which record is exemplary for the decline of Disco??

[originalbigm]

I'd definitely add this to the list of cheese and camp that left a bad taste for disco. Percy Faith's impersonation of The Love Unlimited Orchestra.God Awful

[Jim Colyer]

The decline of disco is seen in Rick James.

[Bernie]

Originally Posted by Jim Colyer

The decline of disco is seen in Rick James.

If you want to participate then please explain why you say Rick James?

[normvork]

Hey! Wait a minute! Let"s back up here a second!:cry:
I love Summer Place '76! You may say it is campy, but it's actually a beautiful tune with sweet instrumentals and is a classic for couples dancing. I still love to play it for myself. I even remember hearing it for the first time on American Bandstand in the rate-a-record segment and rushed out to buy it.
The instrumental style was sort of formula, admittedly, since Rhythm Heritage, Love Unlimited and any movie or TV show of the era was promoting its theme song as a new disco record. But that trend faded into more serious non instrumental Disco as the trend went to stronger vocal oriented tunes by 1978.
Anyway, I think 1976 was too early to suggest that this was the start of the decline of disco. Unlike Disco Duck, nobody used this tune against us later.

[RetroRuss]

I have a box full of God awful Disco records, Disco Choo, Touch My Love Handle & gawd knows what titles, that never see the light of day....anyone of them could be construed as an exemplary example for the decline of Disco...even the Blowfly series of albums, with their outrageous lyrics but good production made in the late 70's, at the height of the 'Disco era'.

Personally I think Disco didn't decline because of 'one record' but because musically the world (and its Artists) moved on. In the early 80's the synthesiser was the instrument of choice for many people, rap, body popping, hip-hop became prevalent as did mixing by DJ's like Bambaata, creating a harder edged music that appealed to younger, record buying audiences....in the UK, classic Disco music was edged out by home grown bands, like Human League (and later) Heaven 17, as well as acts like Wham that made discofied poppy tunes. Broadly speaking every generation up to the 80's had its own music - 50's - Rock n Roll, 60's - Beatles/Ballads/Beach Boys, 70's - Disco, Rock, Punk etc. Disco had, sadly, had its day....although I belong to the school of thought that it has evolved into House Music that is heard in a lot of clubs, so flourishes in another guise. I still yearn to hear a modern track, made by a young artist, with a classic 4/4 disco beat, with violins, funky horns, an amazing riff and great soulful voices!

[jj6ms]

Originally Posted by Headlamp

I have a box full of God awful Disco records, Disco Choo, Touch My Love Handle & gawd knows what titles, that never see the light of day....anyone of them could be construed as an exemplary example for the decline of Disco...even the Blowfly series of albums, with their outrageous lyrics but good production made in the late 70's, at the height of the 'Disco era'.

Personally I think Disco didn't decline because of 'one record' but because musically the world (and its Artists) moved on. In the early 80's the synthesiser was the instrument of choice for many people, rap, body popping, hip-hop became prevalent as did mixing by DJ's like Bambaata, creating a harder edged music that appealed to younger, record buying audiences....in the UK, classic Disco music was edged out by home grown bands, like Human League (and later) Heaven 17, as well as acts like Wham that made discofied poppy tunes. Broadly speaking every generation up to the 80's had its own music - 50's - Rock n Roll, 60's - Beatles/Ballads/Beach Boys, 70's - Disco, Rock, Punk etc. Disco had, sadly, had its day....although I belong to the school of thought that it has evolved into House Music that is heard in a lot of clubs, so flourishes in another guise. I still yearn to hear a modern track, made by a young artist, with a classic 4/4 disco beat, with violins, funky horns, an amazing riff and great soulful voices!

Post of the week!

[remicks]

Originally Posted by normvork

I love Summer Place '76! You may say it is campy, but it's actually a beautiful tune with sweet instrumentals and is a classic for couples dancing.

During the song's release Downstairs Record Store in New York City reported it as their best seller :

11/8/75: No.1: "Summer Place '76" - Percy Faith (Columbia)

from Markydefad's Chart Consensus Place '76


*****

[FranceJoliFan]

Here Comes The Night - Beach Boys
Baby I'm Burnin' - Dolly Parton

I liked both of these songs. But the disco beats seemed forced. And the disco style seemed out of character for both artists.

And a close third:

Goodnight Tonight - Paul McCartney

I also liked this song. But to many, McCartney doing disco was heresy.

I don't think Disco Duck was as damaging. Because Rick Dees seemed like a novelty act from the start. But when established rockers (or country artists) did disco, it was more threatening.

But if we're talking about the decline of disco, I would choose a record from a disco artist who should have known better. So I would choose The Wanderer lp. Because it showed everyone that even Donna Summer had given up on the genre. If she had held firm, everything would have been different.