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Forward: My Life With and Without Boney M.
Coming to London aged thirteen from desperate poverty in Jamaica; pregnant at fifteen; fifteen years later singing in Boney M, one of the biggest international groups of the late-1970s; a messy group split during the 1980s; a 1990s solo career interrupted by six bouts of cancer - ovarian, breast, lymph node (twice), spine and oesophagus - and having to learn to walk again.
Yet throughout Marcia Barrett has remained totally cheerful, relentlessly optimistic and a shining inspiration, looking on every obstacle as a mere inconvenience rather than anything insurmountable. Now, she is ready to tell her fantastic story, which is much more than just a pop star autobiography. It is a charming, candid, laugh-out-loud story of survival, triumph, indomitable spirit and total upfullness, often driven by sheer force of will. It is a feelgood story which will resonate amongst all.
Yet throughout Marcia Barrett has remained totally cheerful, relentlessly optimistic and a shining inspiration, looking on every obstacle as a mere inconvenience rather than anything insurmountable. Now, she is ready to tell her fantastic story, which is much more than just a pop star autobiography. It is a charming, candid, laugh-out-loud story of survival, triumph, indomitable spirit and total upfullness, often driven by sheer force of will. It is a feelgood story which will resonate amongst all.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 20, 2023
In the late seventies, the music charts were dominated by two groups: ABBA and Boney M. Much like how they were dominated years earlier by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. This is the memoir of Marcia Barrett, one of the singers of Boney M. And on her journey we encounter and reminisce about some of their most famous songs like Daddy Cool, Ma Baker, Rasputin, Rivers of Babylon, Brown Girl in the Ring, … Fun guaranteed, especially if you put on the right music while you’re reading it.
The book begins with how Boney M started, put together by producer Frank Farian. And it quickly becomes clear that everything moved really fast by design. Like working on a new album while still promoting the previous one. So fast that, sometimes the non-singers (more on that later) didn’t even know their own group had released a new song until they heard it playing on the radio.
It’s worth noting that when Marcia Barrett got the chance to join Boney M, she asked her then boyfriend for advice. Because she was already working on her solo career as a singer and she didn’t know if joining a group was the right career move at the time for her. But it wasn’t until her boyfriend said: “don’t you think you’re a bit old to join a pop group?” that she jumped at the opportunity without a shred of doubt in her mind.
Now, as mentioned, not everyone in Boney M actually sang on the records they sold. Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett were the actual singers. But it wasn’t exactly kept a secret that Bobby Farrell didn’t sing during the recordings of the songs. He was hired as a dancer. And because he was so extravagantly good at it, he pretty much became the front man of the group for a lot of people. But it was actually the producer, Frank Farian, who was the male vocalist of the group. And Maizie Williams was also not present in the studio when the songs were recorded. But even though they didn’t all record the songs, Marcia Barrett very much states here that all the members of the group brought something to the table. And they were all vital components to the success they had as a group.
One little criticism though: I would have liked it had the book been a bit more chronological. It would have been better had the book started with Marcia Barrett’s childhood, gradually and more naturally transitioning into the early days of Boney M. Here, the transition to her childhood and life before Boney M just feels a bit awkward. I do get why this is done though. If you pick up this book, you think of fun pop music and you expect the book to have that same kind of light and fun atmosphere. So it would be quite shocking if you open up the book and immediately get slammed in the face with what happened to her as a child.
There’s a wealth of behind the scenes stories here that make this book worth buying if you’re a fan of the group. But the real highlight is actually the writing. Marcia Barrett’s life had some fun and interesting ups. And some very heartbreaking downs to say the least. But it’s the way she tells the story of her life: positive, proud and grateful, that stands out most here. The stories about Boney M might be the book’s biggest selling point. But the story of Marcia Barrett’s life outside of Boney M is also very much worth a read.
The book begins with how Boney M started, put together by producer Frank Farian. And it quickly becomes clear that everything moved really fast by design. Like working on a new album while still promoting the previous one. So fast that, sometimes the non-singers (more on that later) didn’t even know their own group had released a new song until they heard it playing on the radio.
It’s worth noting that when Marcia Barrett got the chance to join Boney M, she asked her then boyfriend for advice. Because she was already working on her solo career as a singer and she didn’t know if joining a group was the right career move at the time for her. But it wasn’t until her boyfriend said: “don’t you think you’re a bit old to join a pop group?” that she jumped at the opportunity without a shred of doubt in her mind.
