DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 1_DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 29/09/2010 14:14 Pa!

1
isco music is like your
Mamas Chicken Soup. It
makes you feel good no
matter how bad the cold
or how down you feel. The
Disco era was to the seventies what jazz
was to the thirties; a time of zealous
rebellion; a cultural revolution; a search
for individual expression. It was a time
of eccentricity but with a positive state of
mind. The joy was uncomplicated
simplistic. Theres just no getting
around how good the music makes you
feel.
I was so fortunate to have been a part
of that era.
Amii Stewart
Disco was born at a time when the
world had little to celebrate. America
was trapped in the dying throes of the
Vietnam War while the UK was
suffering the aftermath of the three-day
week. The protest songs of the late '60s
and the early '70s had all but faded
away and the people had lost faith in
government. Depression and apathy set
in and there was a growing need for
escapism.
The Disco scene had first erupted in
New York City in a series of
underground private parties in the early
seventies. There, DJs would spin
everything from up-tempo Funk and
Soul to European Jazz. The Philadelphia
Soul records of the era began raising
the tempo and orchestration to a level
not heard since the classic Motown
sound of the mid-sixties. This influenced
the fledgling movement intensely,
etching out a template for danceable
Soul that would shape future hits by
artists like Gloria Gaynor, Heatwave
and Earth, Wind & Fire.
By 1974, hits that were born in the
discos had begun crossing over to the
mainstream. The Hues Corporations
Rock Your Boat topped the USAs
Billboard Hot 100. George McCrae's
Rock Your Baby knocked it off the top
spot and was the genres first multi-
national #1. Barry Whites stream of
Satin Soul hits like Youre The First, the
Last, My Everything became an
international sensation. Within a few
months Gloria Gaynors Disco version
of the Jackson 5s Never Can Say
Goodbye had shown how even in its
infancy, Disco could revolutionise a hit
song and take it in a completely new
direction. Within a few months Gaynor
became the first artist to be crowned
Queen Of The Discos in New York City.
The music was now splintering into
varied factions and was being recorded
in almost every corner of the globe.
Artists like Boney M were bringing a
European flavour to the British charts.
Disco was now influencing the biggest
Pop acts of the time. Abba was one of
the first major acts to Go Disco.
Although the group didnt embrace the
genre fully for another couple of years,
they explained that Dancing Queen
was initially inspired by the drum
pattern in Rock Your Baby.
Discos brightest star was undoubtedly
Donna Summer. Summers work with
producer Giorgio Moroder paved the
way for the dance music of the future
when the two collaborated on I Feel
Love in 1977. The synthesized chant
was a million miles away from the
sweeping strings and rhythm
sections of the early New York Disco
singles. She became a bonafide
superstar in the late seventies and
superseded Gloria Gaynor to become
internationally known as The Queen Of
Disco, a moniker still attached to her
today. Gaynor was content with
recording possibly the most universally
known Disco single, I Will Survive. Like
I Feel Love, the song started life as a
b-side before DJs flipped the song and
made it the hit.
Late in 1977, the success of Disco's
worldwide takeover bid was assured
when a low-budget movie chronicling
the lives of young Brooklynites living for
the weekend became an international
box-office smash. Saturday Night Fever
was such a success that people the
world over who had previously felt
excluded from the Disco party culture
were suddenly on the A list. The
movement had become a juggernaut
and everyone was invited to the party.
Suddenly, teenagers, parents and
grandparents alike were taking disco
dancing lessons and everyone wanted
to be John Travolta. The soundtrack
album was, for a while, the greatest
selling album of all time and made
household names out of Yvonne
Elliman and Tavares.
As the seventies drew to a close, Disco
had become a global phenomenon.
Funk and Soul acts had refined their
sound and were having their biggest
ever hits. Kool & The Gang became an
international hit machine after Ladies
Night. Veteran Soul acts Edwin Starr
and Gene Chandler made major UK
comeback hits with Contact and Get
Down respectively and whole host of
new acts such as Rose Royce, Stephanie
Mills, Odyssey, and Shalamar became
consistent hit makers during the era
and beyond.
