Frank Farian (1941 - 2024)

German singer and producer died in Miami last week. A man responsible for a huge string of hits. Songs I hated one by one at the time but are etched in my brain. From 'Rocky' to 'Daddy Cool' and 'Ma Baker', etc., etc., they are there and I can't get rid of them.

Everybody knows the story of Boney M and Milli Vanilli, so I'm not going to repeat them. In 2024 I have to admit that a lot of Boney M hits are a lot cleverer than I gave them credit for in the 1970s. What I will share with you is an anecdote. Something my now well grown up son started on when we saw each other today as well.

In 2005 we were on holiday in the Czech Republic. Having come out of the High Tatras in Slovakia we were somewhere in the east of the Czech Republic, close to the border. Eating a pizza in the very empty village square. While we had set ourselves down and had ordered I noticed that the same song played again and then again and again. It was Boney M's 'Rasputin'. The waiters did not speak a single word across their border and even pointing to the music's source did not help. The only other people eating pizza were another Dutch family. We found they had no ear for music as they hadn't noticed it at all.

We had finished our meal and paid. On leaving the restaurant I heard them stop the music and put on something else. 'Rasputin' for over an hour has something comical but is also extremely challenging I can tell you.

On hearing of Farian's death, my son played 'Rasputin' and concluded the song is a perfect history lesson. More artists ought to be so accurate, he noted. People may actually learn something from music.

Wout de Natris