"What one song epitomized the disco era?"

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My wife asked me the above question last night because she works at a museum that has an exhibit (albiet a misplaced one, considering its the Henry Ford Museum) opening about "Disco".

My quick response was "The Hustle", although "Stayin' Alive" received a lot of consideration.
Whatdya think?

― peepee (peepee), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha -- I pass the marquee advertising for this exhibit twice daily.

The only sensible answer is Cloud One's "Disco Juice."

― Stacey Pollen (Andy K), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:36 (twenty-two years ago)

yep, my first thought was The Hustle too.

― derrick (derrick), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:36 (twenty-two years ago)

odyssey ~ native new yorker

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

art?
DONT LEAVE ME THIS WAY

― sexyDancer, Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Thelma Houston "Don't Leave Me This Way" has it all.

(Henry Ford Museum did good things with their Motown exhibit, so there is hope.)

― avery schreiber, Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Stayin' Alive.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

"Disco Duck"

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Martin Circus - Disco Circus

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Thursday, 20 May 2004 17:52 (twenty-two years ago)

another vote for 'stayin alive'

― billstevejim, Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Chic -- "Good Times"

― earlnash, Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Disco Merman - "No Business Like Show Business" .. really.

please oh please oh please don't let it fuckin' be "I Will Survive".. Anything but that...

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:19 (twenty-two years ago)

"Disco Inferno" for its self-referentiality.

But "Good Times" seconded. Anything by Chic, in fact. Anything where Nile was walking past the studio during recording, in fact.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, basically the sound of Nile eating pancakes is going to epitomize disco better than anything anyone else did.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

"I FEEL LOVE"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Get Dancin'-Disco Tex & the Sexolettes

― thomas de'aguirre (biteylove), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I stand by an earlier assertion that I Feel Love was not disco, but rather some sort of futuristic, apocalyptic new wave - sent here by intellectual superiors from another time and place.

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Was thinking the same thing dave. No Strings = Not Disco.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

xpost .. (a lesson we have yet to fully understand or take advantage of.)

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

you two are insane.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Nobody's denying the greatness of "I Feel Love", but it'd be weird to choose, as a record that epitomises the disco era, something that sounds nothing like most other disco records.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:38 (twenty-two years ago)

it's encapsulating an era, not a genre.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Might as well choose Zeppelin, then.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

why not? they were big then too (although nothing they did was as great as "I Feel Love," though I like them).

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Just this crazy idea I had that a song epitomising the disco era should be a disco song :-p

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Not disputing it's a great song .. I'm saying it was better than disco, and in fact one of the modern wonders of the world. So it doesn't epitomize disco because disco isn't that good.

xpost

― dave225 (Dave225), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

"I FEEL LOVE" IS DISCO! SO IS "D'YER MAKER," KINDA. WHERE THE HELL IS CHUCK EDDY WHEN I NEED HIM???!??!?

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

"so what" totally defines the rock n roll era for me.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"Too Drunk To Fuck" totally defines the last 15 years for me.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)

you might want to try AA or Viagra, then.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm happy as I am, thanks.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

now that's just sad.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

but I guess I see why your name is "noodle."

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Jeez, way to knock somebody else's lifestyle choices, man.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm Comin' Out

― korea, Thursday, 20 May 2004 18:57 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Feel Love" is the correct answer in a fair and just world.
Unfortunately, it was not a worldwide megahit on the scale of "Le Freak" or "Stayin' Alive".
Fairly or unfairly, disco = Saturday Night Fever for many, many people.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 20 May 2004 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I've always like "Boogie Oogie Oogie"

― Sean Witzman (trip maker), Thursday, 20 May 2004 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

"he's the greatest dancer"

― Affectian (Affectian), Thursday, 20 May 2004 19:35 (twenty-two years ago)

"Good Times" is the ultimate disco song, I'd say.

I like Johnnie Taylor's essays in the style, "Disco Lady" and the great "Disco 9000."

The entire first Dr. Buzzard LP is real evocative.

"I May Not Be There When You Want Me" is another great one.

Ambitious Lovers' post-disco "Let's Be Adult" is one that epitomizes...something...in its post-d way...

― eddie hurt (ddduncan), Thursday, 20 May 2004 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"love is the message"

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Thursday, 20 May 2004 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

heart of glass

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:03 (twenty-two years ago)

"If I Can't Have You..." by Yvonne Elliman (written by Barry Gibb)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 21 May 2004 00:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Either Le Freak or Good Times. Probably Le Freak. Good Times does a great deal to underscore the tremendous influence of the disco era, though. How many people have ripped off that bassline and later been accused of ripping off Queen?

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Friday, 21 May 2004 01:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I'd think about this in terms not of what was a typical-sounding record, but what encapsulates the spirit of disco best i.e. fantastical, glossy hedonism with an epic sense of drama.

Therefore I nominate Patrick Juvet - "I love america"

Either that or Donna Summer - "Love trilogy" or Salsoul Orchestra - "Love sensation"

For much the same reasons that "Move your body" or "Reachin" epitomise 80s house not by being typical, but by being evocative...

― Jacob (Jacob), Friday, 21 May 2004 05:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"ooooh....love to love you baby....oooh...love to love to love you baby"
it was huge on the charts, ushering in the commericial disco era. musical and sexual content opened up new vistas
the full-length version paved the way for 12 inch singles.
and it's HOT, an erotic hypnotic...

― lovebug starski, Friday, 21 May 2004 09:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"If I Can't Have You..." by Yvonne Elliman (written by Barry Gibb)

I prefer the Bee Gees version (b-side to "Stayin' Alive"), it's got more bite.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Chic is the best call, then the Bee Gees, then 'We Are Family' and 'I Feel Love' I guess.

But then I get to thinking about 'Don't Stop Til You Get Enough'...

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:27 (twenty-two years ago)

aww yeah that's a good one too.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"keep on, with the cole slaw..."

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:28 (twenty-two years ago)

haha

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:34 (twenty-two years ago)

The Jacksons could own this thread - you got 'Blame It On The Boogie', 'Can You Feel It?' and 'Shake Your Body Down To The Ground' alone, plus the underappreciated classic 'Dancing Machine' (one of MJ's personal faves).

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 21 May 2004 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now", which has been running through my head lately for unfortunate reasons.

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

(that was supposed to link to the Rolling Stone news article about John Whitehead's shooting death, but I guess they figure it's not important enough to keep posted)

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)

'Carwash'

They name nights after this song.

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

To epitomize the disco era, the song should:
(a) include the sonic affectations (string washes, liquidy bass, plodding 4|4)
(b) celebrate hedonistic fun as a lifestyle choice, indeed, as a *life*
(c) carry the critical implication that the beat's more important than who's singing behind it

I therefore think the choice is Patrick Hernandez, "Born to Be Alive."

― Joseph McCombs, Friday, 21 May 2004 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)

"YOOOUUUUU MAKE ME FEEEEEEEEELLLLLLL
LIIIIIIKKKKKKE A MAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN!"

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

"Carwash" is disco?

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 21 May 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

More, More, More (Parts 1&2)-The Andrea True Connection

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Friday, 21 May 2004 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I almost changed my vote to "Don't Treat Me This Way."

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 21 May 2004 19:54 (twenty-two years ago)

eight years pass...

I really don't get "Love Is the Message" and why it was such a big classic, on every famous DJ's playlist at the time, etc.

― dmr, Tuesday, 31 July 2012 22:15 (thirteen years ago)

not my fav but i think i get it, think "poppers" imo

― Misc. Carnivora (Matt P), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 22:21 (thirteen years ago)

it was the theme for soul train, string/horn arrangement epitomizes philly soul, the message is in the music and the message is...LOVE

or maybe you just had to be there

― (REAL NAME) (m coleman), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 22:40 (thirteen years ago)

while we're at it, i love the tune but "girl you need a change of mind" has kind of gross lyrics

― moesha my reflection (donna rouge), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 22:52 (thirteen years ago)

sure but in eddie kendricks defense most white hippies weren't exactly male feminists either

― (REAL NAME) (m coleman), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 22:57 (thirteen years ago)

I love the nightlife easily encompasses not only everything about disco but everything in civilization that is built around the experience of transient pleasure in a crowd of like-minded pleasure seekers.

― Vic Perry, Wednesday, 1 August 2012 02:58 (thirteen years ago)

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