Disco Track In Taxi Season 3: Elaine's Strange Triangle

[KoolChris]

I've been trying to find the title/artist of the disco track you hear in the background in the episode of TAXI (season 3) called "Elaine's strange triangle" around the 24th minute, when Alex Reiger is forced to dance with the guy in a navy jacket, in a gay bar. You can overhear female vocals singing "keep on dancin'", which seems to be the end of the chorus line.
Please check the following sample; you have to listen close to make out the music from the annoying applause, but the sound gets a little better towards the end.
http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=EB1571E922E1C494

Thanks in advance for any leads.

[Flagio]

I think I also hear 'That's the way I like it'

[mixtape]

not sure to be honest but most of the music done on Taxi is by Bob James.

[KoolChris]

The opening and credit music, as well as some of the transition music, are by Bob James; these are background tracks used throughout the course of the series, meant respectively to identify the series, and to illustrate the mood of a situation. But the track I'm trying to ID is a one-time-only track utilized for the purpose of illustrating a punctual situation in which someone puts money in a jukebox and starts dancing to the music (in a gay bar). Therefore, I'm quite sure James has nothing to do with it.

Typically, the credit and background music in a TV series are the work of one composer, often mentioned in the end credits; but tracks coming from a radio, a TV, a discotheque, in this case:a jukebox, are tracks chosen from the current "hit" releases, and independent from the aforementioned composer.

[mixtape]

well i found the credits of taxi since im a big fan of the show myself and found that episode. I dont think this is it but its says music by Ed Norton Music, Inc. I feel like songs on tv shows are usually a one time deal because ive been trying to track done music from CHiPs and still havent found anything for a long long time. All I have is the 12" of the theme.

[Ariana]

It's hard to say, but they almost sound like SilverConvention. I'll go check.

[Ariana]

Ugh! I'm sorry, but I tried my best to find out who sings the BG. It's not who I thought it was, but it could be another female group. However I'll keep you in mind and keep searching for you.

[KoolChris]

Ariana, thanks for the effort. I've kept searching by other means and have discovered the choreography for that particular dance scene had been done by Jeff Kutash, of "Jeff Kutash & the Dancin' Machine" fame. It so happens I already had their S/T album, and the track wasn't on it. I guess the track could only have been chosen by the production, or by Kutash. I was hoping the track could have been BY Jeff Kutash, but I've only found a trace of 1 record, the one I already have...Next step would be to try to get in contact with either, which I've tried, but no luck tracing either for now. In the meantime, I just hope someone eventually recognizes the track...

[KoolChris]

I just reloaded the sample. Any other (successful) tries? I REALLY want to ID this track.

[remicks]

*****

Sounds like it's fake disco being played at a fake gay bar on a fake TV show .................:roll::roll::roll:............... ...............:icon_question: .............................


*****

[KoolChris]

Wow! Nice display of fake wit! From the way you sound, you seem like you would know all about such fields. So why not be helpful next time, and drop an (interesting) answer...

[remicks]

*****
...............just keeping it ............"real" .....;) ..........................:lol:



(& the reason you can't hear the music is because of all that excessive fake laughter .....;))

*****

[needlefingers]

Maybe one direction to go is to approach the actor's in the show Taxi.

Tony Danza seems approachable. He has his own talk show (which is probably on hiatus for the summer, but someone has to be working in the office). He also has a ton of fan clubs on line, and many fan club presidents have access to their idols. I looked on-line and there are a lot of ways to try and reach out to him.

Marilu Henner is another one to look at.

This quest to find the name and artist of the song is now a matter of Six Degrees Of Separation. Think about building a chain of someone who knows someone, who knows someone, ......etc.

Reaching out to his fans would be a good start. True fans will take up the quest for you, because they will want to know the answer too. I know I went looking when you posted. I even found other forums where someone named Chris had posted the question before. I'm assuming that is you.

That episode won an Emmy for direction and seems to be very popular. I even remember watching it when it first came on.

But I do have to agree with remicks. I believe it is a fake disco song, unavailable to the public. Still, someone is receiving a residual for it.(ASCAP? BMI?)

And I have been wrong before.

[KoolChris]

I actually had in mind trying that (going for the fan clubs), but as a last resort, thinking it would be hopeless. I tried here first thinking disco fans would obviously be more competent than mere TV show watchers; but you totally make sense, and that will be exactly my next move.
I have posted the same type of question on other forums: a TV series fans forum, and another site; no results on either one.

