Your top "disco" songs from 1980 to 1983

[Leanmean]

Yes, yes - I know! I think disco officially ended with 1979.

On the other hand, some of you have managed to convince me that some "disco-like" songs came out in the clubs after that. For instance Kelly Marie's "Feels Like I'm In Love" and the Strikers' "Body Music." (Dee somebody also.)

If you get the drift of the beat and pace of those songs, please list your top songs of similar ilk for the years 1980 through 1983. If you can, please write the year beside it.

I have bought a few songs I had forgotten about thanks to you folks mentioning them and the former music bytes on this site so I could hear if I knew them or not! I'd like to get more if only I knew what they were. Please fill in my blanks.

ps: No Laid Back "White Horse" - wrong year, too slow!

[SandraDee]

Gosh, there are so many I like from the early 80's but among the most 'disco' ones I like are:
'Hit & Run Lover' - Carol Jiani (1981)
'Cruisin The Streets' - Boystown Gang (81)
'Youre too Late' - Fantasy (81)
'Hupendi Muziki Wangu' - K.I.D. (81)
'Keep On Movin' - Deodato (82)
'Beat The street' - Sharon Redd (82)
'Love sensation' - Lolleatta Holloway (80)
'Taste of Bitter love' - Gladys Knight & the pips (80)
'Passion' - The Flirts (82)
'Im a Wonderful Thing Baby' - Kid Creole &
the Coconuts (82)
'Candidate For Love' - T.S.Monk (81)
'Time Out For Love' - Salsoul Orchestra/ Jocelyn Brown (82)
'Cherry Tree' - Cerrone (81)
'Dancin The Night Away' - Voggue (81)
'Lovers Holiday' - Change (80)

Where does one stop; disco didn't end in 1979 in my life!!!

[K-Bee]

Leanman - this subject is waaayyyy to big!

so I'll just mention a few of my favorites

SOS Band - High Hopes (1982)
Midnight Star - Wet My Whistle (1983)
Leon Haywood - Secret Rendezvous (1983)
Klique - Try It Out (1983)
Finis Henderson - Skip to my Loot (1983)
Evelyn Champagne King - I'm In Love (1981)
Quincy Jones - The Dude (1981)

And don't forget most of the stuff on Solar, Prelude & West End

This could very well be the never ending thread. More will follow.....

BTW, what's wrong with laid back

[DJ-Pir]

Maybe the beginning of the 80's was indeed the fade-out of disco, but certainly filled with a lot of nice music like:

Raw Silk - Just in time ('83 Westend)
Rags & Riches - El watusi-La Bamba ('83 Casablanca)
Melba Moore - Love's comin' at ya ('82 Capitol)
LTD - Kickin' back ('81 A&M )
Mahogany - Ride on the rhythm ('82 Westend)
Cheryl Lynn - Shake it up tonight ('81 CBS)
Bobby King - Midnight shine ('83 Motown)
Harlow - Take off ('80 CBS)
Elbow Bones & the Racketeers - A night in New york ('83 EMI)
Patrick Cowley & Sylvester - Dou you wanna funk ? ('82 Megatone)

Just a few tracks i pulled out of the rack but this could be a list six feet long given enough time :lol:

P.S.
Disco won't be over untill we've all forgotten how much fun it was.

[NickNack]

Here's just a few but to give you a good list could take a while. :)

Sharon Redd --- Can You Handle It (80); Love How You Feel (83); In the Name of Love 8) (82)
France Joli --- The Heart to Break the Heart (80)
Odyssey --- Hang Together (80); Don't Tell Me, Tell Her (80); Use It Up, Wear It Out (80); Inside Out (82)
Pointer Sisters --- We Got the Power (80); Slow Hand (81); Someday We'll Be Together 8) (81)
Loleatta Holloway --- Love Sensation (80)
Company B --- Fascinated 8) 8) (86); Perfect Lover (86)
(I know you said '83, but Fascinated is such a great piece of dance music produced by Ish (Ledsema) of Foxy fame.)

Oh, Leanmean, I need more time girlfriend. :lol: Too many records to think about.

[Robbie]

Here are some of my favorites:

"A Lover's Holiday"/"The Glow Of Love"-Change (1980)
"I Need You" by Sylvester (1980)
"I'll Do Anything For You" by Denroy Morgan (1981)
"Paradise"-Change (1981)
"Forget Me Nots"-Patrice Rushen (1982)
"I've Got The Feeling"/"Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven"-Two Tons O' Fun (1980)
"Call Me" by Skyy (1981)
"One More Shot" by C-Bank (1982)
"Infatuation" by Upfront (1983)

[Marcio**]

" Let's Get Started " by Voyage, 1982, a worderful disco after the golden age.