Discos influence is still felt today in the
Pop and Dance hits of our time. The
classic songs spread over the three CDs
in DISCO FEVER collect the many
different strands of the genre and offer
an excellent picture of a time when the
whole world was dancing. Give it up!
Wayne A. Dickson
(September 2010)
Wayne A. Dickson is a Glasgow based reissue
producer, DJ and writer. He is label manager for
BBR (Big Break Records) which produces CD
reissues of classic Soul, Funk and Disco albums.
D
DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 1_DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 29/09/2010 14:14 Pa! 2
01 DONNA SUMMER
I FEEL LOVE
02 LIPPS INC. FUNKYTOWN
03 ROSE ROYCE
CAR WASH
04 PATRICK HERNANDEZ
BORN TO BE ALIVE
05 GARYS GANG
KEEP ON DANCIN
06 MCFADDEN &
WHITEHEAD
AINT NO STOPPIN
US NOW
07 SYLVESTER
YOU MAKE ME FEEL
(MIGHTY REAL)
08 BARRY WHITE
YOU'RE THE FIRST, THE
LAST, MY EVERYTHING
09 THE LOVE UNLIMITED
ORCHESTRA
LOVE'S THEME
10 EDWIN STARR CONTACT
11 OTTAWAN D.I.S.C.O.
12 THE GAP BAND
OOPS UP SIDE YOUR
HEAD (I DON'T BELIEVE
YOU WANT TO GET
UP AND DANCE)
13 KOOL & THE GANG
LADIES NIGHT
14 GLORIA GAYNOR
I WILL SURVIVE
15 GIBSON BROTHERS
QUE SERA MI VIDA
(IF YOU SHOULD GO)
16 HUES CORPORATION
ROCK THE BOAT
17 AVERAGE
WHITE BAND
PICK UP THE PIECES
18 FRANTIQUE
STRUT YOUR FUNKY
STUFF
19 A TASTE OF HONEY
BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE
20 ALICIA BRIDGES
I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE
(DISCO 'ROUND)
21 THE REAL THING
YOU TO ME ARE
EVERYTHING
22 GLORIA GAYNOR
NEVER CAN
SAY GOODBYE
23 VAN MCCOY
THE HUSTLE
24 TAVARES
HEAVEN MUST BE
MISSING AN ANGEL
25 DIANA ROSS
UPSIDE DOWN
26 THE WHISPERS
AND THE BEAT
GOES ON
27 SHALAMAR
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
28 THE SUGARHILL GANG
RAPPER'S DELIGHT
29 ABBA
DANCING QUEEN
30 ANITA WARD
RING MY BELL
31 AMII STEWART
KNOCK ON WOOD
32 THE REAL THING
CAN YOU FEEL
THE FORCE
33 STEPHANIE MILLS
NEVER KNEW LOVE
LIKE THIS BEFORE
34 CROWN HEIGHTS
AFFAIR
YOU GAVE ME LOVE
35 JAMES BROWN
GET UP(I FEEL LIKE
BEING A) SEX MACHINE
36 COMMODORES
BRICK HOUSE
37 THELMA HOUSTON
DON'T LEAVE ME
THIS WAY
38 JOHNNY BRISTOL
HANG ON IN THERE
BABY
39 BOHANNON
LET'S START THE DANCE
40 PEACHES & HERB
SHAKE YOUR
GROOVE THING
41 YVONNE ELLIMAN
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU
42 DAN HARTMAN
RELIGHT MY FIRE
43 EARTH, WIND & FIRE
SEPTEMBER
44 THE EMOTIONS
BEST OF MY LOVE
45 BACCARA
YES SIR, I CAN BOOGIE
46 ODYSSEY
NATIVE NEW YORKER
47 HEATWAVE
BOOGIE NIGHTS
48 MICHAEL ZAGER BAND
LETS ALL CHANT
49 VILLAGE PEOPLE
Y.M.C.A.
