# Discussion thread for the "Polls only" thread (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2024, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636 "2024-02-16T02:56:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 398
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7942 "2025-08-12T14:44:02Z")
Oh, interesting. The version i heard was Boney M’s, though. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7943 "2025-08-12T15:37:18Z")
Heh, the last poll is hard, because I’m hugely familiar with both. But the traditional version I’m most familiar with is the round with the word “thee”, not “you”, so it wasn’t included in the poll. I decided to count it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7944 "2025-08-12T15:59:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I am not sure if i have had a “italian beef” , but a few places not far away claim to have it. I am disappointed that the Italian beef isn’t doing well in the poll since it is personally my favorite of the bunch. But you’re right, they’re not as widely available outside Chicagoland as those other sandwiches are outside their home cities, so fewer people have likely had one. (ETA: I predict the Italian beef is going to become more widespread in the near future given the popularity of _The Bear_ and the exposure it’s given them.) I’ve never heard of Boney M before today, but now that it’s been mentioned I realize I have read the song about Rasputin, Russia’s greatest love machine. I just didn’t know the name of the band who recorded it. So I wasn’t sure how to vote in that poll. I went with “Eh, whatever” since I didn’t know that Boney M, specifically, had a hit with that song. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7945 "2025-08-12T16:03:15Z")
I love a good French Dip - I have an Instant Pot Recipe for them, but you can’t beat a good cheesesteak. Anytime I’m in Philly, I’ll hit up Gino’s. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7946 "2025-08-12T16:05:53Z")
G_e_no’s. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7947 "2025-08-12T16:18:13Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > but you can’t beat a good cheesesteak. Anytime I’m in Philly, I’ll hit up Gino’s. > [@Wheelz](#): > > G_e_no’s. Geno’s (as noted above) & it’s more of a tourist destination than a good cheesesteak. At least Pat’s (across the street) is where the sandwich was founded. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7948 "2025-08-12T16:21:19Z")
@carrps! What have you done? you posted something other than a poll in the “Polls Only - No discussion” thread! yo are going to bring the wrath of Og on us! ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7949 "2025-08-12T16:23:05Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > The thing is, that Babylon song was a cover of an already reasonably big hit by the Melodians, which appeared on the fabulous soundtrack “[The Harder They Come](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Harder_They_Come_(soundtrack))” (a soundtrack more popular than the movie, at least outside Jamaica). That’s my favorite version. I _love_ that soundtrack. > [@Frodo](#): > > @carrps! What have you done? you posted something other than a poll in the “Polls Only - No discussion” thread! yo are going to bring the wrath of Og on us! You were too quick! I’ve edited. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7950 "2025-08-12T16:24:50Z")
Nothing escape eye of Og OG SMASH ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7951 "2025-08-12T17:38:16Z")
Regarding Boney M: it’s not that surprising you haven’t heard of them. If you look at their [discography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boney_M._discography) you’ll see that they had huge hits all over Europe but barely charted in the US. This is not unusual at all. There are many musical artists that are massively popular in other places but not in the US. And vice-versa, of course. As an example I’m familiar with, Mylène Farmer has sold 30 million records — but only in French speaking countries. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7952 "2025-08-12T18:10:33Z")
This happens even within the Anglosphere. Ask an American about the top selling band, Status Quo and more likely than not, you will get a blank stare. Most are more familiar with the minor indy band, Camper van Beethoven that covered their “Pictures of Matchstick Men”. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7953 "2025-08-12T19:12:46Z")
Fun fact: Though featuring Caribbean musicians and dancers for its live performances, Boney M was the brainchild of German producer Frank Farian, who wrote or arranged most of the group’s songs and was the lead male vocalist on their recordings. He got Austrian singer Gisela “Gilla” Wuchinger to rerecord some of Boney M’s hits with German lyrics, including [“Sunny”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw7RHvP5vdo), [“No Woman No Cry”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LRcjQMNHQ8), and [“Rasputin”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlJzYy-ABY). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7MlJzYy-ABY/maxresdefault.jpg "Gilla - Rasputin (German version) | Lyrics & Translation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlJzYy-ABY) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7954 "2025-08-12T19:43:32Z")
I had never heard of Boney M until relatively recently. Clips of old performances showcasing the enthusiastic dancing of Bobby Farrell went viral on TikTok and spread to other platforms. I don’t have TikTok but it was on other places I do use. Social media has brought them to an entirely new audience. When I looked into them what struck me was how long it took for the Milli Vanilli story to break. Boney M was Frankie Farian doing the male vocals with Bobby Farrell lip syncing. Farian later built Milli Vanilli using the same business model and for some reason no one noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7955 "2025-08-12T19:54:16Z")
I can’t ever recalling that Rasputin song before, but my wife was able to sing the chorus when I mentioned it. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7956 "2025-08-12T20:00:35Z")
Back in Boney M’s heyday, I don’t think anyone outside the band knew about the lip-syncing – the earliest reference to it I can find is a [2002 BBC News article](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1787544.stm) that summarizes a radio interview with the lead female vocalist. So it’s not surprising that Milli Vanilli got away with it for as long as they did. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7957 "2025-08-12T20:04:01Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Geno’s (as noted above) & it’s more of a tourist destination than a good cheesesteak. At least Pat’s (across the street) is where the sandwich was founded. I read that Genos uses cheese whiz, which is IMHO not cheese, so that would disqualify it in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7958 "2025-08-12T20:11:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I read that Genos uses cheese whiz, which is IMHO not cheese, so that would disqualify it in my book. It’s one of three standard cheese options (American, Provolone, or Whiz) at most if not all steak shops, usually applied out of a one gallon can at the high volume ones. _::yeech::_ ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7959 "2025-08-12T20:14:54Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Spiderman](#): > > > > Geno’s (as noted above) & it’s more of a tourist destination than a good cheesesteak. At least Pat’s (across the street) is where the sandwich was founded. > > I read that Genos uses cheese whiz, which is IMHO not cheese, so that would disqualify it in my book. Both Pats and Geno’s offer with whiz, provolone, American or Cooper Sharp. You might not like the options but it’s hard to argue that the place that originated it is doing it wrong. Provolone is the clear best choice BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7960 "2025-08-12T20:19:07Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Back in Boney M’s heyday, I don’t think anyone outside the band knew about the lip-syncing – the earliest reference to it I can find is a [2002 BBC News article](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1787544.stm) that summarizes a radio interview with the lead female vocalist. So it’s not surprising that Milli Vanilli got away with it for as long as they did. I’ve seen articles stating his reputation was “well known” but nothing pointing to an exact date. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636/7961 "2025-08-12T20:19:27Z")
Oh, no problem. Just ask for [swiss cheese on your cheesesteak.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/08/13/steak-raises-stakes-for-kerry-in-philly/f59dd0f7-20fc-4309-85fc-ac63cec7a123/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=397) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/discussion-thread-for-the-polls-only-thread-part-2/997636.md?page=399)