Disco? Get The Funk Out Of Here!

Side 2 of a C90 cassette that I recorded for Mrs. K on 21st March 2002.

I posted Side 1 in April 2023 and had thought that I'd get around to the follow up a little sooner!

Starting off in fine style with the mighty Barry White, there is no let up as Boney M. then Kool & The Gang get your boogie shoes working.

You wait ages for a bus (stop) then two come along at once! After the recent appearance of the album version of (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop by The Fatback Band, here's the single, shorter but no less sweet.

Both Sly & The Family Stone and Curtis Mayfield appeared on Side 1, but it was impossible to limit them to one song each, so they pop up again on this side with a couple of stone cold classics.

As before, I swapped out the single edit of Curtis' contribution for the full length album version; the same with Barry White, for your extended pleasure. I've also replaced the single version  of Van McCoy's The Hustle for the 12" disco mix, to balance out the running times of both sides.

The compilation ends and it starts, with Garnett Mimms & Truckin' Company and What It Is. The vocal single version opened Side 1 and the closer here is the 12" flip side, mostly instrumental with a smattering of backing vocals and a huge dollop of disco glitter.

After two days of upbeat grooves, something a little calmer for Monday....?

1) Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up (Album Version): Barry White (1973)

2) Sunny (Single Edit) (Cover of Bobby Hebb): Boney M. (1976)

3) Celebration (Album Version): Kool & The Gang (1980)

4) (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop (Single Version): The Fatback Band (1975)

5) Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2) (Album Version): The Isley Brothers (1975)

6) Family Affair (Album Version): Sly & The Family Stone (1971)

7) Kung Fu (Album Version): Curtis Mayfield (1974)

8) Get Down Tonight (Single Version): KC & The Sunshine Band (1975)

9) The Hustle (Disco Mix): Van McCoy ft. The Soul City Symphony (1979)

10) Take Me To The River (Album Version): Al Green (1974)

11) Don't Let Love Get You Down (Album Version): Archie Bell & The Drells (1976)

12) What It Is (Part Il) (12" Version): Garnet Mimms & Truckin' Company (1977)

1971: There's A Riot Goin' On: 6

1973: Stone Gon': 1

1974: Explores Your Mind: 10

1974: Sweet Exorcist: 7

1975: (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop EP: 4

1975: Get Down Tonight EP: 8

1975: The Heat Is On: 5

1976: Sunny EP: 2

1976: Where Will You Go When The Party's Over: 11

1977: What It Is EP: 12

1979: THe Hustle EP: 9

1980: Celebrate!: 3

Side Two (55:54) (GD) (M)

Side One here

That Weren't No DJ, That Was Hazy Cosmic Jive

On another nostalgia trip today, back half a century to the UK singles Top 20 on 27th July 1972. Largely ignoring the first five, that's a pretty great run of singles

1) Puppy Love: Donny Osmond

2) Sylvia’s Mother: Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show

3) Rock And Roll Parts 1 & 2: Gary Glitter

4) Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: The Partridge Family

5) Sea Side Shuffle: Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs

6) School’s Out: Alice Cooper

7) I Can See Clearly Now: Johnny Nash

8) Circles: The New Seekers

9) Mad About You: Bruce Ruffin

10) Starman: David Bowie

11) Little Willy: The Sweet

12) Silver Machine: Hawkwind

13) Join Together: The Who

14) Walkin’ In The Rain With The One I Love: Love Unlimited

15) Betcha By Golly Wow: The Stylistics

16) Take Me Back ‘One: Slade

17) Automatically Sunshine: The Supremes

18) An American Trilogy: Elvis Presley

19) Popcorn: Hot Butter 

20) My Guy: Mary Wells 

 

I'll only give Sea Side Shuffle by Terry Dactyl & The Dinosaurs the briefest of mentions for two reasons, fact fans: 

 

1) The lead singer, songwriter and accordion player would subsequently always be found in the kitchen at parties, trying to come up with a ubiquitous Christmas hit (which wasn't about Christmas and, incredibly, didn't actually make it to #1 in the UK);

 

2) One might assume that Roy Dorset and his legal team were listening with interest, given the resemblance to his summer-themed hit with Mungo Jerry a couple of years previously. Surely he sued? Or did we live in a less litigious society back then?

 

YouTube, as ever, is a treasure trove of clips, especially from Top Of The Pops, so here's a select few. Lady K's just finished for the summer - oh, how I wish I had six weeks off work to do what I like! Sadly, Alice Cooper wasn't blasting from the school PA as the masses ran from the building, whooping and hollering. Surprising, as I thought that this was a legal requirement from 1977 onwards...?

Here's Alice on TOTP in 1972. Health & Safety would never let him wave and throw a sabre around these days.

Johnny Nash next, rocking those studded leathers with what remains my favourite version of this song. The original and never bettered.

You would not believe how hard it is to find a decent clip of Starman that isn't the June 1972 TOTP performance that is used on every David Bowie, 1970s, Glam, classic rock, you-name-it TV show going. I tried, honestly, but I had to admit defeat after a while. So here it is. Bloody great, though.

The next video is dedicated to middle aged man, who reminded me what a truly great band The Sweet are, with an excellent Imaginary Compilation Album over at The Vinyl Villain a couple of months ago. If you haven't heard it, run don't walk over there now, you really need it in your life.

Love Unlimited next. Much is made of Barry White's role but it was nothing without the wonderful vocal performances by the Taylor sisters -Diane, Linda and Glodean. This is music in glorious Technicolour.

How else to finish but with The King? An American Trilogy was a cover version, originally written and recorded by Mickey Newbury in 1971, stitching together Dixie (a folk song), The Battle Hymn Of The Republic (a Civil War marching song used by the Union army) and All My Trials (a popular lullaby from The Bahamas). Elvis Presley recorded it at the start of 1972 and, interestingly, his version was bigger success in the UK (peaking at #8) than the USA (#66). This version is from his Aloho From Hawaii show in January 1973.

As a post-script, at one place below Elvis is Popcorn by Hot Butter, a song that always reminds me of a much-loved TV show which had a similar sounding theme tune. Ah, the days of TV shows presented by wonderfully bonkers professors, nylon and polyester attire, minuscule budgets and little or no special effects, not to mention protracted moments of silence...like this.

Are You Ready For The 70's Explosion?

Side 1 of a mixtape, originally compiled 16th September 1990 and another of my cassette set cobbled together for my year abroad. This liberally pilfered my parents' K-Tel & Ronco vinyl collection, cheap and cheerful purchases from the local cash and carry when I was a kid. Some classics, some cheese, no apologies.

 

1) The 'In' Crowd (Cover of Dobie Gray): Bryan Ferry (1974)

2) Red Dress: Alvin Stardust (1974)

3) Emma (Album Version): Hot Chocolate (1974)

4) Rock Your Baby (Single Version): George McCrae (1974)

5) What Am I Gonna Do With You: Barry White (1975)

6) Reach Out I'll Be There (Cover of The Four Tops): Gloria Gaynor (1975)

7) The Love I Lost (Single Version): Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1973)

8) Queen Of Clubs: KC & The Sunshine Band (1974)

9) Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting (Album Version): Elton John (1973)

10) Pool Hall Richard: Faces (1973)

11) Dance With The Devil: Cozy Powell (1973)

12) Radar Love (Single Version): Golden Earring (1973)

13) The Show Must Go On: Leo Sayer (1973)

14) Seasons In The Sun: Terry Jacks (1974)

15) I Can See Clearly Now: Johnny Nash (1972)

 

Side One (53:31)