New Spins
TINA CHARLES: ‘Love Bug’ / ‘Sweets For My Sweet’ (CBS 5680)
Back on form with a jauntily jiggling medley, 12-inched for first 10,000 copies.
MIKE THEODORE ORCHESTRA: ‘The Bull’ (from LP ‘Cosmic Wind’, Atlantic K 50411) (BNDA debut 9/3/77)
Terrific rhythm rattler, a great mixer, with many other strong disco tracks featuring CJ & Co. on vocals.
ROSE ROYCE: ‘Do Your Dance’ (Whitfield K 17006) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
It’s been 12-inched with the full 9:15 version on one side!
BARRY WHITE: ‘It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me’ (20th Century BTC 2350) (BNDA debut 8/27/77)
Sombrely hypnotic slow thunking change of style and a Dr. Buzzard-ish flip.
SMOKIE: ‘Needles And Pins’ (Rak 263)
Good chunky revival of the Jackie DeShannon classic.
LASO: ‘LaSo Square (Are You Ready)’ (MCA 325) (BNDA debut 6/11/77)
Drastically remixed and edited from their LP’s great fast salsa-style flier, which goes well with Celi Bee.
IDRIS MUHAMMAD: ‘Could Heaven Ever Be Like This’ (from LP ‘Turn This Mutha Out’, Kudu KU 34)
Exciting much longer version and the funky fave ‘Tasty Cakes’.
JAMES BROWN: ‘Give Me Some Skin’ (from LP ‘Mutha’s Nature’, Polydor 2391300)
His bumpy current import 45 and other funkers, plus a smoochy ‘Summertime’ with Marva Whitney.
ROKOTTO: ‘Boogie On Up’ (State STAT 62)
Dynamic fast burbler by Dundee’s ace soul group, out on 12 in.
LEE VANDERBILT: ‘Funky Tropical’ (from LP ‘Get Into What You’re In’, RCA PL 25102)
Biddu-produced funky instrumental with good rhythm break.
ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS: ‘Glad You Could Make It’ (from LP ‘Hard Not To Like It’, Philadelphia Int’l PIR 82195)
Happy bass-bumped chunky chugger in Emotions style, big with many DJs, while ‘On The Radio’ is ‘Disco Lady’ part two!
PAUL JABARA: ‘Shut Out’ LP (Casablanca CAL 2019) (BNDA debut 7/2/77)
Current big talking point, side one segues the frenetically gay ‘Shut Out’ / ‘Heaven Is A Disco’ / ‘Dance’ and ‘Slow Dancing’, making it better than the 45 for those who like that sort of thing.
ROD STEWART: ‘You’re In My Heart’ (Riva 11)
Sophisticated smoocher for soccer hooligans!
DRIFTERS: ‘It Looks Like I’m The Clown Again’ (Arista 124)
Perky pop soul loper, usual sound but different beat.
SIR TED FORD: ‘I Wanna Be Near You’ (Barak BAR 3)
Interesting soul slowie, worth checking.
Hot Vinyl
Dave Royal – or Cotterill, as his mum knows him – funks it up every Saturday at Southgate’s Royalty, North London, where he import tips:
EL COCO: ‘Cocomotion’ (AVI LP cut) (BNDA debut 8/20/77)
BROTHER TO BROTHER: ‘Dancing Singin’’ (Turbo LP cut)
FANTASTIC FOUR: ‘I Got To Have Your Love’ (Westbound) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
LOVE CHILD’S AFRO-CUBAN BLUES BAND: ‘Spandisco’ (Midsong) (BNDA debut 6/25/77)
SANTA ESMERALDA: ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ (Philips LP cut – French import) (BNDA debut 9/3/77)
DIANA ROSS: ‘Your Love Is So Good For Me’ (Motown LP cut) (BNDA debut 10/15/77)
MASTERMIND: ‘Mother Nature’ (Prelude LP cut)
And UK tips:
INNER CITY EXPRESS: ‘Boogie Baby’ (Ebony)
UK Disco Top 50 – October 1, 1977
01 02 Emotions – Best Of My Love – CBS
02 01 Space – Magic Fly – Pye
03 06 Meco – Star Wars Theme – RCA
04 04 Donna Summer – Deep Down Inside – Casablanca
05 03 Belle Epoque – Black Is Black – Harvest (12″)
06 17 Giorgio Moroder – From Here To Eternity – Oasis
07 13 Olympic Runners – Keep It Up – RCA (12″)
08 05 Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene – Polydor
09 19 Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch – One Love – TK (12″)
10 23 Rose Royce – Do Your Dance – Whitfield
11 18 Donna Summer – I Remember Yesterday – GTO
12 21 Baccara – Yes Sir I Can Boogie – RCA
13 12 Dooleys – I Think I’m Gonna Fall In Love With You – GTO
14 10 Idris Muhammad – Turn This Mutha Out / Could Heaven Ever Be Like This – Kudu
15 38 Patsy Gallant – From New York To L.A. – EMI
16 29 Donna Summer – Love’s Unkind – GTO (LP)
17 20 Commodores – Brick House – Motown (LP)
18 11 Leo Sayer – Thunder In My Heart – Chrysalis
19 07 Stevie Wonder – Another Star – Motown
20 NE Smokey Robinson – Theme From Big Time – Motown
21 09 Candi Staton – Nights On Broadway – Warner Bros.
