Disco Cover Versions of '70s/80s Radio Hits That Were Charting At The Time

[discokicks]

I know that's a long topic title but I recently discovered that in 1983, Otis Liggett had a disco rendition of The Police's "Every Breath You Take". I'm assuming that it likely was released shortly after EBYT hit number one for eight weeks on Billboard's pop chart starting in July of that year. I had just started DJing earlier that year but unfortunately didn't come across this release. It definitely was made to mix perfectly with MJ's "Billie Jean" and my crowd at that time would have loved it.

But finding out about this record takes me back to one of those ongoing curiousities of mine: were there other disco covers of pop songs that were currently charting at the time? In the last two decades, there's been a large trend of making dance covers of current songs on the pop charts but when I think back to my '80s music searches, I don't remember seeing any...so again, a 1983 disco cover of "Every Breath You Take" surprises me!

Were there disco covers happening at the time of "Bette Davis Eyes", "Reunited", "Kiss You All Over"...ooh...was there a disco cover of Suzi Quatro's "Stumblin' In"?

[tmob]

There was a cover version 12" of "Kiss You All Over" by Broadway on Atlantic (DSKO 134):
http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/6377_0_2_0_C/

[discokicks]

There was a cover version 12" of "Kiss You All Over" by Broadway on Atlantic (DSKO 134):
http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/6377_0_2_0_C/

Thanks tmob! That's just what I wanted to see....and hear. It's pretty good too...although a male vocal on the verses would have knocked this outa the park. I could see this gaining some interest on the floor at the time.

[tmob]

I could see this gaining some interest on the floor at the time.

IIRC (and my memory's not always 100%), it was pretty much a stiff. Our chart wizard Marky would know for sure, but I don't think it got a lot of chart action or play at the time. In my experience, people were already tired of hearing the original version on the radio, and they weren't clamoring to hear a disco version in the club.

[remicks]

****

well I had to follloww you
though you did not want me to

blaming it all on the :



I think Candi discoed it up a bit ...

******
where your eyes couldn't see me

(does she look a little high???)

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

...contemporary remakes made up a chunk of Almighty Records & Passion Records' catalogues.

[discokicks]

...contemporary remakes made up a chunk of Almighty Records & Passion Records' catalogues.

I think Almighty and Klone Records were the ones that really started the trend of taking a current radio song and giving it a dance remake while it was still in the public's conscience but this was in the early '90s. Sarah Washington's classic dance version of "I Will Always Love You" in '93 proved to be a big winner that year and maybe its success is what sparked this trend although Chyp-notic's cover of Sinead's charting "Nothing Compares 2 U" three years earlier was hugely popular as well.

But in the '70s and '80s, much of the joy and excitement of dance clubs was hearing music that wasn't on the radio causing creative juices to overflow with new sounds and songs made exclusively for dancefloors and meeting those specific needs. Current radio tunes stayed outside in the parking lots for the most part but there seemed to be some that made their way around the bouncers onto spinning turntables.

Here's a pop remake that I think must have been welcomed in the clubs in 1975 during the same time that Elton's #1 still remained on the charts....

[markydefad]

I will add to the list a cover of the ubiquitous Olivia Newton-John mega-hit "Physical" done by none other than former Village Person, Victor Willis.

I know I grabbed a promo copy of this--but I never heard anyone play it. No video on YouTube although it does come up in the search...so it may have been there previously.

http://www.discogs.com/Victor-Willis.../master/320747

In regards to "Billie Jean" there was that "Do It Again/Billie Jean" medley done by Slingshot

http://www.discogs.com/Slingshot-Do-.../master/181830

oh and that makes me think of that "Eye Of The Tiger" track from a "Rocky" sequel..original pop hit by Survivor...the club version was by Nighthawk...this was played in SF.

http://www.discogs.com/Nighthawk-Eye.../master/172852

[Cory Ander]

I will add to the list a cover of the ubiquitous Olivia Newton-John mega-hit "Physical" done by none other than former Village Person, Victor Willis.

I know I grabbed a promo copy of this--but I never heard anyone play it. No video on YouTube although it does come up in the search...so it may have been there previously.

http://www.discogs.com/Victor-Willis.../master/320747

In regards to "Billie Jean" there was that "Do It Again/Billie Jean" medley done by Slingshot

http://www.discogs.com/Slingshot-Do-.../master/181830

oh and that makes me think of that "Eye Of The Tiger" track from a "Rocky" sequel..original pop hit by Survivor...the club version was by Nighthawk...this was played in SF.

http://www.discogs.com/Nighthawk-Eye.../master/172852

I wasn't aware Victor Willis had done ANY solo records, but then again I didn't look for them. Kinda odd he'd do a cover when he was involved in the writing of so many popular original songs. I looooooooooooove the Pet Shop Boys cover of "Go West".

[discokicks]

In regards to "Billie Jean" there was that "Do It Again/Billie Jean" medley done by Slingshot

http://www.discogs.com/Slingshot-Do-.../master/181830

oh and that makes me think of that "Eye Of The Tiger" track from a "Rocky" sequel..original pop hit by Survivor...the club version was by Nighthawk...this was played in SF.

http://www.discogs.com/Nighthawk-Eye.../master/172852

Oh yeah! I have both of these although my "Do It Again/Billie Jean" is the Clubhouse version. I remember that filling my floor and the fun of going back and forth from it to MJ (man, I so wanna go back there).

Speaking of Nighthawk's "Eye Of The Tiger" reminded me of another one in the same vein...Felix and Jarvis' "Flamethrower Rap".....

"are you ready to throw down...yes we are..."

[markydefad]

Ha dk, Ya know I was actually thinking of the Clubhouse version but Slingshot came to mind first. Actually after a quick check I see that Slingshot went to #1 on the disco chart. Who knew??? I think Clubhouse was available as an "import" only...anyway, no disco charting according to Joel Whitburn.
I recall Clubhouse being played in SF---or maybe I couldn't tell the difference???

[discokicks]

The Clubhouse version was available in Canada on Atlantic Records (Canada) so it was likely the popular one to play here. I took a quick listen to the Slingshot version and it's very similar.

[kdavid13]

I was just writing about Player's Association's version of "Disco Inferno" which also came out in 1977. I was amazed at how different it sounds...with the female vocals,the amazing break and the duelling saxophones by David Sanborn and Michael Brecker.