First disco song ever released

[QUINNY]

I think '74 is too early. I'd plump for '75 personally.

This really depends on whether you believe Disco evolved or was invented. I'd err on the side of invention more than evolution.

BTW: Most of the better early soul dancers were way faster than 115 BPM and nobody can explain to me why The Hustle had such a different feel to it than almost anything else at that time (there are exceptions, but very few, eh?). With such a title I'd imagined that it should have defined the sound, tempo et al. Apparently, it didn't. So what came first, the tune or the dance and by how much time? Knowing how fast dance crazes could come and go I'd guess that The Hustle began only a month or two before the record and Van McCoy was merely trying to cash in on it before it got swept away. Very old time music biz, eh?

[galocha]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

I feel sorry for galocha
and the original post as his head must be spinning.

Oh, don't worry, MixMasterMax. Actually, I'm learning a lot reading this thread, so I want to thank everybody who posted a reply. I wasn't expecting the topic to be so popular.

Going back to my original post, I just want to find out which was the first song ever released that had disco elements (at least the 4/4 disco rhythm) I don't mind if you want to call it 'proto-disco' or anything else. Anybody knows any song like that released before 'One night affair' by the O'Jays? (1969)

[QUINNY]

Galocha: There would have been hundreds, if not thousands.

[MixMasterMax]

Originally Posted by QUINNY

Galocha: There would have been hundreds, if not thousands.

I would love to see a few Quinny. I can't beleive there were that many in 1969 or prior, that is his question. However, I will throw one out there for your consideration. This track was played heavily in 73-74.. you know where at the Disco (USA) :lol:

Beggin' Timebox 1968

[Mixmachine]

Galocha, I’m sure you’ll find your answer somewhere in Motown, I don’t know the OJays’ version of ‘One Night Affair” only Jerry Butler’s version, (if the same song written by Gamble & Huff) a club classic from ’72, but I just dug up my copy of “Don’t bring back Memories” by the Four Tops also released in ’69 and this song contains many early to mid ‘70’s club music ingredients, it has a ‘Bohannon’ drum beat style accentuated with cow bells and heavy congas, heavy funky bass, rhythm guitar, lavish ‘String’ section in the background, and those wonderful harmonized background vocals over strong lead male R&B voice (Levi Stubbs); I was told by clubbers and Djs of the day that this song was an early ‘Discothèque’ favorite hit in NY and other cities in the early 70’s.

[originalbigm]

In the mid 1970s a dance phenomenon took the country by surprise? The dance went by many names: Spanish Hustle, Latin Hustle, New York Hustle and New York Street Hustle. In New York City, the dancing enthusiasts ended up simply calling it The Hustle. One anecdote claimed that the dance was invented by a group of Puerto Ricans who went around the Big Apple to all sorts of dance events attending mambo night spots, salsa clubs, ballrooms and studio dance parties and were inspired to create a spectacular new dance.

Like most legends, this one contains a measure of truth for hustle, while essentially Latin, does incorporate elements of many dance forms yet its genesis was no doubt more improvisational discovery than premeditation and appeared in much of the country as an overnight sensation. Soon people from all ethnic backgrounds, whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asians were enjoying a new partner dance style in the form of the hustle. Its evolution was also influenced by the changing fashions in music. Disco, a blend of black, Latin, and European moods and rhythms, changes over time from slow to medium to high energy fast tempos, culminating in the kind of energetic sound which gave rise to the phrase "shut up and dance!."

At first, hustle was a relatively simple dance in which a man led his partner in closed position, moving from side to side and included the dance element of spot pivot turns. Then open body positions appeared when the man began to lead his partner back and forth, side to side, while keeping himself more or less in a slot-like motion. As time went by, turns were introduced and developed by forming into elaborate rope turns in which the follower circled around the partner. Finally, the time came for the leader to do some traveling as well. In the next evolution, both partners rotated around each other in a wide-open circle and Street Hustle, as some call it, was born. The addition of free spins for both male and female dancers, with tailspins gave the hustle dazzle, which still retains its mesmerizing look in today's hustle dance world.

