How Popular Was Tina Charles?

[markydefad]

Keefe & I were just recently discussing why we were never really aware of Tina Charles during her heyday. I had heard of her, but I didn't really know her music. I know she was from the UK, but was her popularity an East Coast versus West Coast thing, a UK vs. US thing, or wasn't she that popular at all?



I guess I first heard one of her songs in it's entirety on one of those Epic/Columbia compilations and have subsequently found her Greatest Hits on CD.



What was her story?

[Move2This]

Tina Charles was a slightly chubby Greek or half-Greek lady from north London, who achieved considerable chart success in the UK in the mid-late 70s. I would describe her as more of a chart act than a disco act and all her songs were very much on the commercial side of disco. Much of her stuff was produced by Biddu.



She was said at the time to be the UK's answer to Donna Summer, but I don't think she was really in the same league! Her main success was probably between 1975-77, although one or two of her tracks were remixed and reissued in the 80s.



Personally I find most of her stuff of historical interest only, but these are the tracks I remember hitting the charts:



I Love to Love

Dance Little Lady, Dance

Rendezvous

Sweets for my Sweet

Dr. Love

Love Bug

You Set My Heart on Fire



There were probably a few more which I've forgotten.

[markydefad]

Thanks for the info, move2this.



The song that actually inspired the question is "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me". I found this on a compilation by Jimmy James & The Vagabonds originally. Recently, I found Tina's version. Which came first? I'm guessing Tina's cause it's a Biddu song, but need an authority to verify.



Is Tina still around? Is she in the same league as Lulu? How chubby was she? I only see tight shots of her face on the photos used.

[markydefad]

Oh, and one more thing...I read in the Disco 500 list in Mel Cheren's book that Tina sang the lead on "I'm On Fire" by 5000 Volts "Honey now I'm on my way/I'm on fire" (well, the female vocal part, anyway).

[Move2This]

Yep - she did indeed do "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me" though I don't recall whether her version or Jimmy's was first.



You might find these websites helpful - they list all entries in the UK Top 40 for each year:



http://www.martinsmusic.freeserve.co.uk/top40/19xx.htm



Simply replace the xx with the year you want to look at.



I know this sounds kind of cruel, but it's simply fact: Tina just didn't have the figure of a Vogue model - I even heard her described by one commentator as "rather ungainly"! Having said that, she was by no means obese.



She's still around. She turned up recently as a "talking head" on some TV nostalgia show. She may even still be singing for all I know, but her days of stardom seem well and truly over.



She was probably more popular than Lulu in the 70s but, taken as a whole, Lulu's career has lasted longer and been much more successful than Tina's, so I'd say no, they are not in the same league. Tina was basically just someone with the right sound at the right time. She was popular for a few years, and then seemed to fade into obscurity.



Whatever, she seems to have excited a bit of interest with you, Marky! How do you rate her records, and which is your favourite?



You are absolutely right about her standing in on the 5000 volts single "I'm On Fire". Ostensibly the lead singer for this group was Linda Kelly, but it soon seemed to be public knowledge that it was Tina on I'm On Fire. 5000 Volts had one further hit "Doctor Kiss Kiss" which I believe actually was sung by Linda Kelly!

[markydefad]

Hi move2this,



Well, my interest in Tina Charles may be proportionate to the fact that it's a pretty slow news week around here!



The Tina thing was just a curiosity because I don't ever remember hearing her songs anywhere--radio or club (at least that I was aware of). Also, because she is featured so prominently on some Epic or Columbia Club Classics compilations, I just wondered if she was indeed a big deal or just a footnote.



I kinda like Tina's "I Love To Love" and "Dance Little Lady Dance" as cheesy disco artifacts. "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me" is the best of the lot, although I am partial to the Jimmy James version, which I recently found on a Casablanca 12 inch ( must have been a U.S. rerelease?)



_________________

Make My Feet Wanna Dance!

Markydefad

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: markydefad on 2001-12-18 17:46 ]</font>

[Move2This]

I was never aware of any of Tina's stuff being on 12" (save the 80s remixes), though maybe some were. She got a lot of radio play over here in her day though I suspect her music was not generally rated by serious disco fans - most of her output was, as you say, a little on the cheesy side!



Incidentally I once met a taxi driver who used to know Tina, and he had some very amusing stories to tell of her rise to fame! I hesitate to repeat them on a public forum ....



This whole discussion made me think of other UK artistes in the same vein - and two that come to mind are The Nolans, and Liquid Gold. Their most popular tracks, respectively, were "I'm in the Mood for Dancing" (1979) and "Dance Yourself Dizzy" (1980).

[markydefad]

Maybe I wasn't clear, I found the Jimmy James version of "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me" on the Casablanca 12", not Tina's.



I found a Tina LP, though. She was sort of a little "meeskyte" wasn't she?



