Favorite Disco Instrumentals

[discophil]

What are some of your all-time favorite Disco instrumentals? They don't have to be completely devoid of vocals --like "Night on Disco Mountain"-- but as long as they don't overpower or take up the majority of the song --like "TSOP"-- what ones come to mind as your favorites? I'm curious!

[FunkyChris]

A great instrumental is the 12" version of "Two Hot For Love" by THP Orchestra. It's mostly instrumental, except for the guys singin "Two Hot For Love" and the moaning

[discophil]

Originally Posted by FunkyChris

A great instrumental is the 12" version of "Two Hot For Love" by THP Orchestra. It's mostly instrumental, except for the guys singin "Two Hot For Love" and the moaning

Ah, yes! You're right. That is a good one. I'd forgotten that one as an instrumental.

Sometimes I just like to sit back, close my eyes, and let these great orchestrated masterpieces fill my ears with ecstasy. Don't get me wrong, a well-sung Disco tune does it for me, too! However, nothing beats turning on one of these instrumentals, letting it play over and over again while each time picking out a section (woodwind, string, percussion) to follow along throughout the entire piece. The instrumental version of Melba Moore's "Pick Me Up I'll Dance" is a favorite of mine...!

Any more that tops anyone's list?

[Cdnbob]

Two that come to mind are I'll See You In My Dreams by The Dreams (I think that was the group's name) and That Old Black Magic (and darn if I can remember who did this, circa 76 or 77). Those were both great early disco instrumentals that I always loved.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Right off the top of my head... I tend to think of the "instrumental versions" that stood-alone, well.

ALL the Dennis LaPage instrumentals. Mother F, Magnum, Cherry Lime, Voggue's "Roller Boogie", the instrumental versions of Fussy Cussy and Kryptonite. And, of course, the "24 minus 1" LP, with all the Carol Jiani, Chris Mills and Lime instrumental remixes.

I know... I know... "They all sound the same." But I loved his sound! And he was a fantastic horn arranger. (France Joli's 1st LP was anchored on LePage's horns!) And...(here, I'm ready to duck some flying tomatos) I always got into all the early PWL instrumentals. ('86-'89) Mike and Matt's arrangements were always more "involved' than the current dance music was. And I was a sucker for Pete Hammond's style. (You gotta admit he did an awesome job on the "Boney M - Greatest Hits" remix LP.)

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by discophil

nothing beats turning on one of these instrumentals, letting it play over and over again while each time picking out a section (woodwind, string, percussion) to follow along throughout the entire piece.

I'm right there, with ya!

A few of the DJ's I worked with, during the 80's & 90's, used to say: "Someone could've farted in the studio during the recording session and Stephen can tell you where it happened." (Crass..but true)

Just when I think I've learned every part of the arrangement, I buy a Japanese copy (or something like that) and hear a cello harmony-line that I'd never heard before.

I, just last week, through listening to my first Phillips-France copy of "How Much, How Much I Love You", discovered that Alec used the same triangle pattern (1/4note-1/4note-1/2note, 1/4note-1/4note-1/2note...) as in "Love In C-Minor". I was floored when I heard it, from buried deep in the mix.

It's ALL about the music!

[RobbaDobba]

Silvetti - "Spring Rain"

Musique - "Summer Love Theme"

Kat Mandu - "The Break"

Ashford & Simpson - "Bourgie Bourgie"

Michael Polnareff - "Lipstick"

Cerrone - "Love In C Minor"

I'm sure I'll think of more...

[musiquelover]

Some favourite disco instrumentals that come to my mind:

Wood, Brass & Steel: Funkanova
Harry Thumann: Underwater
Francine McGee: Delirium
Love Unlimited Orchestra: My Sweet Summer Suite
Kat Mandu: The Break
Ashford & Simpson: Bourgié Bourgié
Martin Circus: Disco Circus
The Ritchie Family: Frenesi
Silvetti: Spring Rain

Almost instrumental:
Northend: Tee's Happy

[born2disco]

ORS - Moonboots
Difference - Shake That Groovy Thing
K.I.D. - Don't Stop (I think it's instrumental, not sure)

Can't think of any more!

[discophil]

Thanks for the lists, everyone! I'll be hunting through my own collection to dig those up and give them another spin (if I have them!). Keep 'em coming!

RobbaDobba, my heart literally jumped when I saw your inclusion of "Summer Love". How could I forget that one?? Oh, one of my all-time favorites! I remember letting that one play over and over and over and over and over again. I think that was the song that actually made me fall in love with Disco instrumentals.

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

I, just last week, through listening to my first Phillips-France copy of "How Much, How Much I Love You", discovered that Alec used the same triangle pattern (1/4note-1/4note-1/2note, 1/4note-1/4note-1/2note...) as in "Love In C-Minor".

Holy cow! I wish I could pick up on the finer details like that! I usually can't pick up on similarities between the songs unless I see that so-and-so was the author. For example, it was only a week ago that I learned McFadden & Whitehead wrote Melba Moore's "Pick Me Up I'll Dance." But, as soon as I saw they were the authors I found all kinds of similarities between that tune and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now." The similarities were so obvious after that! I sat my daughter on my lap, played "Pick Me Up I'll Dance" and then put on "Ain't No Stoppin Us" and showed her how the songs were similar (yeah...I know. I'm brainwashing that kid into disco [she's six]. She goes to her friends' houses and they all want to play "High School Musical" and she hates it. She comes home and wants Daddy to put on more Disco tunes! I'm such an evil influence! )

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by discophil

She goes to her friends' houses and they all want to play "High School Musical" and she hates it. She comes home and wants Daddy to put on more Disco tunes! I'm such an evil influence! )

<sigh> There's hope for the future...

[QUINNY]

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

<sigh> There's hope for the future...

Duh! So listening to Disco when we were young was TOTALLY the wrong thing to do? Bet your old man would have loved you to listen to Glen Miller/Bill Haley, or whatever it was that he thought was great music, in his youth.

Just thought I'd point out the obvious.

Subjugation of our children into our lap dogs is never a good idea, IMO, so far as music preferences are concerned. I'm proud that I never made my daughter listen to all my old records.

SUBJUGATE
1 : to bring under control and governance as a subject : conquer
2 : to make submissive : subdue

[FunkyChris]

Today I received the AVI 12" of Nite School with the excellent "Do You Speak French".
The B-Side contains the song "There's No Girl Like My Girl" . It's actually a bit cheesy but nevertheless a GREAT instrumental! Check it out if possible!

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

Duh! So listening to Disco when we were young was TOTALLY the wrong thing to do? Bet your old man would have loved you to listen to Glen Miller/Bill Haley, or whatever it was that he thought was great music, in his youth.

Just thought I'd point out the obvious.

Subjugation of our children into our lap dogs is never a good idea, IMO, so far as music preferences are concerned. I'm proud that I never made my daughter listen to all my old records.

SUBJUGATE
1 : to bring under control and governance as a subject : conquer
2 : to make submissive : subdue

Well, IMO, whatever it was that your parents did to you, it'd be great if the rest of us could stop paying for it.

Cash a check and buy a sense of humor.

Just thought I'd point out the obvious.

[QUINNY]

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

Well, IMO, whatever it was that your parents did to you, it'd be great if the rest of us could stop paying for it.

Cash a check and buy a sense of humor.

Just thought I'd point out the obvious.

And I thought you were the overly serious one. You've got me, under your skin....ooh that can't be right, it's a love song.

BTW: I've a great sense of humour....it's just a little on the dry side.