Why is "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead ha

**Funky Dude** · June 26th, 2002, 07:47 PM

Here's another song that comes up in the hate list as well. I've first heard "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" when I listened to the Boogie Nights soundtrack and I thought the song was a beautiful disco track. The guys have very soulful voices and the music itself sounds beautiful.

I'm also wondering for those who hate the track, what is it about this track that makes it sound bad?

**NickNack** · June 26th, 2002, 10:09 PM

It's a great track. Some consider it a classic. Loved it and played it when I first got it. Again, not one I hate, it's just been played to the point of 'death by migraine'.

**Boodikka** · June 26th, 2002, 10:23 PM

It's definitely not "Ring My Bell" appalling....I actually like the Charanga '76 version. What annoys me is that one of them, either McFathead or Whitebread, has VERY bad phrasing skills, and begins to sound like Mushmouth on "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids".....

I know you know sobone dat hab the negatib vaaaahhhhhbsss....
Billb, youbah andbuh Dumbah DonaldBuh got to go to duh recorbing studio....YUUUUUCCCKKKK!

BTW, Funky, I'm curious....if you like these tracks and enjoy them, that's all that matters. Why should anyone else's opinion be part of the equation? I know that if someone's musical opinion varies from mine, I don't give a flying fu.....flying fox fur about their opinion.

**markydefad** · June 26th, 2002, 10:28 PM

Why anyone would "hate" this track is beyond my comprehension. Totally holds up and I loved the way it was ironically played in "Boogie Nights" as the 1979 New Year's Eve transition song into the new decade.

Of course, everyone in the film soon saw the hedonistic pleasures and highs of the seventies spiralling out of control and their lives going downhill to rock bottom.

"Ain't No Stopping Us Now" indeed!!!!

**HustleBaby** · June 26th, 2002, 10:29 PM

Hey Funky Dude,

I usually like everything produced by Gamble & Huff so I didn't list "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" as a hated song. The problem that I have with this song is that its played toooooooo much!!! All of the parties, weddings, anniversaries, reunions etc..that I went to played this song. Thats not including the radio and everyone's house (as well as ours) who had a 12 "inch version. So there was no escape! Oh and lets not forget about all the graduation ceremonies that had this song as their anthem. In the beginning I loved it, by the late 70's (79) I didn't want to hear it anymore.

*DISCO DELIGHT*

**markydefad** · June 26th, 2002, 10:50 PM

The "Positive Uplift" of the Philadelphia International music crafted by Gamble-Huff & Co. ("People all over the world--start a Love Train"; "Wake Up Everybody"; "Only The Strong Survive"; I"ll Always Love My Mama"; "Love Is The Message"; "I Love Music")was coopted by lots of folks for their own purposes. The positveness of the messages was supposed to be inspirational to blacks, (and others too, I suppose).

The black poet Nikki Giovanni wrote a piece for the box set, "The Philly Sound: Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff & The Story of Brotherly Love (1966-1979), entitled "I Love Music: When Gamble & Huff Ruled". She touches on what this music meant to blacks in that late 1960's-early 1970's era. (I just can't retype it now.

Therefore, some of these songs were used as theme songs for a lot of events that wanted to inspire or weddings that wanted to get off on the right foot, I guess. What was the song somone said a while ago that was played at a wedding they attended? Something with a totally inappropriate message--dooming the marriage to failure, as I recall. Wasn't that your post Hustlebaby? What was that song? Hmmm?

**HustleBaby** · June 26th, 2002, 11:11 PM

On 2002-06-26 23:50, markydefad wrote:
Therefore, some of these songs were used as theme songs for a lot of events that wanted to inspire or weddings that wanted to get off on the right foot, I guess. What was the song somone said a while ago that was played at a wedding they attended? Something with a totally inappropriate message--dooming the marriage to failure, as I recall. Wasn't that your post Hustlebaby? What was that song? Hmmm?

LOL Yeah Marky that was my post the song was ....."Bad Luck" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Those grown folks back then knew what they were dancing to but it seems like it didn't matter. Maybe it was the beats, Teddy's voice and the open bar that made them forget about the lyrics?????

Overall "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" is a great inspirational song but damn I got soooooo tired of hearing it!

*DELIGHTFUL*

**Outsider** · June 26th, 2002, 11:34 PM

I like that song, so I have nothing bad to say about it.

**paul** · June 27th, 2002, 12:06 AM

Well, I love this song. OK, it was played way too much but I just love listening to it. Perhaps like Marky said, it was and is inspirational (in contrast to some of today's crap). I'll admit that I haven't played it in a while because others do.

**sirius** · June 27th, 2002, 12:26 AM

I personally like "Ain´t No Stopping Us Now"
because it was not that famous in Europe
like for instance "Ring My Bell".
Also it´s more blackbased and there´s a
story from RANDY SHILTS who wrote a book
about HARVEY MILK, who was shot and there
was a big fight on the streets on San Fran-
cisco...the Radio-DJ´s then played the song.
An interesting history anecdote...
Cosmic Love & Kisses From SIRIUS & DARKTUNES

**markydefad** · June 27th, 2002, 12:52 AM

Oh gawd, Sirius....

