Here are two songs that split the difference between rock and disco. The Stones’ “Hot Stuff” is a showcase for some smoking guitar by Keith Richards. I must admit I haven’t paid much attention to Keef as a guitarist, but he is smoking here. There’s also some fantastic interplay between the rhythm section of Bill… Read More “Hot Stuff” by The Rolling Stones (1976)/”Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer (1979)
One great thing about Blondie is that you couldn’t really identify their sound. They came up in the NYC downtown scene of the ’70s, and much like the bands they are associated with (Talking Heads, The Police, The Clash, even The Beastie Boys), they pulled musical influences from all over the place. “Heart of Glass”… Read More “Heart Of Glass by Blondie (1979)
He is clearly a complicated fellow. “He’s The Greatest Dancer” finds Kathy Sledge absolutely enamored with a man she spots in the crowd at a club. Not only does he have a slammin’ body (one that would shame Adonis, as a matter of fact), but he wears the hottest designer clothes (Halston, Gucci, Fiorucci) and,… Read More “He’s Just A Runaway” (Sister Sledge, 1981)/”He’s The Greatest Dancer” (Sister Sledge, 1979)
Can you give a higher rating than 5 stars? If I could, one of the songs that I’d give it to would be “Good Times”, Chic’s groundbreaking (and excellent-the two can be mutually exclusive) #1 smash from summer 1979. Let’s talk historical significance. “Good Times”, serving as it did to back “Rappers Delight” by the… Read More “Good Times” by Chic (1979)
Dear Michael Jackson, welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” was where Michael stopped being the lead singer of the Jacksons and became Michael Fucking Jackson. “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” transcended boy bands, transcended disco, transcended those silly “Star Wars”-esque references about the… Read More “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson (1979)
Let’s give it up for Quincy Jones and two of the finest vocalists he ever worked with. Patti was an actual Quincy protege. She’d been a professional singer for a full decade, making one-off singles, cutting jazz records, doing a ton of jingle work. She finally leveled up by duetting with MJ on ‘79′s “It’s The Falling… Read More “Do You Love Me” by Patti Austin (1981) | “Do You Love What You Feel” by Rufus & Chaka (1979)
Isn’t it ironic that while Van Halen fans were killing disco, they were embracing a sound from their favorite rock band that wasn’t too far off from it? My gripes about the whole “disco sucks” era and rock-ist music fans (c’mon Mike, you were a toddler!) thankfully has no bearing on my feelings about the rock music… Read More “Dance The Night Away” by Van Halen (1979)
I read Smokey Robinson’s memoir “Smokey: Inside My Life” in the early ‘90s, when I was in my mid-teens. I leafed through the bio in naive disbelief as Smokey (who I’d imagined as the epitome of middle-aged class and family man-status) discussed his crack addiction, philandering and basically explaining that he kicked his rock habit… Read More “Cruisin’” by Smokey Robinson (1979)
In which we find our hero, once again, doing his best beg-and-plead to get some lady to do the nasty with him. I read T.P’s autobiography two or three years ago, and there’s no denying the man had a libido as healthy as his notorious ego. By the time the Teddy album (the one with… Read More “Come Go With Me” by Teddy Pendergrass (1979)
It took a while before I learned that Jocelyn Brown (of “Somebody Else’s Guy” and many ‘90s dance-era samples) was the fairy tale princess in search of a king, the dominant voice on this disco classic. She’s got one of the loudest, most booming voices of anyone in music ever, and there’s a lot of… Read More “Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair)” by Inner Life (1979)
Five Star Jamz 