Frank Farian, the German music producer who created Boney M, later said he regretted the band's song about Northern Ireland, calling it a mistake.

The song 'Belfast' was released in 1977 and became a number one hit in Ireland. It was an appeal for peace and understanding during the Troubles.

But Farian told British media in 2004 that the theme was too serious for the disco group. He said they had sung about figures like Ma Baker and Rasputin, and that he decided to do a song about a real problem, Belfast, which was very bad at the time. However, he said it was not a big hit and that he thought it was a little mistake.

Farian had initially wanted to title the song 'Londonderry' but changed it after considering the implications.

The song was part of the Boney M catalogue that made them one of the biggest pop acts of the late 1970s.

Boney M were a disco group formed by Farian, featuring four singers of Caribbean heritage: Maizie Williams from Montserrat, Bobby Farrell from Aruba, and Marcia Barrett and Liz Mitchell from Jamaica.

Farian wrote and produced their songs and sometimes sang lead vocals. He died in 2024.

Boney M's music has seen a revival in recent years, with songs like 'Rasputin' gaining over a billion streams.

The group, now led by Williams, is on a farewell tour.