What Kids are Taught!

[RetroRuss]

My 13 year old daughter came home from school yesterday quite upset! She had a music lesson, where the teacher played certain types of music to describe the style. When it came to Disco the teacher put the Bee Gees on and played Stayin' Alive. My daughter put her hand up and said that was actually 'pop' - she knows that Disco tends to have a 4/4 beat, an interesting bass line, a strong riff and possibly some orchestral accompiament. The teacher then proceeded to say that this track was a 'classic' Disco tune and played at Disco's all over the country (not in the clubs I went to my dear!) - and was quite irate my daughter had challenged her choice of Disco music. Further "but Miss"'s were then prevented with the threat of detention!

In my opinion, saying Stayin' Alive is a good example of Disco music is like saying a Big Mac is a good example of haute cuisine...:icon_twisted: :evil:

Discuss!

[discorecordplayer]

this teacher sounds pretty mean, but dude, Ive always thought of Stayin Alive as a pretty good Disco song.

Never the less, I think its interesting that your daugghter knows about disco music. Do you teach her about it? Thats pretty neat.

[Rachy baby]

My friends brother is studying music and when his teacher came to the subject of disco they spent several classes studying Boney M and Village People and they had to write an essay about either of the groups, he opted to write about Village People.

Also i think it is pretty bad that your daughters teacher didn't applaud your daughters knowledge and let it be discussed a bit more.

[KoolChris]

I would tend to agree with your daughter's teacher. I think "Stayin' alive" qualifies as a type of disco; it was commonly and widely referred to as such when it came out. Pop, on the other hand, is a generic title for music that's popular and mainstream at a given time. Check out pop charts from the '70s, '80s or any other era, and you'll find what is now qualified as rock, indie, new romantic, disco, funk, hard rock (and many other music types).

I also understand she got pissed off after awhile; after all, her duty in that class was to conduct a class, not a debate. On the other hand, it would certainly have been wiser to ask your daughter to prove her point, then invalidate it with her own evidence, or just leave the subject for what it is, eg. something not so easy to define in an absolute way.

As Discorec..., I think it's a good thing your daughter is interested in, or at least, has access to disco and music in general, other than Top 10.

[RetroRuss]

I readily accept that Stayin Alive by The Bee Gees can be considered a Disco track. It was played in thousands of village halls, at weddings, parties etc., up and down the country (UK), as here were 5 lads from Liverpool performing Disco! If a DJ played it in one of the West End clubs BITD he'd be villified and sent to Coventry (literally :lol:). The track was iconically twinned with that scene in Saturday Night Fever, and I guess that is why people associate it so much with the genre. However, as an example, it's a weak track. A better BG's example would have been You Should Be Dancing, which has the 'energy' associated with Disco, and is musically & production wise superior, which my daughter was challenging.

My daughter has every right to challenge her music teacher, indeed any teacher who, to a degree, indoctrinates children. For example if she were taught the world is round I'd definitely expect her to put the teacher right! ;-)

[DISCODISK]

as here were 5 lads from Liverpool performing Disco!

:o hey HEADLAMP dont put this on the scousers they wernt from liverpool, dont you think liverpool gets enough bad press

[RetroRuss]

:o hey HEADLAMP dont put this on the scousers they wernt from liverpool, dont you think liverpool gets enough bad press

Oh gawd you're right - they're from Manchester.....where all those other Disco bands come from...Oasis, New Order, Joy Division, Buzzcocks, 10cc, The Hollies etc. :lol:

[remicks]

*****

Thank gawd for the disco charts ! 8)8)


BILLBOARD'S NATIONAL DISCO ACTION TOP 40
February 11, 1978

1) SUPERNATURE/ GIVE ME LOVE/ LOVE IS HERE - Cerrone (Cotillion LP)
2) LET'S ALL CHANT/ LOVE EXPRESS - Michael Zager Band (Private Stock 12")
3) BIONIC BOOGIE (entire LP) - Bionic Boogie (Polydor LP/12")
4) TWO HOT FOR LOVE - THP Orchestra (Butterfly LP)
5) ONCE UPON A TIME (LP) - Donna Summer (Casablanca LP)
6) STAYIN' ALIVE/ NIGHT FEVER - The Bee Gees (RSO LP)8)8)
7) CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO/ RAINY NIGHT IN RIO - Tuxedo Junction (Butterfly LP)
8. GIMME SOME LOVIN'/ AFRICANISM - Kongas (Crocos LP-Import)
9) LOVE MACHINE/ JOHNNY, JOHNNY, PLEASE COME HOME/ DANCIN' FEVER - Claudja Barry (Salsoul LP)
10) DANCE WITH ME - Peter Brown (Drive LP/12")

Thank gawd for Markydefad 8)8-)
*****

[RetroRuss]

*****

Thank gawd for the disco charts ! 8)8)


7) CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO/ RAINY NIGHT IN RIO - Tuxedo Junction (Butterfly LP)

:o :o :o :o :o :icon_question:

Disco?

[Videoskooter]

What a coïncidence! Today I found that Tuxedo Junction album in mint condition (Vinyl-Butterfly). It's Big Band with a slightly Disco feel I would say.

I also got Mighty Pope's "Sway" album, so I'm a very happy young guy And as icing on the cake: a mint copy of El Coco's "Mondo Disco", Roberta Kelly's "Troublemaker", and many other treats that'll be posted in the main site's vault soon!

"Staying Alive" is cross-over Discopop IMHO.