First disco song ever released

[galocha]

Hey guys, do you know which is the first disco song ever released? The oldest I found so far is "One night affair" by the O'jays (1969). You can listen to it at:

http://www.musicline.de/de/product/5099748975027

Anybody know about an older disco song?

[born2disco]

Define 'disco'.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

This is a very argumentive topic actualy..and also a very interesting and good one. Technicly there is no real way to pin point the first actual disco track without as just said..explaining what you mean as "disco". In disco's very very early times (1970 - 75) alot of things that were not disco music were being classified as "disco". I have much valid proof of this in my vault of interesting things. One being an 8 Track tape released circa late 75/very early 1976 supposid "non stop disco mixed" album called "disco party",not to be confused with the true disco mix LP on TK in 1978. First off, only about 70% of the tracks on there are actualy disco of the time. Second off I wouldnt call this thing a mix, but more or less a cut and paste and very horrably done.

Come on..things like "Aint Seen Nothin Yet" by BTO, "Lady" by Styx, "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace...just a few of the so called "disco" tracks on there. So as you see, rock and pop was just being called "disco" before the true music actualy formed 100% and took over. Disco was an unknown and undefined genre till sometime in 1976. So define exactly what you mean by "disco".

[QUINNY]

Aah! but there is the argument that Disco was any music played (almost) exclusively in clubs. So take your pick from c. 1920 onwards.

In my book, the first Disco records were the first extended mixes that started in '75, but I think it's the non-stop Gloria Gaynor LP from '74 that really changed things. That's when I felt a change was a happening and records were starting to be made solely for the dance floor.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Actualy I agree there, the Gloria Gaynor record was one of the first for extended mixes. Giorgio Moroder did the job though in making the first true mix with Donna Summer "Love To Love..". The Gaynor record was more or less just a medley with a tad bit of true extending using the instrumental tracks. But this kinda brings it to a new topic being..the first true mix lol. As for the sound of early disco id say it dates back to probably "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"..then kinda went away from the pure soul and funk as the technology and ideas progressed.

[MixMasterMax]

You all have very valid points. However, I have a very different recolection of what was being played in the clubs as early as 1974. In my oppinion the Discotheque club scene was thriving by 1974 and earlier (New York City). That is to say that the clubs would play continuously mixed music along with a light show and disco ball :P . I have listed a couple of songs below that were monster hits back then and can not be categorized as rock or other genre. Although these songs were released prior to 1974, the fact that they were adopted and used and the disco's tells me that they fit the mold. Christ, they were still being played long after 1974. True classic Discotheque.

Beggin' Timebox 1968
Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys Equals 1972
Woman Barrabas 1972
Date With the Rain Eddie Kendricks 1972
Love Epidemic The Trammps 1973
Soul Makossa Manu Dibango 1973
Zing Went the Strings of My Heart The Trammps 1973
Sultana Titanic 1973

[DiscoMan]

I don't know about the "first" Disco song, but Disco was in full swing here in Massachusetts in the summer of '74 at one of my hangouts; a club called Timothy's Too in Framingham. I don't remember that we called it Disco but all the trappings were there.

About the early music: MFSB, SalSoul Orchestra, Barry White, Gloria Gaynor and a variety of Soul and R&B artists whose music had a danceable beat was played. The Hustle was here that summer. I would think that the summer of '74 is the watershed year in the rise in popularity of Disco.

[MixMasterMax]

DiscoMan is right on the money. The East coast of the USA was in full disco bloom by 1974. I have listed several songs released in 74. Just look at the artist lineup. It's like the Allstar first game. So the first Disco song will remain an elusive quest and it will surely represent ones musical taste and geographical location. However, if I had to pick one which has stood the test of time..... Date With the Rain Eddie Kendricks 1972. What a fantastic song, played and played through the entire Disco era and continues to receive airplay in the New York radio market and clubs.