I was there that night as cop cars were burning and gays were ramming the doors of the SF City Hall. I was definitely a watcher in the wings, NOT in the midst of the turmoil. BUT THAT was about as tumultuous a time as I can remember. During the LA riots, I just stayed at home--even though they raided stores as close as Sunset and LaBrea (about 5 blocks away).

I also met Randy Shilts a number of times in SF--he was EVERYWHERE. Sadly, he was another who died way too soon.

I don't remember the "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" connection to the events of that awful day ( Republican SF supervisor Dan White shot and killed Democratic supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone in the SF City Hall and escaped through a basement window)--BUT I'm sure it was played as you said.

**Masdefi** · June 27th, 2002, 03:44 AM

I love this song.

"Ain't no stoppin' us now" is one of my top favourite dance tracks of all the time. I am really surprised about this post I really would have never thought someone hated it!!! It's just last week I have found a copy the original 12" for only 10$ and I have immedeately buyed it in order to replace my old 12" copy too much used.....
If this song is "hated" by someone, what this someone would think about the fabulous "DISCO DUCK"?????? :???:

**Masdefi** · June 27th, 2002, 03:53 AM

LOL

........mmmhhh....... what does this mean???!!!

**nrgbeat** · June 27th, 2002, 04:56 AM

LOL=laugh out loud.

**Fantomas** · June 27th, 2002, 06:22 AM

Just another song---not a dance floor favorite for sure. Don't have it and don't want it.

**The Lord of Flatbush** · June 27th, 2002, 06:55 AM

Great record!

The synthesizer, space effect should've been eliminated at the end of the record. It was the seventies, so the effect was "Star Wars" up to date, if you feel me.

**Mixmachine** · June 27th, 2002, 07:04 AM

I used to spin it in clubs years after the original release, this was one of those 12" you always keep in the bin, Hector 'Macho' Camacho (Champion Boxer) used to visit the club and request this one everytime.

**Blaxman** · June 27th, 2002, 07:14 AM

Why is "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead hated so much?

I dont know if this song is hated by someone, until now I didnt see any post saying that. But if this person exists, is completely CRAZY!!!!!!

I mean, great song!!!! Despite the overplay issue, that's a beautiful song.

Specially the 12". :grin:

Peace.

_________________
SENHORES DO GROOVE - BRAZIL

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Blaxman on 2002-06-27 08:15 ]</font>

**disco1999** · June 27th, 2002, 08:07 AM

I have to agree McFadden & Whitehead always got on my nerves everytime I heard it. The title of this song always reminds me of a fav song: "Now that she's rockin'" (Ain't no stopping us now from) from Jerry Knight highly recommended to be listened.

**zeca azevedo** · June 27th, 2002, 01:01 PM

Hey,

AIN'T NO STOPPING US NOW is an anthem, a genuine classic. I love it.

zeca azevedo

**jazz_pilgrim** · June 27th, 2002, 02:39 PM

On 2002-06-27 14:01, zeca azevedo wrote:
Hey,

AIN'T NO STOPPING US NOW is an anthem, a genuine classic. I love it.

zeca azevedo

Spot on , Zeca !!! :grin:

It was definitely an anthem in the Soul clubs I used to go to. And it still is!

I admit that the 7-inch gets played to death
on commercial radio. But I've got the 10:45 minute version on an US import 12-inch!! And that's MUCH BETTER!!! (like you said, Blax

)

Interesting thing. In the UK disco charts McFadden and Whitehead and then Anita Ward entered at #1 on consecutive weeks ...

**discosavvy** · June 27th, 2002, 05:38 PM

To echo others' views, I fully agree that "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" is a great and uplifting song. McFadden and Whitehead don't have the best voices, but the song still works. Also rather good is their 1980 song "I Heard It in a Love Song".

**paul** · June 27th, 2002, 06:18 PM

Hey discosavvy, how are things in my former home state? I used to live in Bloomfield.

**Funky Dude** · June 27th, 2002, 08:59 PM

It's great to know most people don't hate the song. I just sort of got the impression that this song was hated by quite a few people after reading Boodikka's post in the "Disco songs you hate the most thread" and I thought I've read a few negative comments about this song in past threads but maybe I'm just imagining things. :oops:

Now I've read that this song was overplayed on pop radio in USA and watching some 1979 Top Of The Pops episodes from my video collection I gather it was really popular in the UK as well. In Australia I've NEVER EVER heard this song get played on ANY pop-retro radio station around my area. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???

It's just beyond me that our boring retro stations never play that song. I'm guessing that song would have made it within Australia's top 100 in 1979 but I'm doubtful it it made the top 20 seeing I've never heard it on retro radio.

I think I should one day set up my own disco music radio station and show the Aussie mainstream disco lovers what real disco is made of. We've got a lot of different disco records floating around, it's just those damn radio stations stick to the top 20 too much.

**sutnop** · June 28th, 2002, 10:31 AM

On 2002-06-26 20:47, Funky Dude wrote:
Here's another song that comes up in the hate list as well. I've first heard "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" when I listened to the Boogie Nights soundtrack and I thought the song was a beautiful disco track. The guys have very soulful voices and the music itself sounds beautiful.

I'm also wondering for those who hate the track, what is it about this track that makes it sound bad?

There is nothing wrong with that song