50 BONEY M. SUNNY
51 ERUPTION
I CAN'T STAND
THE RAIN
52 GEORGE MCCRAE
ROCK YOUR BABY
53 KC & THE
SUNSHINE BAND
GIVE IT UP
54 WILD CHERRY
PLAY THAT FUNKY
MUSIC
55 CHERYL LYNN
GOT TO BE REAL
56 QUINCY JONES
AI NO CORRIDA
57 PATRICK JUVET
I LOVE AMERICA
58 YARBROUGH
& PEOPLES
DON'T STOP THE MUSIC
59 THE PLAYERS
ASSOCIATION
TURN THE MUSIC UP!
60 GENE CHANDLER
GET DOWN
DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 1_DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 29/09/2010 14:14 Pa! 3
01 DONNA SUMMER
I FEEL LOVE
(Donna Summer/Pete Bellotte/
Giorgio Moroder)
P 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.*
02 LIPPS INC. FUNKYTOWN
(Steven Greenberg)
P 1979 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
03 ROSE ROYCE
CAR WASH
(Norman Whitfield)
P 1976 Geffen Records.*
04 PATRICK HERNANDEZ
BORN TO BE ALIVE
(Hernandez)
P 1979 Jean Van Loo.*
05 GARYS GANG
KEEP ON DANCIN
(Eric Matthew/ Gary Turnier)
P 1978 Sam Records.* Under exclusive
license to Demon Music Group Ltd.
06 MCFADDEN &
WHITEHEAD
AINT NO STOPPIN
US NOW
(McFadden, Whitehead, Cohen)
P 1979 Philadelphia International
Records. Original sound recording
owned by Assorted Music Inc. dba
Philadelphia International Records.
Under exclusive license to Demon
Music Group Ltd.* Licensed courtesy
of Demon Music Group Ltd.
07 SYLVESTER
YOU MAKE ME FEEL
(MIGHTY REAL)
(Sylvester James/J. Wirrick)
P 1978 Fantasy Records Inc.*
08 BARRY WHITE
YOU'RE THE FIRST, THE
LAST, MY EVERYTHING
(Peter Sterling Radcliffe/Tony Sepe/
Barry White)
P 1974 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
09 THE LOVE UNLIMITED
ORCHESTRA
LOVE'S THEME
(Barry White)
P 1974 UMG Recordings, Inc.*
10 EDWIN STARR CONTACT
(Robert Dickerson/Edwin Starr/Arthur
Eugene Pullam)
P 1978 UMG Recordings, Inc.*
11 OTTAWAN D.I.S.C.O.
(Vangarde/Kluger)
P 1980 Zagora Productions.*
Licensed courtesy of EP Music.
12 THE GAP BAND
OOPS UP SIDE YOUR
HEAD (I DON'T BELIEVE
YOU WANT TO GET
UP AND DANCE)
(C Wilson/Rudy Taylor/Lonnie Simmons/
R. Wilson)
P 1979 UMG Recordings, Inc.*
13 KOOL & THE GANG
LADIES NIGHT
(J.T. Taylor/Dennis Ronald Thomas/
Earl Toon/Claydes Smith/Meekaaeel
Muhammed/Ronald Nathan Bell/
Robert Earl "Kool" Bell/George Brown)
P 1979 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
14 GLORIA GAYNOR
I WILL SURVIVE
(Dino Fekaris/Freddie Perren)
P 1978 Universal Records, a Division
of UMG Recordings, Inc.*
15 GIBSON BROTHERS
QUE SERA MI VIDA
(IF YOU SHOULD GO)
(N Byl/D Vangarde/J Kluger)
P 1979 Zagora Productions.*
Licensed courtesy of EP Music.
16 HUES CORPORATION
ROCK THE BOAT
(Wally Holmes)
P 1973 The copyright in this sound
recording is owned by Sony BMG
Music Entertainment Inc.*
17 AVERAGE
WHITE BAND
PICK UP THE PIECES
(Gorrie/ Ball/Stuart/McIntosh/
Duncan /McIntyre)
P 1974 Average White Band. Under
exclusive license to Demon Music Group
Ltd.* Licensed courtesy of Demon Music
Group Ltd.
18 FRANTIQUE
STRUT YOUR FUNKY
STUFF
(Bolden/Bolden/Robinson)
P 1979 Philadelphia International
Records.* Original sound recording
owned by Assorted Music Inc. dba
Philadelphia International Records.
