Brown Girl in the Ring
Boney M. was a German-Caribbean vocal group that specialized in disco and f… Read Full Bio ↴Boney M. was a German-Caribbean vocal group that specialized in disco and funk created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary songwriter. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, Maizie Williams from Montserrat, and Bobby Farrell from Aruba. The group was formed in 1976 and achieved popularity during the disco era of the late 1970s. Since the 1980s, various line-ups of the band have performed with differing personnel.

The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and is known for international hits including "Daddy Cool", "Ma Baker", "Belfast", "Sunny", "Rasputin", "Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord" and "Rivers of Babylon".

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boney_M.

Studio albums
Take the Heat off Me (1976)
Love for Sale (1977)
Nightflight to Venus (1978)
Oceans of Fantasy (1979)
Boonoonoonoos (1981)
Christmas Album (1981)
Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984)
Eye Dance (1985)
TRACKS
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Brown Girl in the Ring
Boney M. Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Come on show me your motion
Tra la la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

All had water run dry
Got nowhere to wash my cloths
All had water run dry
Got nowhere to wash my cloths

I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes
I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

Beng-a-deng
Beng-a-deng

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
There's a brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
Come on show me your motion
Tra la la la la la
Show me your motion
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

All had water run dry
Got nowhere to wash my cloths
All had water run dry
Got nowhere to wash my cloths

I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes
I remember one Saturday night
We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

Beng-a-deng
Beng-a-deng

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
See, brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

All had water run dry
Got nowhere to wash my cloths
All had water run dry
Got nowhere to wash my cloths

Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
Look that brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la la
Brown girl in the ring
Tra la la la la
She looks like a sugar in a plum
Plum plum

Overall Meaning

"Brown Girl in the Ring" is a popular Caribbean folk song about a brown-skinned girl dancing in a ring. The song is simple, catchy, and upbeat, with a melody that is easy to sing along to. The lyrics repeat the phrase "Brown girl in the ring" throughout the song, followed by the refrain "tra la la la la" and the line "she looks like a sugar in a plum." The song celebrates the joy of dancing and the beauty of brown-skinned women.


The line "all had water run dry, got nowhere to wash my clothes" suggests that the song may have originated in a time of poverty or hardship. The reference to fried fish and Johnny-cakes also suggests a Caribbean origin. Overall, the lyrics seem to be a celebration of life and community, even in difficult circumstances.


Line by Line Meaning

Brown girl in the ring
There is a girl with brown skin dancing in the circle


Tra la la la la
Syllables used for the chorus of the song


She looks like a sugar in a plum
She is a beautiful girl with a sweet smile


Show me your motion
Dance and move your body to the music


All had water run dry
There is no more water left to wash clothes


Got nowhere to wash my cloths
There is no place to wash clothes because there is no water


I remember one Saturday night
A memory of a specific Saturday evening


We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes
They ate fried fish and a type of Caribbean flatbread made with cornmeal


Beng-a-deng
Syllables used as a fun interjection in the song


See, brown girl in the ring
Look, there is a brown-skinned girl dancing in the circle


Look that brown girl in the ring
Pay attention to the brown-skinned girl dancing in the circle




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DP, FRANZ REUTHER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@marcosadrianochicatto6476

1978: Fantastic song!!!
2019: Fantastic song!!!
2020: Fantastic song!!!
3095: Fantastic song!!!

@v.muralidharan3238

Excellent comment. Your comment is also unforgettable like Boney M.

@aurorahernandez5958

V.Murali dharan loco

@davidlungu5215

It's fantastic anytime , all the time,,🎷🎷🎷

@vloreport2930

I'm writing from year 7520 , we are still listening this :D

@saintdenis3238

End of universe : best song

44 More Replies...

@MrNopot2pn

I was in this audience during this performance...I was stationed in Germany and my friend asked If
would come with him to Poland top see this festival.... I had no Idea who they were...From that night on I have I have loved this group to this day....Thank you You Toob....I will turn 70 in 10 days...

@michaelrosendahl5770

In the audience... I'm 15 years younger, and I wish I was not. Hats of...

@Balzdeepinurmama

You are one of the luckiest humans alive. How awesome it must’ve been to have been there!

@amjadmustafa78

You are one lucky man

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