Uplifting disco songs?

**shockadelica** · June 20th, 2003, 10:42 AM

Can anyone recommend a couple of disco songs they'd consider "uplifting"? I need lots of happy music! Doctor's orders.

The first thing that comes to my mind, for example, is something like "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" (*especially* the Risco Connection cover).

I know "uplifting" is a little vague. There are songs that sound uplifting musically, but are lyrically... a bit somber, shall we say! "Native New Yorker" has that sort of feeling, I think. So perhaps I mean, an "uplifting" general mood to the song...

Or somethin'.

Any songs come to mind?

**DevP** · June 20th, 2003, 12:14 PM

"Uplifting" is a little vague since about 95% of disco music is "uplifting", "feel good" songs to begin with. Nonetheless, here are a few that does the trick for me.

"Heaven Must Have Sent You" - Bonnie Pointer
"You Know How To Love Me" - Phyllis Hyman
"Hold Tight" - Vicki Sue Robinson
"Crank It Up (Funk Town)" - Peter Brown
"Shake Your Booty" - KC & The Sunshine Band
"My Feet Keep Dancing" - Chic
"Keep On" - D-Train
"Keep It Hot" - Cheryl Lynn

Hope my list helps. :D

DevP

DevP

**shockadelica** · June 20th, 2003, 12:16 PM

Originally Written by DevP

"Uplifting" is a little vague since about 95% of disco music is "uplifting", "feel good" songs to begin with. Nonetheless, here are a few that does the trick for me.

I did say it was vague!

But I don't know if I agree with the "95% of disco is uplifting" thing. As I said, disco is always perhaps musically uplifting, but disco also has some of the most depressing lyrics I've heard from a genre, too. There's a certain melancholic, nostalgiac thing going on for me with disco sometimes. Ah, I just suppose it depends on what you're listening to...

If I am talking bollocks, which is likely, just change the thread question to: "Which disco songs do you find particularly uplifting?"

:)

Thanks for the suggestions anyway! Will check them out.

**DevP** · June 20th, 2003, 12:43 PM

Not bollock at all. I enjoy reading everyone's definition of music. Thanks for the topic.

I do agree that disco music has it's share of lyrically depressing songs, (Barry White's "Let The Music Play" comes to mind) but lyrically speaking, I feel, most disco songs has to do with partying and having a good time. It's one of the reasons why rock critics in the 70's called it mindless music. KC of KC & The Sunshine Band once said he enjoy writing and performing disco music because it was a new style of music that got away from the traditional depressing soft pop, soul and anti-war music of the early 70's. But, again, I do understand what you are saying and I do hope that if things are tough in life right now that soon things will be uplifting for you. :lol: Hang in there.

DevP

**markydefad** · June 20th, 2003, 12:50 PM

"This Will Be A Night To Remember" by Eddie Holman (Salsoul)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lifts Me UP, UP & AWAY!!!!!! :lol:

**shockadelica** · June 20th, 2003, 12:55 PM

Originally Written by DevP

I do agree that disco music has it's share of lyrically depressing songs, (Barry White's "Let The Music Play" comes to mind) but lyrically speaking, I feel, most disco songs has to do with partying and having a good time.

Yep, you're right.

Although, with my current mood, all the disco songs about having a good time have strangely been clouded from view. :)

I think what I mean, for example...

Chic's "Everybody Dance" goes:

"Music never lets you down
Puts a smile on your face
Any time, any place
Dancing helps relieve the pain
Soothes your mind, makes you happy again..."

It's about having a good time, about dancing, but there's something melancholy there. You know? I find quite a lot of disco to be like that, really.

**PaulC** · June 20th, 2003, 12:56 PM

...

**QUINNY** · June 20th, 2003, 03:06 PM

How about Cleavage - Barah from 1986?

But seriously, a few disco records that I've found uplifting:

Galaxy - War
Garden Party - Mezzoforte
R.R Express - Rose Royce
Turn The Beat Around - Vicki Sue Robinson
Let's Start II Dance - Bohannon
Something That You Do To Me - T Life.
They'll do for starters

**Forrrce** · June 20th, 2003, 04:01 PM

I find the following titles particularly liberating:

The Rimshots 'Do What You Feel'
The O'Jays 'Love Train'
Clyde Alexander & Sanction 'Got To Get Your Love'
Frankie 'Love Man' Crocker 'Ton Of Dynamite'
(more party funk than disco but an incredibly lively record, nontheless)
The Players' Association 'We're Almost There'
Crown Heights Affair 'Far Out'
Aquarian Dream 'Look Ahead' (wonderful)
Tracey Weber 'Sure Shot'
Ripple 'The Beat Goes On And On'

