Top Twenty Most Important Disco Records

[Jolyon]

Here's a challenge for you...<br /><br />I've got to compile a list of the 20 most important disco records of all time for a documentary I'm working on for Radio 2.<br /><br />They'll then go on the Radio 2 website.<br /><br />Each one has to be available, even if it's obscure, on a compilation CD or album, so nothing totally unobtainable.<br /><br />Each one needs to have a reason why it's one of the most important.<br /><br />So...what do you say?<br /><br />I'll start off with 'I Feel Love' by Donna Summer because it was a pioneering Eurodisco and electronic dancefloor record that was imitated a million times...<br />

[Andrew@6MS]

First Choice - &quot;Let No Man Put Asunder&quot;. Arguably one of the pioneering records that linked Disco to what is known nowadays as House music.<br /><br />.......and a feckin great record as well.

[Jolyon]

Good one.<br /><br />NB: No Wang Chung allowed I'm afraid.

[Andrew@6MS]

Loleatta Holloway - &quot;Love Sensation&quot;. THE most famous &quot;sampled&quot; disco record, that was of course never credited to the original artist, but raped &amp; pillaged by a couple of Italian blokes and &quot;sung&quot; by some skinny bird.....

[Al Kent]

Anything by Chic.

[greg wilson]

Hi Jolyon: Is this from a UK or a wider perspective? I ask because a track like MFSB's 'Love Is The Message' is pivotal in a US context, but was never that big here ('TSOP' and 'Sexy' were much more popular). I was only talking about this type of thing yesterday, records that are now considered dance classics, but were more or less unknown in the UK back in the 70's ('Apache' by the Incredible Bongo Band would be another example).<br /><br />Anyway, here are some suggestions (from a UK viewpoint). I've gone for the tracks with the biggest impact at the time, rather than my personal favourites (although many of these would also fall into that catagory):<br /><br />Rock Your Baby - George McCrae (it was reported that disco had arrived in the UK when this hit #1 in '74)<br />Never Can Say Goodbye - Gloria Gaynor (the original queen of disco)<br />Love Unlimited Orchestra - love's theme (Barry White has to be represented, and this, along with the Philly Sound, set the standard for disco production)<br />Good Times - Chic (the Hip Hop anthem)<br />Jingo -Candido (the most durable disco record I played, which crossed all boundaries - i.e big with both the commercial crowd and as a classic oldie on the Jazz-Funk scene)<br />Heart Of Glass – Blondie (UK #1 crossed-over to non-disco type audience)<br />Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton (huge huge dancefloor tune at the time)<br />You're The One For Me - D Train (depends how you date disco, but this was a crucial record at the crossroads of disco and electro-funk)<br />Don't Make Me Wait - Peech Boys (the first full-blooded electro-funk tune, huge track with the underground black audience)<br />Do What You Wanna Do - T Connection (always used to laugh at Ian Dewhirst, he loved this track so much that whenever he saw it in a second hand shop he'd buy as a matter of principle! Great record)<br />Disco Inferno - Trammps (big twice, firstly off its own steam and then via 'Saturday Night Fever')<br />Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson (although my personal favourite was the 12&quot; mix of 'Shake Your Body', this was a revelation when it came out, as big on the dancefloor as it got)<br />You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - Sylvester (just such a distictive and massive track)<br />I Love Music - The O'Jays (one of the disco tunes Ian Levine played at Blackpool Mecca to a northern soul audience, much to the disgust of the Wigan Casino purists)<br />Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel - Tavares (as above)<br />Love Train - The O'Jays (early classic)<br />Ten Percent - Double Exposure (apart from being a top tune, it started the whole 12&quot; thing)<br />Shame - Evelyn Champagne King (the biggest selling 12&quot; prior to 'Blue Monday')<br />The Hustle - Van McCoy (the soundtrack to the summer of '75)<br /><br />No doubt I've missed a few more obvious ones out, but that's the best I can do off the top of my head. I'll add to the list as more come to mind.<br /><br />If you're putting together a definitive list, I suppose you'd have to include The Bee Gees, either 'Stayin' Alive' or 'Night Fever'.<br /><br />Hope this helps.<br /><br />

[Topester]

Love To Love You Baby?

[rob.j]

Double Exposure's 'Ten Percent' - first commercially available 12&quot;<br /><br />And you can add all of the benefits that came with this new format ;D.........and the fact that it has emptied our pockets ever since :(<br /><br />cheers<br /><br />rob<br /><br />

[peter]

donna summer - i feel love, of course and at least one record from salsoul, prelude and westend.