Under exclusive license to Demon
Music Group Ltd. Licensed courtesy
of Demon Music Group Ltd.
19 A TASTE OF HONEY
BOOGIE OOGIE OOGIE
(Perry Kibble/Janice Marie Johnson)
P 1978 The copyright in this sound
recording is owned by Capitol Records
Inc.* Licensed Courtesy of EMI TV.
20 ALICIA BRIDGES
I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE
(DISCO 'ROUND)
(Susan Hutcheson/Alicia Bridges)
P 1978 Universal Records, a Division
of UMG Recordings, Inc.*
21 THE REAL THING
YOU TO ME ARE
EVERYTHING
(Ken Gold/Micky Denne)
P 1976 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.*
22 GLORIA GAYNOR
NEVER CAN
SAY GOODBYE
(Clifton Davis)
P 1974 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
23 VAN MCCOY
THE HUSTLE
(Van McCoy)
P 1975 Avco Records Corp.*
24 TAVARES
HEAVEN MUST BE
MISSING AN ANGEL
(Keni St Lewis/Freddie Perren)
P 1976 The copyright in this sound
recording is owned by Capitol Records
Inc.* Licensed Courtesy of EMI TV.
25 DIANA ROSS
UPSIDE DOWN
(Nile Rodgers/Bernard Edwards Jr.)
P 1980 Motown Records, a Division of
UMG Recordings, Inc.*
26 THE WHISPERS
AND THE BEAT
GOES ON
(Leon Sylvers/Stephen Shockley/
William Shelby)
P 1979 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.*
27 SHALAMAR
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
(Blackbeard/The Sylvers)
P 1982 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.*
28 THE SUGARHILL GANG
RAPPER'S DELIGHT
(Bernard Edwards/Nile Rodgers)
P 1979 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.*
29 ABBA
DANCING QUEEN
(Benny Andersson/Stig Anderson/
Bjrn Ulvaeus)
P 1986 Polar Music International AB.*
30 ANITA WARD
RING MY BELL
(F. Knight)
P 1979 The Couch & Madison
Partnership.* Courtesy of the Couch &
Madison Partnership, by arrangement
with Smith & Co.
DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 1_DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 29/09/2010 14:14 Pa! 4
31 AMII STEWART
KNOCK ON WOOD
(Steve Cropper/Eddie Lee Floyd)
P 1979 Sanctuary Records.*
32 THE REAL THING
CAN YOU FEEL
THE FORCE
(Chris Amoo/Eddie Amoo)
P 1979 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.*
33 STEPHANIE MILLS
NEVER KNEW LOVE
LIKE THIS BEFORE
(James Mtume/Reggie Lucas)
P 1980 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
34 CROWN
HEIGHTS AFFAIR
YOU GAVE ME LOVE
(Bert Reid)
P 1980 Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.*
35 JAMES BROWN
GET UP(I FEEL LIKE
BEING A) SEX MACHINE
(James Brown/Bobby Byrd/
Ronald Lenhoff)
P 1970 Universal Records, a Division
of UMG Recordings, Inc.*
36 COMMODORES
BRICK HOUSE
(Lionel Richie/William King Jr./
Ronald LaPread/Thomas McClary/
Walter Lee Orange/MIlan Williams)
P 1977 Motown Records, A Division of
UMG Recordings, Inc. and Taurus
Productions, LLC.*
37 THELMA HOUSTON
DON'T LEAVE ME
THIS WAY
(Kenneth Gamble/Cary "Grant"
Gilbert/Leon Huff)
P 1976 Motown Records, a Division
of UMG Recordings, Inc.*
38 JOHNNY BRISTOL
HANG ON IN THERE BABY
(Johnny Bristol)
P 1974 Universal Records, a Division
of UMG Recordings, Inc.*
39 BOHANNON
LET'S START THE DANCE
(Hamilton Bohannon )
P 1978 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
40 PEACHES & HERB
SHAKE YOUR
GROOVE THING
(Freddie Perren/Dino Fekaris)
P 1978 Universal Records, a Division
of UMG Recordings, Inc.*
41 YVONNE ELLIMAN
IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU
(Maurice Gibb/Robin Gibb/Barry Gibb)
P 1977 Universal Music International
(London).*
42 DAN HARTMAN
RELIGHT MY FIRE
(D. Hartman)
P 1979 Sony Music Entertainment.*
Licensed Courtesy Of Sony Music
Entertainment UK Limited.
43 EARTH, WIND & FIRE
SEPTEMBER
(Maurice White / A. McKay / Allee Willis)
P 1978 Sony Music Entertainment.*
Licensed Courtesy Of Sony Music
Entertainment UK Limited.
44 THE EMOTIONS
BEST OF MY LOVE
(Maurice White / Albert McKay)
P 1977 Sony Music Entertainment.*
45 BACCARA
YES SIR, I CAN BOOGIE
(Frank Dostal)
P 1977 Sony Music Entertainment
(Germany) GmbH.* Licensed
Courtesy Of Sony Music Entertainment
UK Limited.
46 ODYSSEY
NATIVE NEW YORKER
(Sandy Linzer/Denny Randell)
P 1977 Sony Music Entertainment.*
Licensed Courtesy Of Sony Music
Entertainment UK Limited.
47 HEATWAVE
BOOGIE NIGHTS
(Rod Temperton)
P 1976 Sony Music Entertainment
UK Limited.* Licensed Courtesy Of
Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited.
48 MICHAEL ZAGER BAND
LETS ALL CHANT
(Fields / Zager)
P 1978 Michael Zager.* Courtesy of
Michael Zager, by arrangement with
Smith & Co.
49 VILLAGE PEOPLE
Y.M.C.A.
(H.Belolo/J.Morali/V.Willis)
P 1978 Cant Stop Productions
Inc./Scorpio Music S.A.*
50 BONEY M. SUNNY
(Bobby Hebb)
P 1976 Sony Music Entertainment
(Germany) GmbH.* Licensed Courtesy
Of Sony Music Entertainment UK.
51 ERUPTION
I CAN'T STAND
THE RAIN
(D. Bryant/A. Peebles/B. Miller)
P 1977 Sony Music Entertainment
(Germany) GmbH.* Licensed Courtesy
Of Sony Music Entertainment UK
Limited.
52 GEORGE MCCRAE
ROCK YOUR BABY
(Harry Casey/Richard Finch)
P 1974 The copyright in this sound
recording is owned by EMI Records Ltd.*
Licensed Courtesy of EMI TV.
53 KC & THE
SUNSHINE BAND
GIVE IT UP
(Harry Wayne Casey/Deborah Carter)
P 1983 Sony Music Ent. Inc.* Courtesy
of Harrick Music, Inc., by arrangement
with Smith & Co.
54 WILD CHERRY
PLAY THAT FUNKY
MUSIC
(Robert Parissi)
P 1976 Sony Music Entertainment.*
55 CHERYL LYNN
GOT TO BE REAL
(Cheryl Lynn / D. Paich / David Foster)
P 1978 Sony Music Entertainment.*
Licensed Courtesy Of Sony Music
Entertainment UK Limited.
56 QUINCY JONES
AI NO CORRIDA
(Kenny Young/Chaz Jankel)
P 1981 UMG Recordings, Inc.*
57 PATRICK JUVET
I LOVE AMERICA
(J.Morali /P. Juvet /V. Willis)
P 1978 Scorpio Music France.*
58 YARBROUGH
& PEOPLES
DON'T STOP THE MUSIC
(Alisa Peoples/Jonah Ellis/
Lonnie Simmons)
P 1980 Universal Records a division
of UMG Recordings Inc.*
59 THE PLAYERS
ASSOCIATION
TURN THE MUSIC UP!
(Laurel Dann/Chris Hills)
P 1978 Vanguard Records, A Welk
Music Group Company.*
60 GENE CHANDLER
GET DOWN
(James Thompson)
P 1978 The Island Def Jam
Music Group.*
DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 1_DISCO FEVER_ITUNES BK 29/09/2010 14:14 Pa! 5