.

[Sierra-Leone]

Well, 80's mean the end for disco and other good music at all. But we are happy that some exceptions exist.

Lipps, inc. - Designer music (81)
Ottawan - any song of 80's album, for example D.I.S.C.O., You're OK
Ottawan - any song of 81's album, for example Hands up
Chilly - Play me a classic simphony(82)
Patrick Cowley - both complete albums (81)(82)
Arabesque - Keep the wolf from the door (81)
Chilly - We are the pop kings in town (80)
Boney M - Felicidad (80)
Aneka - Ooh shooby doo doo lang (81)
Kelly Marie - Loving just for fun (81)
Maywood - Late at night (80)
Neoton family - Marathon (81)
Boney M - Silly confusion (81)
Cerrone - You are the one (80)
Cerrone - Trippin' on the moon (82)
Bisquitte - Zoo zoo (82)
Trans X - Living on video (83)
Gilla - Tom cat (80)
Dschinghis Khan - Alladin (81)
Arabesque - Make love whenever you can (81)

[HustleBaby]

My picks are:

1.Inside Out/Don't Tell Me Tell Her - Odyssey
2.Ai No Corrida/Razzamatazz - Quincy Jones
3.The Glow of Love/Paradise/Hold Tight - Change
4.Hit N' Run Lover - Carol Jiani
5.Dancin' The Night Away - Voggue
6.Cool - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
7.Encore - Cheryl Lynn
8.Do It To The Music - Raw Silk
9.Can You Handle It/Beat The Street - Sharon Redd
10.Steve Harrington
11.I Need You/Do Ya Wanna Funk - Sylvester
12.Love Sensation - Loleatta Holloway
and some others...

*DELIGHTFUL*

[discosavvy]

This thing about disco music finishing at the end of 1979 is a falsehood. Does a lie, repeated enough times, somehow become a truth? Disco was an early '80s thing for me (specifically 1981-1984) as I was too young in the '70s. I remember when "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" by the Commodores and "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross were new songs, and pure disco at that, though I didn't know what they were called at the time. I also uncovered facts like how an International Disco Forum was still held in 1980, a few new discos like The Saint opened in 1980, some dance singles and dance mixes were still labeled "Disco Single" in 1980, and "disco" was still referenced in some movies in a positive way until approx August 1980 (last example I could find: "Prom Night").

I'm glad this topic came out because I have a question - were the last pure disco songs of the 1980s really released in 1983 or is there even one example after that year? According to what I've heard, the last 3 "pure" disco songs came out in 1983 and were:
* Queen Samantha - "Summer Dream" (rel. by Megatone)
* Stereo Fun, Inc. - "Got You Where I Want You Babe" (the speed is Hi-NRG, but the instrumentation is disco) (rel. by MobyDick & Ramshorn)
* Technique - "Can We Try Again?" (drowned out a little by '80s production techniques but it's still using violins and trumpets) (rel. by Arial)
Is that really all there was that year? The Commodores had a discoesque song with violins called "Turn Off the Lights" but I haven't heard the whole song. Aside from that, I have no idea what "Step On Out" and "Living Up to Love" by USA-European Connection sound like (produced by Boris Midney), nor the "B-Project" song by Pink Project, also 1983.

My favorites, among those which don't have an electronic backing:
1980 Average White Band -Let's Go 'Round Again
1980 Bobby Thurston -Check Out the Groove
1980 Bobby Thurston -You Got What It Takes
1980 Brothers Johnson -Stomp ***
1980 Diana Ross -I'm Coming Out ***
1980 Dynasty -I've Just Begun to Love You
1980 Gayle Adams -Stretchin' Out
1980 George Benson -Give Me the Night ***
1980 George Benson -Love X Love
1980 McFadden and Whitehead -I Heard It In A Love Song
1980 Mtume -So You Wanna Be A Star *** This one especially!!
1980 Ramona Brooks -I Don't Want You Back ***
1980 Shalamar -Make That Move
1980 Sheila and B. Devotion -Your Love Is Good
1980 S.O.S. Band -Take Your Time (Do It Right) ***
1980 Stephanie Mills -Never Knew Love Like This Before ***
1980 Teena Marie -I Need Your Lovin' ***
1981 Brothers Johnson -The Real Thing ***
1981 Cheryl Lynn -Shake It Up Tonight ***
1981 The Commodores -Lady (You Bring Me Up) ***
1981 France Joli -Gonna Get Over You
1981 K.I.D. -Hupendi Muziki Wangu?! (You Don't Like My Music)
1981 Luther Vandross -Sugar and Spice (I Found Me A Girl)
1981 Quincy Jones featuring Charles May -Ai No Corrida
1982 Salsoul Orchestra -Take Some Time Out (For Love)
1982 Shalamar -I Can Make You Feel Good - last song before Shalamar ditched violins -- I'm glad Solar Records kept disco alive so long

How come people let disco enemies determine when disco "died"? Speak up and defend the truth! At least the "Disco Box" compilation ends in 1984.