[ladyboygrimsby]

I would say:<br />Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need A Change Of Mind (one of the earliest examples of what a disco record came to sound like)<br />OR<br />Zulema - Giving Up (ditto)<br /><br />Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa (first minor crossover hit)<br />Love Unlimited Orchestra - Love's Theme (early crossover)<br />George McCrae - Rock Your Baby (first big hit)<br />Double Exposure - Ten Percent (first commercial 12-inch)<br />Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby (first big European production)<br />Donna Summer - I Feel Love (heavily influential Euro-disco)<br />Peech Boys - Don't Make Me Wait<br />And/Or <br />D Train - You're The One For Me (early examples of electronic production in disco)<br />MFSB - Love Is The Message (the DK edit)

[rob.j]

<br />Zulema - Giving Up (ditto)<br /><br />Must admit i loved what Hairy Diamond did with this tune...great record,<br /><br />Oh alright then.....I'd never head Zulema until i had heard the H.Diamond tune ,found out it was not completely original and went mooching for the source.......<br /><br />rob

[Invincible Pigeon]

Leif Garrett - I Was Made For Dancin'<br />Baccara - Yes Sir, I Can Boogie<br /><br />OK, maybe not<br /><br />If I had to chip in with one it would have to be Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'. Personal fave though is Shannon's 'Let The Music Play'...

[Makkun]

Crown Heights Affair - Say A Little Prayer<br /><br />Teena Marie - Behind the Groove<br /><br />

[Jolyon]

Thanks for the suggestions....i'm pleased that most of your suggestions were the ones on my list _so far_...in no order<br /><br />1 Donna Summer - I Feel Love<br />2 Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby<br />3 Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye<br />4 O'Jays - Love Train<br />5 Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need A Change Of Mind<br />6 Love Unlimited - Love's Theme<br />7 George McCrae - Rock Your Baby<br />8 Van McCoy - The Hustle<br />9 Bee Gees - Night Fever<br />10 Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa<br />11 Double Exposure - Ten Per Cent<br />12 MFSB - Love Is The Message (DK re-edit)<br />13 D Train - You're The One For Me<br />14 BT Express - Do It Til You're Satisfied<br />15 Klein &amp; MBO - Dirty Talk (if I can find a CD comp that it's on)<br />16 Chic - Good Times<br />17 Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Mighty Real<br />18 Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone<br />19 Blondie - Heart Of Glass<br />20 First Choice - Let No Man Putasander<br /><br /><br />

[Topester]

I can burn Dirty Talk to CD for you no problem

[Jolyon]

i've got it on vinyl....so no need, but all the tracks have to be available to buy for all the hungry disco freaks who will look at the list on the radio 2 website. do you know if it's been on a comp?<br /><br />And...should I have Theme From Shaft in the list?

[Topester]

Gotcha.<br /><br />according to All Music Guide its on a compilation called Perfect Beat, although I think its an American one - released 1998, don't know the label. Looks pretty good, it has Love Money, Kreaftwerk 'Numbers', quite a few proper classics

[JJ]

;D<br />Shaft is a definite inclusion I would've thought. It was 1971(?),, before the likes of Love Theme, it was a massive tune and is definitely disco, despite being part of the blaxploitation thing. There's quite a few early blaxploitation tunes that are undeniably disco, such as Willie Hutch's Slick - check the Keep Your Body Working bassline. <br /><br />But a tune which is always wrongly left off disco lists but was a massive hit before even Shaft and all the others, and (now) sounds like disco, is Curtis' &quot;Move On Up&quot; which came out in 1970 I think.<br /><br />Bloody hard job to do just 20 though. i.e. how can you have a top 20 with no Patrick Adams or Ashord &amp; Simpson tunes in it? Good luck!<br /><br />Eezy<br />JJ<br />

[Jolyon]

<br /> ;D<br />Shaft is a definite inclusion I would've thought. It was 1971(?),, before the likes of Love Theme, it was a massive tune and is definitely disco, despite being part of the blaxploitation thing. There's quite a few early blaxploitation tunes that are undeniably disco, such as Willie Hutch's Slick - check the Keep Your Body Working bassline. <br /><br />But a tune which is always wrongly left off disco lists but was a massive hit before even Shaft and all the others, and (now) sounds like disco, is Curtis' &quot;Move On Up&quot; which came out in 1970 I think.<br /><br />Bloody hard job to do just 20 though. i.e. how can you have a top 20 with no Patrick Adams or Ashord &amp; Simpson tunes in it? Good luck!<br /><br />Eezy<br />JJ<br /><br /><br /><br />Well Ashford and Simpson and Patrick Adams are great...but it's not the 20 best, it's the 20 most important...i.e. records that were unique, ahead of their time, broke through barriers etc. even if they were quite rubbish or commercial. I agree on Shaft...

