Early, early Disco dance music.

**DoctorDisco** · February 4th, 2005, 08:16 AM

I never see hits mentioned like "This Will Be" by Natalie Cole, or "Operator" by the Manhattan Transfer, Or "Shame, Shame, Shame" by Shirley (somebody).

Did anyone besides myself play these songs in the early days of disco?

I remember a crowd favorite was "Dirty Ol' Man" by the Three Degrees, and "Mama Never Told Me" by Sister Sledge.

Another one of the most popular tracks back then was the "Honeybee-Never Can Say Goodbye-Reach Out, I'll Be There" medley by Gloria Gaynor. It was the first medley I recall playing in a disco.

Comments anyone?

**QUINNY** · February 4th, 2005, 09:08 AM

There are a few of us who remember these and ones from before. However, most of the regulars here are somewhat younger or weren't involved with disco music pre 1975/6 and so the pre disco stuff wasn't as important to them.
Personally, I was a DJ from 1968 (college and mobiles) and a pro club DJ from 1972 -1987 (sorry if anyone is bored by having to read this again), so there's lots of records that could be discussed. Trouble is, I get the feeling that pre disco stuff is not really sought after in quite the same way as true Disco era tunes.

**Sami M** · February 4th, 2005, 11:19 AM

Please do discuss this! Quinny and others don't hide the knowledge! I'm very interested to hear from you what was on the plate on the late 60's early 70's. What do think of the songs now and so on. :P :P :P :P

**MixMasterMax** · February 4th, 2005, 01:35 PM

There have been many topics of your interest discussed here. Search for topics such as The First Disco Song. Many of the early songs were Hustle centric (at least in the USA :lol: ). Here are some to wet your appetite.

Brenda & The Tabulations - Little Bit Of Love
Crystal Grass - Love To Dance This One With You
Hypnotics - Beware Of The Stranger
New Censation - First Round Knowckout
Sons Of Robin Stone - Got To Get You Back
Act I - Tom The Peeper
Finishing Touch - Second Best (Is Never Enough)
Harlem River Drive - Need You
Hokis Pokis - Nowhere
Steptones - Success Don't Come Easy
Brother To Brother - In The Bottle
Blood Hollins - How Have You Been
The Rhodes Kids - Voo-Doo Magic
Reggie Garner - Hal A Cup
The Coalitions - I Don't Mind Doin' It
Hi-Lites - That's Love

Oh, I could go on for ever on this

**Salsoul1975** · February 4th, 2005, 01:41 PM

"Shame Shame Shame" is by Shirley and Company.

I don't consider "This Will Be" by Natalie Cole and "Operator" by Manhattan Transfer to be disco songs. This is akin to me seeing Samantha Sang's "Emotion" on a disco CD compilation years back. WTF? Same with Abba. Apparently, everyone and their brother labels Abba as being disco, but with the exception of "Voulez-Vous", very little comes close to the genre. "Dancing Queen" is considered disco, just like Leo Sayer's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing". Yep, they're bouncy, they have a beat, but they're not the kind of songs I'd want to dance to at 12 West.

**markydefad** · February 4th, 2005, 01:43 PM

Hmmm, DoctorDisco...

I've been typing the Billboard Disco charts that started in October 1974 every week. We're about to celebrate a one year anniversary this week (October 25, 1975). All the records you've cited have been charted or mentioned in Tom Moulton's column ("Operator").

Take a look. It's informative, if I say so myself.

**Mixmachine** · February 4th, 2005, 03:48 PM

Here is an excellent list of pre-disco, it even lists "Beggin" by Time box that I havent heard before yet, I think :roll: .

http://www.rhino.com/features/liners/75595lin9.lasso

**Salsoul1975** · February 4th, 2005, 04:26 PM

What an awesome list of songs there. Notice that Tom Moulton was one of the contributors

!

**DoctorDisco** · February 4th, 2005, 04:55 PM

Yes, Salsoul, I don't consider This Will Be or Operator disco music either, and it really doesn't fit the definition of disco as I think of it, but they were popular, and played nonetheless at clubs I worked at.

I guess there were lots of songs back then that I would classify as American Top 40, that were getting club play. There just wasn't that much disco music to fill an evening.

**DoctorDisco** · February 4th, 2005, 05:01 PM

Thanks MixMachine for the link to early pre-disco. I recognize several of those titles as songs I had played and forgotten about.

I drugged and drank plenty back in those days so my memory has been sort of fuzzy about those years! Go figure.

**Mixmachine** · February 4th, 2005, 05:05 PM

Originally Written by DoctorDisco

Thanks MixMachine for the link to early pre-disco. I recognize several of those titles as songs I had played and forgotten about.

