S.O.D. "Brown Girl in the Ring" by Boney M.

3/8/2016     This song goes back a long way, probably a couple hundred years to its origination in Jamaica.  It is actually a game played by children, leaning on the emphasis of expression through dance, and courting.  Just under 15 versions have been recorded with this one being the most popular by far.  

     A 20 year court battle was recently settled with bandleader and jazz trombonist Peter Herbolzheimer claiming that record producer Frank Farian stole his version of the tune for Bony M. and their 1993 reggae/disco/R&B rendition of the song.  

     This tune was originally the B side of their hit single "Rivers of Babylon" and after radio stations started flipping the record over, "Brown Girl in the Ring" also became a hit. In the UK, the two songs combined on the same record became the sixth best selling of all time.