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Disco by non Disco artists

Started by roadman65, May 29, 2019, 12:03:56 PM

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KEVIN_224

Bryan Adams "Let Me Take You Dancing" (1979). I believe his voice was pitched up and only found out AFTER the fact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjUJNfpd3ec


golden eagle

Quote from: KEVIN_224 on June 16, 2019, 09:13:16 PM
Bryan Adams "Let Me Take You Dancing" (1979). I believe his voice was pitched up and only found out AFTER the fact.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjUJNfpd3ec

Are you serious?? I never knew about this.

KEVIN_224

Completely serious! I think Casey Kasem or Shadoe Stevens even mentioned it once on American Top 40.

Brian556


adventurernumber1

#54
Though primarily a rock/new wave band, Blondie had a few songs that also dabbled in the disco genre (as a matter of fact, they experimented with other genres too, such as reggae and rap):
- "Heart of Glass"
- "Call Me"
- "Rapture"
- "Atomic"
- "The Hardest Part"

Speaking of Elton John, his song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee) dabbles in disco a little bit.

I always got a little bit of a disco vibe from The Eagles' "One of These Nights".

Bob Marley's "Could You Be Loved" also dabbles in disco a little bit.


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dlsterner

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on July 09, 2019, 10:14:17 PM
Speaking of Elton John, his song Don't Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee) dabbles in disco a little bit.

I did mention Elton's regrettable disco album "Victim Of Love" (1979) a few posts back, along with the single of the same name.  But I am now reminded of an even more egregious example - he covered Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" as a disco song on that same album.  Why, oh why?  (BTW I am a fan, just not of that one album)

adventurernumber1

I forgot, but Elton John has another song (this one from 1975) that has a little bit of a disco vibe (and there may still be more I am forgetting or unaware of), which is "Island Girl."
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roadman65

Quote from: adventurernumber1 on July 11, 2019, 09:40:33 PM
I forgot, but Elton John has another song (this one from 1975) that has a little bit of a disco vibe (and there may still be more I am forgetting or unaware of), which is "Island Girl."

Henly School where I went to grade school, played that song to death during roller skating nights.

That and Kung Fu Fighting were big hits then and as you know roller skating requires disco music or some sort of hip hop.  To me play the Allman Brothers and I will skate to that, but a friend of mine loves to roller skate (and in Staten Island on Paige Avenue is still a skating rink and open to adults) and manages the Saturday Night Rollerjam and won't play Southern Rock or anything but Hip Hop or Club music of the 80's.  Heck he is so biased IMO as he won't even play Cher Do You Believe In Life after Love, which was a club hit when it was out, but being he is a Trump ass kisser and because Cher hates Donald is why I think he refuses to play that.

Unfortunately, many people wont listen to a song, whether good or bad, if that person does not agree with them politically or attacks their favorite candidate.  My cousin Pete does not like Linda Ronstadt because she is a Leftist and Pete does whatever Rush Limbaugh says.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

adventurernumber1

I also just remembered, Barry Manilow, traditionally a Pop/Easy Listening artist, did at least a couple of songs that dabble in the disco genre - "It's A Miracle" and "Copacabana."
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roadman65

#59
Xanadu by ELO featuring Olivia Newton John on lead vocals.  The song was made for a roller disco themed film that starred Olivia hence her collaborating with ELO on that piece.

Heard that ELO lost fans as many were shocked that Jeff Lynne would take ELO in the dance genre after being so rock oriented.  Don’t know if that is accurate or not but sounds plausible being I lived the disco vs rock era.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

michravera

Quote from: roadman65 on May 29, 2019, 12:03:56 PM
Was wondering as I heard the Grateful Dead song Shakedown Street the other day after a long while.   Was wondering if that particular track was the Dead's attempt at producing a disco or dance song like The Rolling Stones done with Miss You?
'

Would you settle for some non-disco versions of disco songs?
I am pretty sure that Bill Shatner did at least a dozen.

I am pretty sure that the quintessential non-disco artist doing a disco song, that, if I have read the thread correctly so far, has been missed: Joe Tex (and his Sex-o-Let) with "Get Dancin'". Beat that DeVito! Beat that BonJovi!

What may easily be missed here was that many, if not most, disco songs were recorded by no-account artists often groups thrown together with session musicians (some of which were well known session musicians in the session musician circles, but not at all known to outsiders) . This produced a large number of "One Hit Wonders" in the era. Laura Branigan (and even, to a certain extent Yvonne Elliman and Donna Summer), for example. There is a reason that Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco: She was the only artist to get more than one or two hits out of the era and was sufficiently bankable that even such singers as Barbara Streisand tried to cash in on her perceived prowess. Yeah, Elliman got occasional airplay with her Broadway Cast version of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar, but that song was really a hit for Helen Reddy way after the fame of JC Superstar had faded.