7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Blow Your Whistle Gary Tom's Empire 1974
A Hurricane is Coming Tonight Carol Douglas 1974
Ask Me Ecstasy, Passion and Pain 1974
Baby Don't Let This Good Love Die Carol Douglas 1974
Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me Gladys Knight and the Pips 1974
Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe Barry White 1974
Dancin' Machine The Jackson 5 1974
Do it Till You're Satisfied B.T. Express 1974
Doctor's Orders Carol Douglas 1974
Don't Leave Me Lamont Dozier 1974
Drive My Car Gary Tom's Empire 1974
Everlasting Love Carl Carlton 1974
Good Things Don't Last Forever Ecstacy Passion and Pain 1974
Gut Level The Blackbyrds 1974
Happiness is Just Round the Bend Main Ingredient 1974
Happy People The Temptations 1974
Hey Girl Come and Get It The Stylistics 1974
Hollywood Swinging Kool and the Gang 1974
I'll Be Holding On Al Downing 1974
Lady Marmalade LaBelle 1974
Life and Death in G & A Abaco Dream 1974
Love Don't You Go Through No Changes Sister Sledge 1974
Love's Theme Love Unlimited Orchestra 1974
Main Line Ashford and Simpson 1974
Mirrors Of My Mind Jackson 5 1974
Move Me No Mountain Love Unlimited Orchestra 1974
Pull Yourself Together Buddy Miles 1974
Pursuit of the PimpMobile Isaac Hayes 1974
Put The Music Where Your Mouth Is Olympic Runners 1974
Rock the Boat The Hues Corporation 1974
Rock Your Baby George McRae 1974
Shame Shame Shame Shirley and Company 1974
Soon, Everything Is Gonna Be Alright Third Time Around 1974
Sugar Pie Guy The Joneses 1974
Sweet Charlie Babe Jackie Moore 1974
The Bottle Gil Scott-Heron 1974
The Bottle (La Botella) Joe Bataan 1974
The Player First Choice 1974
Time Jackie Moore 1974
TSOP MFSB 1974
Welcome to the Club Blue Magic 1974
Where Do We Go From Here The Trammps 1974
Who Is He Creative Source 1974
You Sure Know How To Love Your Man Willie Hutch 1974

[QUINNY]

MixmasterMax: Yeah, we could all list a lot of tracks that were being played in '74, BUT were they Disco as such. They were all soul or funk or R&B records that were danceable. I don't think any of those records were made with just the dance floor in mind. Black music had always been danceable and Disco just took all of that to an entirely different place.

As I said initially. If anyone wants to be silly about it, Disco's roots can be easily traced to waaaaay back. The original jazz was made specifically by bands that played to dancers in late night hangouts. It specifically took well known contemporary tunes and turned them into danceable ones for the black audience.

[MixMasterMax]

Quinny, it's a pleasure conversing with you. The songs I listed were not picked out of a hat. It is my first hand experience of songs played at clubs in that period. I undestand your point about tracing anything back far enough. However, The music of the artists I listed is clearly Disco and the artist themselves went on to define the era. They can not be confused with Jazz or Rock our soulful balads R&B. I don't beleive you need to wait until a song is made with Disco in mind. In theory, that would only happen after someone (artists) have defined it first and others simply want to copy or jump on the band wagon. I still stand behind 1974 as the year when Disco was fully developed (at least in NYC). :lol:

[galocha]

Define 'disco'.

Good question. For me, a disco song is one that has that steady danceable 4/4 rhythm, those disco-style strings (optional) and that disco-style bass. (I don't know how to define that technically) regardless if they were played at the discos or with the discos in mind.

"One night afair' sounds very disco to me. Do you guys agree with that? Do you know of any earlier track that has those disco elements? I'm trying to find out who invented disco.

[DiscoMan]

I agree with MixMasterMax, I don't remember hearing the word "Disco" being used to describe a new nightlife lifestyle and understanding what that meant until fall (?) '75 or very early in '76. This is an account of my very first awareness of the term "Disco" being used to describe what Disco was.

Timothy's Too made the switch to DJs and recorded dance music by the summer of '74 and, as I rack my memory, they may even have opened as a primarily Disco club with the capability to host show bands. I remember more DJs and records than show bands in those early years.

