Here’s the obligatory flashback to the previous 10 entries on my list.
Off we go to the second half of our countdown of danceable, delectable, disco delights. I promise that there will be no more attempts at really gay-sounding alliteration going forward.
50. “The Chase” by Giorgio Moroder
I’ve never seen “Midnight Express”, but something tells me that Moroder’s pulsing theme was the best thing about the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akyx5iu_z8Y
49. “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)” by MFSB
…otherwise known as the theme from “Soul Train”. Putting two instrumentals back-to-back was unintentional.
48. “Caught Up (in a One Night Love Affair)” by Inner Life
Jocelyn Brown deserves her props as one of the biggest-voiced of the disco divas. This chick could belt with the best of them. The intro to this 12″ version is a little too long for me, but it builds into an incredible song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1glE9KCm2fw
47. “I Want Your Love” by Chic
The thing that struck me most about Chic-aside from how good the instrumentalists were-was how elegant their arrangements were. How many of today’s producers could put together a string section like this. “I Want Your Love” also might be the slowest song included in this countdown. I feel like the version in this video is sped up.
46. “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson
This song…it makes, it make me feel like…WOOOOOOO!!!
45. “Heart of Glass” by Blondie
Easily one of the best rock/disco fusions. Deborah Harry was and is a great musical chameleon-disco, hip-hop, new wave, cock rock, reggae-she could do it all. She was a sexy broad back in the day too…even though she always looks dazed in her videos.
44. “Don’t Leave Me This Way” by Thelma Houston
Not a lot of folks out there can out-do Teddy Pendergrass. Thelma Houston did. I saw her perform this a few years back with my friend Becky. Even though the sound guy kept fucking her backing track up, she still has the goods. It was ages before I realized this was on Motown! For whatever reason, I don’t normally equate that label with disco.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJVLRMAAajI&feature=related
43. “Spacer” by Sheila & B. Devotion
Yet another confirmation of the genius of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. My boy Mikey is in love with this song. As neither of us is old enough to have experienced the disco era firsthand, this song’s genius is obviously apparent even to the younger generation.
42. “You Should Be Dancing” by The Bee Gees
Believe it or not, this is the only Bee Gees song on the entire list. “Stayin’ Alive” and “Night Fever” are just too hokey for me, and I’m partial to their ballads, anyway. Aside from the vocals (which are pretty shaky in this live performance), this song had the best groove of any of the Bee Gees’ dance hits.
41. “Native New Yorker” by Odyssey
Here’s a little hometown bias!
1 comment
Sini says:
Mar 31, 2010
I love “Spacer” and “I Want Your Love.” I’d love to see Thelma Houston live. I collect performances of “Don’t Leave Me This Way” but there aren’t enough of them online. That’s one song where people cheer as soon as they hear the first “Mmmm.”