What disco song do u believe has the most meaningful lyrics?

[Rab]

I always liked the words to This Time Baby by Jackie Moore. This was one of those songs that back in the day I didn't really like that much, it was only later I realized how much of a good tune this was.

[paul]

This is one area where I feel disco songs are often underrated. Many of them had meaningful lyrics. Some were insightful, some inspirational, and so on. The classic Aint No Stopping Us Now falls into the inspirational camp. Speaking of camp, we were talking about The Village People in another thread and there San Francisco/Hollywood suite is insightful.

[K-Bee]

Once again, I'll have to pick "Power" by the Temptions. Disco with a social conscience!

[QUINNY]

Disco with meaningful lyrics......

Ermmm, I always thought meaningful lyrics were wasted in a Disco toon and as we all know, people weren't there to be educated. Soooo, hate to disappoint the songwriters who were on a mission, but you chose the wrong place and the wrong time.

However, now I can listen to tracks with headphones and take time to absorb the deeper meanings of things. Much has been revealed, but for the life of me, the lyrics just go in one ear and out the other. I'm too busy wigglin' and jigglin', catching grooves that may not have grabbed me BITD. Lyrics mean zilch to me, if there's a thumpin' rhythm track vying for my attention.

I shall read the other posts with interest.

[neonlights]

as far as meaningful lyrics go..

Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
Machine - There But For The Grace of God Go I
Carl Bean - I Was Born This Way

I'd agree profound lyrics and disco often don't go together.. Some of the disco songs that tried aren't always my favourites musically. Still, kudos to those writers who were ambitious enough to break the mould.. I'm also guilty of listening to a groove and ignoring lyrics, but it's nice to get past the groove long enough and discover genuinely well-crafted (though not necessarily meaningful) lyrics.. Some of the material by Rodgers/Edwards and Giorgio Moroder/Chris Bennett, for example.

[Disco Funk]

I find the Philly songs have the most meaningful lyrics, some with great messages:

Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
Bad Luck - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
Can We Come Together - The Trammps
People of The World Rise - The Trammps
Think For Yourself - The Temptations
Am I Black Enough - Billy Paul
Bring The Family Back - Billy Paul
etc....

Outside of Philly, there are lots, but off the top of my head:

I Am What I Am - The Village People
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

Disco Funk

[needlefingers]

I think the teams of McFadden and Whitehead and Gamble and Huff were excellent at writing songs with meaningful lyrics. Alot of that Phillysound stuff was good at it.

Coming in after them is the team of Ashford and Simpson

But the one that stands out for me is "Was That All It Was" sung by Jean Carne.

Honorable Mentions:

Patrice Rushen "Forget Me Nots"
Donna Summer "On The Radio" "Dim All The Lights" and to an extent, "Last Dance" written by Paul Jabara.

Post disco, I would give it to The Pet Shop Boys for writing what I call intelligent disco. Also Depech Mode.

Needlefingers

[mrbmarco]

SUPERNATURE by CERRONE

VICTIM BY CANDI STATON

LADY MARMALADE
LABELLE

LITTLE BIT OF LOVE
BRENDA AND TABULATIONS

GIRLS IT AIN'T EASY (TOO EARLY???)
HONEYCOMB

I'VE GOT TO USE BY IMAGINATION
GLADYS KNIGHT & PIPS

HAPPINESS IS JUST AROUND THE BEND
MAIN INGREDIENT

CARWASH ROSE ROYCE

GOOD THINGS DON'T LAST FOREVER
I WOULDN'T GIVE YOU UP
ECSTASY PASSION AND PAIN

DR LOVE FIRST CHOICE

[discokicks]

The lyrics of a song hit people in different ways. If you're in a new love relationship, any of the happy love songs will suffice and if you're out of love and pissed off, well, there's plenty of those too...and I've found that it's quite enjoyable sharing that release on the dancefloor.

As far as meaningful to a larger mindset, there have been some good dance songs that have spoken about social issues...mostly relating to blacks and gays. I think somewhere along the way, songwriters realized that to get certain messages out there, it was best to hit them in a dance tune.

This has certainly been the case for gay dancefloors. "I Was Born This Way" and "I Am What I Am" top the list but for me, Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" is most meaningful. And for consistent, well-written lyrics, no one can top the Pet Shop Boys for expressive thought set to a good dance beat. "Left To My Own Devices" and "Being Boring" come to mind. It's interesting that in the last few years, gay dancefloors have been flooded with lyrics pertaining to gaining inner strength and spirituality.

But for the mainstream dancer, I have to agree that "Power" by The Temptations has the strongest words in dance or any other genre for that matter. The song itself is a six minute masterpiece of important lyrics but add those incredible, passionate voices of these five men and the result is an anthem of danceable objection to the wicked ways of society.

On the other hand, one can't rule out the meaningful lyrics of "I Will Survive" as overplayed as it is.

[Videoskooter]

-Gloria Gaynor: "I Will Survive"
-Shirley Bassey: "This Is My Life"
-France Joli: "Gonna Get Over You"
-William Devaughn: "Be Thankful For What You got"
-Faith, Hope & Charity: "To Each His Own"

And on the funny side: M: "Pop Muzik"

And on the personal side: Village People: "Macho Man" and the song of all songs:

Mr. Frank Sinatra: "My Way"