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Thread: What disco song do u believe has the most meaningful lyrics?

  1. #1
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    What disco song do u believe has the most meaningful lyrics?

    I always liked the words to This Time Baby by Jackie Moore. This was one of those songs that back in the day I didn't really like that much, it was only later I realized how much of a good tune this was.

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    paul is offline Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
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    This is one area where I feel disco songs are often underrated. Many of them had meaningful lyrics. Some were insightful, some inspirational, and so on. The classic Aint No Stopping Us Now falls into the inspirational camp. Speaking of camp, we were talking about The Village People in another thread and there San Francisco/Hollywood suite is insightful.

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    Once again, I'll have to pick "Power" by the Temptions. Disco with a social conscience!

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    Disco with meaningful lyrics......

    Ermmm, I always thought meaningful lyrics were wasted in a Disco toon and as we all know, people weren't there to be educated. Soooo, hate to disappoint the songwriters who were on a mission, but you chose the wrong place and the wrong time.

    However, now I can listen to tracks with headphones and take time to absorb the deeper meanings of things. Much has been revealed, but for the life of me, the lyrics just go in one ear and out the other. I'm too busy wigglin' and jigglin', catching grooves that may not have grabbed me BITD. Lyrics mean zilch to me, if there's a thumpin' rhythm track vying for my attention.

    I shall read the other posts with interest.

  5. #5
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    as far as meaningful lyrics go..

    Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free
    Machine - There But For The Grace of God Go I
    Carl Bean - I Was Born This Way

    I'd agree profound lyrics and disco often don't go together.. Some of the disco songs that tried aren't always my favourites musically. Still, kudos to those writers who were ambitious enough to break the mould.. I'm also guilty of listening to a groove and ignoring lyrics, but it's nice to get past the groove long enough and discover genuinely well-crafted (though not necessarily meaningful) lyrics.. Some of the material by Rodgers/Edwards and Giorgio Moroder/Chris Bennett, for example.

  6. #6
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    I find the Philly songs have the most meaningful lyrics, some with great messages:

    Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
    Bad Luck - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
    Can We Come Together - The Trammps
    People of The World Rise - The Trammps
    Think For Yourself - The Temptations
    Am I Black Enough - Billy Paul
    Bring The Family Back - Billy Paul
    etc....

    Outside of Philly, there are lots, but off the top of my head:

    I Am What I Am - The Village People
    I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor

    Disco Funk

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    I think the teams of McFadden and Whitehead and Gamble and Huff were excellent at writing songs with meaningful lyrics. Alot of that Phillysound stuff was good at it.

    Coming in after them is the team of Ashford and Simpson

    But the one that stands out for me is "Was That All It Was" sung by Jean Carne.

    Honorable Mentions:

    Patrice Rushen "Forget Me Nots"
    Donna Summer "On The Radio" "Dim All The Lights" and to an extent, "Last Dance" written by Paul Jabara.

    Post disco, I would give it to The Pet Shop Boys for writing what I call intelligent disco. Also Depech Mode.

    Needlefingers

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    SUPERNATURE by CERRONE

    VICTIM BY CANDI STATON

    LADY MARMALADE
    LABELLE

    LITTLE BIT OF LOVE
    BRENDA AND TABULATIONS

    GIRLS IT AIN'T EASY (TOO EARLY???)
    HONEYCOMB

    I'VE GOT TO USE BY IMAGINATION
    GLADYS KNIGHT & PIPS

    HAPPINESS IS JUST AROUND THE BEND
    MAIN INGREDIENT

    CARWASH ROSE ROYCE

    GOOD THINGS DON'T LAST FOREVER
    I WOULDN'T GIVE YOU UP
    ECSTASY PASSION AND PAIN

    DR LOVE FIRST CHOICE

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    The lyrics of a song hit people in different ways. If you're in a new love relationship, any of the happy love songs will suffice and if you're out of love and pissed off, well, there's plenty of those too...and I've found that it's quite enjoyable sharing that release on the dancefloor.

    As far as meaningful to a larger mindset, there have been some good dance songs that have spoken about social issues...mostly relating to blacks and gays. I think somewhere along the way, songwriters realized that to get certain messages out there, it was best to hit them in a dance tune.

    This has certainly been the case for gay dancefloors. "I Was Born This Way" and "I Am What I Am" top the list but for me, Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" is most meaningful. And for consistent, well-written lyrics, no one can top the Pet Shop Boys for expressive thought set to a good dance beat. "Left To My Own Devices" and "Being Boring" come to mind. It's interesting that in the last few years, gay dancefloors have been flooded with lyrics pertaining to gaining inner strength and spirituality.

    But for the mainstream dancer, I have to agree that "Power" by The Temptations has the strongest words in dance or any other genre for that matter. The song itself is a six minute masterpiece of important lyrics but add those incredible, passionate voices of these five men and the result is an anthem of danceable objection to the wicked ways of society.

    On the other hand, one can't rule out the meaningful lyrics of "I Will Survive" as overplayed as it is.

