The famous male voice on Boney M.’s “Rasputin” recording was producer Frank Farian—not frontman Bobby Farrell. Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett supplied the group’s female studio vocals, while Farrell became the song’s charismatic on-screen performer. The available sources establish those general roles, but do not provide a definitive line-by-line vocal map for “Rasputin.”
Who sang the male part on “Rasputin”?
Frank Farian sang the distinctive male studio parts associated with Boney M.’s hit sound, including the famous male voice heard on “Rasputin.” Farian created and produced the project, while Bobby Farrell served as its public-facing frontman and dancer. Accounts describe Farrell moving his lips to Farian’s recorded voice during television appearances.
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That distinction is central to understanding the recording: the performer seen dancing on screen was not necessarily the person heard singing on the record. The Independent describes Farrell as lip-syncing to Farian’s processed low voice, and to Bill Swisher’s voice for spoken parts. A T-Online interview with Farian likewise says Farrell moved his lips to Farian’s voice.
Which Boney M. members sang on the records?
Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett were the female recording vocalists associated with Boney M.’s hit records. Barrett said that Mitchell was chosen to sing some songs and she was chosen for others, so the broad group-level credit does not establish who sings every specific line of “Rasputin.”
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The classic public lineup comprised Mitchell, Barrett, Maizie Williams, and Farrell, but the stage group and the recording setup were not identical. The Independent notes that Williams sang live, while Mitchell and Barrett sang on records. These descriptions concern the group’s hit-recording practice; they should not be treated as a definitive account of every Boney M. release or every member’s later recording credits.
How did Frank Farian’s studio project become a performing group?
Boney M. began as a Frank Farian studio project. The official Liz Mitchell site says Farian recorded “Baby Do You Wanna Bump” in 1974, before the familiar stage lineup formed. The project later developed into a performing group featuring Mitchell, Barrett, Williams, and Farrell, even though the prominent male recorded vocal remained Farian’s.
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Mitchell acknowledged the unusual arrangement in a 2002 comment quoted by The Independent: “It was understandable because Frank Farian is a white German and the music of Boney M was West Indian, American, African rhythms.” The quote offers her explanation of the arrangement, not a song-by-song vocal credit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What are the recording credits for “Rasputin”?
The official Liz Mitchell page lists “Rasputin” as recorded in May 1978 and released as a single on 28 August 1978. The song appeared on the album Nightflight to Venus. Its listed songwriters are Frank Farian, George Reyam, and Fred Jay, with Farian as producer.
Those credits establish the song’s release and production details, but they do not identify which woman sings each individual line. The most precise answer is that Farian supplied the famous male recorded voice, Mitchell and Barrett were the female recording singers, and Farrell was the dancer and frontman audiences saw performing the song.
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Sources
- Boney M. Liz Mitchell official page: “Rasputin”
- Boney M. Liz Mitchell official site: “Boney M: History, Members & Greatest Hits”
- The Independent: “Bobby Farrell: Dancer and frontman of the Euro-disco group Boney M”
- T-Online: “40 Jahre Boney M.”
- ABBA Fan Club interview with Marcia Barrett
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