[leebradlee]

The Klein &amp; MBO track is on a compo called <br />Summermadness - Aftersun which came out last year.<br /><br />Hope this helps.<br /><br />lee

[D C]

Definately agree with some of the suggestions so far, particularly Van McCoy, George McCrae and Loves Theme. I would think that you'd have to include Jackson 5's ABC and I Want You Back.<br /><br />Diana Ross - Love Hangover<br />Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way<br />O'Jay's - I Love Music<br />Trammps - Disco Inferno, Hold Back The Night, Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart<br /><br />The awful one's have to include:<br />Abba - Dancin' Queen<br />Baccara - Yes Sir I Can Boogie<br />Liqiud Gold - Dance Yourself Dizzy<br />And of course any of the Bee Gees stuff from SNF<br />

[rob.j]

Klein and MBO - Dirty Talk is also on the new D.Carter Choices comp<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />rob

[Invincible Pigeon]

<br />The awful one's have to include:<br />Baccara - Yes Sir I Can Boogie<br /><br /><br />http://www.medianet.com.pl/~czejarek/bacca26c.jpg<br />

[JJ]

;D<br /><br />I'm just entertaining myself by being argumentative!<br /><br />I know it was the most 'important' 20 but it all depends on how that's gonna be defined by those who look at the list. The reason why Isaac Hayes' Shaft is often put in such lists is coz its considered to be 'the first' now recognisably disco record that went ballistic sales-wise, but that's clearly not the case. Then the story goes that Rock Your Baby did likewise a couple of years later to really kick the whole thing off but that ignores the fact that the Hues Corp's Rock The Boat had gone ballistic about three months beforehand. <br /><br />If those that look at the list are going to attach the 'importance' factor to whether every generation since has wanted to dance to it, then the likes of played out stuff like Carwash would have to be in it; and Never can say Goodbye would have to be replaced by I Will Survive, YMCA would be at No.2, .....And at No.1 .....Arrrrggghhhhhhhhh....I still can't believe that people think Dancing Queen is a 'disco' record. <br /> <br />Eezy<br />JJ<br />

[Jolyon]

I think this is going to be the final list...in no order...<br /><br />1 Donna Summer - I Feel Love<br />2 Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby<br />3 Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye<br />4 O'Jays - Love Train<br />5 Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need A Change Of Mind<br />6 Love Unlimited - Love's Theme<br />7 George McCrae - Rock Your Baby<br />8 Van McCoy - The Hustle<br />9 The Bee Gees - Night Fever<br />10 Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa<br />11 Double Exposure - Ten Per Cent<br />12 MFSB - Love Is The Message (DK re-edit)<br />13 D Train - You're The One For Me<br />14 BT Express - Do It Til You're Satisfied<br />15 Klein &amp; MBO - Dirty Talk<br />16 Chic - Good Times<br />17 Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Mighty Real<br />18 Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone<br /><br />Last two...anyone got any ideas for a pivotal jazz funk/disco record? And a pivotal new wave/disco record? I thought maybe Heart Of Glass for the later...

[Jolyon]

<br /> ;D<br /><br />I'm just entertaining myself by being argumentative!<br /><br />I know it was the most 'important' 20 but it all depends on how that's gonna be defined by those who look at the list. The reason why Isaac Hayes' Shaft is often put in such lists is coz its considered to be 'the first' now recognisably disco record that went ballistic sales-wise, but that's clearly not the case. Then the story goes that Rock Your Baby did likewise a couple of years later to really kick the whole thing off but that ignores the fact that the Hues Corp's Rock The Boat had gone ballistic about three months beforehand. <br /><br />If those that look at the list are going to attach the 'importance' factor to whether every generation since has wanted to dance to it, then the likes of played out stuff like Carwash would have to be in it; and Never can say Goodbye would have to be replaced by I Will Survive, YMCA would be at No.2, .....And at No.1 .....Arrrrggghhhhhhhhh....I still can't believe that people think Dancing Queen is a 'disco' record. <br /> <br />Eezy<br />JJ<br /> <br /><br /><br />I know what you're saying.<br /><br />So Hues Corporation instead of George McCrae possibly....

