'Electric Company' music (the "wokka wokka" sound of the '70s)

[bandit957]

Anyone else know what I'm talking about here?

Back in the 1970s, there was this funky "wokka wokka" sound that was in a lot of music. We call it 'Electric Company' music because this same sound was used in a lot of music beds in the children's TV show 'The Electric Company'. It was associated with that show because the show ran for years thereafter, after that sound had disappeared from pop music.

When the '70s were over, that was pretty much it for 'Electric Company' music on pop radio. Probably the last big hit song I remember with 'Electric Company' music was "Mama Can't Buy You Love" by Elton John - with the exception of a few songs very, very occasionally in later years. The start of the '80s was a sudden end to 'Electric Company' music.

This sound is also associated with old porn.

[spooky]

I think that's just that '70s funk sound. Is it similar to the music for the "1-2-3-4-5" pinball number songs on Sesame Street?

[bandit957]

I think that's just that '70s funk sound. Is it similar to the music for the "1-2-3-4-5" pinball number songs on Sesame Street?

If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's close, but not exactly the same. 'Electric Company' music had more of a "wokka wokka."

[jp the roadgeek]

Anyone else know what I'm talking about here?

Back in the 1970s, there was this funky "wokka wokka" sound that was in a lot of music. We call it 'Electric Company' music because this same sound was used in a lot of music beds in the children's TV show 'The Electric Company'. It was associated with that show because the show ran for years thereafter, after that sound had disappeared from pop music.

When the '70s were over, that was pretty much it for 'Electric Company' music on pop radio. Probably the last big hit song I remember with 'Electric Company' music was "Mama Can't Buy You Love" by Elton John - with the exception of a few songs very, very occasionally in later years. The start of the '80s was a sudden end to 'Electric Company' music.

This sound is also associated with old porn.

It was the 70's Disco Sound.  Almost every act had a disco song (Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, KISS),  Last real disco song was Funkytown by Lipps Inc. 

And yes, there's the bom-chic-a-wow-wow associated with 70's porn films.

[kurumi]

Is this the wokka wokka sound you're thinking of? Muted strings and wah pedal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYriOuyJU5I

[Big John]

For your reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdvHdY8oitA

[bandit957]

Is this the wokka wokka sound you're thinking of? Muted strings and wah pedal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYriOuyJU5I

Yes, this would be a very good example.

[bandit957]

For your reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdvHdY8oitA

The "wokka wokka" music beds usually started right after the theme song.

[TXtoNJ]

Just the mid-70s funk sound. Faded away when synthesizers got cheaper and you could do many of the same sorts of things without live instrumentation. Also, as noted, got associated with disco and fell out of fashion that way.

[empirestate]

Yes, that's a wah pedal effect on a guitar. The theme from Shaft is the archetype; in fact, in musical scores you'll often see the notation "Shaft" to specify the effect that's called for.

[bandit957]

"Arizona" used a similar sound even before "Shaft" did. Apparently, that song ushered in the '70s.

[jp the roadgeek]

Here's a couple of better examples.  The last 20 seconds of each video are the parts of reference.  The first has more of a guitar effect a la Shaft or a Match Game think queue, and the second sounds like an envelope filter effect either from a guitar or Moog (Jerry Garcia often used this effect in his guitar playing).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C797vkyV5hc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4mU02Mp3co

[capt.ron]

Is this the wokka wokka sound you're thinking of? Muted strings and wah pedal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYriOuyJU5I

Wah pedal big time. And sometimes used in conjunction with an envelope filter for even greater effect. Yeah, that sound went out by the late 1970's (1979 or so).