As for the track being a fake track unavailable to the public, I certainly hope not, and doubt they would go through the trouble of setting up a recording session with paid singer+musicians+technicians just for 2 minutes worth of background noise on 1 episode, keeping in mind at the time, the only foreseeable exposure would be through the first broadcast, and some summer or late- night reruns. No mass VHS or DVD distribution of the series, as the VCR market was about non-existent in 1980. So I still think this was an already existing track, probably chosen by the Jeff Kutash crew, choreographer of that particular scene, and previously quite popular for his work, with his company of dancers, on other pop or disco-related music TV shows, as well as some Las Vegas shows.

As for Remicks' remarks, if they were meant as first degree (as Needlefingers), I take back my answer to his post; I thought he was just being a wiseass. Needlefingers made me wonder, as he seems to have understood it differently. So, no offense made there, I hope. And thanks for your interest and help, Needlefingers.
KoolChris

[needlefingers]

A few other options I was thinking about:

There is a museum in Los Angeles called The Museum of Radio and Television. They have a sister museum here in New York.

They may have an archive or library for public and/or professional use. Since LA is television city, I think they would have notes, and many times actual scripts with hand written notes in them, relating to certain tv shows. You might find information through that route.

And the city or colleges (esp. UCLA, USC, California State University) may have a Performing Arts Library. Check them out.

TV Land - this cable channel puts out a lot of nostalgia type specials with trivia and unknown tidbits and must have a research department. It's parent company is Viacom.

MTM Productions - They are the producers of Taxi. Check to see if they are still in business. They would have to have a Music Supervision or licensing department. If they aren't in business, where did they put or donate their archive?

Some of these avenues may only work with you if you are in the business. You'll have to fiqure an angle for yourself on that one.

As for recording a two minute song for a short scene, it is done all the time. And just for the purpose of not paying a high royalty or license fee. Though we can't hear the song up close, because of the laughter, it can easily be done with one musician with a keyboard, and one vocalist with layovers. And all non-union.

I am constantly bombarded with royalty free music, just so some songwriter or music company can get their foot in the door.

Also, the market for VCR's was available for consumers when this episode came out. The prices started out at about $800 for a cheap one. And they were heavy bulky things. The kind you would find in a college AV program.

Just to add to the topic, there are famous cases of people going back and retaining their copyrights for VHS and DVD releases. One that comes to mind is Peggy Lee and Disney. She wrote the songs for Lady And The Tramp. She was not receiving any residuals on home consumer sales. Disney said her contract contained nothing concerning VHS/DVD release. Peggy argued they had not been invented or developed when she signed the contract. And she won millions.

Please let us know if you do find the song. I would like to see how this ends.

[KoolChris]

Alright, I got good news. I've been contacted by someone who had the answer, and when I made a search with different keywords, it appeared the record was listed on this very site :(http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/6851_0_2_0_C/). So the track is "Do the Boogaloo", by Sammy Burdson & Jean Claude Madonne, under the names of Quango & Sparky. As some have suggested in their replies, the track WAS music library material, but apparently pretty achieved stuff from what I've been able to listen to so far. It was released in 1978 on SONOTON, a german label specializing in music library tracks for TV and films. Needless to say I looked for it, and found a copy on eBay. When I get it, I'll complete the review linked above. Thanks for everyone's help!

[needlefingers]

THANK YOU!

What a fantastic ending. Very "Wizard of Oz": The thing we are looking for the most in our lives, can usually be found right under our nose.

Congratulations.

[needlefingers]

Hey Chris,

I found a video for another song from that album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuE6C...arch=Sonotones

Thanks for persevering on this track. I think you introduced a lot of us to something good.

I'm finding all kinds of stuff about this track now.

[KoolChris]

Hi Needlefingers, I had actually already found the clip. Funny that a video clip was actually made for that track. Well... They really only took footage from the movie (A Girl's Best Friend). For some time, it looked like the mustachioed guy from the Sparks was playing a part, but then I recognized a young and slim(mer) Ron Jeremy, and finally figured out this was merely a sample from the movie.
As I said, I've found the LP and am currently waiting for it in the mail. Another listing for this Lp had samples (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1), in which I recognized the first ("I like what you got"), but I can't remember where or when I heard it; it just totally sounds familiar. Maybe a future thread topic.

[remicks]

*****

Alright, I got good news. I've been contacted by someone who had the answer, and when I made a search with different keywords, it appeared the record was listed on this very site :(!

Congrats KoolChris!

I'm happy your perseverance paid off !!! A hunt like that is a lot of fun.....especially when the game is captured .

By the way ....yes, I was being a total wiseass :roll: ... sometimes it's just irresistable ..... but still I am happy that you succeeded in your quest ....


You may want to get in touch with DJ Jimmy M

http://www.gogetforum.com/discoextra...xtravagan.html



.... he is really big on this disco for porno stuff .....8)



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needlefingers: The thing we are looking for the most in our lives, can usually be found right under our nose.

:sad::sad: mustaches ???
see how hard it is to resist :-P