A List of Disco Records with Instrumental AND Vocal Versions

[remicks]

*****

I don't think it's been done yet here at discomusic.com .....????

I 'd like to create a list of those disco releases that were BRILLIANT enough to include a vocal and an instrumental version of a song.

Two versions are required : vocal and instrumental
(iow, we aren't looking for disco songs that were simply instrumentals.
Instrumental cover versions aren't being solicited either.)

Where to start?

How about Marky's current charts , - I see this there:

April 23, 1977
Billboard Disco Action Top 40 Chart #34


13) (31) I NEED A MAN - Grace Jones
(Beam Junction 12-inch: 7:30) ["A Tom Moulton Mix"] P: Tom Moulton // W: P. Slader/P. Papadiamondis
30 points/ 4 charts = Baltimore+DC/LA+SD/NYC/SF
BDA Top 40: 3 weeks on chart // Last week: #31 (+18)
DCC chart: 3 weeks on chart

markydefad

VOCAL

INSTRUMENTAL



OK that's the project's starter ( might as well start with one of the best!) :


The rest ???



******

[needlefingers]

Karen Young - Hot Shot







Gibson Brothers - Cuba

[Bernie]

Let's do "Souvenirs" by the French group Voyage!

First the regular vocal version we all know and love:


Next, the instrumental version:


"and if you order before midnight tonight, you'll also get the instrumental from the 7" slowed down to 33 1/3 rpm at no charge':

[needlefingers]

MODERN ROMANCE - CAN YOU MOVE







Edwin Starr - H.A.P.P.Y. Radio



No video, but the instrumental is on the flip side of the promo version.


Blondie - Heart of glass



Instrumental on the flip side of the 12 inch.


Just asking, but has there ever been a Donna Summer instrumental? Never saw one.

[Bernie]

Just asking, but has there ever been a Donna Summer instrumental? Never saw one.

Actually "On the Radio" appeared as a piano instrumental on an old Casablanca album that I have somewhere. The artist is listed as Giorgio, but it's exactly Donna's song without her vocals.

ADDED: Found it: http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/8354_0_2_0_C/

[needlefingers]

Yes, I know that one Bernie. I mentioned it to boogienights who was looking for ballads a month ago.

But I can never find one that is true to the original. I thought there might be one on the b side of some other country outside of Germany/(Europe) or America. I get the impression they didn't want to put it out there.

[Bernie]

Hi Needlefingers,

Looks as though you are right: no instrumentals during her prime Disco years. Pretty amazing! The only instrumentals from Donna Summer seem to be on her post-Casablanca years starting from "She Works Hard for the Money" : http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/12525_0_2_0_C/ and "Unconditional Love": http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/11508_0_2_0_C/ ...

[FranceJoliFan]

no instrumentals during her prime Disco years. Pretty amazing!

Hey, what about this one:

[Cory Ander]

I'm a bit confused by your use of "brilliant"......what's brilliant about there being both a vocal and an instrumental version of the same song? Do you mean, for example, the many (and I do many MANY) 12 inch records that have a vocal version of a song on one side and an instrumental version on the other...like Melba Moore's "Pick Me Up, I'll Dance"....Dan Hartman's "Relight My Fire"....Donna Summer's "This Time I Know It's For Real"......Lime's "Your Love"....Musique's "Summer Love" and "Summer Love Theme"....is that what you mean? Because as I recall, at disco's peak, there was nothing unusual about there being vocal and instrumental versions of the same song. I assumed they existed for DJs to splice together and create extended versions of those particular songs.

[needlefingers]

Hey, what about this one:

This comes the closest, and I didn't think about this one.

There is a marked difference....in Donna's version, her vocal carries the melody. In the instrumental version, extra instrumentation is added to carry the melody.

Both are used as film scoring and if I remember the movie right (all I remember is this song and the giant eel) one is used to underscore the opening credits, while the other is used for the closing credits.

But it would be fair to say it is the nearest to a Donna Summer instrumental from the disco days.

I don't know if there are any instrumentals on Casablanca Records releases. And Giorgio may have prefered only the released versions/edits of the song. Much like an artist or film director, he wanted the song/lyrics to play as he wanted them. But that is just a guess.

