Soul or disco?

[discodjinn]

I hit my local flea market last weekend and came away with about 130 records. As I was sorting through them with the battered old turntable from my attic, I was transported by several into another era. "Discomance" by The Wright Combination; "Weekend" by Mick Jackson; "Computer Game" by Yellow Magic Orchestra; "Hot Buttered Boogie" by Tasha Thomas; "One Number One" by Gloria Gaynor; "There's No Me Without You" by Len Boone; "Mission To Venus" by Silver Convention.



I didn't know the titles of the songs when they came out in 1978 and 79, but I was flooded with memories of those very rare nights when, at age 16 and 17, I'd get the family car for the long enough to speed across the PA border at Port Jervis to go to NY. Back then the NY drinking age was 18; the anxiety was whether we could pass as a year or two older without getting carded.



The delirium of dancing overshadowed the fact that I didn't like bubblegum songs. What's funny is that all these years later I recognize tunes I never owned or knew anything about. Serious imprinting during ecstatic moments, I guess.



Anyway, to get off the nostalgia trip and on to the question: among the records I just bought were some that seem like soul acts releasing a disco-inflected single. Five Special's "Why Leave Us Alone"; Luther Rabb's "Make A Little Move"; and Hott City's "I Took His Money" were all released in 1979. I really like these recordings-- they have the R&B feel I'm attracted to. Can anyone say if these were primarily soul or disco artists?

[Fantomas]

The answer depends on you. There's no such thing as "Disco" music. Basically any song you could dance to and was played in a dance bar (Discotheque) was called "Disco" music.

In the early 70's (before '76) a lot of these songs were underground; you could only listen to this sound if you went to a club. Most early "Disco" music was Funk/Soul. In time, other "types" of music made it into the "Disco" category: Jazz, Funk-Jazz, Pop, Euro-Pop, Latin-Pop, etc.

[discodjinn]

I agree that labels can be pretty arbitrary. What I was really after was a way to refine a search for more music by these artists. I hadn't heard these records before and am interested in learning more about the acts. I haven't been able to find listings of any of these and wondered if maybe I was looking in the wrong places.

[Giovanni]

I dislike categories too, but Five Special and Luther Raab could be considered soul-funk acts (or maybe funky-disco), while Hott City are definitely Disco

[paul]

On 2002-01-24 12:39, discodjinn wrote:

I hit my local flea market last weekend and came away with about 130 records. As I was sorting through them with the battered old turntable from my attic, I was transported by several into another era. "Discomance" by The Wright Combination; "Weekend" by Mick Jackson; "Computer Game" by Yellow Magic Orchestra; "Hot Buttered Boogie" by Tasha Thomas; "One Number One" by Gloria Gaynor; "There's No Me Without You" by Len Boone; "Mission To Venus" by Silver Convention.



I didn't know the titles of the songs when they came out in 1978 and 79, but I was flooded with memories of those very rare nights when, at age 16 and 17, I'd get the family car for the long enough to speed across the PA border at Port Jervis to go to NY. Back then the NY drinking age was 18; the anxiety was whether we could pass as a year or two older without getting carded.



The delirium of dancing overshadowed the fact that I didn't like bubblegum songs. What's funny is that all these years later I recognize tunes I never owned or knew anything about. Serious imprinting during ecstatic moments, I guess.



Anyway, to get off the nostalgia trip and on to the question: among the records I just bought were some that seem like soul acts releasing a disco-inflected single. Five Special's "Why Leave Us Alone"; Luther Rabb's "Make A Little Move"; and Hott City's "I Took His Money" were all released in 1979. I really like these recordings-- they have the R&B feel I'm attracted to. Can anyone say if these were primarily soul or disco artists?

I agree with everyone here. I tend to describe disco as the embodiment of so many flavors, it's difficult to label and separate one style from another. Soul just happens to be one of the flavors in disco.

By the way, nice vinyl you picked up. I would like to eventually get my hands on that version of "Weekend" and "Hot Buttered Boogie." Ah, the butter, the butter...

[JussiK]

Hey it's not necessarily so...all black dance music is certainly NOT disco. Disco is an attitude. Thus: Ain't We Funkin' Now by Brothers Johnson - not disco. Burning Love breakdown/Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me - Disco. This disco(urse) is evidently eternal...

[originalbigm]

Soul and R&B music was the precursor to what

became disco.This was the music of choice in the infancy of disco.The disco sound became a more energtic style and was greatly influenced by latin sounds and the hustle.Soul and R&B was part of the mix as a danceable genre and I agree that it was not what you'd refer to as disco since it still remains a vital and recognized part of todays music mainstream.

[discodjinn]

paul-



As luck would have it, there were two copies of the "Weekend" 12" in the boxes of records I picked up. If you want it, send an address and it's yours.