Billboard Disco Compilation/Consensus Charts-Part 1:1974-75

[markydefad]

sorry dd...musta missed that post. I wouldn't have known the answer.... :oops: :oops: :oops:

[discotom73]

You did a GREAT job with this post! I think everyone feels the same and knows that you care about disco so much to go to such lengths to type this up! The effort and information is beyond wonderful! Thanks!

[markydefad]

Originally Posted by discotom73

You did a GREAT job with this post! I think everyone feels the same and knows that you care about disco so much to go to such lengths to type this up! The effort and information is beyond wonderful! Thanks!

Why thanks discotom73!!! Glad you enjoyed reading it. :D

[markydefad]

from the Rhino Disco Box liner notes:

DJ playlists for the era covered in this thread (10/26/74 - 12/31/75):

PLAYLISTS
#1: New York
Opus I/December 1974
DJ: Douglas Riddick

ASK ME - Ecstasy, Passion & Pain
THE BOTTLE (LA BOTELLA) - Joe Bataan
DOCTOR'S ORDERS/BABY DON'T LET THIS GOOD LOVE DIE - Carol Douglas
DON'T LEAVE ME - Lamont Dozier
EVERLASTING LOVE - Carl Carlton
GUT LEVEL - The Blackbyrds
HAPPY PEOPLE - The Temptations
I'LL BE HOLDING ON - Al Downing
SOON, EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE ALRIGHT - Third Time Around
YOU'RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING - Barry White


#2: New York
Le Jardin/May 1975
DJ: Bobby "DJ" Guttadaro

BAD LUCK - Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes
EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD - Consumer Rapport
FOOT STOMPIN MUSIC - Hamilton Bohannon
FREE MAN - South Shore Commission
LOVE DO ME RIGHT - Rockin' Horse
SURVIVAL - The O'Jays
SWEARIN' TO GOD - Frankie Valli
THREE STEPS FROM TRUE LOVE - The Reflections
TORNADO - The Wiz Original Cast album
WHERE IS THE LOVE - Betty Wright

#3: New York
Adam's Apple/June 1975
DJ: David Todd

CHICAGO THEME - Hubert Laws
EXPANSIONS - Lonnie Liston Smith
FOREVER CAME TODAY - The Jackson 5
FREE MAN - South Shore Commission
THE HUSTLE - Van McCoy
LOVE DO ME RIGHT - Rockin' Horse
MAN WAS MADE TO LOVE WOMAN - Bobbi Martin
SEXY - MFSB
SUPERSHIP - George Benson
SWEARIN' TO GOD - Frankie Valli

#4: Montreal
Limelight/October 1975
DJ: Robert Ouimet

SPRING RAIN - Silvetti
MAKES YOU BLIND - The Glitter Band
AYE TUMBAYE - Les Tumbaye
FOOT STOMPIN MUSIC - Hamilton Bohannon
CHICANO - Black Blood
ONE WAY STREET - Becket Brown
LADY BUMP - Penny McLean
JUMP FOR JOY - Biddu Orchestra
LET THE MUSIC PLAY - Barry White
DO IT ANY WAY YOU WANNA - People's Choice
I AM SOMEBODY - Jimmy James & The Vagabonds

#5: New York
Barefoot Boy/December 1975
DJ: Tony Smith

I LOVE MUSIC - The O'Jays
Salsoul Orchestra (LP)
LADY BUMP - Penny McLean
I AM SOMEBODY - Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
ERUCU - Mahogany Soundtrack
EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART - Crown Heights Affair
INSIDE AMERICA - Juggy Jones
MIGHTY HIGH - Mighty Clouds Of Joy
CASANOVA BROWN/(IF YOU WANT IT) DO IT YOURSELF/HOW HIGH THE MOON - Gloria Gaynor
CHANGE (MAKES YOU WANT TO HUSTLE) - Donald Byrd

Just thought this would be interesting if you hadn't already seen 'em.

[markydefad]

Hey, thanks for the sticky---I was having to search for this on page 16-or 17 or 18!!!

[remicks]

*****

Marky,

As I finally get my hands on some of these long sought after gems .... I thought I'd post some of my findings here when a song strikes my fancy enough ....

This week I'm excited about Billy Davis THREE STEPS FROM TRUE LOVE (3:19)
as found on :

THE DISCO COMPILATION CONSENSUS TOP 40
7/26/75

There are two versions of the song getting played at the same time that summer , one by The Reflections and one by Billy Davis :

20) THREE STEPS FROM TRUE LOVE - The Reflections
(Capitol 45) (11/AC) (#22)
21) EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD - Consumer Rapport
(Wing & a Prayer 45) (11/E ONLY) (#19)
22) GIMME SOME - Jimmy "Bo" Horne
(Alston 45) (10/AD) (#10)
23) * HEARTBEAT - War
(UA LP) (10/D) (NEW)
24) THREE STEPS FROM TRUE LOVE - Billy Davis, Jr.
(ABC 45) (8/BC) (#28.)
25) (R) YOU BROUGHT IT ON YOURSELF - Barbara Hall
(Innovations 45) (8/CD) (RETURN)
26) 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle) - Gary Toms Empire
(P.I.P. 45) (8/E only) (#24)

Now I haven't yet heard the version by The Reflections ... and since it performs even better on your charts , it might be even better .... and that's something to look forward to because I think this version is more than great .

When it begins , it seems to about to be a Motown/ Temptations styled rehash ....but then it suddenly shifts into something much more original and exciting .... a bass guitar / piano / and especially trombone driven song (continuous cowbell too ) with occassional strings and organ ... with a growling vocal by Billy Davis ( a la James Brown but moreso Wilson Pickett ) that is terrific & gets properly accentuated by some upfront and upbeat harmonic male backups that just chant over and over thoughout :

You take ONE step ,
I'll take TWO :
THREE.
Three steps from true love

The promise being made here ( addressed to an already man weary young lady ) : whatever effort you make to give it a go ... I'll double from my end ...
Isn't that the coolest approach for taking on love you ever heard !?
How could she say no to an attitude like that !
Optimism and determination abound here .

And ......you'll like this.... if I were to kick this into a follow-up song ... I'd mix it into Eddie Holman's THIS'LL BE A NIGHT TO REMEMBER ..... same uplifting feeling in both ......

this is a ***** in my book ....
a keeper ...


*****

[markydefad]

remicks,

I only have the Reflections' version(they were Melba Moore's backing group)--I have seen the Billy Davis. Jr. version on Barry's radio station playlist--but haven't been lucky enough to hear it yet.

The Reflections' certainly had the bigger hit-- but I've heard that Billy's is good. (I think mixmachine praised it in the past). Similar situation to when Miss Ross beat out the 5th Dimension with "Love Hangover".... Miss Ross had the cut on her LP--clubs started playing it--5th Dimension covered it and released it--Motown rushed Miss Ross's version out and she conquered all. I can't find the 5th Dimension version anywhere---it doesn't appear to be on any LP--but the 45 has eluded me also.... maybe Barry has that one in his collection? (of course he must).

In the mid-80s, there was a HI-NRG cover of this ("3 Steps..") by a girl singer whose name I should recall--but I'm blanking on now--it was a good one--but never made much impact on the charts --wait I think it was Margaret Reynolds, wasn't it? Margaret Reynolds & Girlfriends, to be precise....some little Florida label.

[sfbeary]

hey marky,

you are correct! i not only play on RadioioDisco the billy davis jr. version of "three steps," but also the long 7"-promo-only 5th Dimension version of "love hangover." (there was a commercial 7", but the long version is only on the promo 7".)

for that matter, i also play "ease on down the road" and "you brought it on yourself."

thanks for the props!
barry walters of http://www.radioio.com/radioiodisco.php

[markydefad]

efunk...were you looking for this one?

[efunk_adelic]

here it is! thanks marky

[remicks]

*****

Looks like here's another tune for "The Cover List" Marky :

THE TOP 25 COVERS of '74- '75

1) BRAZIL
2) HOW HIGH THE MOON
3) FOREVER CAME TODAY
4) WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE
5) TANGERINE
6) BABY FACE
7) WHAT A DIFF'RENCE A DAY MAKES
8. NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE
9) REACH OUT- I'LL BE THERE
10) SUNNY

11) SUMMER OF '42
12) CARAVAN
13) I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT
14) DRIVE MY CAR
15) IT'S IN HIS KISS
16) THE BOTTLE (La Botella)
17) PEANUT VENDOR
18. ONE FINE DAY
19) EXODUS (Main Theme)
20) THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC

21) SUMMER PLACE '76
22) BIG NOISE FROM WINNETKA
23) EVERLASTING LOVE
24) I CAN UNDERSTAND IT

_______________



7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (BLOW YOUR WHISTLE)
Gary Toms Empire

was also a cover according to Disco Funk :

DISCO FUNK : Actually, the original version was by a group called Blue Mink, but it wasn't done as a disco song at the time, and it was called 'Get Up'.

year-end ranking:

92) 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 (Blow Your Whistle) - Gary Toms Empire

(P.I.P./1975) P: Rick Bleweiss/Bill Stahl; W: (Cook)
Timing: 2:45/5:00 (45); 5:08 (CD); BPM: approx. 116 bpm
Pop: #46; R&B: #5; Disc-o-la Fortune 500: #379 out of 500
45: A) short version; B) disco version
CD Availability: "Best Of Gary Toms Empire"
A= 0; B= 22; C= 2; D= 16; E= 70; F = 4; Total points = 114
14 weeks on the chart (5/10/75 - 9/27/75)/ 1 week in the Top 10/ Peak: #9



*****



why does the TOP 25 only have 24 titles anyway ???? waiting for this one ????

[markydefad]

This is for Fabio....

[nrgbeat]

I've noticed that towards the end of 1975, the disco charts had several remakes of songs that had been popular disco hits earlier in the year. (e.g. Brazil by Crispy and Co.) A lot of them were imports too.

[markydefad]

Originally Posted by nrgbeat

I've noticed that towards the end of 1975, the disco charts had several remakes of songs that had been popular disco hits earlier in the year. (e.g. Brazil by Crispy and Co.) A lot of them were imports too.

November 22,1975
Billboard had a special "import" chart--several titles that I guess are foreign covers of U.S. disco records...

Top 10 Best Selling Imports @ NYC Retailers

I wrote:

and then these suspicious-sounding, possible covers on the IMPORT chart:

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU ( Is this the Labelle song?) still don't know
S.O.S (Is this the ABBA song?) [UPDATE: NO--thanks discodisk]
I'LL BE AROUND (Is this the Spinners song?) YES (Barry W. has played this on his radio show)
BRAZIL (Is this another cover of the Ritchie Family?) YES


28. * S.O.S. - Today's People
(Gamma - Canadian IMPORT) (8/F) (NEW)

32) * WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU - Adrienne Ste Clair
(CBS - France IMPORT) (7/F) (NEW)

34) * I'LL BE AROUND - Claude Francois
(Noble- France IMPORT) (6/F) (NEW)

46) * BRAZIL/ LOVE CAN - Crispy & Co.
(Creole English IMPORT) (4/F) (NEW)

[DISCODISK]

S.O.S (Is this the ABBA song?) still don't know...........

NO MARKY IT ISNT,THOUGH YOU MUST PUT THIS ON YOUR WANTS LIST AS ITS ONE OF THE BEST INDIES THAT EVER GRACED YOUR CHARTS
WAS A MASSIVE NORTHERN SOULER AT THE TIME QUITE SURPRISING REALLY AS ITS NOTHING LIKE PETULA CLARK SOMEBODY MUST HAVE SNEAKED IT IN! IF YOU SEE THIS CHEAP ON EBAY MOST LIKELY A BOOT I.E BLACK AND WHITE NO COLOUR IN LABEL NAME, SOUNDING GREAT TODAY AND GETTING A BIT COLLECTABLE.

IM SURE ALSO THAT CRISPY AND COMPANY WERE ACTUALLY AMERICAN, MAYBEE THEY WERE HIGH