the very first disco song???

[NickNack]

Originally Posted by markydefad

I've always said it was "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes (1971)

IT'S THE SOUND OF DISCO!!!! :D

I think Jim Burgess might have agreed with you since he did the 10-minute mix on "Shaft II" in 1978. All the original touches, plus extras.

[originalbigm]

Originally Posted by markydefad

I've always said it was "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes (1971)--THE link between the downtown funky street sound of Sly Stone ("Family Affair") and the sleek uptown orchestral string sound of Barry White ("Loves Theme").

I will concede that Marky is correct in that this was the earliest record that represented the sound that disco eventually evolved into.

[efunk_adelic]

Isaac Hayes says: "Damn Right!" :D

[originalbigm]

Just another addition to the thread

"Some disco and soul historians argue that disco was born in Philadelphia when Jerry Butler recorded the extremely danceable and highly syncopated "One Night Affair" under Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff's direction in 1972. But whether or not disco was actually created in Philly, the city undeniably made many outstanding contributions to the genre."- AMG review

[NickNack]

I just re-read this thread and realized another touted "first disco" song is missing from our list. Eddie Kendrick's 1972 "Girl, You Need A Change Of Mind". Over 7 and 1/2 minutes of dancing joy and a club favorite.

[efunk_adelic]

Originally Posted by NickNack

I just re-read this thread and realized another touted "first disco" song is missing from our list. Eddie Kendrick's 1972 "Girl, You Need A Change Of Mind". Over 7 and 1/2 minutes of dancing joy and a club favorite.

Nick, is that song from the "People...Hold On" LP?

[Voyage]

I agree with the opinion of some that it's impossible to determine which song was the very FIRST Disco song, however I think what we can only do is like list some songs which were Disco pioneers.

I think the very first Disco songs were:

• Love's Theme
  TSOP
  Shaft
  Rock The Boat
  Rock Your Baby

Voyage :P

[discosavvy]

originalbigm: I agree that "One Night Affair" by Jerry Butler is disco (more precisely, disco-soul).

Outsider: "Bad Luck" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes is indeed one of the FIRST disco songs - it was recorded in 1972 even though it wasn't released till early 1975.

The other disco-soul entries of 1972 include: "(Win, Place or Show) She's a Winner" by the Intruders and "Love Train" by the O'Jays.

It would be interesting to know the recording schedules for each of these songs. Did the recording of "Bad Luck" come before "Love Train", for instance, or after? Earl Young may know because he drummed for the Intruders, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, MFSB, the Trammps, etc. You can find his recounting of how he developed the disco beat and how he started upping the tempo in 1970 on pages 120-121 of the forthcoming book by Tim Lawrence, "Love Saves the Day", which is being published in January 2004. Mr. Lawrence describes what happened during the "The Love I Lost" recording session and also how Young switched from the snare-heavy Motown beat to open up possibilities with different rhythms and cymbal patterns.

[Mixmachine]

Originally Posted by Nano

My definition of "disco", at least in the beginnings, is soul/funk songs that were specially aimed to the dancefloor .

Why such narrow definition? R&B by it's very nature was always associated with dancing and I don't buy into this theory concocted by later generations that early R&B music was especially tailored for "Dance Floor", IMO Artists of the day were just creating the best music they could, talent and quality sold their music all across the world making it’s way to early “Discos”, the “disco” remix was later created for the Dance floor and Deejays but the foundation for it’s success was rooted in the good music they were using, not necessary because of the “remix”.

According to an old departed friend’s recollections (and early DeeJay) one of his early club hits was “Don’t bring back Memories” (‘69) by the Four Tops later redone by Ray Martinez of Amant, other early “Dance Floor” hits not mention here are:

“It’s A Shame” (70) Spinners
“Sultana” –Titanic (71)
“Little bit of love” Brenda and the Tabulations (72)
“K-Jee- Nite Litters (71)
“Running Back and Forth” Edwin Starr ‘72
“Rain” Dorothy Morrison (71)

and many many more…….

[NickNack]

Originally Posted by efunk_adelic

Nick, is that song from the "People...Hold On" LP?

Yep, that's the one.