Jussi and Alan's book "Saturday Night Forever" declare Boys Town Gang's late-1981 record, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You/Disco Kicks", as "the last great disco record because very few after it used an orchestral backing". (1st ed., page 111).

Note to Steely Dan: "Cherry Tree" by Cerrone came out in 1980, not 1981.

Note to Leanman: I'm glad you found those licensed sound clips on the web that I provided you to be useful. Unfortunately there are still some '80s disco obscurities I can't find any trace of on the web.

[QUINNY]

So Orchestral backing means Disco.......NOT!!!
Personally, I think you just have to go with the overall feel of a record and having lived through it, I'd say to myself something on the lines of "say this was released in '78 or '79, would it have made people move and been a hit in the clubs?" O.K., if you'd been going to a club that played nothing more than Euro Disco then maybe you'd have a problem after 1980, but if you frequented a club with a more enlightened playlist, then good Disco records were still being released in the mid-late '80s and still are today. Even the electro beats of the early '80s sounded incredibly good and were way too infectious and danceable to dismiss as non Disco. Prelude and Solar were the two big mainstream labels that paved the way (e.g. Electric Funk - I Sing The Funk Electric, Shalamar - Right In The Socket remix) with records that lit up the dance floor. Disco is a state of mind. It only stopped for me in '87 'cos I stopped being a DJ then, not because of any huge musical problem.

Here's just a few to think about, that I would be only too happy to play, at any time:
Revelation - Feel It 1981
Rose Royce - R R Express 1981 (pure uptempo funky disco)
Sheila E - The Glamourous Life 1983? (there's some strings in there somewhere)
Hot Streak - Bodywork 1983? (not an orchestra in sight but pure disco)
Nick Straker - Straight Ahead 1982?
Electric Mind - Pick Me Up 1982? (forget the band's name, this was absolutely brilliant)
Jimmy Young - Times Are Tight (instr'l) 1983
Blue Rondo A La Turk - Me And Mr. Sanchez 1982?
Arrow - Hot, Hot, Hot 1984 (O.K. this was Soca, but wouldn't it have had everyone rockin' in '79?)
David Grant - Stop and Go 1981? (such a powerful track)
Aretha Franklin - Freeway of Love 1984 (happy, happy dance music at its best?)
Any Go Go track from '84/85 (see recent thread about Go Go). These were generally more downtempo tracks BUT they had real horns and mostly real drums. Infectious as hell and ultra danceable. I'd call 'em disco (but you'd probably call them that maybe with a small d).

That's enough for now. Sorry details are sketchy, but my memory is really bad at times.

[Bernie]

This thing about disco music finishing at the end of 1979 is a falsehood. Does a lie, repeated enough times, somehow become a truth?

DiscoSavvy,

Thank you for sharing my sentiments. It boggles the mind when I hear Disco fans fall for the main stream press' assertion that Disco ended in 1979. It did NOT.

Since the 1950s Rock music has changed dramatically, but it's still called Rock music. Bill Hailey and the Comets is nothing like Nirvana, but they are both Rock??? Why should it be different for Disco. Because a song no longer features strings it shouldn't be called Disco?

Disco has evolved over time just as Rock has. Whether its Techno, House or just plain Dance as some call it, it's still all Disco to me.

[martinus]

Some of my early eighties favourites:

-High Fashion: Feelin lucky/Winner of my heart
-Gayle Adams: Your love is a life saver(album version)
-Peter Jacques Band: Mighty fine
-France Joli: Gonna get over you
-Mona Rae: Do me
-Gino Soccio: Try it out
-Surface: Falling in love
-Three Million: I've got the hots for you
-Carol Jiani: Hit'n run lover
-Vaughan Mason & Crew: Roller skate
-Barbara Roy & E.P.P.: If you want me
-Dells: All about the papers
-Northend: Tee's happy/Happy days
-Pure Energy: Party on
-Change: Glow of love and Miracles complete albums
-BBQ Band: On the beat/Time for love
-Kasso: The Walkman/One more round/Kasso
-Sharon Redd: Beat the street instrumental
-Lime I and Lime II

[paul]

Hey Lean. As many others have mentioned, there were many songs in the early to mid 80s that would suit your taste. Here are a few I remember. "Use Your Body And Soul" Crown Heights Affair, "Rock The Casbah" The Clash and "Searching" by Change are just a few off the top of my head.
Forgive me for being off topic here but can you folks help me. For too many years I've been butchering some of the lyrics to "Down To Love Town" by the Originals. The lyrics I need help with are:
I'm gonna dust off my ...?
Find someone to help me lose the blues.

