feminine given name * Madeleine (cake), a traditional sweet cake from France *Mary Magdalene, also called the Madeleine Arts and entertainment * ''Madelein'' (1919 f ...

replacing

Liz Mitchell Liz is a female name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God's Promise". It is also a short form of Elizabeth, Elisabeth, Lisbeth, Lizanne, Liszbeth, Lizbeth, Lizabeth, Lyzbeth, Lisa, Lizette, Alyssa, and Eliza. People * Liz Balmaseda (born 1959), Pulit ...

, the single was withdrawn when original producer

Frank Farian Frank Farian (born Franz Reuther; 18 July 1941) is a German record producer, musician, singer and songwriter, who founded the 1970s disco-pop group Boney M., the Latin pop band No Mercy and the pop band Milli Vanilli. He frequently created vo ...

claimed

copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...

to the name Boney M. and a court case followed. In France, the single was released credited to ''Bobby Marcia Maizie Matalyne''. To benefit from the fuss that was stirred by the record, Farian rushed out the single "

Stories Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Story, a narrative (an account of imaginary or real people and events) ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting * Story (American English), or storey (British ...

" with a competitive line-up featuring original lead singer Liz Mitchell,

Reggie Tsiboe Reggie Tsiboe (born 7 September 1950) is a Ghanaian-British entertainer, dancer and one of the singers of the disco group Boney M. between 1982 and 1986 and later between 1989 and 1990. In 1982, Tsiboe originally replaced the dancer Bobby Farrel ...

(who replaced Farrell in the group from 1982–86) and two new girls.

Everybody Wants to Dance Like Josephine Baker

A tribute to famed singer and dancer

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

, the song featured lead and backing vocals by Marcia Barrett and a spoken part by Bobby Farrell. According to a now withdrawn biography by Marcia Barrett, the producers wanted to record Maizie Williams (who had never sung on Boney M.'s records) but try-outs proved unsuccessful. New member Madeleine Davis had another obligation when this song was recorded and couldn't be present in the studio when this was recorded—she did, however, add the chorus answer-back lines "Lose your self-control, feel it in your soul" etc. Bobby Farrell re-recorded the song for a 1991 single credited to Boney M. feat. Bobby Farrell since he won the rights to use the name Boney M. in the Netherlands where he lived. The title was changed simply to "Josephine Baker", and it was backed with the song "Shame And Scandal". The single was a charity single in support of The Josephine Baker Children's Foundation.

Custer Jammin'

The B-side track was a story about

George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 – June 25, 1876) was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the American Indian Wars. Custer graduated from West Point in 1861 at the bottom of his class, b ...

and the

Battle of the Little Bighorn The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lakota Sioux, Nor ...

. Madeleine Davis did the lead vocals although the key proved too low for her. Bobby Farrell did a spoken part, and Marcia Barrett backing vocals.

Releases

UK
7" * "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" – 3:37 / " Custer Jammin" – 4:15 (

PWL Pete Waterman Entertainment (PWE) is the production company one-time pop and dance record label owned by British pop mogul Pete Waterman. The label, originally PWL (Pete Waterman Limited), is most famous for being the home of hit record prod ...

PWS 004, 1989, withdrawn)
12" * "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (12" Mix) – 6:45 / "Custer Jammin" – 4:15 / "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (PWL PWCS 004, 1989, withdrawn) CD * "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (12" Mix) – 6:45 / "Custer Jammin" – 4:15 / "Everybody Wants To Dance Like Josephine Baker" (PWL PWCS 004, 1989, withdrawn) Netherlands
7" * "Josephine Baker" (according to the label, cover says: "A Tribute To Josephine Baker" – 4:25 / Shame And Scandal – 3:51 (Music Productions BS 800 Stemra)

References

External links

Rateyourmusic.com
{{authority control Songs about dancing 1989 singles Boney M. songs 1989 songs Cultural depictions of Josephine Baker Pete Waterman Entertainment singles Songs about entertainers