**efunk_adelic** · June 21st, 2003, 12:53 AM

How bout these songs:

Brothers Johnson - Stomp
Kool & The Gang - Celebration
Patrick Hernandez - Born To Be Alive

this song will make you wanna put on some spurs, cowboy hat & 'ride 'em cowboy :D :P :D

KC & The Sunshine Band - I'm Your Boogie Man
Fatback Band - King Tim III
T-Connection - Do What You Wanna Do

Marcio** · June 21st, 2003, 01:20 AM

Also take into consideration...

1 - This Will Be by Nathalie Cole
2 - Call Me by Andrea True Connection

....

**peppertree5706** · June 21st, 2003, 02:05 PM

There is no disco song more uplifting than:

(Disco) That's Where The Happy People Go-The Trammps.

It is the essence of happiness. Second place would be Good Times by Chic.

Third: Donna Summer- The album side with Rumor Has It and Happily Ever After.

These are truly uplifting.

**NickNack** · June 21st, 2003, 03:28 PM

Uptown Festival - Shalamar
Vertigo/Relight My Fire - Dan Hartman
Let's All Chant - Michael Zager
Dancin' - Todd Foster
Risky Changes - Bionic Boogie
Shake Your Groove Thing - Peaches & Herb
Touch Me, Take Me - Black Light Orchestra
You're The First, The Last, My Everything - Barry White
Love and Desire - Arpeggio
I've Found Love - Love and Kisses
Love is Here/Love is The Answer - Cerrone
Doctor's Orders - Carol Douglas
Tonight's The Night (Good Time) - Kleeer
Weekend - Phreek
Just Us/Earth Can Be Like Heaven - Two Tons O' Fun
Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman) - Joe Tex (Politically incorrect these days but just plain fun :) .)
Best Disco In Town - Ritchie Family

I know a couple of these have that moody, melodic line you're talking about but the general feel should help get one out of the cellar and "Up On the Roof" (Viola Wills) :D .

**HustleBaby** · June 21st, 2003, 03:55 PM

Shockadelic

I'm trying to link disco and melancholy :-? all I can say is that these two don't go together. Someone mentioned earlier that 95% of disco is uplifting, you can't get any happier with disco music. Native New Yorker has a slower tempo yet enjoyable lyrics - take it from a native New Yorker :D ! Let's take a song like "Runaway Love" the lyrics explains about a bum lover in Linda's life. The lyrics aren't exactly the happiest but you can dance to it. Compared to today's music:

R & B is sad, ("the cheating man blues") makes you want to cry
some Heavy metal makes you suicidal
some Rap makes you angry and violent

I know "Staying Alive" is corny to others but its a fun and uplifting song. To be honest with you, I can't think of one disco song that leaves me feeling sad or depressed. :-? "Wake Up Everbody" (Harold Mel & Blue.N) and "Love Train" (O'Jays) are very uplifting/can we all just get along songs. :P

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**Bernie** · June 21st, 2003, 05:28 PM

As sick as I am of hearing it, one of the most uplifting Disco songs has to be Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive."

I don't mean "uplifting" as in a happy party mood, but uplifting as in a gut check and making a decision to be and make the best out of a bad situation. One has to remember that Gloria Gaynor was partially paralyzed and didn't know if she would ever walk again when she came up with "I WIll Survive."

Some other good ones that I played today are...

Denie Corbett & Station Break - "Be What You Are"

Jimmy James - "Life" (A wonderful song that I rank right up their with one of my feel good childhood favorites, Bill Withers "Lean On Me")

New York Community Choir - "Express Yourself"

T-Connection - "Do What You Wanna Do"

Trammps - People of the World, Rise"

There are others and I'll try and post them when I recall them.

**Leanmean** · June 21st, 2003, 11:01 PM

Great list, Nicky!
Here's a few of my favorite uplifters:

"Mighty High" Mighty Clouds of Joy
"Dreaming a Dream" Crown Heights Affair
"Put Your Hands Together" O Jays
"Let's Start the Dance" Bohannon

I'm dyin' to throw this one in from about 1994:
"Joy" Staxx of Joy

**shockadelica** · June 22nd, 2003, 01:06 AM

Originally Written by HustleBaby

Shockadelic

My "a" has fallen off!

Originally Written by HustleBaby

I'm trying to link disco and melancholy :-?

I think I was trying to imply that disco had melancholy undertones. I see them, not for every piece of disco (obviously!), but it's definitely there enough to be noted...

...well, noted. Just by me. Apparently! Note to self: do not post when drunk again.

:)

You said "Native New Yorker has "enjoyable" lyrics". What do you mean by that? Enjoyable?

"Where did all those yesterdays go/When you still believed love could really be like a Broadway show..."

...not the happiest lyrics *I've* ever read, personally!

**shockadelica** · June 22nd, 2003, 01:13 AM

Originally Written by NickNack

I know a couple of these have that moody, melodic line you're talking about

Back of the net!

Originally Written by NickNack

Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman) - Joe Tex (Politically incorrect these days but just plain fun :) .)

:)

But, in the song, he has good reasons not be dancing with fat women (no more). The woman he was dancing with "almost broke" his hips!

http://www.70disco.com/lyrics/Joe%20...nna%20bump.txt

**HustleBaby** · June 22nd, 2003, 02:17 AM

Originally Written by shockadelica

Originally Written by HustleBaby

Shockadelic

You said "Native New Yorker has "enjoyable" lyrics". What do you mean by that? Enjoyable?

"Where did all those yesterdays go/When you still believed love could really be like a Broadway show..."

...not the happiest lyrics *I've* ever read, personally!

Let me rephrase the word "enjoyable" to "cute and likable".

You grew up riding the subways
Running with people up in Harlem, down on Broadway
You're no tramp but you're no lady
Talkin' that street talk
You're the heart & soul of New York City

its a New York thang Shockadelic. The words are catchy, easy on the ears, not sugar bubbly but fun and a favorite to many native New Yorkers and others outside the state. Heck its popular throughout the globe :P !

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**markydefad** · June 23rd, 2003, 01:59 PM

I think of the girls from "Sex & The City" now whenever I hear "Native New Yorker."

It's got that sorta wistful (full of melancholy yearning) yet sophisticated, one-night stand, "lovin' just for fun" feel to it. And, of course we all know that the "Girls" on "Sex" are really meant to be GAY GUYS, right?????

It seemed like the life story of most of the habitue of Trocadero circa 1979.

Incidentally, the latest Newsweek mentions that straight women are the main fans of "Queer As Folk" while gay guys can't relate. Gay guys much prefer "Sex & The City".

I watch BOTH. :roll:

**NickNack** · June 23rd, 2003, 04:02 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

Incidentally, the latest Newsweek mentions that straight women are the main fans of "Queer As Folk" while gay guys can't relate. Gay guys much prefer "Sex & The City".

What? :-? Can't relate? :roll: Is this the new 'CGC' (Conservative Gay Crowd :P ) You mean there are gay men out there who aren't party/drug/sex-obsessed fiends 24/7? Damn, I'm so disappointed. :x And just when I was planning a little trip to Phildadelphia...

**markydefad** · June 23rd, 2003, 04:22 PM

Nicky,

Remember "QAF" is set in Pittsburgh ("The Pitts") but actually filmed in Toronto. Jeff H. lives in "The Pitts" and says there is NO SIMILARITY to what you see in that show and what gay life in Pitts actually is like.

The Newsweek article quotes a couple "gay guys" who say in reference to "QAF", "I feel like I'm watching some sort of gay Disneyland. I can't relate."

But the guy does relate to "S&TC":"it's more my life....it's about friendship, relationships, the arts, fashion and food. Have a couple of the girls hook up with each other, and you've got a gay male relationship."

"Maybe we want to think of ourselves as being classy women who go out to fancy restaurants and have men on the side." :roll:

Straight women, however, seem to find "QAF" 's sexual freedom empowering. "Gay Pride is at the end of June in SF and I want to go!" says a straight female insurance underwriter from Sacramento. "I want to meet these people!" :lol:

**strut_ur_funky_stuff** · June 24th, 2003, 02:16 AM

:D i got a few i find uplifting
floyd beck-party is the solution
cheryl lynn-shake it up tonight
ferrara-shake it baby love
con funk shun-shake and dance with me

**john.england** · June 26th, 2003, 03:03 AM

When it comes to uplifting music, there were a ton of Earth Wind & Fire singles that come to mind. "Mighty Mighty" from 1976!

**DiscoMan** · June 26th, 2003, 08:17 AM

Goin' to see "Earth, Wind & Fire" in concert at Mohegan Sun Casino August 8 and spending the night there.

Anything by EW&F, Tavares, Kool and the Gang, Chic and La Donna is uplifting!!!!!!!!!!