[markydefad]

Paul,

I asked this exact same question a while back....

The answer is "I'm gonna dust off my HAPPY SHOES"

I could never figure that one out either. :roll:

[paul]

Paul,

I asked this exact same question a while back....

The answer is "I'm gonna dust off my HAPPY SHOES"

I could never figure that one out either. :roll:

Thanks Marky. I must have missed your post on this. So does it go:
"I'm gonna dust off my, dust off my happy shoes."

[markydefad]

Hmmmm....now I'm not sure. :roll:

Is it "I'm gonna dust off my heart and my happy shoes"?

I have to hear it.

[nrgbeat]

Now if we could only figure out the lyrics to "Remember" by Vivian Vee. :roll:

[NickNack]

Thanks to DISCOSAVVY, QUINNY and BERNIE. Couldn't agree more. Geez, where is Maarten when I need him? The industry may have killed the 'disco label' but the music is still around. Changed? Very much so, but still here.

If disco died in 1980, what the hell have I been playing since then? Better yet, do I care what everyone wants to call it? As long as it makes me/them dance.

Hey Leanmean: Natalie Cole -- "Pink Cadillac", 1988. That'll get your buns movin' :lol: . Disco? You tell me. :-?

[QUINNY]

One ESSENTIAL record that I left off my initial list (I was actually humming this while I typed and then forgot....Duh!!).
T Life - Something That You Do To Me 1981 Never gets a mention anywhere, but this is quintessential Disco. The only thing that spoils it (with an infinitesimally small s) is what sounds like a badly executed edit at one point, but don't let that put you off. Track this down, you won't be disappointed.

[K-Bee]

Pink Cadillac is disco disguised as house music. but only the remix version. it has that classic house bassline that all the chicago stuff use to have (jessie Saunders, mr Fingers a.o.) The one on the album is just boring popmusic.

I Finally had some time to compile a more in-depth list of classic 80-83 tracks:

Part One (A - L)

Carl Anderson - Buttercup (1982)
Ashford & Simpson - It's Much Deeper (1983)
Wally Badarou - Chief Inspector (1983)
George Benson - never Give Up On A Good Thing (1983)
Brothers Johnson - You make Me Wanna Wiggle (1980)
Brothers Johnson - Dancin' Free (1981)
The Crusaders - Night Moves (1983)
Tom Browne - Brighter Tomorrow (1983)
Deco - Freas Idea (1983)
Debarge - Stop Don't Tease me (1982)
George Duke - Shine On (1982) & Reach Out (1983)
Deodato - Happy Hour & keep In In The Family (1982)
Dynasty - I Just Begun To Love You (1980)
Aretha Franklin - Get It Right (1983)
Freez - Southern Freez (1981 (I think)
Johnny Gill - Super Love (1983)
Gwen Guthrie - It Should Have been You (1982)
Curtis Hairston - I Want You All Tonight (1983)
Steve Harvey - Something Special (1983)
Leon Haywood - TV Mama (1983)
Jennifer Holiday - Shine A Light (1983)
James Ingram - Party Animal (1983)
Howard Johnson - So Fine (1982)
Jones Girls - Nights Over Egypt
Glenn Jones - Everybody loves A Winner (1982)
Kashif - Rumours (1983)
Chaka Khan - Best In The West (1982)
Lew Kirton - Talk To me (1983)
L.T.D. - Kickin' Back (1981)
Locksmith - Far beyond (1980)

Doubtless, I forgot a whole lot :oops:
Part 2 will follow soon (hopefully) 8) :-?

