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== Background and composition ==
== Background and composition ==
"Belfast" was written in 1971 by [[Drafi Deutscher]] and originally entitled "Derry".<ref name="songfacts">{{cite web|website=Songfacts|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=18113|title=Belfast by Boney M|first=Alexander|last=Baron|accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref> The lyrics refer to the divided city during the height of [[The Troubles]] in Northern Ireland. Deutscher had written the song for Marcia Barrett when she was a solo artist in the early 1970s. [[Frank Farian]] also recorded a German version of "Belfast" with [[Gilla (singer)|Gilla]]. Her version was included on the album ''Zieh mich aus'' which was released in 1976 around four months earlier than Boney M.'s ''Love For Sale''.
"Belfast", written in 1971 by [[Drafi Deutscher]] and [[Jimmy Bilsbury]], was originally entitled "Derry".<ref name="songfacts">{{cite web|website=Songfacts|url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=18113|title=Belfast by Boney M|first=Alexander|last=Baron|accessdate=12 April 2018}}</ref> The lyrics refer to the divided city during the height of [[The Troubles]] in Northern Ireland. Deutscher had written the song for Marcia Barrett when she was a solo artist in the early 1970s. [[Frank Farian]] also recorded a German version of "Belfast" with [[Gilla (singer)|Gilla]]. Her version was included on the album ''Zieh mich aus'' which was released in June 1976.


Due to shortage of material when Boney M. performed their first live gigs, Marcia Barrett performed the song which had been a popular live track for her. "Belfast" turned out to be as popular for Boney M. on stage as it had been for Barrett. The sound engineer of the group noticed the response at each gig where the song was performed. He told Frank Farian about it and Farian decided to record the track for the next Boney M. album, ''Love For Sale''.
Due to shortage of material when Boney M. performed their first live gigs in 1976, having only one album with eight songs, Marcia Barrett also performed "Belfast" which had been a popular live track for her. "Belfast" turned out to be as popular for Boney M. on stage as it had been for Barrett. The sound engineer of the group noticed the response at each gig where the song was performed. He told Frank Farian about it and Farian decided to record the track for the second Boney M. album, ''Love For Sale'', in early 1977.


In the US and Canada, the song was never released and was replaced by "[[Daddy Cool (single)|Daddy Cool]]" on the album due to the political context of the song.
In the US and Canada, the song was never released and was replaced by "[[Daddy Cool (single)|Daddy Cool]]" on the album due to the political context of the song.

Revision as of 12:03, 7 April 2024

"Belfast"
Single by Boney M.
from the album Love for Sale
Released19 September 1977
RecordedMarch 1977
GenrePop, Europop, Euro disco
Length3.30
LabelHansa Records (FRG)
Atlantic Records (UK)
Carrere (FR)
Songwriter(s)James Robert Bilsbury, Drafi Franz Richard Deutscher, Joe Menke
Producer(s)Frank Farian
Boney M. singles chronology
"Ma Baker"
(1977) 		"Belfast"
(1977) 		"Rivers of Babylon"
(1978)
Audio video
"Belfast" on YouTube

"Belfast" is the second single of the Euro disco band Boney M.'s 1977 album Love for Sale. "Belfast" was the first Boney M. single to feature lead vocals by Marcia Barrett and became their 4th consecutive German chart-topper. In the UK Singles Chart it peaked at No. 8.[1] It remained a popular track in the group's live shows over the years and was re-recorded by Marcia Barrett as a solo track on her album Come Into My Life (2005).

Background and composition

"Belfast", written in 1971 by Drafi Deutscher and Jimmy Bilsbury, was originally entitled "Derry".[2] The lyrics refer to the divided city during the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Deutscher had written the song for Marcia Barrett when she was a solo artist in the early 1970s. Frank Farian also recorded a German version of "Belfast" with Gilla. Her version was included on the album Zieh mich aus which was released in June 1976.

Due to shortage of material when Boney M. performed their first live gigs in 1976, having only one album with eight songs, Marcia Barrett also performed "Belfast" which had been a popular live track for her. "Belfast" turned out to be as popular for Boney M. on stage as it had been for Barrett. The sound engineer of the group noticed the response at each gig where the song was performed. He told Frank Farian about it and Farian decided to record the track for the second Boney M. album, Love For Sale, in early 1977.

In the US and Canada, the song was never released and was replaced by "Daddy Cool" on the album due to the political context of the song.

The track

The single was backed with "Plantation Boy" in all territories.[2] In Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, the UK and Turkey, the singles featured the B-side fading 20 seconds earlier than the album version.

Charts

References

  1. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 69/70. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ a b Baron, Alexander. "Belfast by Boney M". Songfacts. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Boney M. – Belfast" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Boney M. – Belfast" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Boney M. – Belfast" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  7. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  8. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Boney M". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  9. ^ 27 November 1977
  10. ^ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Singoli 1960–2019 (in Italian). ISBN 9781093264906.
  11. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 45, 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Boney M. – Belfast" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  13. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  14. ^ "Boney M. – Belfast". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  15. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Boney M. – Belfast" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1977" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1978" (in German). Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
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