I don't remember the owners using "Disco" to describe Timothy's Too. They were in business by the Memorial Day weekend and I remember the buzz about this "hot new club" which is what got me in the door. And there really was a new energy about the place. And I remember the crowd being very different from those who went to our usual hangouts.

In Worcester a new Disco Club called "BJ's Disco" opened during the fall (?) of '75. That WAS THE FIRST TIME I saw the term used. BJ's was right next door to a Rock 'n Roll club that featured live show bands. Anyway I was going into the Rock 'n Roll club with my crew one Friday night and commented on how well dressed the people going into BJ's were. One of my pals said (I paraphrase because of the years...) "Yeah, those people are into this new Disco dancing..." I went into BJ's and was hooked. I rarely set foot into a rock'n roll club again. By the spring of '76 Disco was known as Disco and that's all young people talked about and did for the next 4 years.!!!!!!!!

[QUINNY]

I think it took the U.S.A. to define the word Disco.

To be honest, in the U.K. we'd had Discos since the mid sixties, many of which played soul, funk and other black music almost exclusively. There were a few labels here that tracked down the best dance material and released many great dance tunes and songs.

Any of you guys remember stuff like:

Lunar Funk - Mr. Penguin
Midnite Movers - Follow The Wind
Bohannon - Stop & Go
African Music Machine - Blackwater Gold (Pearl)
First Choice - Smarty Pants/Armed and Extremely Dangerous (sure strong contenders for first disco records)
Denis Coffey - Scorpio (second half at least)
El Chicano - Mas Zacate
NF Porter - Gotta Keep On, Keepin' On
Johnny Taylor - Who's Makin' Love

all of the above were strong 4/4 records pre '74 (but....were they disco?)

[originalbigm]

Have to agree with Mastermax.I can take it back to 1972 that is when I first started working as a DJ.I think one needs to look at the actual music lists of that era. Certainly black music (R&B and Soul) was the dominate genre.But most people went to these clubs because you couldn't hear much of this music on main street airwaves at least in my neck of the woods.As I've eluded to in the past I had to travel to Buffalo every other weekend just to seek out these tunes as it was impossible to buy or hear them up here.Certainly Mastermax reflects the typical playlist of the day.Again out of these genres the "disco sound" evolved .I strongly suggest you read (Sorry Quinny )" Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" as the authors do address the very essence of the 70's emergence of disco in a rather detailed way.

Quote from the book
"In fact,many of the people involved with it's early days blanch at using "disco" to describe the music and clubs they knew and loved.They don't really have an alternative name,but they have a strong need to to distinguish their music,funky and soulful,and their scene small,gritty and underground,from what disco eventualyy became and from how disco is scene by most people today.The last days of disco might have recalled the decadent fall of Rome,but the first days were filled with hope."

This is a statement that some of us who lived and participated in this time can certainly relate to. May I suggest that those of us who worked in the early seventies offer up a list of their popular "club aka disco" songs from that time period so that some of the younger and newer members might get an idea of what we were playing prior to the disco explosion of 1976.I would also suggest that some of you younger folk might seek out and listen to these as they may develop a whole new appreciation of "disco".My list is from 7 " singles or LP's that I still own as I listen to them now they still make me want to get down.

