Goombay Dance Band

This Germany-based theatrical band was in a similar vein to the more successful Boney M. They were led by Olivier Bendt, and included his wife Alicia, children Danny and Yasmin, plus Dorothy Hellings, Wendy Doorsen, and Mario Slijngaard. Olivier is by profession a fire-eater who learnt his trade in St. Lucia, West Indies. By 1980, the Goombay Dance Band was one of the most successful acts in Germany, and entered the UK charts with ‘7 Tears’. Originally recorded in 1980, it was only released in the UK in 1982 and, after many previous flops, its success was something of a surprise. It eventually went all the way to number 1, only the second UK chart-topper by a German act following Kraftwerk’s ‘The Model’. The follow up ‘Sun Of Jamaica’ fared less well and the band returned to Germany to continue their domestic success. However, occasional singles still received a UK release, such as 1986’s ‘A Typical Jamaican Mess’.