Now, as mentioned, not everyone in Boney M actually sang on the records they sold. Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett were the actual singers. But it wasn’t exactly kept a secret that Bobby Farrell didn’t sing during the recordings of the songs. He was hired as a dancer. And because he was so extravagantly good at it, he pretty much became the front man of the group for a lot of people. But it was actually the producer, Frank Farian, who was the male vocalist of the group. And Maizie Williams was also not present in the studio when the songs were recorded. But even though they didn’t all record the songs, Marcia Barrett very much states here that all the members of the group brought something to the table. And they were all vital components to the success they had as a group.
One little criticism though: I would have liked it had the book been a bit more chronological. It would have been better had the book started with Marcia Barrett’s childhood, gradually and more naturally transitioning into the early days of Boney M. Here, the transition to her childhood and life before Boney M just feels a bit awkward. I do get why this is done though. If you pick up this book, you think of fun pop music and you expect the book to have that same kind of light and fun atmosphere. So it would be quite shocking if you open up the book and immediately get slammed in the face with what happened to her as a child.
There’s a wealth of behind the scenes stories here that make this book worth buying if you’re a fan of the group. But the real highlight is actually the writing. Marcia Barrett’s life had some fun and interesting ups. And some very heartbreaking downs to say the least. But it’s the way she tells the story of her life: positive, proud and grateful, that stands out most here. The stories about Boney M might be the book’s biggest selling point. But the story of Marcia Barrett’s life outside of Boney M is also very much worth a read.
November 23, 2019
Lots of fun, lots of positivity. I would LOVE to hear from the other band members...
November 28, 2024
I wasn't very keen on this autobiography as a fan of Boney M I had high hopes that I would learn more about the band and the music. Barrett's voice was not engaging for me, and it was at times seemingly a bitter memory for her.
Barrett begins her memoir in the German dance and music scene in the 1970s and how she came to join Boney M. It is a whirlwind of fame and hard work, with many hit singles and new adventures. She is warm and proud of her time in the band and what they achieved.
Barrett then talks about her childhood, how it shaped her independent character, and the impact moving from Jamaica to the UK in her teens had on her. She describes life in Jamaica, the differences with the UK, and her mother's struggle to make a living and support her and her sister. Jamaica is a beautiful island, but it is shadowed by poverty, and many Jamaicans, like Barrett’s mother, left to come to the UK as part of the Commonwealth agreement. They hoped to make enough money to return to the island and be more comfortably off. Barrett missed Jamaica, but the opportunities in the UK and Europe were much better for her and once Boney M. took off she could support her family and ensure that her mother didn’t need to work anymore.
Later Barrett would have problems trying to break into the music industry as a solo artist, but she is confident and positive about the challenge and her love of music carries her on. She has faced financial struggles as well, as even though Boney M. was a big success, the royalties and financial agreements may not have been sound. Barrett appears not to have done as well as she thinks she should have from it.
Barrett also had to face cancer five times and she was able to recover and return to her music.
It is an interesting biography, more about her life and later challenges than her time in the band or her relationships with the other members.
Barrett begins her memoir in the German dance and music scene in the 1970s and how she came to join Boney M. It is a whirlwind of fame and hard work, with many hit singles and new adventures. She is warm and proud of her time in the band and what they achieved.
Barrett then talks about her childhood, how it shaped her independent character, and the impact moving from Jamaica to the UK in her teens had on her. She describes life in Jamaica, the differences with the UK, and her mother's struggle to make a living and support her and her sister. Jamaica is a beautiful island, but it is shadowed by poverty, and many Jamaicans, like Barrett’s mother, left to come to the UK as part of the Commonwealth agreement. They hoped to make enough money to return to the island and be more comfortably off. Barrett missed Jamaica, but the opportunities in the UK and Europe were much better for her and once Boney M. took off she could support her family and ensure that her mother didn’t need to work anymore.
Later Barrett would have problems trying to break into the music industry as a solo artist, but she is confident and positive about the challenge and her love of music carries her on. She has faced financial struggles as well, as even though Boney M. was a big success, the royalties and financial agreements may not have been sound. Barrett appears not to have done as well as she thinks she should have from it.
Barrett also had to face cancer five times and she was able to recover and return to her music.
It is an interesting biography, more about her life and later challenges than her time in the band or her relationships with the other members.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews