The Joy Of Disco (BBC Documentary)

[alphanguy74]

I've never been one for the Three Degrees disco material, I suppose I prefer them with Thom Bell/Gamble and Huff. Also, the Three Degrees vocally weren't quite the same without Fayette, she was a FAR better singer than Helen (although Helen was an original member from the 60's). I find that I tend to gravitate far more to Tom Moulton tracks much more than Moroder stuff (I do have to say that "Call Me" is one my favorites, though), this is one of Tom's tracks that I just love:

Please register in order to view this content

I just think Thom Bell walks on water as a producer. This is the closest Elton got to disco, and damn, if I don't feel it's one of the best songs he's ever recorded:

That Madleen Kane suite is beauitful! I listened to a couple of her songs on youtube, and dismissed her recordings, because as you say, her voice is not good. But on this, it's nicely augmented and masked by other session singers... so this is a definate winner!

[alphanguy74]

And you KNOW I'm gonna pull these women out... but this is something NEW..... Recorded in 1975, and never released until last summer. It never even made the round of the bootleggers. this was recorded by the Mary Wilson/Scherrie Payne/Cindy Birdsong Lineup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TswX3Hdtc0g

[EricMontreal22]

Yeah they do a good job of hiding her vocals. SHe did an early 80s album with Moroder but you can tell (like his work on Janet Jackson's Dreamstreet album) he really felt she wasn't worthy of his better material. LOL I LOVE This Is Itthough I admit I heard it first in Dannii Minogue's cover, lol.

I admit I love the classic 3 Degrees stuff too, but we'll have to agree to disagree about their disco work (though Moroder did give them a few nice ballads as well like Hot Summer Nights and My Simple Heart)

Elton actually did a VERY disappointing disco album with Pete Belotte, who worked on Donna's albnums with Moroder, Victim of Love. Apparently it was a rush job on Elton's part, he needed to release an album and couldn't wiat for Moroder but I wish he had, it's really eurodisco by numbers, including a 15 minute disco version of Johnny Be Good...

This is one of the *coff* Better tracks on the album, which at least has sorta fun Scissor Sisters style vocals

Please register in order to view this content

I did like from those Elton John Thom Bell sessions the disco lite Are You Ready for Love which of course wqas a massive UK hit in slightly remixed form a few years back

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x13ZxRV2cLw

[DRW50]

I thought that was going to be THE Red Light, which I always associate with Fame...and Ryan's Hope.

I like the echoing on that song you posted though.

[alphanguy74]

I forgot about the Belotte album. It sucked so bad, I just think I blocked it from my mind

[DRW50]

No mention of Bette Midler's disco album?

[Max]

I agree that disco would have lasted longer in the U.S. had it not been so dominant on the charts. In this country, disco was first introduced (on any major scale) in 1974, exploded in popularity in 1975, and was completely dominant from 1976-79. By 1980, so many people were just really sick of it.

By contrast, take a look at doo-wop, which lasted longer than disco. Doo-wop never reached the level of dominance that disco did, but the genre had a good decade (1954-63) of existence in pop music. Eventually, though, all genres will fade away in popularity (as doo-wop did once the British Invasion occurred).

[EricMontreal22]

You can get Elton's disco album for budget prices on some cheap CD reissue label, which is why I ended up with a copy lol. I should have known better.

Yeah the Fame Red Light is more famous (and a fave of mine as well lol--had no clue it was in Ryan's Hope). Moroder did fun things with echos that really show off with headphones--stuff going from speaker to speaker. Speaking of, I have to add one more Donna Summer song that was a flop single (Casablanca released it, as she owed them another single, when she had already moved on to The Wanderer). It has a great late night feel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25o5_SdB71w

The only Bette disco song I know is My Knight in Black Leather which is a camp favorite of mine. I have the 12" on vinyl, but haven't heard the album

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8nt-vfZ1m0

I don't think disco really took over pop radio until late 1977--peaking in 1979 when it was everywhere. The first big full on diswco hit was Love to Love you Baby in 1975, with some early disco when it was sorta forming the genre in 1974 like Gaynor's Never Can Say Goodbye.

[DRW50]

Love that cool fade in the Youtube uploader did.

The song is a little slow but does grow on you. By the end I loved it. The "walk away when you..." part is infectious.

In many ways we have never left the late 70's/early 80's, and the same battles are fought every day, every year, but I do find it interesting that a lot of the outrageousness which was bitterly rejected around that time is now perfectly accepted, as Gaga/Rihanna/Katy Perry all try to outdo each other. While you do have low-key ladies like Taylor Swift and Adele, you don't get oceans of press about how they prove how everyone now hates flashy artists. The lack of any trends or fads in today's culture seems to mean everything is able to co-exist in music more than it did in the past.

[I Am A Swede]

Thank you so much for posting those great documentaries. I must admit I have never really seen Madonna as a disco queen though.

I was too young to really listen to disco during its heyday, although I did get ABBA's "Voulez-Vous" album for Christmas in 1979, even though I was only 6 years old at the time, and then eurodisco was huge during my early teen years.

Please register in order to view this content

[I Am A Swede]

What's wrong with her voice? (I love the song too by the way )

[DRW50]

Voulez Vouz has some great disco songs..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxv2vF9S0bY

[alphanguy74]

Nothing really... except her tone quality is a bit shrill at times, and it causes me listener fatigue if you listen to alot of it.

[EricMontreal22]

I LOVE that song SOOO much lol. Alcazar did a fun tribute cover of it on a Swedish tv show. It ruffles my feathers when people call ABBA disco--they really weren't, BUT they did dip into disco the way BeeGees did, etc, and did it very well--Voulez Vous probably being the best example. There was rumour at the time that Giorgio Moroder helped them produce it actually but refused credit because he was such a huge fan. It's no secret he's a big fan, but I doubt the rest. From the same album:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev8COPj2teQ

[EricMontreal22]

Out of all the Bad Girls songs and hits it's been a slow burn for me, a song I ignored at first but now is a highlight (this was the closing of Side 1 of four, each side has a theme and on the original album are, as most Moroder and Donna albums were, segued together so dancers didn't have to change the record). That's one reason it really probably shouldn't have been a single.

I was about to post the 1980, top rated Donna Summer tv special, but realized I posted it in that Goldie Hawn TV special thread--but it's a lot of fun.

I totally agree. One change though that I don't really like, is with disco there was no pretention. Ever--even the rare disco songs that dealt with serious material. Now with Madonna, Gaga, as much as I genuinely like a ton of their stuff, they always seem to pretend that their wild costumes and looks are making a statement. One reason I probably prefer Kylie to all of them is she has a bit more of the disco-fun aspect to her outrageous concerts--she doesn't pretend they';re anything more than fun and camp.

Exactly. I love the song, and can't picture anyone else singing it, but a full record of her back to back is just too shrill for me.