Take the Heat off Me

Take the Heat off Me is the debut album by Euro-Caribbean group Boney M. The album became a major seller in Europe, specifically in the Nordic countries, but in the U.S. the album just missed the album chart. Tracks include the hits "Daddy Cool", "Sunny" and the debut single "Baby Do You Wanna Bump".

Additional information

Producer Frank Farian was in a hurry to capitalize on the sudden success of "Daddy Cool" and put together the first Boney M. album quickly, made possible by the use of cover versions and by reusing already existing recordings.
While "Baby Do You Wanna Bump" was reworked from Prince Buster's "Al Capone", "Sunny", "No Woman No Cry" and "Fever" are cover versions of well-known tracks, albeit rearranged. The title track "Take the Heat off Me" is also a cover, of the 1974 Italian hit "Nessuno mai" by Italian artist Marcella Bella.
Versions of three tracks had previously been released by another Farian produced artist Gilla in German, "Take the Heat off Me", "Lovin' or Leavin'" and the UK/US exclusive "Help, Help", the last of which Gilla also recorded in English. Gilla would furthermore record German versions of "Sunny" and "No Woman No Cry", using the same backing tracks. The B-side of the single "Sunny" and the non-album track "New York City" also recycle two of Gilla's tracks: "Tu Es" and "Ich brenne". "Got a Man on My Mind" was rewritten from Farian's "Am Samstagabend", which was the B-side of his 1976 hit single "Rocky".
All in all, "Daddy Cool" is in fact the only truly original track on the album.

Track listing

Side A

"Daddy Cool" – 3:29
"Take the Heat off Me" – 4:47
"Sunny" – 4:03
"Baby Do You Wanna Bump" – 6:53

Side B

"No Woman No Cry" – 4:59
"Fever" – 4:00
"Got a Man on My Mind" – 3:25
"Lovin' or Leavin'" – 4:29

Personnel

Musicians

Liz Mitchell – lead vocals, backing vocals
Marcia Barrett – lead vocals, backing vocals
Frank Farian – lead vocals, backing vocals
The Rhythm Machine – musicians
Gary Unwin – bass guitar
Keith Forsey – drums
Nick Woodland – guitar
Thor Baldursson – keyboards

Production

Frank Farian – producer
Steven Hammer – arranger, conductor
Recorded at Union Studios, Munich and Europasound Studios, Frankfurt

Reissued

1994: CD, BMG 74321 21271 2
2007: CD, Sony BMG Music Entertainment 88697082602
2011: Boney M. Original Album Classics, 5 CD, Sony Music 88697928702
2017: Boney M. Complete, 9 LP, Sony Music 88985406971