Janice McClain!

[FrontPage22]

Was "Smack Dab In The Middle" her only hit? Or did she cut a few more singles. "Smack Dab..." has to be a personal disco fave. I'd love to know if she released an album...as I am sure the single's a toughie to find!

[Forrrce]

'Smack Dab...' was, I believe, her only 'hit' as well as her debut single. She had a wonderful mid-tempo 12" on Mon-Tab Records out of CA in '83, called 'Giving My Love'.
This was followed by a slightly odd disco item called 'Burning Up', on the same label.
In 1986, Nick Martinelli's winning 'Loose Ends' formula gave her minor R&B success with 'Passion & Pain' - this was covered later by Donna Allen, if I'm not mistaken (but may well be).

I do recall (maybe in a dream???) seeing a promo 12" by her called 'Slam Dunk', or something simliar, on Mon-Tab, but I was most likely mistaken. I already had 'Smack Dab..', so I wasn't getting titles confused.

No word from Janice since. Fine singer, though. Anybody for filling in the gaps?

[FrontPage22]

Well, the way you quote "hit" makes me question whether it was??? I guess it's appearance on the Larry Levan CD where I first heard it made me think it was a club hit. Larry's remix is great and I would love to find it on vinyl someday. And as for Janice's voice, it is wonderful....

[Forrrce]

Well, the way you quote "hit" makes me question whether it was???

Well...I've always believed it was a minor disco hit 'Stateside. Maybe I'm way off the mark with that too? :o

[NickNack]

"Smack Dab..." was quite popular in the clubs. If by "hit" you mean radio play or chart position, I would have no idea. Didn't follow such things. It's appearance on Larry's CD isn't too surprising since he remixed the 12":

Warner Bros/RFC Records
Catalog DRCS 8893
1979
Side 1 runs 6:48 while Side 2 is an instrumental at 4:27.

[FrontPage22]

In terms of disco, was a song's chart placing as important as say, it's impact in clubs? What defined a disco hit I guess is my question. I am a little new if you can't tell!!! :oops:

[astrodisco]

I remember seeing a self titled album of hers on MCA (if i'm not mistaken) on ebay not too long ago.. I think much of it was produced by Nick Martinelli.. although i'm not 100% certain.. I think it was mid-80s 85/86..

[Leatherman]

I'm sure "Smack.." was at least a "hit" at the Paradise Garage. It was no doubt power played there, like most things Larry mixed and eventually would have become popular on the back of this play. It didn't do anything in the UK at the time. I'm with Forrrce, "Giving my love" is the best track she did by a mile.

[NickNack]

In terms of disco, was a song's chart placing as important as say, it's impact in clubs? What defined a disco hit I guess is my question. I am a little new if you can't tell!!! :oops:

That depends on who you ask and we've talked about this on the board. That might be one of the reasons Marky has become our 'Billboard chartman' :) . Anyway, as far as I was concerned a hit for me was its club impact. Many club favorites received no radio play at all yet people knew and wanted to hear them again and again. But, if that didn't generate sales then I'm sure the record execs strongly disagreed. After all, they were in the business to make the bucks. I'm sure DJ's and clubbers alike didn't care if it was on the charts and making millions as long as it made them dance.

[markydefad]

As "Chartman"...I know it charted...how high, I'm not sure....I'd have to look up the stats...

I know that I DID NOT know this record until recently. :roll:

[markydefad]

OK, I checked the charts.

Janice McClain spent a grand total of 21 weeks on the Billboard Disco chart, debuting in Nov. 79 and peaking at #6 for 3 consecutive weeks in Jan, 1980. (The #1 at the time was "Vertigo/Relight My Fire" by Dan Hartman).

Janice only got to #92 on the Billboard R&B chart.

So I guess I musta danced to "Smack Dab" ...but I have no recollection of this or Dee Dee Sharp Gamble's #1 "Breaking & Entering"!!!! I musta been in the Troc bathroom....uh, washing my face...yeah, that's it. :lol:

[efunk_adelic]

Janice McClain's chart success on the soul chart is as follows:


Smack Dab In The Middle #91 2 weeks
Passion And Pain #75 8 weeks


I used to play Passion And Pain early in my SOS BAND type of songs that were being produced during that time. I considered this and others of this type, early warm up songs that you can groove to...