Unlike West End Records, which provided many instrumentals, moving into dubs in the 80's.

[needlefingers]

Shirley & Company did it with Shame, Shame, Shame,



http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHIRLEY-COMP...item588f95854c


Also in good company was Young & Company

[remicks]

I'm a bit confused by your use of "brilliant"......what's brilliant about there being both a vocal and an instrumental version of the same song? Do you mean, for example, the many (and I do many MANY) 12 inch records that have a vocal version of a song on one side and an instrumental version on the other...like Melba Moore's "Pick Me Up, I'll Dance"....Dan Hartman's "Relight My Fire"....Donna Summer's "This Time I Know It's For Real"......Lime's "Your Love"....Musique's "Summer Love" and "Summer Love Theme"....is that what you mean? Because as I recall, at disco's peak, there was nothing unusual about there being vocal and instrumental versions of the same song.

I assumed they existed for DJs to splice together and create extended versions of those particular songs.

You're absolutely right Cory about the purpose in doing so ... so to me the brilliance was in purposely supplying the DJs this extra tool that would entice them to play/feature /promote your song . The better DJ's enjoyed being able to modify these songs , to customize , ----making their mixing memorable by making the vocal side longer or different , or sometimes to just tweak the crowd's normal expectations by delivering an instrumental version of a favorite song .

(this made these songs all the more "club" music , even of the songs that became popular hits , you weren't going to hear these alternate versions simply listening to the radio )

I thought the concept was beyond brilliant : it should have been mandatory.

And yes you are also right that it was quite common to do so .... but not so common that the practice became more typical than rare ---
and that's why I want to create a list of those "many" ( and yet few) that did .

The five you mention Cory are perfect and will be on the list !! Please keep them coming !


Here's another off of Marky's current charts:

April 23, 1977
Billboard Disco Action Top 40 Chart #34


28) (27) I'VE GOT TO DANCE (TO KEEP FROM CRYIN') - The Destinations
(AVI 12-inch: 5:34) P/W: Clarence Lawton
14 points/ 3 charts = LA+SD/Miami/Seattle
BDA Top 40: 7 weeks on chart // Last week: #27 (-1)
DCC chart: 18 weeks on chart

markydefad

MOST LOVELY VOCAL

INFECTIOUS INSTRUMENTAL



Thanks all for the input so far, !!!!


*****

[boogienights]

Goody Goody had "Number One Dee-Jay" available with Denise Montana warbling and without! ...Kleeer had "Keep Your Body Working" available in both versions, too.

[boogienights]

[QUOTE=needlefingers


Edwin Starr - H.A.P.P.Y. Radio

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS5xEVXWgpA&feature=youtu.be[/url]

No video, but the instrumental is on the flip side of the promo version. ... did not know about this. Or the instru. of Karen Young's "Hot Shot"...

[SandraDee]

Unlike West End Records, which provided many instrumentals, moving into dubs in the 80's.

That also applies to all Prelude 12" releases.

[needlefingers]

Speaking of Prelude....

Speaking of Dan Hartman, he had Instant Replay(Replayed) on the flip side.



On the promo was this winner......




You can add....

The Jacksons - Walk Right Now

Evelyn King - Love Come Down

Eartha Kitt - Where Is My Man

Liquid Gold - My Baby's Baby

Fantasy - You're Too Late (all the above can be heard online)

and

Menage - Memory

There was a Latin Rascals remix of La Flavour's Mandolay that added an instrumental version as one of the cuts.


I don't know who put this together (??anybody?), but here is a great instrumental version of Spank by Jimmy "Bo" Horne....




I have this on a black Disco Classics label.

[discophil]

I know it comes down to individual taste, what you grew up with, etc., but when I hear that instrumental version of Jackie Moore's "This Time" I'm just baffled by how anyone can listen to that and not fall in love with disco. It's so pure and driving and beautiful...it amazes me how this genre was rejected and how we have to be subjected to such garbage today. I know...I'm getting old, but I've been this way since 1981! :)

[needlefingers]

I need to clear something up.

The instrumental of This Time Baby is not on the original 1979 promo.

