New Spins
King Kong has made his mark at the cinema again, and now crops up on three new singles – all aimed at discos and all with instrumental version B-sides. Kong and the movie may be big, but not THAT big, surely?
RICK DEES: ‘Disgorilla’ (RSO 2090217)
Similar to his Duck maybe, yet it’s lively enough once it gets going to be good disco fun.
JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH: ‘King Kong’ (Atlantic K 10675) (mentioned in Billboard column 9/27/75)
Repetitive rattling rhythm, monotonous melody, saved by funky gibbon grunts.
BOBBY PICKETT & PETER FERRARA: ‘King Kong (Your Song)’ (Polydor 2066754)
Less instant but the best jokes, this keeps to the original film’s storyline and could be a sleeper worth working.
BOZ SCAGGS: ‘What Can I Say’ (CBS 4869) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76)
Even stronger than his last one, it’s another cool hit-bound hustler.
THELMA HOUSTON: ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ (Motown TMG 1060) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/20/76, Billboard chart debut 11/27/76)
Although the Blue Notes original is also out, this slow-starting soulful builder has all it takes to be another ‘Love Hangover’.
DAVID PARTON: ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ (Pye 7N 45663)
It had to happen – a sound-alike single for all those jocks whose pet peeve is Stevie not being on 45.
DETROIT SPINNERS: ‘Wake Up Susan’ (Atlantic K 10799)
Bright pop/soul of the most obvious type.
DAVID MATTHEWS: ‘Shoogie Wanna Boogie’ (Kudu 934) (Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
Terrifically jaunty herky-jerky funker, already huge on import.
EL COCO: ‘Let’s Get It Together’ (Pye 7N 25732) (Billboard chart debut 7/31/76)
Great subtle instrumental with Blue Beat influences in a sensuous groove, finally out here. Similar ‘Fait Le Chat‘ flip has its fans too.
MANHATTAN TRANSFER: ‘Chanson D’Amour’ (Atlantic K 10886)
Art and Dotty Todd’s romantic 1958 smoocher recreated, this MoR smash has been crying out for 45 release. Lovely!
EARTH, WIND & FIRE: ‘Saturday Nite’ (CBS 4835) (Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
Specialised funk, slow and insistent.
UNDISPUTED TRUTH: ‘Method To The Madness’ LP (Whitfield K 56289)
As well as the full 11:10 ‘You + Me = Love’, the 9:10 ‘Let’s Go Down To The Disco’ is much stronger at LP length. The second half has ‘Car Wash’ handclaps to confuse the punters.
WILD CHERRY: ‘Baby Don’t You Know’ (Epic EPC 4911)
Logical follow-on to ‘Funky Music’, it works well but will it hit?
Mix-Master
Ric Simon (real name Eric Sisson) runs his mobile disco from Tamworth in Staffordshire, and has had plenty of experience playing to mixed age groups. He suggests a segue of discotised standards as being useful for such occasions.
Ric’s mix is BIDDU ORCHESTRA ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ (Epic) / WING & A PRAYER FIFE & DRUM CORPS ‘Baby Face’ (Atlantic) / LARRY PAGE ORCHESTRA ‘Volare’ (Penny Farthing) / SALSOUL ORCHESTRA ‘Tangerine’ (Epic) / BOBBY AZEFF ‘My Way’ (Creole). The hustle lives, eh?! I’ve personally found that even the oldies get off on a cunning blend of SALSOUL ORCHESTRA ‘Salsoul 3001’ (Salsoul) and VAN MCCOY ‘Soul Cha Cha’ (H&L – US import), so maybe an update’s in order.
UK Disco Top 20 – January 15, 1977
01 06 Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely – Motown
02 02 Stevie Wonder – I Wish – Motown
03 01 Showaddywaddy – Under The Moon Of Love – Bell
04 NE Jesse Green – Flip – EMI
05 08 Tina Charles – Dr. Love – CBS
06 16 Rose Royce – Car Wash – MCA
07 04 Paul Nicholas – Grandma’s Party – RSO
08 03 Status Quo – Wild Side Of Life – Vertigo
09 NE Drifters – You’re More Than A Number – Arista
10 07 KC & The Sunshine Band – Keep It Comin’ Love – Jay Boy
11 RE Undisputed Truth – You + Me = Love – Warner Bros.
12 05 Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing – Chrysalis
13 11 ABBA – Money, Money, Money – Epic
14 RE 10cc – The Things We Do For Love – Mercury
15 09 Billy Ocean – Stop Me – GTO
16 13 Tavares – Don’t Take Away The Music – Capitol
17 17 Electric Light Orchestra – Livin’ Thing – Jet
18 NE Van McCoy – Soul Cha Cha – H&L
19 NE David Soul – Don’t Give Up On Us – Private Stock
20 12 Boney M – Daddy Cool – Atlantic
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#2 (mentioned in Billboard column 10/16/76, Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
#4 (Billboard chart debut 2/5/77)
#6 (Billboard chart debut 10/2/76)
#10 (Billboard chart debut 10/30/76)
#11 (Billboard chart debut 7/24/76)
#12 (Billboard chart debut 12/18/76)
#16 (mentioned in Billboard column 6/5/76, Billboard chart debut 6/19/76)
#18 (Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
#20 (mentioned in Billboard column 9/25/76, Billboard chart debut 11/20/76)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
DOUBLE EXPOSURE: ‘Ten Percent’ (Salsoul) (mentioned in Billboard column 4/3/76, Billboard chart debut 5/1/76)
EAGLES: ‘New Kid In Town’ (Asylum)
ANDREW GOLD: ‘Do Wah Diddy’ (Asylum)
BAR-KAYS: ‘Shake Your Rump To The Funk’ (Mercury) (Billboard chart debut 10/9/76)
MOMENTS: ‘Jack In The Box’ (All Platinum)
MOMENTS: ‘Nine Times’ (All Platinum)
RAMONES: ‘Shake Some Action’ (Sire)
DAMNED: ‘New Rose’ (Stiff)
SAINTS: ‘I’m Stranded’ (Power Exchange)
SEX PISTOLS: ‘Anarchy In The UK’ (EMI)
STANLEY BLACK: ‘La Cumparsita’ (Decca)
MUSCLE SHOALS HORNS: ”Breakdown’ (Bang) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/12/76)
UNDISPUTED TRUTH: ‘You + Me = Love’ (Warner Bros.) (Billboard chart debut 7/24/76)
PARLIAMENT: ‘Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)’ (Casablanca) (Billboard chart debut 9/18/76)
VAN MCCOY: ‘Soul Cha Cha’ (H&L LP cut – US import) (Billboard chart debut 10/9/76)
MASS PRODUCTION: ‘Welcome To Our World’ (Atlantic – US import) (Billboard chart debut 10/23/76)
WHISPERS: ‘One For The Money’ (Soul Train) (mentioned in Billboard column 6/19/76, Billboard chart debut 6/26/76)
B.T. EXPRESS: ‘Can’t Stop Groovin’ Now, Wanna Do It Some More’ (EMI) (Billboard chart debut 5/29/76)
OHIO PLAYERS: ‘Love Rollercoaster’ (Mercury) (Billboard chart debut 9/20/75)
JOHN VALENTI: ‘Anything You Want’ (Ariola America)
THELMA HOUSTON: ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ (Motown) (mentioned in Billboard column 11/20/76, Billboard chart debut 11/27/76)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 