Stephane Dumas

Kiss did a brief stint with the disco with "I was made for lovin' you".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhIsAZO5gl0

In the case of Laura Branigan, "Gloria" is at the dusk of disco music popularity.

roadman65

Quote from: michravera on October 13, 2019, 11:35:31 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on May 29, 2019, 12:03:56 PM
Was wondering as I heard the Grateful Dead song Shakedown Street the other day after a long while.   Was wondering if that particular track was the Dead’s attempt at producing a disco or dance song like The Rolling Stones done with Miss You?
'

Would you settle for some non-disco versions of disco songs?
I am pretty sure that Bill Shatner did at least a dozen.

I am pretty sure that the quintessential non-disco artist doing a disco song, that, if I have read the thread correctly so far, has been missed: Joe Tex (and his Sex-o-Let) with "Get Dancin'". Beat that DeVito! Beat that BonJovi!

What may easily be missed here was that many, if not most, disco songs were recorded by no-account artists often groups thrown together with session musicians (some of which were well known session musicians in the session musician circles, but not at all known to outsiders) . This produced a large number of "One Hit Wonders" in the era. Laura Branigan (and even, to a certain extent Yvonne Elliman and Donna Summer), for example. There is a reason that Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco: She was the only artist to get more than one or two hits out of the era and was sufficiently bankable that even such singers as Barbara Streisand tried to cash in on her perceived prowess. Yeah, Elliman got occasional airplay with her Broadway Cast version of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar, but that song was really a hit for Helen Reddy way after the fame of JC Superstar had faded.





Ahem!  The Village People is 150 percent pure disco.  From Macho Man to YMCA and In The Navy!
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

dlsterner

#63
Quote from: michravera on October 13, 2019, 11:35:31 AM

I am pretty sure that the quintessential non-disco artist doing a disco song, that, if I have read the thread correctly so far, has been missed: Joe Tex (and his Sex-o-Let) with "Get Dancin'". Beat that DeVito! Beat that BonJovi!


Sorry about being pedantic here, but it was actually Disco Tex (not Joe Tex) who led the Sex-O-Lettes and did "Get Dancin'".  Disco Tex was the pseudonym for Monti Rock III.  The late Joe Tex was an unrelated singer who performed, among others, "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)".

I can't believe I actually remember this.

michravera

Quote from: roadman65 on October 13, 2019, 07:37:41 PM
Quote from: michravera on October 13, 2019, 11:35:31 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on May 29, 2019, 12:03:56 PM
Was wondering as I heard the Grateful Dead song Shakedown Street the other day after a long while.   Was wondering if that particular track was the Dead's attempt at producing a disco or dance song like The Rolling Stones done with Miss You?
'

Would you settle for some non-disco versions of disco songs?
I am pretty sure that Bill Shatner did at least a dozen.

I am pretty sure that the quintessential non-disco artist doing a disco song, that, if I have read the thread correctly so far, has been missed: Joe Tex (and his Sex-o-Let) with "Get Dancin'". Beat that DeVito! Beat that BonJovi!

What may easily be missed here was that many, if not most, disco songs were recorded by no-account artists often groups thrown together with session musicians (some of which were well known session musicians in the session musician circles, but not at all known to outsiders) . This produced a large number of "One Hit Wonders" in the era. Laura Branigan (and even, to a certain extent Yvonne Elliman and Donna Summer), for example. There is a reason that Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco: She was the only artist to get more than one or two hits out of the era and was sufficiently bankable that even such singers as Barbara Streisand tried to cash in on her perceived prowess. Yeah, Elliman got occasional airplay with her Broadway Cast version of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar, but that song was really a hit for Helen Reddy way after the fame of JC Superstar had faded.





Ahem!  The Village People is 150 percent pure disco.  From Macho Man to YMCA and In The Navy!

Agreed. Did they ever tour? My guess is no. Yeah, maybe a couple of TV appearances. Why? They really weren't a group. It looks like they have various reincarnations of them even today. "Married ... with Children" made a point of the fact that anyone could hide behind the costumes and fake the personal appearances. Was Patrick Hernandez actually a member or did he just sing with them on one or two songs?

plain

Quote from: dlsterner on October 13, 2019, 11:30:30 PM
The late Joe Tex was an unrelated singer who performed, among others, "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)".

This is one of my all time favorite songs, though it would definitely trigger a lot of resentment towards it these days. Very funny lyrics and a very addictive beat. Much of the second half of the song (the full length version) also sounds like a template for House Music, of course House has its orgins in Disco.
Newark born, Richmond bred

Stephane Dumas

Quote from: michravera on October 14, 2019, 03:11:21 PM
Was Patrick Hernandez actually a member or did he just sing with them on one or two songs?


To my knowledge Patrick Hernandez wasn't a member of Village People. He's well known for his one-hit wonder "Born to be Alive".
https://youtu.be/xaTktEf9h4A

sparker

The late great film composer John Barry (11 Bond films + many others; 5 Oscars) actually composed a partially-disco score for the 1977 film The Deep.  The "title" song, sung by Donna Summer (who else?), called (in semi-porn fashion) "Down Deep Inside", was classic disco but with a rare-to-disco complex chord progression (typical of Barry).  The soundtrack is still available on CD or the vintage LP market (I have one of each).  It's actually a fun listen, particularly in this day and age. 



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