22 25 Elvis Presley – Way Down – RCA
23 08 Floaters – Float On – ABC (12″)
24 27 Ohio Players – O-H-I-O – Mercury
25 34 Bob Marley & The Wailers – Waiting In Vain – Island
26 16 Camouflage – Bee Sting – State (12″)
27 30 Ram Jam – Black Betty – Epic
28 15 Philadelphia All-Stars – Let’s Clean Up The Ghetto – Philadelphia Int’l
29 26 Ritchie Family – Quiet Village – Polydor
30 RE Boney M – Belfast – Atlantic (LP)
31 NE Eddie Henderson – Say You Will / Funk Surgeon – Capitol
32 NE Rose Royce – It Makes You Feel Like Dancin’ – Whitfield (LP)
33 42 Morning, Noon & Night – Bite Your Granny – UA
34 22 Donna Summer – I Feel Love – GTO
35 NE Marvin Hamlisch – Bond ’77 – UA
36 32 Dennis Coffey – Wings Of Fire / Free Spirit – Atlantic (LP)
37 37 Osibisa – The Warrior – Bronze
38 14 Rah Band – The Crunch – Good Earth
39 NE Lenny Williams – Shoo Doo Fu Fu Ooh – ABC
40 39 Rods – Do Anything You Wanna Do – Island
41 40 Black Gorilla – Gimme Dat Banana – Response
42 RE David Soul – Silver Lady – Private Stock
43 RE People’s Choice – Jam, Jam, Jam – TSOP (LP)
44 RE Claudja Barry – Sweet Dynamite – Mercury
45 NE John Davis & The Monster Orch. – The Magic Is You / You’re The One – Polydor
46 NE Barry White – It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me – 20th Century
47 31 Space – Tango In Space / Carry On, Turn Me On – Pye (LP)
48 NE Village People – San Francisco / Hollywood / Fire Island – Casablanca (LP) [Imp]
49 NE Hamilton Bohannon – Bohannon Disco Symphony – Mercury
50 35 J.A.L.N. Band – I’ve Got To Sing – Magnet (12″)
NE = new entry; RE = re-entry
Appeared in Billboard:
#1 (BNDA debut 6/11/77) / #2 (BNDA debut 6/4/77) / #3 (BNDA debut 7/23/77)
#4 (BNDA debut 7/2/77) / #5 (BNDA debut 6/18/77) / #6 (BNDA debut 8/6/77)
#7 (BNDA debut 11/12/77) / #9 (BNDA debut 4/9/77) / #10 (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
#11 (BNDA debut 5/28/77) / #16 (BNDA debut 5/28/77) / #17 (BNDA debut 4/16/77)
#18 (BNDA debut 12/10/77) / #19 (BNDA debut 10/23/76) / #20 (BNDA debut 8/6/76)
#28 (BNDA debut 7/23/77) / #29 (BNDA debut 7/9/77) / #32 (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
#33 (BNDA debut 7/9/77) / #34 (BNDA debut 5/28/77) / #36 (BNDA debut 6/18/77)
#37 (BNDA debut 3/5/77) / #44 (BNDA debut 3/26/77) / #45 (BNDA debut 6/25/77)
#46 (BNDA debut 8/27/77) / #47 (BNDA debut 6/4/77) / #48 (BNDA debut 7/30/77)
Breakers:
1 BROTHERS JOHNSON: ‘Right On Time’ (A&M)
2 CERRONE: ‘Cerrone’s Paradise’ (Atlantic) (BNDA debut 6/4/77)
3 LAMONT DOZIER: ‘Going Back To My Roots’ (Warner Bros.) (BNDA debut 5/28/77)
4 LENNY WILLIAMS: ‘Choosing You’ (ABC LP cut) (BNDA debut 7/30/77)
5 MASS PRODUCTION: ‘I Believe In Music’ (Cotillion LP cut) (BNDA debut 8/6/77)
6 ROY AYERS UBIQUITY: ‘Running Away’ (Polydor LP cut) (BNDA debut 9/24/77)
7 RAMSEY LEWIS: ‘Spring High’ (CBS)
8 GEORGE BENSON: ‘The Greatest Love Of All’ (Arista)
9 INNER CITY EXPRESS: ‘Dance And Shake Your Funky Tambourine’ (Ebony)
10 LIMMIE FUNK LIMITED: ‘Soul Rules OK?’ (Polydor)
Songs mentioned in “DJ Hotline”:
LASO: ‘LaSo Square (Are You Ready)’ (MCA) (BNDA debut 6/11/77)
HEAVY METAL KIDS: ‘Delirious’ (Rak)
PIONEERS: ‘My Good Friend James’ (Mercury)
SANTANA: ‘She’s Not There’ (CBS)
ARCHIE BELL & THE DRELLS: ‘Disco Showdown’ (Philadelphia Int’l)
PAUL JABARA & DONNA SUMMER: ‘Shut Out’ (Casablanca) (BNDA debut 7/2/77)
DIZZY GILLESPIE: ‘Free Ride’ (Pablo)
KALYAN: ‘Nice And Slow’ (MCA)
GENO WASHINGTON: ‘Boogie Queen’ (DJM)
James Hamilton's Disco Page 