Would they pass the Milli Vanilli test?
My German neighbour played Milli Vanilli on Friday night, before he went out. “Girl, you know it’s true”. I turned down my own music as it was overpowered for a while.
Milli Vanilli? They are a classic act. They had several number ones in both the US and Europe.
I blame their downfall on American lawyers with no sense of humour. So the boys in the duo didn’t really sing the songs? So they had someone else to do that, and the boys did lip sync in the videos? Roll out the lawsuits! Take their Grammy award away!
Producer Frank Farian took pop music to its logical conclusion. Nobody really sings in the music videos anyway, and it is the same on the pop shows on television. Farian selected band members based on looks and dance skills, and hired someone who could sing to record their album.
Milli Vanilli
Milli Vanilli was Farian’s new project when his Euro-disco group Boney M had faded. I wonder if anyone in Boney M actually sang. Boney M never made it big in America, which may have saved them from the lawyers.
It might surprise you that Milli Vanilli still sells and that their album has four stars of five possible on Amazon. A customer wrote on Amazon:
“Milli Vanilli were big during my college days. They took the country by storm and everybody was listening to their stuff. Then of course the unfortunate scandal. But I say, heck with the scandal and heck with who was singing the songs. The songs are there, they are good and I enjoy them.”
November 10th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I need a rug to put in front of the fire place at Christmas. Can anyone go and shave that Boney M singer for me please? Tx
November 10th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
As far as I know, the male voice of Boney M was sung by Mr. Farian himself. Two of the three ladies did sing for the recordings. Concerts and TV appearances were all playback.
Rob Pilatus, former dancer of Milli Vanilli, could not stand the pressure and od’ed from alcohol and other drugs.
Hollywood (Universal pictures) is planning a film on MV.
November 10th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Frank Farian sang all the male vocals in Boney M, the pictured guy (Bobby Farrel) just posed and danced. He was a pretty good dancer though. Farian also did some ladies voices in the chorus. Nobody tried to hide these facts, and nobody cared. I guess because disco kids liked fake gold just as much as the real thing. What the hell, if it glimmers…
November 11th, 2007 at 2:27 am
*dies of auditory despair*
What you really need before a great night out is a good dose of prog rock.
November 11th, 2007 at 7:39 am
What disturbs me in the Bony M picture is seeing a white man standing above 3 naked black women he has in chains in front of him. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the caption “Love for Sale” as if the ladies are on the auction block. Phew … I guess we weren’t even above that in the 80’s. I must have lived in some kind of bubble to not see things like that at that time. Of course, if you pointed it out then, people would think you’re silly. But I didn’t see it to point it out then. It makes me wonder if I travelled back in time to highschool, what I would see now with my eyes opened further.
November 11th, 2007 at 2:26 pm
The man is black. I reflected about the chains when I made this post. The album is from 1976. When I owned this album I was a kid and didn’t see the meaning, even if I understood that love for sale was prostitution.
I see it as an early sign of what was to come with rap lyrics. How about this quote from 50 Cent “I am a P.I.M.P?”
[Snoop Dogg]
“yea bitch i got my now & later gators on
im bout to show you how my pimp hand is way strong
you dead wrong if you think that pimpin gonna die
12 piece with a 100 wh*res by my side
im down with that nigga 50 like im down with blue
f*ck cuz naw nigga motherf*ck you”
Compared to this Boney M is mild stuff.
November 11th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Boney M’s lyrics probably make more sense, too…
November 13th, 2007 at 6:38 am
Ahhh yes .. the man is black. My apologies. The hairy body threw me and seemed more spanish. Racial rant ended.
November 13th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Looool Mr. SF is into Snoop Dogg?! Thats funny. And of course Boney M ist miiiiiiild
I remember this music when i was a kid, my parents listen to it. And, nearly every voice is from Mr Farian, the same like that vanilli dudes……funny. Greetings from Germany…….P.S. Officially not Gay should be enhanced by Bill Kauliz of Tokio Hotel…..
November 13th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Snoop Doggy Dog is the kind of music I like against my will.