C'mon, this is no time to exhibit good taste and NOT tell some Tina Tales! Spill your guts! I told my Tony Perkins story here (although I did leave out a few details).



Ah well...I'll leave it to your discretion whether to dish Tina or not to dish Tina.



I don't know The Nolans but I've got some Liquid Gold stuff.

[Mixmachine]

I guess to each his own, but “I love to Love” (12”- 6:06-CBS ‘76) and “You set my heart on fire” (12” 7:08 CBS’75) are classic disco tunes in my book, I have 12” original versions (I just gave them a good wash and spin), I remember this cuts used to pack floors, as I remember people used to do different dances to Tina’s songs, some danced really close and dirty others “Hustle” yet others did the “Bus Stop” kind of like Travolta on SNF, ILTL was played in Sleaze/morning music sets into the mid 80’s.

In the 70’s this music was strictly club music (in my area) no radio play (the way we liked it) and the Biddu sound was popular with the early Disco heads and DJ’s, besides a lot of Disco music at the time had a similar sound, sure it may sound a bit dated and cheesy now but at the time it was fresh and different, “Dance little lady” is nice too but never was as popular as the other two, and Tina’s “I go where the music takes me” can’t compare to Jimmie James’s version.

[paul]

Hey Mixmachine. I haven't seen anyone mention the Bus Stop in over 20 years. I always liked the dance but I never quite got it right. Did you know how to do it? Didn't the Fatback Band have a song based on that dance?

[originalbigm]

Speaking Of Jimmie James one of my alltime favourite cuts was his kick ass funky "I Am Somebody".I concur with Mixmachine assessment .She was popular in the clubs here in Toronto in the mid 70's.

[Boodikka]

I believe Liquid Gold's Ellie Hope to be a really great singer, so I find the comparision to Tina Charles a bit unfair. Tina Charles always sounded a bit wispy, while Ellie Hope sounded great on Liquid Gold tracks such as "My Baby's Baby", "Substitute" and even dross like "Secret Love".

[Bernie]

Initially, I wasn't going to reply to this thread, but after reading some of the lukewarm replies I just had to. Tina Charles is actually very good. Must be me, but she has a nice voice and her songs, produced by Biddu, are a guilty pleasure of mine and so catchy and full of fun. The first time I heard one of her songs, I couldn't stop and had to hunt down her elusive 12" singles and albums.



Posting only words here won't do justice to Tina and her music so to give some of those who aren't familiar with her music a chance to hear them, I will feature many of her songs Post your responses to her music here on the boards and let me know what everyone thinks. I hope to change a few minds



Merry Christmas!



_________________

Defender of the Disco beat,



Bernard Lopez



================================



owner & publisher of http://www.discomusic.com



================================

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Bernie on 2002-03-30 22:25 ]</font>

[markydefad]

Bernie,



You did say "guilty pleasure", right? That's the way I feel. I like her stuff, too...but she ain't Donna Summer.



She's got that radio disco sound from 1975. That's why I'm surprised she wasn't played on the radio here in the U.S. (at least not in San Francisco).

[paul]

Ok. I didn't respond to the Tina talk in my previous post because quite frankly I really thought her music was verrrry average in my opinion. If it disappeared tomorrow I wouldn't miss it.

[originalbigm]

Have to agree with you Bernie.I always found her sound and voice soothing.And while were on the topic of her music.I was going through my collection and came across a 12" release from 1987 of You Set My Heart On Fire by Evans & Fisher on the Boulevard Label which was a local label here in Canada.However under the names it says"Original Disco Magic Italy Recording".Anybody shed some light on this as it is quite a commendable cover of the original.Looking forward to hearing her this week Bernie.

[Bernie]

Alright boys and girls: the Tina Charles radio show I promised earlier in this thread is now up at the DanceGroove Radio page. It's accessible through the menu at the top of any page or from the direct link below



http://www.discomusic.com/dgr/index.html



It will only run through Sat. Dec 29. Take a listen and post your opinions here in the forums.



Merry Christmas!

[Mixmachine]

That was great Bernie! I had forgotten all about “Fire down below”, by the way you cued another track (Take all of me?) instead of “You set my heart on Fire” which is my second favorite after “I love to love” maybe you can add it for those that never heard it, anyways I will always have pleasant Disco memories when listening to Tina.



PS which one is Ciro Llerena's mix, he's an old friend I haven't seen for years.

[Move2This]

Bernie - I've just listened to the Tina Charles stuff you put together on Dance Groove Radio, and it was a most interesting experience. I have to admit that the 12" versions you featured generally sound a lot better than the radio mixes I remembered from the time.



I haven't substantially revised my personal opinion of her voice or material (be a dull world if we all liked the same thing) but listening to these tracks again lead me to consider the "cheesy" image she undoubtedly had in the UK. I believe she has suffered in this respect along with a number of other British pop and disco artists I can think of e.g. Liquid Gold, Linda Lewis, Lynsey de Paul, Blonde on Blonde, Samantha Fox - all of whom I've found to have loyal fans in other countries, but less so in their home country. It's interesting to note that it's only female artists who seem to have suffered in this way. For example, Biddu himself, who produced most of Tina Charles' output, seemed to have a far more serious and credible image, so there was probably some good old-fashioned sexism coming into play.



Much of the problem stemmed from the way in which these artists were promoted in the UK, and also in the salacious interest the tabloid press often showed in their private lives, so that they tended to be remembered more for some tacky "kiss'n'tell" tabloid expose than for their music! Of course it is hard to ascertain so many years later whether they were willing or unwilling

participants in these media charades .... though in many cases they made a lot of money out of them!



The way these artists were promoted seemed to suggest that, at best, they were "a bit of fun" and definitely not to be taken seriously. In other countries, the full impact of this style of promotion would not have been felt, and the tabloid excesses not heard about, so they could stand or fall on their music alone.



So, thanks again for putting this collection together, and I hope others found it as interesting as I did.

[Boodikka]

Hi Move, I'm a big Ellie Hope/Liquid Gold fan, and here in the US they essentially just appeared out of the blue with "My Baby's Baby". How were they publicized in the UK back then, and how are they percieved now?

[Move2This]

Liquid Gold's big hit in the UK was "Dance Yourself Dizzy" (1980). Apart from the silly title and, I have to say, rather silly lyrics, it's a very danceable number and reached No 2 in the charts. They had a couple of less successful follow-ups that same year (not the track you mention) and, apart from the odd cabaret performance that was, as far as I know, the end of their career, though I did hear a house-style remake of "Dizzy" a year or so back in a bar - wonder who did that!



I would say Ellie Hope, good singer that she may have been, suffered from the same image problem I described above with Tina Charles - and I honestly doubt her records were much in demand at the more trendy discos of the day which, by 1980, were largely concentrating on the new HiNRG sounds from Canada and Europe. The group were presented as disposable pop - here today, gone tomorrow. It seems in those days pretty girl + catchy record seemed to equal zero credibility in the eyes of music promoters here. Maybe they'd have all made a lot more money if they'd done things differently - who knows!



It's been my experience that if you mention Liquid Gold to most people in the UK now, the few who remember them will simply laugh - though not always TOO unkindly!!

[Boodikka]

Interesting stuff, Move. "My Baby's Baby" was a massive hit here, released at the height of the "disco fad" period, the summer of 1979. It had heavy radio rotation, and I believe it made it on to the Billboard Top 100 at one point. "Substitute" also did well the next year.

Ellie Hope was known here because I think her sister was in Babe Ruth (the original "The Mexican").

On the "disco oldies" formats, "My Baby's Baby" remains a staple here. Liquid Gold is not considered silly, unlike disco "acts" such as Rosebud, M, Disco Tex, Rick Dees, etc.

[discodjinn]

The topic of Tina Charles' 12" releases must have stuck with me. Over the past weekend I braved a nasty snowstorm to drive to a nearby town where there is a flea market vendor with a bunch of singles for sale. One that I spotted was the 12" of Charles' "I'll Go Where Your Music Takes Me." I have to admit, I'm with the people who are not impressed.



Actually, I found a few goodies this time out but also came back with some I'n not so fond of. Not to my taste are C.J. and Co's "Deadeye Dick"/"Burning Drums of Fire," Front Page's "Love Insurance," Macho's "I'm A Man" (too many BPM for me), and (gasp) Rinder and Lewis' "Lust."



Among the lp's I brought home, I disliked Constellation Orchestra's and Lipstique's. Ultimate, Lemon, and Peter Jacques Band (Fire Night) each had one song to my taste. I picked up Costandino's Hunchback because I had never heard it, even though his balletic style doesn't really appeal to me. Also found BB&Q's first album, good for the longer versions of the two singles. At least I had fun on a snowy Sunday evening sorting these from the keepers on my old turntable!

[markydefad]

Wow, You didn't like "Love Insurance"? A great record, IMHO.



I'll agree with you on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"--I thought that sucked big time.

[discodjinn]

"Love Insurance"



I guess I should be more clear. I'm in the midst of collecting my favorite 75 disco songs to burn onto CD's. I'm also including anthologies of essential acts, like Sylvester, Linda Clifford, Inner Life, First Choice, Grace Jones, Chic, etc. I want the essence of "disco" (however that might defined, and I wouldn't venture to do it in words). "Love Insurance" seems more akin to the music of the 80's-- the vocal stylings, the message, the arrangement. I was reminded of Miquel Brown's "Symphony of Love" when I listened to it. Both seemed to anticipate one direction dance music would take after Middle America decided "disco sucked." The whole thing is a nostalgic project. This probably isn't making any sense-- maybe it's too ineffable to convey... But at any rate, "LI" didn't fit the conception for my project.