This brings us to the late 70s and 80s, when the rate of change accelerated sharply. It became hard to keep up with the new styles and some dancers began to drop out, leaving the field clear for the most ambitious dancers to set the standards. From Ballet and International Latin they adapted arm and body styling, as well as leg and footwork, to hustle. Couples also began to travel across the floor in dramatic open, closed and shadow positions. Elements of the Theatre Arts, ballet, jazz and even gymnastics were blended into the hustle. At the same time, the drama and romance of Adagio became evident. As numerous as the various influences were, however, they never overwhelmed the hustle, which always maintained its own unmistakable floor dance look! It is ever so apparent now, that the evolution of the hustle dance element has maintained the circular, slotted, traveling, diagonal, rotational, mirrors, image closed and open visual lead and follow floor dance look of the hustle. Like all social dances, hustle has borrowed much from the dances that preceded it. In fact, a great deal of its appeal comes from its success in blending the influences of many dance forms. The fluid movement of hustle floor dancing that is created by good dancers is as exhilarating to watch as it is to execute.

[discosavvy]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

I would like to try and corner you and see if we can agree on a year. Once this has been established maybe Bernie can create a section with the songs we nominate of that year..."the year that started it all".

Already been done, as galocha has seen. Also covered in several books. Why reinvent the wheel? 1972. The O'Jays and their disciples. Producers Gamble and Huff.

Someone said this is a scientific question, like determining missing links between apes and men. The science experiments on disco have already been done.

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

If I sort my records by year I see 1974 as the year that first has a large number of the artists we would all come to associate with Disco. 1974 would be my choice although technically, 1973 had some as well.

"Large number" doesn't equal "first", does it?

What is not pure disco about "Love Epidemic" by the Trammps from 1973? And were not the Trammps quintecential disco artists through the Saturday Night Fever years all the way up to their terrible productions of 1980?

What is not pure disco about "Dreamworld" by Don Downing, also 1973, made by the Disco Corporation of America?

Of course 1974 has a greater quantity of disco songs than 1973. That's irrelevant when answering his question about which was the "first song ever" (in the singular - and not necessarily a "popular" release or a "generally accepted" one).

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Originally Posted by Mixmachine

I don’t know the OJays’ version of ‘One Night Affair”

Galocha provided you with a hyperlink to a German store O'Jays page that has a nice sound clip of a relevant section of that song. Why didn't you hear it yet? It's great - please take a few minutes of your time.

Sound clips of most other "candidates" for earliest disco are also easily available, and guess where you can find them.

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Why does no one seek anything out anymore? Everyone is washed out and too old? How come 25+ years ago DJs would scramble to find the latest and greatest new disco sounds, the best imports, the most exciting artists, cataloguing artists and their BPMs? They'd reach out to Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and points beyond to find their Kelly Marie, their Tantra, their France Joli. Now they dismiss new disco without hearing it (assuming it's all electronica), the oldest disco without hearing it, 1980s disco because it's "too late", and new disco culture because it "can't be repeated". How come I'm the last seeker in this country? And then most of you just ignore everything I suggest.

[Mixmachine]

Originally Posted by discosavvy

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Galocha provided you with a hyperlink to a German store O'Jays page that has a nice sound clip of a relevant section of that song. Why didn't you hear it yet? It's great - please take a few minutes of your time.

Well, excuse me all over the place…Robert Mitchum :lol:

I missed the link before, but I’m afraid that from My Point of View that version is not very representative of what was played in club in the early days, to up-tempo for me, but I could be wrong, who knows, check out the Jerry Butler version much better IMO, check out the Four Tops tune, same year and it was a club hit!

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[DiscoMan]

Summer 1974 was the watershed year in the evolution of Disco.

Originalbigm, your disertation on the Hustle is right on!
And I think that Hustle dancing was the single biggest reason there was so much fucking going on in the '70s.

[paul]

Originally Posted by DiscoMan

Summer 1974 was the watershed year in the evolution of Disco.

Originalbigm, your disertation on the Hustle is right on!
And I think that Hustle dancing was the single biggest reason there was so much fucking going on in the '70s.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
I would have never guessed the Hustle had such sexual energy.
Hey this could spur a topic on which dance/song caused the most fucking!

[MixMasterMax]

The quest to determine the first song is a good one and will be debated over and over. My point of saying 1974 contained the first true peak in the production of Disco music is that there are never that many artist that go out on a limb at the same time and in the same direction. Then the answer must be that they all saw the audience ready and willing to absorb it. Which to me indicates that this is the year when Disco clubs started to become important to a larger mass. Remember, these were songs that did not receive much radio air play. I agree that in 1971 and certainly 1972 there were artist at work and feeling the Disco beat but the clubs/demand were not there to justify other artist jumping in.

DiscoMan, I could not have stated it more eloquently than you have. The Hustle was a tool that when used properly led to the real reason why we all went dancing. Sure we all loved the music, lights, drinks and drugs but that was just foreplay to what we all hoped would happen at the end of the night. I can still remember the feeling one had if you had not scored a date to meet in Central Park Fountain, for those of you who know NYC.

[DiscoMan]

The most enjoyable nights of my young adult years were spent Hustling beautifull young women around the dancefloor. There was a special intimacy that immediately developed when you Hustled with a partner you connected with: a heat, a passion all the cliches but it was oh so true and so exciting; an excitement I have not experienced since.

And what ass! I got more ass that a public shithouse! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Why does no one seek anything out anymore? Everyone is washed out and too old? How come 25+ years ago DJs would scramble to find the latest and greatest new disco sounds, the best imports, the most exciting artists, cataloguing artists and their BPMs? They'd reach out to Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and points beyond to find their Kelly Marie, their Tantra, their France Joli. Now they dismiss new disco without hearing it (assuming it's all electronica), the oldest disco without hearing it, 1980s disco because it's "too late", and new disco culture because it "can't be repeated". How come I'm the last seeker in this country? And then most of you just ignore everything I suggest.

So So true. I find myself frequently questioning young people as to why their taste in dance music is so self limited.
They guard their choice of music as if it's an intensely personnal identifier rather than seeing music as part of the adventure of life. Many of them see their selection of music as their proof of authenticity.

[QUINNY]

Originally Posted by MixMasterMax

I would love to see a few Quinny. I can't beleive there were that many in 1969 or prior, that is his question. However, I will throw one out there for your consideration. This track was played heavily in 73-74.. you know where at the Disco (USA) :lol:

Beggin' Timebox 1968

Just think Northern Soul and you'll see that there were a mass of Soul records which had strings, horns, 4/4 beat etc. But......and this is a big but....were they Disco?

Beggin' - Timebox ...yep a big dancefloor hit even in the U.K.

I always considered TSOP by MFSB as the real start of the Disco sound. You couldn't get away from that record. It was everywhere and I came to hate it with a passion. However, it was a full 9 months to a year before Disco really came into its own. Hence 1975 for me as the true watershed year.

[originalbigm]

The most enjoyable nights of my young adult years were spent Hustling beautifull young women around the dancefloor. There was a special intimacy that immediately developed when you Hustled with a partner you connected with: a heat, a passion all the cliches but it was oh so true and so exciting; an excitement I have not experienced since.

This is the aspect of disco that the Brits simply missed out on and thus cannot relate to the North American experience.

[QUINNY]

Originally Posted by originalbigm

This is the aspect of disco that the Brits simply missed out on and thus cannot relate to the North American experience.

Doesn't mean we never got laid, but yes we couldn't relate to the need for a formal dance like the Hustle. It's obvious that you guys had a less liberal, more formal, less integrated society than us Europeans. We'd abandoned 'old fashioned' notions about dancing years before. If you'd ever had to endure a TV programme called Come Dancing, with old farts (and even young old farts) in sequins and dinner suits, you would have had the same attitude. We didn't want to emulate our parents. Dancing 'alone' was an act of rebellion, don't ya know, in that "we didn't dance properly" in the eyes of our parents.
I'm amazed how you guys still don't realize that disco was the old folks revenge and possibly the old music biz (and the old musicians) last ditch attempt at winning back the hearts, minds and ears of the youth of the nation. It was the final backlash against rock 'n' roll attitudes by the music establishment. And you guys fell for the Hustle. :lol: Duh!!!