[matthew]

pivotal jazz funk disco record would probably be dancing in outer space. elite records spawned level 42 and the rest is cortina-driving history<br /><br />

[D C]

<br /><br />The awful one's have to include:<br />Baccara - Yes Sir I Can Boogie<br /><br /><br />http://www.medianet.com.pl/~czejarek/bacca26c.jpg<br /><br /><br /><br />I don't want to go there - the memory of that record being played at the Global Village is horrifying enough!!!<br /><br />As for the Temptations ' Papa...... I'd have never classed that as disco and would certainly put Hues Corp in the twenty.<br /><br />DC<br />

[Sean P]

http://www.medianet.com.pl/~czejarek/bacca26c.jpg<br /><br />&quot;Meeestair, yo' ice are fool ov i-so-tayshun...&quot;

[D C]

<br />http://www.medianet.com.pl/~czejarek/bacca26c.jpg<br /><br />&quot;Meeestair, yo' ice are fool ov i-so-tayshun...&quot;<br /><br /><br />Mum, the big boy is picking on me.

[Jolyon]

<br />pivotal jazz funk disco record would probably be dancing in outer space. elite records spawned level 42 and the rest is cortina-driving history<br /><br /><br /><br />What year was that? Around 1979?

[Sean P]

Atmosfear is one of the most imporatant British records, no doubt. Though don't forget groups like Crown Heights Affair, Earth, Wind &amp; Fire and Pleasure had a very jazzy edge and the odd club winner.

[Jolyon]

Hmmm...might put Dancing In Outer Space anyway...<br /><br />Decisions...decisions...

[Sean P]

...not wishing to throw you off your swing, so to speak - but the mere mention of jazz-funk made me think 'Expansions', etc...

[Jolyon]

<br />...not wishing to throw you off your swing, so to speak - but the mere mention of jazz-funk made me think 'Expansions', etc...<br /><br /><br />That's perfect. 1975..nice and early. marvellous...cheers Sean.

[Invincible Pigeon]

<br />I think this is going to be the final list...in no order...<br /><br />1 Donna Summer - I Feel Love<br />2 Donna Summer - Love To Love You Baby<br />3 Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye<br />4 O'Jays - Love Train<br />5 Eddie Kendricks - Girl You Need A Change Of Mind<br />6 Love Unlimited - Love's Theme<br />7 George McCrae - Rock Your Baby<br />8 Van McCoy - The Hustle<br />9 The Bee Gees - Night Fever<br />10 Manu Dibango - Soul Makossa<br />11 Double Exposure - Ten Per Cent<br />12 MFSB - Love Is The Message (DK re-edit)<br />13 D Train - You're The One For Me<br />14 BT Express - Do It Til You're Satisfied<br />15 Klein &amp; MBO - Dirty Talk<br />16 Chic - Good Times<br />17 Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Mighty Real<br />18 Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling Stone<br /><br />Last two...anyone got any ideas for a pivotal jazz funk/disco record? And a pivotal new wave/disco record? I thought maybe Heart Of Glass for the later...<br /><br /><br />Magnificent Dance?

[ladyboygrimsby]

<br />...not wishing to throw you off your swing, so to speak - but the mere mention of jazz-funk made me think 'Expansions', etc...<br /><br /><br />Speaking of which, Mr. P, how much is an RCA copy of this worth these days? A friend found one at a booter for 25p (the git) and someone wanted to buy it off him.

[Jolyon]

<br /><br />...not wishing to throw you off your swing, so to speak - but the mere mention of jazz-funk made me think 'Expansions', etc...<br /><br /><br />Speaking of which, Mr. P, how much is an RCA copy of this worth these days? A friend found one at a booter for 25p (the git) and someone wanted to buy it off him.<br /><br /><br />I think it's still going for 40-50 quid on ebay Bill...

[Andrew@6MS]

Pivotal jazz/funk (disco)<br /><br />Roy Ayers Ubiquity - &quot;Running Away&quot; - 1977......?<br /><br />....although have to admit &quot;Dancing In Outer Space&quot; is such a classic it's worth putting in, if for no other reason than to have some British representation! ;D