Brother Louie- The Stories 1973
The Ghetto - Donny Hathaway 1972
Good Things Don't Last Forever- Ecstasy,Passion & Pain 1974
Woman Of The Ghetto - Marlena Shaw 1969
Melting Pot- Booker T & The MG's 1971
People Get Up And Drive Your Funky Soul - James Brown 1973
Sexy,Sexy, Sexy, - James Brown 1973
I Can Understand It - New Birt 1972
Changes - Vernon Burch 1975
Keep On Truckin' - Eddie Kendricks 1973
Can't Help What I Am - Eddie Kendricks 1973
Slippin Into Darkness - War
Help Yourself - Undisputed Truth 1974
The Breakdown - Rufus Thomas 1971
Hang On In There Baby - Johnny Bristol 1974
Sister James - Nino Tempo & 5th Ave Sax
Dance To The Music - The Hypnotics
Take A Closer Look (At The Woman Your With)-Wilson Pickett 1973
Looking For A Love - Bobby Womack 1973
Mama Feelgood - Lyn Collins 1973
Time To Get Down- The O'Jays 1972
Bus Stop - Oliver Sain 1974
Trusting Heart - The Trammps 1974
A Little Bit Of Love - Brenda & The Tabulations
Joy - Issac Hayes 1973
Gimme Some More -The JB's 1972
Now Run & Tell That - Denise Lasalle 1972
Finders Keepers - Chairman Of The Board 1973
Party Freaks - Miami 1974
Your Love Was Strange - The Dramatics 1972

[MixMasterMax]

Quinny, The music you listed is all great and may be 4/4 per measure. The point I am trying to make is that pre 1974, what we all know now as Disco was in it's embrionic stage. Although a track from 1971 was not 4/4, it inspired someone else to evolve their music towards the standard we all accept. The reason artist gravitated towards what would be come disco is very simple, $$$$. The audience wanted more of this new dance "thing". In 1974 you could walk into many clubs in NYC which were created specificaly to provide non stop mixed music and lighhts. The music was not R&B, Ballads, Rock, it was something new which grabbed you with it's strong base and breaks. Anyway Here are some of my files from 1973, they were all played at the clubs and were true underground classics which in my mind inspired other artist.

originalbigm, Nice tracks you listed but I can not tell you how much I love Melting Pot :P :lol: :P . That was a monster track in NYC.

Armed & Extremely Dangerous First Choice 1973
Bra Cymande 1973
Dance And Hum Along Jackson 5 1973
Fencewalk Mandrill 1973
Girl You Need a Change of Mind Eddie Kendricks 1973
Giving Up Zulema 1973
I'll Bake Me a Man Barbara Acklin 1973
I've Always Loved My Mama Intruders 1973
Keep on Truckin' Eddie Kendricks 1973
Koke Tribe 1973
Law Of The Land Undisputed Truth 1973
Look Me Up Blue Magic 1973
Love & Happiness First Choice 1973
Love Epidemic The Trammps 1973
Love Train The O'Jays 1973
Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up Barry White 1973
Rain 2000 Titanic 1973
Sex Machine James Brown 1973
Smarty Pants First Choice 1973
Soul Makossa Manu Dibango 1973
Street Dance The Fatback Band 1973
Sultana Titanic 1973
The Love I Lost Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes 1973
Under the Influence of Love Love Unlimited Orchestra 1973
Wild Safari Barrabas 1973
Zing Went the Strings of My Heart The Trammps 1973

[QUINNY]

Most of the music I played pre '75 is locked away in a trunk in the attic of my parent's house. That tells me something.
There was such a sea change in '75, that all that went on before suddenly became obsolete.

All the listed records were played by my colleagues and myself (with very few exceptions).

What I felt was this. Once the stronger 4/4 feel came in, it was impossible to play any record that didn't have it, even though they'd been considered great dancers only a few years before. Whether it was technology, deliberate production or what, suddenly every record sounded sooooo much bigger and those older records just didn't compare. As a pro DJ, I had to embrace it, even though my ears and my heart told me it wasn't entirely what I wanted to play.

[MixMasterMax]

On this matter, we agree completely. There was a change that took place when the Hustle went the way of all dances. However, the fact that pre 1975 music is what started the whole craze remains very strong in my mind. Most of the so called Disco artist of 73-74 simply adjusted their productions to meet an ever growing dance fever that was, shal we say "Hustle" friendly. Although you could still dance the hustle, it was more of a free style change. Since I started talking about it, the Hustle, in my oppinion was the very best of the best time as a Disco club patron. Nothing beats dancing hand in hand, spinning around and getting close to your intended target for the night (may be that was not nice but it was a fact). Anyway, would you at least agree (knowing a change occured in the mid 70's) that Disco as a dance sensation started around 1974?

