New Spins
CAROL DOUGLAS: ‘Midnight Love Affair’ LP (Midland Int’l BKL 1-1798) (mentioned in Billboard column 7/31/76, Billboard chart debut 8/28/76)
Lovely Carol does a Donna Summer, making her current disco hit into one long unending album side by mixing in other similar songs.
GIORGIO: ‘Knights In White Satin’ LP (GTO GTLP 017) (Billboard chart debut 7/31/76)
And Donna’s own producer does likewise, stretching the Moodies’ song over one side and repeating the “coz I luv you” line. Edited to a single (GTO GT 73), the sexy fast ‘I Wanna Funk With You Tonight‘ flip is good too.
ROSE ROYCE: ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is’ (MCA 259) (Billboard chart debut 12/25/76)
Funky stuff from the ‘Car Wash’ crew.
B.T. EXPRESS: ‘Energy To Burn’ (EMI INT 526)
Frantic funker, their LP title track.
BARRY WHITE: ‘Don’t Make Me Wait Too Long’ (20th Century BTC 2309) (Billboard chart debut 11/13/76)
It’s the same old song . . .
AL GREEN: ‘Keep Me Crying’ (London HLU 10542)
Al hits a Jr. Walker groove, which suits him.
IMPRESSIONS: ‘You’ve Been Cheatin” (ABC 4148)
Classic fast Four Tops-style churner from ’65.
SYLVERS: ‘Hot Line’ (Capitol CL 15892)
Catchy Tavares-type handclapper.
COUNTERPOINT: ‘Nashville Man’ (State STAT 32)
Now the National ad pulls its jeans on.
BRENDAN BOWYER: ‘Hucklebucking Again’ (Irish EMI IEMI 5049)
Great twisting newie, flipped by the original Royal Showband’s 1965 ‘Don’t Lose Your Hucklebuck Shoes’.
CADO BELLE: ‘Got To Love’ (Anchor ANC 1033)
Soulful Scottish hustlers with rock appeal too.
THE JACKSONS: ‘Enjoy Yourself’ (Epic EPC 4708) (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
Repetitive chugger from the Five.
BIG YOUTH: ‘What’s Going On’ (Trojan TRO 7988)
Marvin goes rockers, that’s what!
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES: ‘Rich Girl’ (RCA 2757)
Nagging semi-slow lurcher.
STEELY DAN: ‘Haitian Divorce’ (ABC 4152)
Popular slow rock swayer.
DAVE & ANSELL COLLINS: ‘Double Barrel’ (Trojan TRM 3002)
Monster reggae from ’71.
WAR: ‘Cisco Kid’ (Island WIP 6340)
Sensual semi-slow ticker from ’72.
OTIS REDDING: ‘My Girl’ / ‘Hard To Handle’ (Atlantic K 10601)
Two dated faves to mark his nine years gone.
JOHNNY WAKELIN: ‘You Turn Me On’ (Pye 7N 45639)
Good lazy hustler.
JOHNNY GOODISON: ‘I’m Goin’ Down’ (Epic EPC 4732)
Bright belter with hustle trim.
ELLISON CHASE: ‘Let’s Rock’ (Philips 6078850)
Grow-on-you jiggler.
WAH WAH WATSON: ‘Love Ain’t Somethin” (CBS 4691)
Barry White-type herky-jerky swayer.
KETTLE: ‘Thinking Just Of You’ (State STAT 30)
Perky Pop-MoR.
KIKI & PEARLY: ‘Patrick Mon Cheri’ (Polydor 2058802)
Je t’aime encore, with a long weatherman intro.
TINA RAINFORD: ‘Silver Bird’ (CBS 4489)
Fashionable Europop.
CLODAGH RODGERS: ‘Save Me’ (Polydor 2058804)
Cool low-key finger-slapper, could surprise.
US RADIO BAND: ‘Let Me In Your Life’ (ABC 4145)
Jittery little pop swayer.
CLASSICODISCO ORCHESTRA: ‘For Elise’ (Transatlantic BIG 552)
Roll over Beethoven. . .
SYMPHONIC 2000: ‘Swan Song’ (Philips 6006548)
. . . tell Tchaikovsky the news!
ADRIAN BAKER: ‘Vibrations’ (Magnet MAG 77)
Incredible multi-tracked Four Freshmen harmonies, hustle beat eventually.
ELLIOT: ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ (Pye 7N 45637)
Gene Kelly hustles gaily in Four Seasons style.
5000 VOLTS: ‘One Stop Baby’ (Philips 6006550)
Fiery fast hustler.
Mix-Master
Stuart Swan (The Cat, Nantwich) suggests several obvious but good record mixes that DJs can try coming out of the RITCHIE FAMILY ‘Best Disco In Town’ (Polydor). At the appropriate moment, try going into GLORIA GAYNOR ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’ (MGM) / SUPREMES ‘There’s No Stopping Us Now’ (Motown) / LABELLE ‘Lady Marmalade’ (Epic) / JAMES BROWN ‘Get Up Offa That Thing’ (Polydor), or indeed PENNY MCLEAN ‘Lady Bump’ (EMI) and back into ‘Disco’!
UK Disco Top 20 – October 30, 1976
01 01 Rick Dees – Disco Duck – RSO
02 03 Tavares – Don’t Take Away The Music – Capitol
03 02 Ritchie Family – Best Disco In Town – Polydor
04 09 Detroit Spinners – Rubberband Man – Atlantic
05 06 Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music – Epic
06 18 Chicago – If You Leave Me Now – CBS
07 08 Lalo Schifrin – Jaws – CTI
08 11 Paul Nicholas – Dancing With The Captain – RSO
09 07 ABBA – Dancing Queen – Epic
10 05 Tina Charles – Dance Little Lady Dance – CBS
11 RE Sherbet – Howzat – Epic
12 13 Climax Blues Band – Couldn’t Get It Right – BTM
13 16 Average White Band – Queen Of My Soul – Atlantic
14 10 James Brown – Get Up Offa That Thing – Polydor
15 NE Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely – Motown
16 RE J.A.L.N. Band – Disco Music – Magnet
17 NE Boz Scaggs – Lowdown – CBS
18 04 Real Thing – Can’t Get By Without You – Pye
19 17 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Tears Of A Clown – Tamla Motown
20 12 Pussycat – Mississippi – Sonet
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 9/11/76)
#2 (mentioned in Billboard column 6/5/76, Billboard chart debut 6/19/76)
#3 (Billboard chart debut 7/10/76)
#4 (Billboard chart debut 8/7/76)
#5 (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
#7 (mentioned in Billboard column 6/12/76, Billboard chart debut 7/17/76)
#9 (mentioned in Billboard column 12/11/76)
#10 (Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#14 (Billboard chart debut 9/4/76)
#15 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#17 (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 5/29/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
LEO SAYER: ‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’ (Chrysalis) (Billboard chart debut 12/18/76)
J. VINCENT EDWARDS: ‘Love Hit Me’ (Pye)
SANDPIPERS: ‘Hang On Sloopy’ (Satril)
DR. FEELGOOD: ‘Roxette’ (UA)
DR. FEELGOOD: ‘She Does It Right’ (UA)
ERNIE MARESCA: ‘Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)’ (Seville)
DR. BUZZARD’S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND: ‘I’ll Play The Fool’ (RCA) (Billboard chart debut 6/26/76)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 