[sammyperez]

This topic is close to my heart because I love the music from this era so much. The last Dance Groove Radio show on this site was mixed by me and it was called 'The College Years '80-'84'. By the way, you can check out this mix, if interested, @ www.gottahavehouse.com in their music vault under guest DJ's. The playlist was as follows:

Track 1:

Rock your world - Weeks & Co. ('81)
It should have been you - Gwen Guthrie ('81)
Watch out - Brandi Wells ('81)
You and me just started - Linda Taylor ('82)
Love is gonna be on your side - Firefly ('80)
I hear music in the streets - Unlimited Touch ('80)
This beat is mine - Vicky D ('81)
Another man - Barbara Mason ('83)
So fine - Howard Johnson ('82)
Keep on - D Train ('81)
The Glow of love - Change ('80)

Track 2:

I want to thank you - Alicia Myers ('83)
You used to hold me - Thelma Houston ('84)
Starchild - Level 42 ('81)
Love has come around - Donald Byrd ('81)
Keep in touch body to body - The Shades of love ('82)
You can't hide your love - David Joseph ('83)
You ain't really down - Status IV ('84)
Aahh dance - Fine Quality featuring Cuz ('81)
Body music - The Strikers ('81)

There are so many others I would consider favorites before some of these, such as:

Let's do it - Convertion
Rock Shock - B.B.C.S.&A.
You're the one for me - D Train
Beat the Street - Sharon Redd
Walking in Sunshine - Central Line

Among many others. What a great era in dance music! Thanks for bringing up this topic. If anyone decides to listen to the mix, your feedback is welcome.

Easy,

Sam "ALL JAM"

[jazz_pilgrim]

I think that there was a hell of a lot of good disco/dance music in this era.

As can be seen from the strong lists that have been posted - especially Sammy, Quinny and K-Bee. Quinny - I don't think that RR-Express record gets mentioned enough - it is a truly wonderful record!

As far as I can recall, the soul/funk scene in London was as strong as ever during this period. In fact some real anthems came out of these years ... well into 1985/6

Warning: I am not very good on dates:

Some examples on the London scene and others I recall:
Rose Royce - Magic Touch (85)
Fatback Band - I Found Lovin' - truly massive
Carl Anderson - Buttercup (84)
Arnie's Love - She's Out Of My Life (85) nice and sophisticated
Royalle Delight - Freak For You (85) - ditto
Krystol - After The Dance (84)
Gary's Gang - Knock Me Out (83) - disco stormer
Chilites - Stop What You're Doing (83-ish) - ditto
Unique - What I Got Is What You Need (84) on Prelude - massive!
Passion - Don't Stop My Love - more Prelude
Matsubara - SOS (84) - jazz fusion MONSTER - really meaty beat to this one with Ken Matsubara's guitar over the top. Classy!
Oneness Of Juju - Every Which Way But Loose (82)
(they are in concert in London tomorrow night!)


...and what about Harlequin Four's Set It Off right up in 87/88??. Another record that was pure disco/funk and seemed to come out of every bass bin in London at the time! Massive!

And as for Sammy's disco mixes - I have had the pleasure of listening to them on CD over the past 3 months and I can only say that the mixes are BRILLIANT! Love them to bits! Some really great tunes in there! Cheers, buddy!

Leanmean: you might want to check out JazzFM radio on JazzFM.com at 5pm - 8pm tomorrow (Saturday) - Noon - 3 pm Eastern time as Tony Blackburn will be presenting a soul show and he will be playing, for sure, a lot of disco/dance music from 1981 - 1985.

[QUINNY]

Jazz: If I had my way, I'd make anyone who reckons that Disco died in '79 listen to records like RR Express and then ask 'em again (if I could stop them from dancing and wipe the wide grin off of their face for just a few seconds) if they still felt the same way. Such joyous, infectious records are truly wonderful as are many of the others mentioned in this thread. I always liked to think that Disco 'came of age' in the early '80s, rather than died.
Two other, less than overplayed (in the UK at least), commercial goodies to mention:
Collage - Romeo Where's Juliet - 1985 a monster in the US, but fairly unknown in the UK
Taffy - I Love My Radio - 1985 Ditto above, and this is true slightly cheesy disco.

Hell, there's loads more if you like dancing to less uptempo/funkier stuff. 105 - 120 BPM was very much the order of the day, rather than 120 - 140.

[SandraDee]

I hear you guyz when you say disco didn't die in '79. I totally agree; it just sub-divided into different categories such as jazz-funk, hi-energy, latin hip-hop, soul, house, garage, ambient, techno, acid-jazz, etc.etc.etc. I do, however, think that a particular classic type of disco music did die around 1980/81. This is when the technology seemed to change & everyting became more stripped-down & electronic on the whole.

I, like you lot, love that stuff like Arnie's Love, Revelation, Elektrik Funk, Wally Badarou & Carl Anderson but I don't see this as 'classic' disco. That to me is Love & Kisses, Silver Convention, Bionic Boogie, Musique & T-Connection. Call me old-fashioned but that is IMO 'disco'. I'm not saying it's any better or worse than the later stuff, just that the music changed dramatically in sound at the beginning of the 80's & I feel it's important to make that distinction. But yes, I so agree with you guyz that if it makes you move & floats your boat then its good music whatever the categorization!