PS: I would be glad to go to go to your parents house and liberate you of all those nasty pre 75 records :lol:

[efunk_adelic]

On this matter, we agree completely. There was a change that took place when the Hustle went the way of all dances. However, the fact that pre 1975 music is what started the whole craze remains very strong in my mind. Most of the so called Disco artist of 73-74 simply adjusted their productions to meet an ever growing dance fever that was, shal we say "Hustle" friendly. Although you could still dance the hustle, it was more of a free style change. Since I started talking about it, the Hustle, in my oppinion was the very best of the best time as a Disco club patron. Nothing beats dancing hand in hand, spinning around and getting close to your intended target for the night (may be that was not nice but it was a fact). Anyway, would you at least agree (knowing a change occured in the mid 70's) that Disco as a dance sensation started around 1974?

PS: I would be glad to go to go to your parents house and liberate you of all those nasty pre 75 records :lol:

I second that.. well, just look :)

[DiscoMan]

Yes and though the Hustle has changed over the years it is still great fun and still very popular. Who still does the Twist or the Swim or even the Bump? But people still Hustle on.

[Nano]

I'm reading attentively this thread. Very interesting, even as this topic was done more than once. I have a small add-up and a question-trigger for you guys. But have in mind that I caught the last wave of the disco sound (I was 15 in 1980), when dancers didn't touch each other anymore (save for the slow dance breaks :) ).

The small add-up: I remember being in a friend's house at the time, this guy wanted to be a DJ and we did some parties (and later even a couple of club jobs) together. He buyed tons of records but didn't know what to use. So there were some visual aids: black guys with colorful suits in the cover was a good sign, for example. On the other hand, a record with more than 3 songs per side was a downer. I remember vividly opening an early Odyssey record (this was when "Going back to my roots" hit big) looking for filler material. I saw there were, like, 6 songs per side! Then I listened to it (first minute of every song or so) and confirmed my "bad feeling".

The question-trigger: the word "disco" is itself very common in Spanish. It means "record" (as in "disco records"). Were English speaking dancers/punters aware of this when they dubbed this music "disco?

[QUINNY]

I must admit I enjoyed trying to Bump my way into a woman's affections 9hey lotsa body action with that, eh?), not that I got to dance that often. The Hustle was merely known in name only by most peole in the UK and Europe. We never really took to it that strongly, although I remember some people giving it a try. Most people just looked on at 'em with a certain "look at those flash/nerdy gits" type of look on their faces.

One day I really must open up that trunk.

[QUINNY]

Nano: I don't think we were aware of any Spanish meaning as the word Disco was, as I'm sure you are aware, an abbreviation of the French word discotheque.
So, as a 15 year old kid, were you confused as to what had been abbreviated back in 1980?

[Mixmachine]

To be honest, in the U.K. we'd had Discos since the mid sixties, many of which played soul, funk and other black music almost exclusively. There were a few labels here that tracked down the best dance material and released many great dance tunes and songs.

Sorry Quinny but in my book just throwing one record after another without mixing a Discotheque doesn't make, besides I'll bet you this clubs all had house bands covering (very badly in many cases) everyone else’s music, a no no for me and many others when we used to visit dance clubs in the early days. Same goes for your '20's speak easy observations, these were dancing clubs with live bands but they were no Discos.



At the risk of repeating myself in this new thread :) , IMO the best Club music (later dubbed Disco) was produced before ’76, before SNF, of course I also enjoyed the rest but for me nothing compares to the early sound of club music found in the excellent lists above, club music then consisted of all kinds of different influences presented in an non stop format by a skilled mixing DJ , Jazz, soul, Latin, Funk, Rock, Gospel, Tribal, and other styles all created a unique "soup" of sounds that was never duplicated in later years after the "Disco” label was coined and music created ‘exclusively’ for the dance floor became the norm; All this factor IMO contributed to this “underground feeling” we (clubbers) felt during this early club hopping years, and it was fun to be on the vanguard of something that most of the population didn’t know existed yet, in a world of Rock Bars and local House bands, clubs (Discoteques) with silent and often hidden DJs mixing records (original recordings!) was a new revolutionary concept, and dancing Hustle, Bus Stop and other popular dances in exclusive ‘Discos’ (House parties too) became a weekly if not daily affair for many who rather avoid the local Rock bar scene.