It is available on the 1984 re-release, of which I have a promo...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...m=370528168725+

It is also on the commercial re-release.

http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/15055_0_2_0_C/

[remicks]

I know it comes down to individual taste, what you grew up with, etc., but when I hear that instrumental version of Jackie Moore's "This Time" I'm just baffled by how anyone can listen to that and not fall in love with disco. It's so pure and driving and beautiful...
! :)

100 % agree :

INSTRUMENTAL

(the label says this song should be 7:04 long ...........???)

needlefingers:

I need to clear something up.

The instrumental of This Time Baby is not on the original 1979 promo.

It is available on the 1984 re-release, of which I have a promo...

I wonder who/how decided that five years later this needed to be heard and made available
AND with its own special cover :



?????????? (whomever , thank you! )
Too bad it wasn't offered during the song's original shining moments ... still better late than never I guess.

It is true that the instrumental element is one more selective thing about disco that made disco so uniquely special in the music world .
I would think that ALL genres of music would've/could've cashed in on ( & isn't that the operative word in the record business ?) offering instrumental versions : ("ABBEY ROAD instrumental" anyone ???.)

But the reason it happened in our case was it was so advantageous for the labels to do so ....
beyond being an interesting curiosity , it served an actual purpose which served their best interests :

an added enticement for getting those records played in those clubs as much as possible!


So
just one more grand way we disco aficionados are specially blessed : ....being able to enjoy so much of our music in the instrumental format.

__________________________



Once I heard the instrumental of this one it was hard to go back to any other:

CARIBBEAN QUEEN instrumental

*****

[DannyBoy]

Hope I'm not cheating here, but can I spin this one slightly? Anyone think sometimes the instro flip was better than the vocal side?

Sandra Dee, my Prelude friend from Manchester, would you agree on D Train - You're The One For Me? The vocal side hardly ever played to my feet back in the day. James Hamilton in Record Mirror championed the flip side for the whole of 1982. CD albums and maxi singles always have that crappy Paul Harcastle version as the bonus gig. I've never seen Kevorkian's original flip 12" on cd. Why? Was it just a UK thing?

[SandraDee]

Sandra Dee, my Prelude friend from Manchester, would you agree on D Train - You're The One For Me? The vocal side hardly ever played to my feet back in the day. James Hamilton in Record Mirror championed the flip side for the whole of 1982. CD albums and maxi singles always have that crappy Paul Harcastle version as the bonus gig. I've never seen Kevorkian's original flip 12" on cd. Why? Was it just a UK thing?

You're so right, I always preferred the instrumental version of D Train's YTOFM, & I have always been annoyed at how the original LP & all the CDs never feature that great version. (I again agree that the Paul Hardcastle version is pants!). Looks like we'll just have to settle for the b-side of the vinyl single! Do you remember at around that time (82/83) how sometimes the instrumental got promoted to the a-side of the 12" 'cos it was so much preferred by UK DJs such as 'Sooner Or Later' by Larry Graham or 'Inside Love (So Personal)' by George Benson? Another Prelude track where I much preferred the instrumental/dub side was Wuf Ticket's 'The Key':

[SandraDee]

I've just thought of another early 80s track where the instrumental was far superior & got all the disco attention:

[PierreConstantin]

(Donna Summer)
No instrumentals during her prime Disco years. Pretty amazing! The only instrumentals from Donna Summer seem to be on her post-Casablanca years starting from "She Works Hard for the Money"

("Down deep inside")
There is a marked difference....in Donna's version, her vocal carries the melody. In the instrumental version, extra instrumentation is added to carry the melody.

1982 : sax is by Ernie Watts
http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/2133_0_2_0_C/

[DannyBoy]

Had the K.I.D. track on the car cd last week. The UK release on Excaliber had a vocal version on side one and a shorter version of "It's Hot" on two. I only play "Hupendi"

[needlefingers]

The Human League put out an album of instrumentals from the lp Dare. You can now buy it on Amazon...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...SIN=B00007KMZU


Some "post-ish" disco dub/instrumentals that were bigger than the vocal include Yaz with Situation...




and New Order's Blue Monday....





In other news....

Sylvester and Patrick Cowley asked us without words.....




And the most recognizable "kick - snare" in the world......