Ma Baker

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title: "Ma Baker" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1977-songs", "1977-singles", "atco-records-singles", "atlantic-records-singles", "boney-m.-songs", "dutch-top-40-number-one-singles", "european-hot-100-singles-number-one-singles", "great-depression-songs", "hansa-records-singles", "number-one-singles-in-austria", "number-one-singles-in-france", "number-one-singles-in-germany", "number-one-singles-in-spain", "number-one-singles-in-sweden", "number-one-singles-in-switzerland", "number-one-singles-in-norway", "song-recordings-produced-by-frank-farian", "ultratop-50-singles-(flanders)-number-one-singles", "songs-about-criminals", "songs-about-real-people", "songs-about-chicago", "cultural-depictions-of-ma-barker", "songs-about-mothers"] description: "Boney M. song from 1977" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Baker" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Boney M. song from 1977 ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Ma Baker
cover	Boney M. - Ma Baker (1977 single).jpg
type	single
artist	Boney M.
album	Love for Sale
B-side	"Still I'm Sad"
released	May 1977
genre	Disco
label	Hansa
lyricist	Fred Jay
producer	Frank Farian
prev_title	Sunny
prev_year	1976
next_title	Belfast
next_year	1977
misc
::

::callout[type=note] the single ::

| name = Ma Baker | cover = Boney M. - Ma Baker (1977 single).jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Boney M. | album = Love for Sale | B-side = "Still I'm Sad" | released = May 1977 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Disco | length =

• 4:51 (first 7-inch version)
• 4:36 (album and single version) | label = Hansa | composer =
• Original melody: based on "Sidi Mansour" (traditional Tunisian folk song)
• Rearrangement: Frank Farian, George Reyam | lyricist = Fred Jay | producer = Frank Farian | prev_title = Sunny | prev_year = 1976 | next_title = Belfast | next_year = 1977 | misc =

"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 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".

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (1977–1978) | Peak position | |---|---| | Argentina | 4 | | Australia (Kent Music Report) | 5 | | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 1 | | Finland (Suomen Virallinen) | 2 | | France (IFOP) | 1 | | Italy (Musica e dischi) | 2 | | Mexico | 1 | | Portugal | 2 | | South Africa (Springbok Radio) | 2 | | Spain (AFE) | 1 | | US Billboard Hot 100 | 96 | | US Billboard Hot Disco Singles | 31 | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (1977)	Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	24
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1
France (IFOP)	8
Germany (Media Control Charts)	2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	7
::

Sales and certifications

1993 remix

| name = Ma Baker | version = Remix '93 | cover = | alt = | caption = | type = single | artist = Boney M. | album = More Gold – 20 Super Hits Vol. II | released = 1993 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = | label = BMG (FRG) | composer = | lyricist = | producer = | prev_title = Brown Girl in the Ring | prev_version = Remix | prev_year = 1993 | next_title = Papa Chico | next_year = 1994

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

1. "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Bonnie & Clyde mix) – 5:25
2. "The Most Wanted Woman" – 3:30 Side B – Fashion
3. "Borsalino (Trainee Mix)" – 4:55
4. "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Radio Edit) – 3:58

CD

• "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (BMG 74321 15940 2, 1993)

1. "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Radio Edit) – 3:58
2. "Ma Baker (Remix '93)" (Bonnie & Clyde mix) – 5:25
3. "Borsalino (Trainee Mix)" – 4:55
4. "The Most Wanted Woman" – 3:30

1998 remix

| name = Ma Baker | type = single | artist = Boney M. vs. Sash! | album = | released = 1998 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 3:24 (Tokapi radio edit) | label =

• Lautstark
• Logic | writer =
• Frank Farian
• George Reyam
• Fred Jay | producer = Tokapi | chronology = Boney M. | prev_title = Papa Chico | prev_year = 1994 | next_title = Daddy Cool | next_version = Remix | next_year = 1999 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Sash! | type = single | prev_title = Move Mania | prev_year = 1998 | title = Ma Baker | year = 1998 | next_title = Colour the World | next_year = 1998 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

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for Sash!'s remix"] | Chart (1998–1999) | Peak position | Poland (Music & Media) | |---|---|---| | 3 | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Annual chart rankings for Sash! remix"]

Chart (1999)	Position	Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)	Europe Border Breakers (Music & Media)	France (SNEP)	Sweden (Hitlistan)
97
35
38
56
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.

References

References

1. Hung, Steffen. "Boney M. - Ma Baker".
2. Baker, Che. (17 June 2017). "This Ma Baker has a little bone to pick".
3. McAlpine, Fraser. (11 March 2009). "Lady GaGa – 'Poker Face'".
4. "Maizie Williams loves hearing Boney M. samples".
5. (25 February 1978). "International Best Sellers".
6. Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970-1992". Australian Chart Book.
7. "UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No.1 Hits".
8. Nyman, Jake. (2005). "Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja". Tammi.
9. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70".
10. Racca, Guido. (2019). "M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019".
11. (14 January 1978). "Hits of the World".
12. (17 December 1977). "Hits of the World".
13. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (B)".
14. Salaverri, Fernando. (September 2005). "Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002". Fundación Autor-SGAE.
15. "Love for Sale – Awards". [[AllMusic]].
16. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1970s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien.
17. "Jahreshitparade 1977". Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien.
18. "Jaaroverzichten 1977". [[Ultratop]]. Hung Medien.
19. "TOP – 1977".
20. "Jahrescharts – 1977". Officialcharts.de. [[GfK Entertainment]].
21. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977". [[Dutch Top 40]].
22. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". [[Single Top 100]]. Hung Medien.
23. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1977". Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien.
24. [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique]] (SNEP). "TOP – 1977". 40 ans de tubes : 1960–2000 : les meilleures ventes de 45 tours & CD singles.
25. (21 January 1978). "'Ma Baker' Top Dutch Single in '77 Chart Tally".
26. (6 February 1999). "Major Market Airplay – Week 06/1999".
27. "Rapports annuels 1999". [[Ultratop]].
28. "RPM 1999 Top 50 Dance Tracks".
29. (1 January 2000). "Border Breakers Top 100 1999". [[Music & Media]].
30. "Tops de L'année {{!}} Top Singles 1999". [[SNEP]].
31. "Årslista Singlar, 1999". [[Sverigetopplistan]].
32. Connellan, Shannon. (2023-06-21). "'Black Mirror' Season 6 referenced one hell of a disco song".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::