"Ma Baker" is a song by disco group Boney M., released as a single in 1977. It was the first single off their second album Love for Sale and their third consecutive chart-topper in (West) Germany. The song tells of a criminal called Ma Baker, who is described throughout the song as the "meanest cat" in Chicago for her callousness.
The song was a huge success in Europe and Latin America, topping the charts in many countries there. It was a number 2 hit in the UK (only surpassed by Donna Summer's "I Feel Love"). In the US, the song only reached number 96.
Composition and structure Frank Farian's assistant Hans-Jörg Mayer discovered a popular Tunisian folkloric song, "Sidi Mansour" while on holiday, and rewrote the song into a disco track.
The lyrics by Fred Jay were inspired by the told story of 1930s US outlaw Ma Barker, although the name was changed into "Ma Baker" because "it sounded better".
With a structure similar to Boney M.'s breakthrough single "Daddy Cool", using the same gimmick percussion, alternating answer-back vocals, and a spoken mid-part, the song opened with a snarling "Freeze, I'm Ma Baker, put your hands in the air and gimme all your money". Although it has never been officially credited, the voice was that of Linda Blake, the wife of Frank Farian's American friend Bill Swisher, who was a soldier in West Germany at the time. Bill Swisher performed the spoken mid-part, announcing a bulletin from the FBI. He was used on several later Boney M. recordings, including "Rasputin" and "El Lute".
Farian re-recorded the song with Milli Vanilli in 1988, and reused both spoken voiceovers from the original song in the cover. Boney M.'s version was remixed the same year, 1993 and again in 1998. The song has been covered a number of times, including Banda R-15 and Knorkator. The "ma ma ma ma" chorus vocals were also sampled in Lady Gaga's "Poker Face".
The single In Germany, Benelux, United Kingdom and Yugoslavia, the single came out backed with a cover of The Yardbirds' "Still I'm Sad" which even charted on its own in Sweden (no. 17). In Germany, the first single pressing came out with a backcover with tour dates and a 4:47 version with a slightly different mix, leaving out the verse line "of one who left no friends", plus it features a longer instrumental outro which can be heard in the 1988 remix. "Still I'm Sad" also fades four seconds later than the album version. This pressing was also released in Yugoslavia. Although the LP cover would also list the timing 4:47 of "Ma Baker", it was the much more common second single mix 4:33 that was included in the album. Subsequent German single pressings featured a picture of Boney M. and their tour crew Black Beauty Circus on the backcover.
In Spain, Brazil, Mexico, France, Canada and the US, the single was backed by "A Woman Can Change a Man". In Japan, the initial pressings (October 1977) had "A Woman Can Change a Man" as the A-side and an alternate shot off the album's controversial chain photo sessions as the cover. It was soon repressed with "Ma Baker" as the correct A-side and the album front cover photo for the artwork.
In Hungary, "Ma Baker" was backed with the follow-up single "Belfast".
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1977–1978)PeakpositionArgentina4Australia (Kent Music Report)5Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)1 Finland (Suomen Virallinen)2France (IFOP)1 Italy (Musica e dischi) 2Mexico1Portugal2South Africa (Springbok Radio)2Spain (AFE)1US Billboard Hot 10096US Billboard Hot Disco Singles31
Year-end charts Chart (1977)PositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)24Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)3Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)1France (IFOP)8Germany (Media Control Charts)2Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)1Netherlands (Single Top 100)2Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)7
Sales and certifications
1993 remix
Following the remix of "Brown Girl in the Ring", Farian remixed "Ma Baker" in 1993. While a modest club hit, it failed to enter the European charts. "Borsalino" and "The Most Wanted Woman" are two dub mixes of the track. The new remix was included in the compilation album More Gold - 20 Super Hits Vol. II.
Germany 12" "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (BMG 74321 15940 1, 1993) Side A – Gangster "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Bonnie & Clyde mix) – 5:25 "The Most Wanted Woman" – 3:30 Side B – Fashion "Borsalino (Trainee Mix)" – 4:55 "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Radio Edit) – 3:58
CD "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (BMG 74321 15940 2, 1993) "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Radio Edit) – 3:58 "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Bonnie & Clyde mix) – 5:25 "Borsalino (Trainee Mix)" – 4:55 "The Most Wanted Woman" – 3:30
1998 remix
In 1998, a new remix of "Ma Baker" by German production team Sash! started to chart as a 12-inch single. Just as the CD single was about to follow, it was withdrawn, and a new version appeared, re-titled "Somebody Scream! Ma Baker" featuring Horny United. The single was a top-30 hit in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland. In Finland, New Zealand, and Sweden, it entered the top 10. When released in the UK in April, it peaked at no. 22. The accompanying video featured a young woman, kickboxing, training with a gun, the only relation to the original group being her watching the original 1977 video of "Ma Baker" on a TV set.
Charts Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for Sash!'s remixChart (1998–1999)PeakpositionPoland (Music & Media)3
Year-end charts +Annual chart rankings for Sash! remixChart (1999)PositionBelgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)97Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)35Europe Border Breakers (Music & Media)38France (SNEP)56Sweden (Hitlistan)61
In popular culture The song is featured in the final episode of the sixth series of the television show Black Mirror, in which the demon character takes on the appearance of Boney M. member Bobby Farrell.
See also List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1977 List of European number-one hits of 1977 List of number-one singles of 1977 (France) List of number-one hits of 1977 (Germany) List of number-one hits of 1977 (Mexico) 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) VG-lista 1964 to 1994
References