Just be careful , cause I remember almost ordering that package thinking it had all those cuts :lol: :lol:

**Giovanni** · February 6th, 2005, 06:19 PM

I consider myself very in to what is considered the disco era (75-79), but if disco gained its reputation and its name too, it sure depends on the pre-75 tracks that contributed to create the disco sound. I think everybody in the disco knowing should interest in these older tracks (mostly on 7").

**buckaroo** · February 7th, 2005, 05:43 AM

Originally Written by Sami M

Please do discuss this! Quinny and others don't hide the knowledge! I'm very interested to hear from you what was on the plate on the late 60's early 70's. What do think of the songs now and so on. :P :P :P :P

Yes. Please do so.

What about "Want Ads" by The Honey Cone?

**originalbigm** · February 7th, 2005, 06:40 AM

From my own collection

Brother Louie-The Stories
Dance To The Music - The Hypnotics
Without You In My Life-Tyrone Davis
Gimme Some More - The JB's
Bus Stop -Oliver Sain
Finder's Keepers -Chairman Of The Board
Take A Closer Look(at The Woman Your With)- Wilson Pickett
Help Yourself- The Undisputed Truth
I've Been In The Right Place -Dr John
Machine Gun - The Commodores
Glasshouse-The Temptations
When The Fuel Runs Out-Executive Suite
Supernatural Thing (Pt1)- Ben E. King
Looking For A Love -Bobby Womack
Sister James -Nino Tempo & 5th Ave Sax
Make It Funky(Pt 1) - James Brown
Blackbyrd - Donald Byrd
The Breakdown - Rufus Thomas
Outa-space - Billy Preston
I'll Always Love My Mama (Pt.1) - The Intruders

These were a few the tunes from my club playlist during the years 72-74

**eddie** · February 8th, 2005, 02:25 AM

I first heard predominant breaks in 60's soul music of Archie Bell and the Drells. Tracks like "There's gonna be a showdown" and "Tighten up" come to mind.
Also check out the Rhino disc History of Funk Volume 1/2.
Glad to see "You're the one" by Little Sister back in print.

**Cory Ander** · February 25th, 2008, 02:05 AM

Originally Written by Salsoul1975

"Shame Shame Shame" is by Shirley and Company.

I don't consider "This Will Be" by Natalie Cole and "Operator" by Manhattan Transfer to be disco songs. This is akin to me seeing Samantha Sang's "Emotion" on a disco CD compilation years back. WTF? Same with Abba. Apparently, everyone and their brother labels Abba as being disco, but with the exception of "Voulez-Vous", very little comes close to the genre. "Dancing Queen" is considered disco, just like Leo Sayer's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing". Yep, they're bouncy, they have a beat, but they're not the kind of songs I'd want to dance to at 12 West.

despite its title and its popularity, no disco I went to ever played "Dancing Queen", probably because of its tempo....but nearly all of them played "Lay All Your Love On Me" and it got great response. Another Abba song that got disco play was "The Visitors". And while we're discussing Abba, you may want to check out a medley of their songs covered by Erasure.....

**The Boogie Doctor** · February 25th, 2008, 04:39 PM

how about 'girl you need a change of mind' by eddie kendricks!!!! what a track!!!

**MixMasterMax** · March 1st, 2008, 04:52 PM

A few from what I remember being played in New York early on in the Disco evolution.

Can it be that Disco really started before 1975

Isley Brothers - Who's That Lady
Baby Huey - Listen To Me
El Chicano - What's Going On
Gary Glitter - Baby Please Don't Go
IPI 'N Tombia - The Warrior
Lionel Hampton - Stoned Out Of My Mind
J. Geils Band - Give It To Me
Osibisa - Happy Children
Osibisa - Fire
Richard Popcorn Wylie - Georgia After Hours
Blackbyrds - Gut Level
Blackbyrds - Do It Fluid
Crystal Grass - Crystal World
Crystal Grass - You're The First The Las My Everything
Earth Wind & Fire - C'Mon Children
Gene Page - Satin Soul
Hot Chocolate - Cicero Park
Hot Chocolate - Disco Queen
Hues Corporation - Rockin' Soul
Mighty Clouds Of Joy - Mighty Clouds Of Joy
Mighty Clouds Of Joy - Time
Rita Jean Bodine - Dynamite
Rita Jean Bodine - That's The Kind Of Love I Have For You
Stylistics - Hey Girl, Come And get It
Van McCoy - African Symphony (1st Mvt.)
Whispers - Where There Is Love
Al Downing - I'll Be Holding On
James Brown - Give It up or Turn It Loose
Hot Butter - Apache
Jerry Butler - One Night Affair
Rare Earth - I Couldn'T Believe What Happened Last Night
War - City , Country, City
Incredible Bongo Band - Apache
Incredible Bongo Band - Let There Be Drums
Independents - I Love You, Yes I Do
Jackson 5 - Hum Along and Dance

Sorry for the long list but this is my FAV time in disco....