RECORDS WE HAVE LOVED #8 CHIC - DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

**QUINNY** · October 24th, 2004, 05:02 PM

Chic - Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)

I remember when I first saw the label of this record and feeling a might inquisitive, as to how the Yowsah piece in the title, was ever gonna be included in the lyrics. If anything, I thought this was gonna be a novelty record. Didn't know anything about the writers/producers, Chic was a brand new name and I hadn't seen a review anywhere, as it was on import straight from a London store, in its first week of release on Atlantic. I didn't remember seeing a previous mention of it on Buddah, soooooo I put it on the turntable and...........Wow, Yes, Yes, Yes! Straight away, anyone with half a brain would have known it was goona be massive. It was an absolute winner and from there on in Chic could virtually do no wrong for a good couple of years.

Evangelise, praise at the high altar, pass the collection dish or kneel and pray for something better, whatever.

P.S. Good times, Le Freak et al will have their day, so let's stick to this record, eh?

**Salsoul1975** · October 24th, 2004, 10:35 PM

I certainly hope the sound of this record has improved over time. Even when I heard it on the radio, it was the only song of theirs that had a very muffled sound. I have the 1991 Dance, Dance, Dance best-of CD compilation, and although it contains the original 12" version, the sound is mediocre compared to their other recordings.

Yes, "Dance, Dance, Dance" was a fine record, but it would be supplanted by a great track like "Everybody Dance".

**usagi-san** · October 25th, 2004, 07:35 AM

"Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)" was the first 12 inch record I bought. I never thought of the sound as muffled; I can see how someone might say that, but it just sounds cozy to me. I think I got it at a Woolworths or Whitecliff or some market that is not there anymore. How interesting I would first notice 12 inches at a place like that rahter than at a total record store. I never heard the "yowsah" thing before; then the Richie character on "Happy Days" used it in a dance contest (annoying the Fonz), and I thought I guess Chic did not invent that term since the show was supposed to be from the 50's. I like this song better than "Le Freak" actually. Nice and long; 8:21 I think. I liked the lush instrumental "Sao Paulo" on the B side too, even though I had nothing like that on any of my other records.

**Videoskooter** · October 25th, 2004, 02:15 PM

To me "Dance,..." was a superb discorecord and the blueprint for the classic Chic-sound. I do like this in particular just because of the running bass and to me it sounded very eurodisco (you can say at least that it was influenced by it).

Then they shocked the world with "Le Freak" and made record after record and always delivered the best quality.

Chic is a chapter of his own in the discoworld!!

**dbmc** · October 26th, 2004, 05:18 PM

I have the original album and I also find the mix a little muffled hence I hardly play it.

Its an absolute callsic though.

**Nano** · October 27th, 2004, 03:11 PM

I remember being in a birthday of somebody from school; we were all 14 years old. The "equipment" was an old record player of those with a small speaker down the front and a tall axe for keeping records in the air playing once at a time! There was one or two speaker boxes connected to the backside.
The hits of the night were the 7' single of "Got a feeling" by Patrick Juvet (and the flipside, "Another lonely man", for the slow break), plus that first Chic LP with the ladies playing referee :D "Dance dance dance" and sure we did all night, pausing once in awhile to wait for the next record to drop.

**ComputerDisco** · October 27th, 2004, 05:10 PM

"Dance, Dance, Dance" is one of my very favorite disco songs. Virtually everything about it is great - although you can quibble with the recording. A nice digital remaster would be nice.

The pace is great, the length is just right, the bass reels you in and won't let you go, the hook is unforgettable and there's no way people can sit on the wall when this song comes on.

This is probably my favorite Chic tune, although there are so many that I like, it's hard to decide. It's a song I'll never get tired of, that's for sure.

**paul** · October 27th, 2004, 07:02 PM

Though edited to a little 4 minutes, this song sounds nicely remastered on the 54 cd.

**efunk_adelic** · October 29th, 2004, 09:25 AM

Dance, Dance, Dance

Never hit top shelf for me.... It was just another one of the top jams. I believe earlier in the thread someone mentioned it had a muffled recording.. I feel the same way unfortunately. I enjoyed it's original run, but it'll never catch the original fire in my book.

**QUINNY** · October 29th, 2004, 09:41 AM

It would be interesting to know where Dance, Dance, Dance was recorded in relation to all the other Chic records.
I think it could have been Kenny Lehman's ears that had some effect, as both Lemon's A-Freak-A and Roundtree's/Sugar's Manhattan Fever have a slightly muffled sound too. Maybe, just maybe.

**ComputerDisco** · October 30th, 2004, 11:40 AM

Well, it was their very first record. I imagine that it was recorded in one of the many small studios "downtown" here in New York.

I'd be interested to know, if somebody has an original 12" of this song, is the track "Brazil" (the b-side) equally muffled?

**Mixmachine** · October 30th, 2004, 01:40 PM

Both sides (“Sao Paulo” on B) sounds the same to me, also pulled the Lp and all cuts have the same poor quality recording, drum rolls and lead vocals are especially bad. LP was recorded in ‘Electric Lady Studios” in NY and although I can’t pick him out Luther Vandross is credited as one of the LP vocalist.

As far as the song, locally it was a club hit but also remember many people walking off the floor during the ‘dry’ Dance…Dance…Dannnnnce” portion and the Jazzy second part. “Everybody Dance” a much better tune IMO quickly overshadowed the ‘Yowsah, Yowsah” novelty.

**QUINNY** · October 30th, 2004, 06:21 PM

Originally Written by Mixmachine

As far as the song, locally it was a club hit but also remember many people walking off the floor during the ‘dry’ Dance…Dance…Dannnnnce” portion.

I quickly learned to get my tambourine skills in motion for that segment (and it kept 'em on the floor). Had forgotten all about the reaction until you mentioned it.

**Salsoul1975** · October 31st, 2004, 06:19 PM

"Sao Paulo" was remastered for an import CD called Disco Connection that I have in my collection. The quality is superb.

**Jimmy-Michaels** · November 1st, 2004, 09:32 PM

I have the vinyl and out of print CD for the first LP and both have muffled sound. I also have the 12'' which is just as muffled but produces better bass responce. As for "Sao Paulo", did anyone know that the B side of the 12'' is a special disco remix? Compare the LP and 12'' and you'll see. Is it the 12'' mix or the LP mix that was remastered on this CD I heard someone mention, id like to know :)

One other thing bout "Dance Dance Dance"...why didn't Vincent Montana get sued for ripping it off for "It Looks Like Love"? LOL, both records can even play exactly in sync starting the Chic record from the bass break part on the Goody track :lol: