"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhmerican Generatshunnnnnnn"

[FrontPage22]

:roll:

OK, I have heard lately a lot of love for this song's counterpoint, "I Feel Disco Good". I don't know...this whole epic medley is dire. I think this is perhaps the most annoying disco tune I have ever heard. Nothing redeeming. I somehow envisage it as a board of coked up execs' brainchild. Wayyy too many disco noises (the tinkiling pong-esque noises, the synths, the hand claps in a can). Urgh. I can only appreciate the camp value and not much else.

And yet, they did OK a soon as disco died. I love "Give Me A Break" & "I'll Do My Best". Funky.


But "American Generation"? Ewwwww. Stinky. I had to get that out.

[needlefingers]

It was big in Germany. I remember the teenage girls doing the disco foxtrot to it. I played it alot.

[Charlie Windle]

It's a man's world ? The best. :lol:

[remicks]

*****

I didn't realize this disastrous LP was the followup to the brilliant AFRICAN QUEENS :(

Wilson and Alroy's reviews properly sorted it out :

African Queens (1977) FOUR STARS

By now Rome was out of the picture, recording shifted to NYC, and there was a complete turnover of musicians: the new crew was Russell Dabney (drums), Alfonso Carey (bass), Jimmy and Rodger Lee (guitars) and Nathaniel Wilke (keys), who not coincidentally also backed the Village People - their vigor improved things, at least at first. The Side One medley - "African Queens (Nefertiti, Cleopatra, And The Queen Of Sheba)," with each vocalist portraying one queen - is a blast, thanks to whirlwind strings, tireless vocalizing and Jimmy Lee's effusive lead guitar. "Voodoo"'s profusion of instruments and melodies is dense and wonderful like a rainforest: more proof that disco didn't have to be simplistic though it so often was. Unusual percussion is one of the keys to the disc: Mario Grillo's timbales contrast with furiously arpeggiating strings on "Summer Dance"; Anthony Robinson's congas are featured in Les Baxter's Exotica classic "Quiet Village," together with lush strings, breathy vocals and deliberately vamping bass, it's a cold shower-inducingly sexy number. Throughout, Babatunde Olatunji plays a variety of African drums and shakers while Ralph MacDonald adds more pedestrian elements: tambourine, triangle, cowbell. (DBW)

American Generation (1978) ONE STAR

Judging from the cover photo, the vocalists were replaced by identical triplet models. Morali produced and wrote nearly all the tunes, but it seems by now the Village People - more commercial and perhaps closer to his heart - were getting the lion's share of his inspiration. The clear high point is a darkling, clavinet-buoyed cover of "Big Spender." In sharp contrast to the focus and density of Queens, the orchestrations here are unvaried and the lyrical concepts are moronic ("I Feel Disco Good," though it does have a catchy, swooping bridge). The unbearably shrill title track, with a refrain recalling the Four Seasons (Frankie Valli, not Vivaldi) and decorated with tinkling synths, is the nadir. "Big Spender" is better than anything on Bad Reputation, but the full disc is even thinner. (DBW)


****

[SandraDee]

this whole epic medley is dire.

I always felt the same about the long version of Patrick Juvet's 'I Love America' where it goes into rock'n'roll, country etc.etc.(the 7" is alot better!) Jacques Morali & his cronies were capable of producing total drivel as well as moments of pure genius. :roll: :P

[BrunoRepublic]

I always felt the same about the long version of Patrick Juvet's 'I Love America' where it goes into rock'n'roll, country etc.etc.(the 7" is alot better!) Jacques Morali & his cronies were capable of producing total drivel as well as moments of pure genius. :roll: :P

I agree, I Love America is WEEEEAAAAK. Not a good song to begin with, and it just drags on and on and on. It's one of those tunes where you're sick of it before you've finished hearing it for the first time.

Having said that, I *love* American Generation and especially I Feel Disco Good. It may be vapid camp music, but it's fun vapid camp music.

[Videoskooter]

San, you're right, "I Love America" is much better in the short version. But speaking of the Ritchie Family: "American Generation" is a track that I never play. Never liked it and just like the topic title points out: I get neeeeeeeeervous by hearing those vocals.

For me, these are the best RF tracks, BTW a group that I cherish:

1.Brazil
2.Arabian Nights Medley
3.The Best Disco In Town
4.I Feel Disco Good
5.Gimme A Break

[SandraDee]

Pour moi, their best tracks are:

1. I'll Do My Best (for you baby)
2. Quiet Village
3. Alright On The Night
4. Its a Man's World
5. Brazil
8)