  10. #10
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    -Gloria Gaynor: "I Will Survive"
    -Shirley Bassey: "This Is My Life"
    -France Joli: "Gonna Get Over You"
    -William Devaughn: "Be Thankful For What You got"
    -Faith, Hope & Charity: "To Each His Own"


    And on the funny side: M: "Pop Muzik"

    And on the personal side: Village People: "Macho Man" and the song of all songs:

    Mr. Frank Sinatra: "My Way"

  11. #11
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    There are so many different
    songs that strike you at different times in your life,
    for instance after a break up,
    I would love to hear "life goes
    on" by Faith Hope and Charity
    or fresh in a new relationship
    "summer love" by Musique,or
    hot and horny was "touch my heart" by Madleen Kane.But
    overall,it was the songs with
    a "message" like the following:
    "I am Somebody"/Jimmy James an the Vagbonds
    "do what you wanna do/T-Connection
    "born this way/Carl Bean
    Some songs just press my
    buttons,if you will-I get a surge of emotion when I hear
    "Free Man"/southshore commision
    "mainline"/Black Ivory
    "Touch and go/Good things don't last forever/Ecstacy Passion and Pain
    "give me love"/Cerrone
    "love don't you go through no changes"/sister sledge
    "My Love is Free/Double Exposure


    It's all subjective,but what a great topic!

    Thom

  12. #12
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    I'd have to say "Nobody can be you but you" and "Feels so real" by Steve Arrington Hall of Fame.
    One could also include some Gospel disco like the Might Clouds of Joy's "Mighty High" or the Clark Sisters "You brought the sunshine".

  13. #13
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    Ain't No Stoppin Us Now by McFadden & Whitehead and I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. I actually didn't even think of these until I read the other posts.

    I can remember being unemployed back in 1979 and really feeling Street Life by the Crusaders as well.

  14. #14
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    Deffo the following...

    To Each His Own / Faith, Hope & Charity
    I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking / The Supremes
    We're Getting Stronger (The Longer...) / Loleatta H.
    You Are, You Are / Linda Clifford
    You Saved My Day / Cheryll Lynn
    I'll Keep A Light On / NYCC

    Positive lyrics, beautiful music...danceable grooves...this to me is what makes disco so captivating.

    Good thread

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    Love To Love You Baby by Donna Summer
    Play Me Like A Yo-Yo by Silver Convention
    Love Chant by Eli's Second Coming (the lyrics at the very end are some of the most meaningful as well as intellectual in all of disco music.)
    Superman by Celi Bee and the Buzzy Bunch
    Jack And Jill by Salsoul Orchestra

  16. #16
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    "Thank God It's Friday"!

    I couldn't wait until Friday night. I was working 9 and 10 hours a day and going to college 2 and 3 nights a week. So I couldn't wait until Friday night! :D The lyrics aren't that "deep" but for me they are the most memorable...

    "Friday, thank God it's Friday, Friday
    Thank God it's Friday, Friday, Friday, Friday

    Hey put a smile on your face
    Things are coming your way out there
    Somewhere tonight it is the right time and place

    I saw you baby for the very first time
    Couldn't take my eyes off you girl
    You just had to be mine
    You're the kind that people long for
    It just had to be you girl
    I know this time I'll make all my dreams come ture

    Hey see the stars in his eyes
    And the music in you tells you how
    You can find your way to paradise

    Hey put a smile on your face
    Things are coming your way out there
    Somewhere tonight it is the right time and place
    Hey see the stars in his eyes
    Does he value my love "

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    "My Forbidden Lover"-Chic
    "Take Your Time ( Do It Right)"- SOS Band
    "Let Me Know ( I Have The Right)"- Gloria Gaynor

    And without doubt, all songs from Teena Marie.

  18. #18
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    *****

    "THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF GOOD MEN " --- Jean Carn

    *****

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    I have heard this song for years, but recently, I have really listened to the words and that is........"More Than a Woman" by the BEE GEES. Just beautiful words to a real soft disco beat.

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    *****.........and MTAW is meaningful as the first song ever to pander to the transexual crowd ........
    *****

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    Quote Originally Written by remicks
    *****.........and MTAW is meaningful as the first song ever to pander to the transexual crowd ........
    *****
    :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

    Explain this plzzzzzzz!

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Written by Videoskooter
    Quote Originally Written by remicks
    *****.........and MTAW is meaningful as the first song ever to pander to the transexual crowd ........
    *****
    :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

    Explain this plzzzzzzz!
    Please don't............ :evil:

  23. #23
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    it's not my absolute favorite....

    but one of my favorite disco lyrics has always been the lyrics to Whirlwind's "Full Time Thing". It goes "If your love is true, then why do I only see you between dusk and dawn? Why can't your love be a full time thing?" If someone ever said that to me I'd have a REAL hard time coming up with one of my smart-alecky comebacks. Even the ones I have memorized wouldn't cut deeply enough.....And Elbow Bones and the Racketeer's "A Night in New York" has classy lyrics like "I have had a thousand guys who would want my big brown eyes..And a least a hundred times, they have almost lost their minds. I have had them promise me caviar and limousines. But if they really knew me, they take me for a night in New York." Those lyrics really paint a picture in your mind...

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Written by Skywalker
    Quote Originally Written by Videoskooter
    Quote Originally Written by remicks
    *****.........and MTAW is meaningful as the first song ever to pander to the transexual crowd ........
    *****
    :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

    Explain this plzzzzzzz!
    Please don't............ :evil:
    This is to funny :lol: :lol: don't ruin the song for me please! :lol: :lol: keep it to your self! :evil: :lol: :lol:

  25. #25
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    "More than a Woman" was a nice song with nice lyrics and let's keep it at that. Both versions -- the BeeGees and The Tavares.
    Add to the list (I love the Philly sound) the O'Jay's "Message In our Music".

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