There was such a sea change in '75, that all that went on before suddenly became obsolete

But isn’t this always the case with western music when it relates to the masses? The great majority of the population treats music as disposable items, before SNF hit records lasted for years in a club setting; afterwards they were lucky to survive for three months, and why? IMO because the masses were introduced for marketing reasons and then club music for the most part became stale, boring, predictable and disposable. I’d like to think that we here are a bit more appreciative of good club music regardless of how old it is.

[discosavvy]

before ’76, before SNF, ... club music then consisted of all kinds of different influences presented in an non stop format by a skilled mixing DJ , Jazz, soul, Latin, Funk, Rock, Gospel, Tribal, and other styles all created a unique "soup" of sounds that was never duplicated in later years after the "Disco” label was coined and music created ‘exclusively’ for the dance floor became the norm

Really? All post-1976 disco sounds the same eh?

What about "My Sweet Lord" by Roberta Kelly (gospel influence), "Skate to the Rhythm" by High Inergy (funk influence), "Cuba" by the Gibson Brothers (latin influence), "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer (rock influence), "Turn the Music Up!" by the Players Association (jazz influence), "I Was Made for Lovin' You" by KISS (heavy metal influence), "Hold On I'm Coming" by Precious Wilson (soul influence), "I Could Have Danced All Night" by Mary Welch (musicals influence), "We're Off to See the Wizard (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)" by Meco (film scores influence), "Doin' Your Own Thing" by Tangerue (big band influence), "Love Ballad" by George Benson (orchestral hall influence), "Scotch Machine" by Voyage (Scottish influence), "Tahiti, Tahiti" by Voyage (Tahitian influence), "Aloha-Oe, Until We Meet Again" by Goombay Dance Band (Hawaiian influence), "Take Me to Chinatown" by Ultimate (Chinese influence), "Rasputin" by Boney M (Russian influence), "Sandstorm" by La Bionda (Middle Eastern influence), "Queen of the Rapping Scene (Nothing Ever Goes the Way You Plan)" by Modern Romance (rap influence), "Baby I'm Burnin'" by Dolly Parton (country influence), "Straight Ahead" by Fused (electronica influence), "Jingo" by Candido (is that tribal?), and songs with video game effects, roller-rink echoes, steel drums from Trinidad, Brazilian samba rhythms, 18th century classical music, Italian fiddle, traditional Hungarian, traditional Indian, '60s pop flavor, Motown flavor, etc.

[Mixmachine]

DiscoSavvy, Like I said before I enjoyed and played all kinds of music but some of the songs you mentioned were isolated hits thru a span of many years and many were not even popular for long if at all, many of them are nostalgically mention now and may even be considered classics when compared with what we get today, but in general they were not big club hits at the time, (maybe in some regions) During the pre-’76 era you could still play three and four years old good music and people still responded on the floor, after 77 with few exceptions anything older than three months was history, and it’s a well known fact that music became repetitious with producers imitating each others sound to get music out the door and make a quick buck, one of the contributing reasons why Disco died a quick death...

By the way out of your list only “Cuba”, ”Hot Stuff”, Voyage’s, “Sandstorm” and “Jingo” were considered big hits.Kiss, Dolly and Meco cuts were considered jokes, Kelly only hit it with “Zodiacs” (and that got tired fast) Tangerue was to late and hardly played at all, Benson only really with “Give me the night”, I don’t recall Boney’s “Rasputin” played at all in my area, the Player’s cut never did anything for me and never took off, maybe “Disco Inferno” ?, and the Ultimate cut you mentioned was overshadowed by their other hits, as for the rest, me know no.. :lol: