Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was possibly the start of it, and now John Miles’s ‘Music’, ABBA’s ‘Fernando’ and the Four Seasons’ ‘Silver Star’ continue the puzzling pattern.
All these records are extremely popular as chart hits, but do you actually dance to them?
They have all cropped up in our contributing DJ’s Disco Chart returns, which would suggest that you do, but if so – how do you dance to them? Their common characteristic is a muddle of tempos, some fast and danceable but others being patches of dead slowness.
If the DJ’s slip just the fast bits into their show, that might be the answer. If you manage to dance to both the fast and the slow bits, you’re better than I thought! And if you go and sit down to listen to the record, it’s not really a disco record.
Just because a record is popular, it isn’t automatically a disco hit. Discos are for dancing, and that is what this page and the Disco Chart are all about. If Pop hits are appearing in the Disco Chart, yet are only there because they’ve been requested by people who don’t dance to them they don’t deserve to be there.
DJ’s and dancers alike, please let me know the answer to this question! And DJ’s – if they don’t dance to it, please don’t chart it!
New Spins
MUD: ‘Shake It Down’ (Private Stock PVT 65)
After many doubts, not to mention fights with the record company, Mud have made the big break and put out their first foray into the hustling New York disco sound. They needn’t have worried – it’s an extremely exciting Pip Williams production, immensely infectious, that comes complete with false finish to catch you on the hop!
VICKI SUE ROBINSON: ‘Turn The Beat Around’ (RCA 2673)
This invigoratingly fast percussive hustler has been galloping along at the top of the NY disco charts for some time, and will obviously be big here too. ‘Common Thief‘ flip is similarly good.
O’JAYS: ‘Livin’ For The Weekend’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 4189)
With more initial impact than ‘I Love Music’, which was too skitteringly tricksy for many, this power-packed frantic pounder is truly music for the guts!
DERRICK HARRIOTT: ‘Why Do Fools Fall In Love’ (Trojan TR 7981)
The 20-year-old Frankie Lymon classic sounds great reggaefied with mid-tempo rhythm and falsetto multi-tracking. Good slower ‘Dancing The Reggae‘ flip has stereo FX.
WARREN SMITH: ‘Red Cadillac And A Black Mustache’ (Charly CS 1006)
Another Rockabilly oldie that’s already huge with the boppers, this is one that they dance to in double time. Sun worshippers will love the ‘Dear John‘ flip too.
DAVID BOWIE: ‘TVC 15’ (RCA 2682)
Despite DJ expectations that ‘Stay’ would be the single from ‘Station To Station’, this Roxy Music-ish ‘uh-oh-uh-uh-oh’ complex rhythm jogger is it.
THE CHARLES RANDOLPH GREAN SOUNDE: ‘Star Trek’ (UK USA 15)
Already causing a stir with DJs, this hustling hi-hat treatment of the popular telly theme ties in nicely with the series’s return.
ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS: ‘Let’s Groove, Pt. 1’ (Philadelphia Int’l PIR 4250)
His best since the similar ‘Tighten Up’, Archie’s huge NY disco hit surprisingly fared less well as a single than the official A-side here, the less subtle ‘Soul City Walk.’
STYLISTICS: ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ (H&L 6105050)
Elvis’s ‘Blue Hawaii’ hit gets a cantering archetypal NY hustle treatment that’s brightly perky if ultimately vacuous.
JACOB MILLER: ‘Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay’ (2nd Tracs SKL 5)
Otis Redding’s autobiographical classic transfers perfectly to a Trenchtown setting, with mid-tempo reggae rhythm, scat singing and ‘Version’ flip.
GENE AUTRY: ‘You Are My Sunshine’ (Ember EMBS 348)
The Singing Cowboy may seem unlikely disco material, but his happily swirling fast waltz treatment of the Governor Jimmy Davis classic is ideal for the old folks at MoR gigs.
A WING & A PRAYER FIFE & DRUM CORPS: ‘Charleston’ (Atlantic K 10750) (mentioned in Billboard column 2/7/76, Billboard chart debut 3/6/76)
Thankfully edited, their discotized version will be fun for some – but if so why not try a proper version? Relaxed ‘Eleanor Rigby‘ flip.
CHARLIE: ‘The Old Fashioned Way’ (Power Exchange PX 215)
Charlie’s a chick, who hustles so darned fast that the fox-trotters will be able to dance to her quite happily at half speed.
THE WURZELS: ‘The Combine Harvester’ (EMI 2450)
Rustic accents do a suggestive-sounding re-write of Melanie’s ‘Brand New Key’, which could be good! ‘The Blackbird‘ flip is kinda ‘My Old Man’s A Dustman’. Jolly stuff, you know!
PEGGY LEE: ‘I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues’ (A&M AMS 7225)
Jaunty vocal ragtime, slurred Mae West-style for MoR jocks.
CHOCOLAT’S: ‘Brasillia Carnaval’ (Aquarius AQ 1)
This year’s Continental contender for the ‘El Bimbo’ stakes.
FRANNIE GOLDE: ‘Stop (And Look Around)’ (Atlantic K 10737)
Modern B-side with squeaky chix and the sort of beat that might be good up North.
ROBIN SARSTEDT: ‘My Resistance Is Low’ (Decca F 13624)
Exquisite Hoagey Carmichael lilter taken at a tricky fast waltz tempo which might now go MoR following all the radio plays.
UK Disco Top 20 – May 1, 1976
01 04 Silver Convention – Get Up And Boogie – Magnet
02 01 Barry White – You See The Trouble With Me – 20th Century
03 05 Brass Construction – Movin’ / Changin’ – UA
04 02 Hank Mizell – Jungle Rock – Charly
05 13 Roger Collins – You Sexy Sugar Plum – Fantasy
06 07 Hot Chocolate – Don’t Stop It Now – Rak
07 03 Billy Ocean – Love Really Hurts Without You – GTO
08 17 Trammps – Where The Happy People Go – Atlantic
09 06 Brotherhood Of Man – Save Your Kisses For Me – Pye
10 NE Fox – S-S-S-Single Bed – GTO
11 16 Pioneers – Feel The Rhythm – Mercury
12 10 Andrea True Connection – More, More, More – Buddah
13 NE Vince Taylor – Brand New Cadillac – Chiswick
14 09 Tina Charles – I Love To Love – CBS
15 12 Isaac Hayes – Disco Connection – ABC
11 RE Four Seasons – December 1963 – Warner Bros.
17 NE Linda Lewis – Baby I’m Yours – Arista
18 NE James & Bobby Purify – I’m Your Puppet – Mercury
19 NE Diana Ross – Love Hangover – Motown
20 NE Rimshots – Do What You Feel – All Platinum
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
As mentioned recently, Harrow DJ Tony Barnfield is organising the first of his regular Disco New-Spin nights on Monday, May 3.
Held then and the first Monday in every month at Circles Disco, Shaftsbury Circle, South Harrow, Middlesex, between 8pm and midnight, Disco New-Spin is planned to be a showcase for all the recent disco-orientated records that busy DJs may otherwise overlook.
Mobile jocks in particular are encouraged to attend, especially as several record company pluggers with freebies will be there too.
Tony will be spinning all the disco singles released during the previous month, plus many pre-releases (though not necessarily any imports), and will be providing all visiting DJs with a list of the records featured, together with full info and even space for notes.
If you’re not on many disco mailing lists, this could at least be an opportunity to hear what you’ve been missing and to decide what is indeed worth getting. To pay for the privilege, tickets are £1 on the door or 70p in advance – cheques/ POs payable to ‘R. A. Barnfield (Disco New-Spin)’, plus SAE, to Tony Barnfleld, 90a Roxborough Road, Harrow, Middx HA1 1PB, telephone 01-863 9579 / 422 9770. See you there!
