Ma Baker – Bilingual Lyrics German/English

• By: Boney M.

Lyrics & Translation

Step into the world of 1970s disco with Boney M.'s "Ma Baker." This iconic track, inspired by the notorious gangster Ma Barker, offers a blend of energetic music and storytelling. By exploring its lyrics and background, you can immerse yourself in the era's vibrant sound and learn about the narratives that fueled some of its biggest hits.

[English]

Freeze, I’m Ma Baker, put your hands in the air

Give me all your money

This is the story of Ma Baker, the meanest woman

From Chicago town

She was the meanest woman

In Chicago town

She was the meanest woman

And she really moved them out

She had no heart at all

No-no-no heart at all

She was the meanest woman

Oh, she was real tough

She left her hubby flat

He wasn’t tough enough

She took her boys along

'Cause they were mean and strong

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She could never cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

They left a trail of crime

across the US

And when one boy was killed

She made them pay

She had no heart at all

No-no-no heart at all

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She could never cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

She met a man she liked

Thought she’d stay with him

One day he teamed up with them

They took him out

She didn’t care at all

Just didn’t care at all

Here’s a special bulletin

Ma Baker’s wanted by the FBI

Her photo’s on every wall

If you know where she is

Contact your nearest police station

Nobody move, the money or your lives

One day they robbed a bank

That was their last run

Cops showed up too soon

They couldn’t get away

And all their loot

Made them real mad

So they fought it out

Ma Baker and her sons

Didn’t want to hang

Died with guns blazing

And that’s how the story ends

Of someone who left no friends

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She could never cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She could never cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

But she knew how to die

But she knew how to die

...

[German]

"Freeze, I'm Ma Baker, put your hands in the air"

"Gimme all your money"

This is the story of Ma Baker, the meanest cat

From old Chicago town

She was the meanest cat

In old Chicago town

She was the meanest cat

She really moved them down

She had no heart at all

No-no-no heart at all

She was the meanest cat

Oh she was really tough

She left her husband flat

He wasn't tough enough

She took her boys along

'Cause they were mean and strong

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She never could cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

They left a trail of crime

Across the USA

And when one boy was killed

She really made them pay

She had no heart at all

No-no-no heart at all

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She never could cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

And met a man she liked

She thought she'd stay with him

One day he formed with them

They did away with him

She didn't care at all

Just didn't care at all

"Here is special bulletin

Ma Baker is the FBI's most wanted woman

Her photo is hanging on every post office wall

If you have any information about this woman

Please contact your nearest police station"

"Don't anybody move, the money or your lives"

One day they robbed a bank

It was their last hooray

The cops appeared too soon

They couldn't get away

And all the loot they had

It made them mighty mad

And so they shot it out

Ma Baker and her sons

They didn't want to hang

They died with blazing guns

And so the story ends

Of one who left no friends

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She never could cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She taught her four sons

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

To handle their guns

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

She never could cry

Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma

Ma Baker

But she knew how to die

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Baker /ˈbeɪ.kər/ A2	noun - a person who makes and sells bread and cakes
money /ˈmʌn.i/ A1	noun - a medium of exchange used to buy goods and services
cat /kæt/ A1	noun - a small domesticated carnivorous mammal
heart /hɑːrt/ A2	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body
crime /kraɪm/ B1	noun - an act that is against the law
guns /ɡʌnz/ B1	noun - firearms, especially handguns
tough /tʌf/ B2	adjective - strong enough to withstand adverse conditions
trail /treɪl/ B2	noun - a path or track made by the passage of people or animals
robbed /rɒbd/ B1	verb - to take property unlawfully from a person or place
knew /njuː/ A2	verb - to have knowledge of something
made /meɪd/ A2	verb - to create or construct something
pay /peɪ/ A1	verb - to give money in exchange for goods or services
left /lɛft/ A2	verb - to allow something to remain in a place
story /ˈstɔː.ri/ A1	noun - a narrative, either true or fictitious
sons /sʌnz/ A1	noun - male children
along /əˈlɔːŋ/ A2	adverb - moving in a constant direction on (a path)

Key Grammar Structures

• Freeze, I'm Ma Baker, put your hands in the air

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase "Freeze" is an example of an imperative, which gives a command.

• She was the meanest cat

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The use of "was" indicates that the action or state occurred in the past.

• She had no heart at all

  ➔ Negative form

  ➔ The phrase "had no heart" uses a negative form to express the absence of something.

• She taught her four sons

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The verb "taught" is in the past simple tense, indicating a completed action.

• They left a trail of crime

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "left a trail" indicates a completed action in the past.

• If you have any information about this woman

  ➔ Conditional sentence

  ➔ The phrase uses a conditional structure to express a possibility.

• They didn't want to hang

  ➔ Negative form

  ➔ The phrase "didn't want" uses a negative form to express a lack of desire.