The Joy Of Disco (BBC Documentary)

[EricMontreal22]

I love the tracks you posted--of course I know Voyage Voyage very well. All of this stuff gets classified as Italo (or Italo Disco), even though much of it was done in Sweden. It sprang out of disco in the 80s, often had foreigners singing English with ridiculous lyrics (though disco had that too of course), anbd had a more pronounced, slower, synth beat. I have an ex who is OBSESSED with Italo--there's some CD reissue series of obscure Italo Disco that's gone to about 25 volumes that he collects.

This is a classic example of Italo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iSzegfONJs

[DRW50]

I love that song - I didn't know if it was counted as disco, as it's a little slow.

There are very few ABBA songs I don't enjoy. They tackled their "theme" albums very well - they had a disco album, an album trying to break into America, a somber album turning to the 80's. Their last album was wonderful and had the sound of the decade all mapped out. They were probably right to split when they did but their music never dated.

I always enjoy this, even if it's a little shrill.

and their big hit around this time.

[DRW50]

I wonder if it's because the Disney Channel type of artist has now usurped some of that fun young vibe (minus some of the trashier aspects of the era).

[All My Shadows]

Oh yes, the disco thread. It was only a matter of time.

Well, I must bring these ladies into the discussion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa9aVpvZgXM

[EricMontreal22]

I was going to disagree, but then... I think you're right. It's probably partly why so many gay men (amongst others) have caught on to songs by them.

[DRW50]

Which Disney songs are popular in that area? I know they churn out Miley, Demi Lovato, etc. then quickly replace them. Selena Gomez. I guess Miley and Demi both have their own up and down disco type trajectories (although I don't know anyone who ever liked Miley's music...clearly someone did though.).

[I Am A Swede]

ABBA is probably my all-time favourite. I love all of their albums, from the first to the last, and there's not a single ABBA-song that I don't like. I love all of Björn and Benny's work post-ABBA as well. They seem unable to write anything bad.

[DRW50]

I have to struggle to think of any ABBA songs I don't enjoy. I am not a huge fan of Does Your Mother Know? (mostly because of the chorus) and a few of the Benny and Bjorn vocals on the early albums, although that's made up for by their classics like Santa Rosa and Merry-Go-Round.

I'm not a huge Honey Honey fan either.

[I Am A Swede]

I call it eurodisco, since it was disco from Europe.

This style was absolutely massive during the years when I really payed attention to what was popular, around 1984-1988. Modern Talking, Sandra, Spagna, Fancy, Den Harrow, Lili & Sussie, Fun Fun, Baltimora etc.

And I'm not ashamed to admit that I still love these songs. They are the soundtrack of my teenage years.

[EricMontreal22]

Well Solena's Love you like a Love Song (which I admit I love despite myself--at least after a few drinks) is still massive at gay bars I've been to. Some Miley played for a while, though I refused to dance anytime I heard her on

[EricMontreal22]

Have you listened to King Kong Song lately? I think their early albums are extremely patchy, but afterthat, I do agree with you. Brilliant stuff, and it's nice to see them finally appreciated as expert songwriters, performers and producers. Do you like Gemini or any of the later Benny/Bjorn projects?

[EricMontreal22]

a I have just discovered Lili and Sussie (they sang Oh Mama right?) because I noticed that a lot of the Swedish pop I love, (BWO, Alcazar, Agnes Carlsson) was written and produced by Anders Hansson who I think is a genius at doing fun, neo-disco--happily I just found out he's working on Kylie's new album--anyway I guess his first success was with Lili and Sussie.

Eurodisco for me is strictly from the late 70s--faster beats, strings mixed with synth--stuff like Moroder, Cerrone, etc. It's semantics, but Italo slowed it down and was strictly 80s.

[DRW50]

King Kong Song is such cheesy earnest fun, like one of my favorite ABBA songs, What About Livingston, and Dance Till The Music Still Goes On (one of those American 50's/60's pop hybrids they loved), and others. It's hard to believe they were the same group as the group who made The Visitors.

[I Am A Swede]

I love everything Benny and Björn have written. But nowadays the music they write is very different from ABBA, Gemini or even the music to "Chess". Their emigrant musical "Kristina" is fabulous from start to finish of course. I had the pleasure of seeing it on stage in Stockholm and it was just awesome.

Benny has formed a new band, Benny Andersson Band, which has become extremely popular here in Sweden, hitting number 1 on the album charts several times. But it's nothing like ABBA...

This is a song from their latest album, which was released just last year (the singer is Helen Sjöholm who starred in "Kristina", and you can also see Tommy Körberg, who starred in "Chess" in London)

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[I Am A Swede]

Yep, Lili & Sussie had their big break with "Oh Mama". They had a few minor hits in Swedish before that, but catapulted to stardom with that song in 1987.