The Death of Disco 24th Anniversary? Nov 1 1979?

**the whistler** · November 2nd, 2003, 07:07 AM

I read on a post recently that disco died 24 years yesterday Nov 1 1979 is this correct? Cheers

**SandraDee** · November 2nd, 2003, 08:44 AM

Possibly, but like Bobby Ewing, its come back in the shower several times. Thank goodness for showers.

**Outsider** · November 2nd, 2003, 07:26 PM

Originally Written by the whistler

I read on a post recently that disco died 24 years yesterday Nov 1 1979 is this correct? Cheers

Not really. Disco supposedly died when the Knack song "My Sharona" hit the charts, which I think was during the summer of that year. However, I still don't believe that. I still say that disco died (at least as a commercial force) in the early 80s.

:evil:

**originalbigm** · November 2nd, 2003, 07:35 PM

A rather timely topic as I came across this interesting perspective on the death of disco.

Why...you ask??? Very simple my brotha...disco was the European ripoff of FUNK!!! I always felt the anti-disco movement, led here by then-WDAI/Chicago morning man Steve Dahl (the Howard Stern of Chicago), was not only anti-disco, but anti-Black (yes, I said it!!). Dahl was the DJ who burned disco records and led the riot at Old Comiskey Park in summer, 1979 during a stunt between games at a doubleheader...a riot that led to the White Sox forfeiting game two...and a riot that precipitated the end
of disco...AND funk, and ushered in the mellow 80s. As a record promoter (yes...I was a jack-of-all-trades back then...) in 1980 I couldn't GIVE danceable music away.

This quote came from a rather in depth essay about where disco came from and why it suffered an early demise.You can read the article at
http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/disco1.htm

**originalbigm** · November 2nd, 2003, 07:39 PM

I'd also checkout another article on this site that actually attributes the death of black music and disco to Lee Atwater.
Some rather heavy stuff but it sure puts a new perspective on the Death of Disco.

Lee Atwater and the Destruction of Black Music
http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/lee_at.htm

**Kendela** · November 2nd, 2003, 07:47 PM

Excuse my ignorance, but how on earth did "My Sharona" kill disco music?

**NickNack** · November 2nd, 2003, 09:22 PM

Originally Written by Kendela

Excuse my ignorance, but how on earth did "My Sharona" kill disco music?

:roll: Oh, god, not again. It's not your fault Kendela. You're new here.

It didn't kill disco. "My Sharona" was used as a 'reference' by our member "marky" to illustrate a change in musical tastes, especially on radio playlists, and somehow it became mangled into The Knack and this song kill disco. Please ---- I've had it with this one. :x

**Outsider** · November 2nd, 2003, 11:46 PM

Yeah, that can of worms has been opened yet again.

For the last time, "My Sharona" did not kill disco. I repeat, DID NOT kill disco. That song had asbolutely nothing to do with disco's demise. It was one rock song that happened to be popular during the disco era. But that whole argument started when it was referred to as the "death knell" of disco. Isn't that another way of saying that it killed disco? Whatever. The Knack had a brief moment of success, disco would live on for a while longer, the end. I have nothing more to add to it.

:evil:

**jim** · November 3rd, 2003, 12:43 AM

I would put the temporary end of disco per se as the release and chart run on
The Knack's "My Sharona" a dancable rock song that got NO airplay in the clubs,

despite the LP's "Get The Knack" listing that track as the opening track on
side
2 so club DJs could cue up the album as if it was a 12" single. This record
maked the start of a trend at Top 40 station to shy away from Black records,
building up a wall or sorts, preventing what I would consider the REAL #1
record
of 1979, Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight," from getting any higher then #36,

despite sales of nearly FOUR million 12" singles. (The fact that sales records
on the Hot 100 only counted 7" singles generally did not help).

**paul** · November 3rd, 2003, 02:11 AM

Originally Written by originalbigm

I'd also checkout another article on this site that actually attributes the death of black music and disco to Lee Atwater.
Some rather heavy stuff but it sure puts a new perspective on the Death of Disco.

I generally agree with the article but I missed the Atwater connection. I, like many here lived through that period and felt a massive change was a coming in more ways than one. Anyway, if some you can enlighten me further on the Atwater connection, feel free to email me.

**Robbie** · November 3rd, 2003, 07:49 AM

After reading these two articles (linked here), I suggest the writer of the two articles read Walter E. Williams or go to the website issues-views.com and see a black perspective that one doesn't know about.

**markydefad** · November 3rd, 2003, 02:27 PM

I read somewhere that The Knack's "My Sharona" killed disco on July 30, 1979. I'm sure it's true. I read it, after all.

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

Just accept the facts, Travis Bickle. :evil:

**NickNack** · November 3rd, 2003, 04:01 PM

Originally Written by jim

I would consider the REAL #1
record
of 1979, Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight," from getting any higher then #36

And speaking of a musical genre putting a damper on disco... :x

**Nano** · November 3rd, 2003, 04:49 PM

Pardon my ignorance, but the guy who started this thread pointed out the date November 1, 1979. What happened on that day to label it as "the day disco died"? :roll:

**paul** · November 3rd, 2003, 06:32 PM

Good point Nano. I need to know too.

Marcio** · November 3rd, 2003, 11:03 PM

After 1979 the disco production had a gradual decline but I can find some sophisticated disco tunes like...

(1980) "Glow Of Love" by Change featuring Luther Vandross
(1981) "Try It Out" by Gino Soccio
(1982) "Do It To The Music" by Raw Silk

**efunk_adelic** · November 4th, 2003, 12:02 AM

That article posted made for some interesting reading... I went to a similar setting in a ghetto part of the city I lived in and it was at a VFW hall. :lol: A great system, a great DJ, playing all the jams of the day...

**Outsider** · November 4th, 2003, 12:19 AM

Originally Written by Nano

Pardon my ignorance, but the guy who started this thread pointed out the date November 1, 1979. What happened on that day to label it as "the day disco died"? :roll:

I would like to know myself.

:evil:

**NickNack** · November 4th, 2003, 04:17 PM

Originally Written by Outsider

Originally Written by Nano

Pardon my ignorance, but the guy who started this thread pointed out the date November 1, 1979. What happened on that day to label it as "the day disco died"? :roll:

I would like to know myself.

:evil:

Yeah, I was hoping 'whistler' would have come back by now and told us where he read it and why that date.

**markydefad** · November 5th, 2003, 12:07 PM

Well, I checked the Billboard chart books and this was the week (Nov 3, 1979) tha "Pop Muzik" by M topped the chart for one week. Could that have anything to do with it?

**Outsider** · November 5th, 2003, 10:54 PM

Originally Written by markydefad

Well, I checked the Billboard chart books and this was the week (Nov 3, 1979) tha "Pop Muzik" by M topped the chart for one week. Could that have anything to do with it?

I doubt it.

:evil: