Disco Deja Vu: Songs Where The Same Backing Track Is Used For Different Recordings

[Disco Funk]

What disco tracks have you come across where the same backing track was used for different artists recording the same song?

Here's what I've stumbled across:

Genie Brown - Can't Stop Talking/Tribe - Koke (the outro to the Genie Brown song was looped and remixed for Koke).

Ultra High Frequency/South Shore Commission - We're On The Right Track (clearly the exact same backing track; the Blue Magic also did a remake, but used a completely new backing track)

Executive Suite/The Ambitions - When The Fuel Runs Out (an obscure philly cut that was first recorded by Executive Suite, and later by The Ambitions on Firefly. Both tracks also had instrumental mixes released either on the flip or on another single)

Dreamlovers/Brothers Guiding Light - Getting Together (I discovered this great philly gem recently by the BGL with David Morris on vocals, and was surprised to hear an alternate version on a CD called Northern Soul of Philadelphia. The CD credits it to BGL on the label, but in the liner notes, indicates that Dreamlovers did a previous version which was then re-recorded with David Morris on lead, so I think that's the alternate on the CD)

Vicki Sue Robinson/Gordon Grody - How About Me (when I realized that both tracks used the exact same backing track, I made my own mashup, so it sounds like they're doing a duet. Some parts don't sync up, so they were slightly edited differently, and one of the two tracks has an instrumental section while the other has more lyrics)

Jesse Green/Santiago - Nice & Slow (they sound verrry similar. I'd go out on a limb and say they did indeed use the same backing track, but edited certain parts, like the drum break, differently)

These loosely qualify:

MFSB/Three Degrees - TSOP (while the original from '73 featured the Three Degrees in the outro singing '...it's time to get down', the TG did their own version with full vocals on the International LP from '75)

Tony Valor Orchestra - various cuts on his Gotta Get It LP are instrumental mixes of tunes he recorded for the Maryann Farra and Touch LPs.

Ronnie Jones/Disco Circus - Soul Sister - the disco circus version is just an instrumental mix of the Ronnie Jones cut.

Reworking:

Commodores - Superman/Temptations - Happy People (if you listen to both tracks, you'll hear that Happy People was created from editing a portion of the Commodores cut as a loop. That's why members of the Commodores get writing credit in the Temp's song)

A total rip-off:

Eddie Drennon/M&O Band - Let's Do The Latin Hustle (you can clearly tell the producer of M&O Band's version completely stole the Latin Hustle music, layered on some extra instruments to try to hide that fact, and added some extra vocals to try to mask the original. A blatant rip-off)

Are there any other disco era tracks where the backing tracks were reused for different artists?

Disco Funk

[RetroRuss]

I think the bass line and general vibe of Ripple - The Beat Goes On and Keith Barrow - Turn Me Up are pretty similar!

[qdearl]

Old San Juan by MFSB is just an instrumental version of At Peace with Woman by the Jones Girls or was MFSB first?

Anyway, when they were both getting radio play, I thought I was going insane, since I'd never hear the radio announcer name the artist I always thought San Juan was just the instrumental version of At Peace with Woman argueing with everyone who told me there was no instrumental of that song:icon_mrgreen:

[the disco kid]

this sort of fits your thread

"No No No My Friend" by Devoshun SMI 12"

is the exact same recording as "No No No My Friend" by Freestyle AVI 12"

I beleive the Devoshun version came out first.

[discodjinn]

So many Patrick Adams/Peter Brown releases fit this bill. One example: "Making Love" by Sammy Gordon and "Hungry" by Sandy's Gang.

[Disco Funk]

I'll have to check out those philly tracks. I didn't realize they were similar. I think I have the Jones Girls stuff on CD.

I forgot about Patrick Adams! I was going to including Ain't No Big Thing, which was done by both Donna McGhee and Personal Touch.

Disco Funk

[qdearl]

I forgot about Patrick Adams! I was going to including Ain't No Big Thing, which was done by both Donna McGhee and Personal Touch.

Disco Funk

....& Rainbow Brown:icon_cool:

[buckaroo]

Slave Watching You and Odyssey Inside Out

[SandraDee]

Old San Juan by MFSB is just an instrumental version of At Peace with Woman by the Jones Girls or was MFSB first?

The Jones Girls vocal version was released slightly earlier than the MFSB version.

[Teddybear]

How about 1983 Slingshot's Do It Again, a Billy Jean medley?

[SandraDee]

How about 1983 Slingshot's Do It Again, a Billy Jean medley?

That reminds me, in a 1983 music mag I have called 'Groove On' it lists sveral dance music charts & one of them is, I kid you not, a 'Billie Jean Top 10' as there were so many copycat records at the time!:icon_mrgreen: Here's the top 10:

1) Valley Style - T.Ski Valley
2) Superstar - Lydia Murdock
3) The Boy Is Hot - Montage
4) Billie Jean - Michael Jackson (of course!)
5) Do It Again - Clubhouse
6) Do It Again - Slingshot
7) LP version of original
8) Valley Style instrumental
9) Do It Again - Brooklyn Express
10) Slingshot Instrumental

[the disco kid]

how about

"Let's Dance" by The Anvil Band which later became "Dance, A Little Bit Closer" by Charo.

not the same backing track, just the same song re-recorded, both versions by Vincent Montana Jr.

The Anvil Band version is Instrumental, except for the very begining were the Sweethearts of Sigma sing "Hustle, Hustle" .

[shives]

Sly Fox Let's go all the way and Boogie Boys Fly girl

[marc0]

It's exctasy when you lay down.... by Barry White and Le spank by Pamplemousse.

ps: If my memory serves me right, I didnt do any searching, just out of my humble drugged-up (legally) memory.

Feel free to correct me, I can take it ;-)

[Marcio**]

Sax solo at the end of Ritchie Family's ''Brazil''. Very similar sax solo appears on the long remix ''Love is the Message'' by MFSB. Probably is the same musician.




:icon_smile:

[Mr.Ree]

using the same track for several songs is quite common now. Father MC's "I'll Do For You" and Cheryl Lynn's "Got to be Real" use the same track. Not coincidentally, Father MC's "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" and Will Smith's "It's All Good" use Chic's "Good Times" (as do countless other rap tunes). Smith also used Sister Sledge's "He's the Greatest Dancer" for one of his songs. Smith also used Patrice Rushen's track "Forget Me Nots" pretty much in its entirety on "Men in Black". Angie Stone lifted Gladys Knight's "Neither One of Us" for "No More Rain". I could go on and on, but I love the way Keith Richards responded when asked his opinion on sampling...."What a load of crap! Come up with your OWN stuff!"

[canadiantire]

• Walking on Sunshine from Rockers Revenge repeats parts of "You're The One For Me" and "Keep-On" from D-Train

• Spank - Jimmy "Bo" Horne's framework was used for Sixty-Nine from Brooklyn Express