DJ Hotline
THE ‘FIFTIES are truly back as VINCE TAYLOR ‘Brand New Cadillac’ (Chiswick, via President) now adds tips from Theo Loyla (Banana Power Discos, Bridge), Steve Day (Cricket Club, Chingford), Colin McLean (Aces Club, Hamilton), Jay Jay Sawers (Breakaway Discos, Stevenston), Ashley Eatly (Ashley’s Disco, Ferryside) and Peter Greig (Route 66 Disco, Plympton) … Peter gets ’em bopping every Sunday to 1956/62 Oldies at the Mountbatten Inn, Plymouth, too … DON WOODY ‘Barking Up The Wrong Tree’ (MCA), already huge in London, spreads to Les Aron (Bali-Hai, Bognor Regis) and Mark Rymann (South Wales Clubs) … the other top new add-on is of course the LP cut of DIANA ROSS ‘Love Hangover’ (Tamla), with Ken Davis (Sound Machine, Welwyn) and Doug Forbes (Klouds, Warwick) joining many of the above … Mark Rymann joins Jon Taylor (Crockers, Norwich) for BABE RUTH ‘Elusive’ (Harvest), while Les Aron tips DAVID RUFFIN ‘Heavy Love’ (Tamla) along with Colin King (Sale) … Colin’s offering a reward for return of 350 singles, mainly Motown, stolen from his car a few Sundays ago – call him on (01) 969-7008 … Steve Day joins Dave Porter (Oscar’s, Liverpool) and Chris Hill (Goldmine, Canvey) for MOMENTS ‘Nine Times’ (Alll Platinum) … Chris’s big newies are STRUTT ‘Front Row Romeo’ / ‘Time Moves On’ (US Brunswick LP) and LEE ELDREN ‘How’s Your Love Life Pt. 2’ (US Mercury), for which he’s joined by ‘Tricky Dicky’ Scanes (Ilford) … as a change from the ARMADA ORCHESTRA (Contempo), now at last CHANTER SISTERS ‘Band Of Gold’ (Polydor) picks up for Colin McLean and for Brian Cardno (Tiffanys, Berwick), who joins Bill Parsons (Shades Discos, Bolton) and Ron Wylie (Road Runner Discos, Grimsby) for JIMMY JAMES & THE VAGABONDS ‘I’ll Go Where Your Music
Takes Me’ (Pye) . Bill was disappointed by the lack of interest shown in visiting DJs by many exhibitors at Disco North, who he reckoned by the Tuesday had been on the beer – and not without reason, Bill! … Ron Wyile joins Dave MacRae (Primitive Disco, Seaham) for the B-side BIDDU ‘Exodus’ (Epic) and then gets a thing going on RIMSHOTS ‘Do What You Feel’ (All Platinum) with Doug Forbes and Doctor John (Disco-Tech, Stafford) … not necessarily disco, my fave album at the moment is WILLIE HUTCH ‘Concert In Blues’ (Tamla) – try especially ‘I Wish You Love’! … now Stuart (Raquel’s, Wakefield) picks CAMEO ‘Find My Way’ (US Chocolate City) … Tom Russell (Kirkintilloch) tips PETER FRAMPTON ‘Show Me The Way’ (A&M) along with Alan Gold (Brighton), who joins Arthur Dyke (Exeter) for KEITH EMERSON: ‘Honky Tonk Train Blues’ (Manticore).
James’ Top Ten
For a change, here are 20 key records which I play at just about every gig and which are far more Important than any chart of newies. Many more are equally important to me, but these are the ones around which they pivot. Other mobile jocks are invited to send in their own (shorter) lists!
1 THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, Helen Reddy (Capitol)
2 YOU’RE SIXTEEN, Ringo Starr (Apple)
3 RETURN TO SENDER, Elvis Presley (RCA)
4 CASTATSCHOK, Dimitri Dourakine (Columbia)
5 ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK, Bill Haley (Brunswick)
6 SIMON SAYS, 1910 Fruitgum Co (Pye)
7 MACK THE KNIFE, Bobby Darin (London)
8 SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, Gene Kelly (MGM)
9 CAN’T GET ENOUGH, Bad Company (Island)
10 BROWN SUGAR, Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones)
11 ROCK YOUR BABY, George McCrae (Jay Boy )
12 TOP HAT, Ray Noble & Al Bowily (RCA LP)
13 THAT’LL BE THE DAY, Crickets (Coral)
14 TEA FOR TWO CHA CHA, Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (Brunswick)
15 GLAD ALL OVER, Dave Clark 5 (Columbia)
16 BLUE DANUBE, Halle Orchestra (Columbia)
17 THINGS, Bobby Darin (London)
18 MISTY, Ray Stevens (Janus)
19 LOVE IS THE DRUG, Roxy Music (Island)
20 GET BACK, Beatles (Apple)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 