SEWING THE SEEDS OF DISCO.

[feif]

How many of you guys/gals agree that the following records are the accurate prototype for not only today's dance music but pre-1975 disco

1.K-JEE-NITE LITERS (1971 ON RCA)
2.ARMED & EXTREMELY DANGEROUS-FIRTS CHOICE (1973 ON PHILLY GROOVE/BELL)
3.I CAN SEE HIM LOVING YOU-ANDERSON BROTHERS (1974 ON GSF)
4.TON OF DYNAMITE-FRANKIE CROCKER (1968* ON TURBO)
5.KEEP ON TRUCKIN-EDDIE KENDRICKS(1973 ON TAMLA MOTOWN)
6.THE LOVE I LOST-HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1974 ON PIR)
7.ROCK THE BOAT-HUES CORPORATION (1974 ON RCA)
8.MAMAS PEARL-JACKSON FIVE (1971 ON TAMLA MOTOWN)
9.BAD WEATHER-THE SUPREMES (1973 ON TAMLA MOTOWN)
10.ROCK STEADY-ARETHA FRANKLIN (1971 ON ATLANTIC)
11.DOCTORS ORDERS-SUNNY (1974 ON CBS (UK) )
12.WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE-CANDLEWICK GREEN (1974 ON UK DECCA)
13.MY MISTAKE WAS TO LOVE YOU-MARVIN & DIANA (1974 ON MOTOWN)
14.DANCE TO THE MUSIC-SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (1968 ON DIRECTION (UK) )
15.PICK UP YOUR TROUBLES-LEE VANDERBILT (1974 ON ARISTA).

Do you agree? What do y'all think to this sample of protodisco?
Can you better it and think of more?

*This track stated 1968 on a compilation album but has also stated both 1971 & 1974 too!

[DISCODISK]

3.I CAN SEE HIM LOVING YOU-ANDERSON BROTHERS (1974 ON GSF)
4.TON OF DYNAMITE-FRANKIE CROCKER (1968* ON TURBO)
*This track stated 1968 on a compilation album but has also stated both 1971 & 1974 too!

3 the anderson brothers record did come back as disco this song was written by ray dahrouge and he recorded it and released it two times on polydor in 76 as a 7" then again perhaps better known when released in 79 on 12",the anderson brothers version was never issued just a few promos got out but this was THE version label boss lloyd price must have been deaf or daft,still a very rare record today and a blackpool mecca classic :P
4 the frankie crocker disc was actually 1971 and had a small legal repress for the u.k market in 74

12 candlewick green :o :o :o im asuming youre english and i dont know how old you are but did you ever see this misfit pop act?

[discotom73]

Feif, how about these songs? Do you think these 10 songs would go along with your songlist?

1) Soul Makossa - Manu Dibango (1973)
[Sometimes listed as the "first disco-pop hit" (peaked at #35 pop charts in July 1973)]

2) Date With The Rain - Eddie Kendricks (1972)
[One of the earliest Kendricks' solo songs]

3) Save Me - Silver Convention (1974)
[I have seen the name "Silverbird" used! Does anyone know why that name was used?]

4) Theme From "Shaft" - Isaac Hayes (1971)
[Catchy groove. It sounds like something that later disco would use.]

5) When The Fuel Runs Out - Executive Suite (1973)
[This song is great to listen. It's found on "Super Rare Disco - Vol. 2"]

6) Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone (1971)
[Another catchy groove]

7) I'll Be Holding On - Al Downing (1974)
[I heard he recently past away! Is that true anyone?]

8) Pillow Talk - Sylvia (1973)
[Precursor to Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby", without the moaning!]

9) Sound Your Funky Horn - KC & The Sunshine Band (1973)
[Defined the Florida sound of disco!]

10) I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby - Barry White (1973)
[Just listen to his bedroom rasps!]

[feif]

It was a just a sample of tracks that i feel are prototype disco/dance music pre disco boom of 1975, there are loads more prototype disco/dance that i could think of but i'd be here
forever more.

Discotom73 you compiled a great sample of prototype disco/dance for example Soul Makossa is a great tune, i'm familliar with Afrique's version i grew up listening to that version but i also know Manu Dibango's version that's good to.
As for Isaac Hayes/Shaft & Sylvia's Pillow Talk they are sexy dance records and they have not aged.

To DiscoDisc yes i am from England (East Midlands) and im on the right side of 35 but just over the wrong side of 30!-I don't remember Camberwick Green obviously but i did see an old TOTP when it was repeated on UK Gold in the 90s and they performed the song Who Do You Think You Are-they were at best a pop act trying to sing soul/R&B but it ended up being a disco template-St Etienne had a hit with the same song in the mid 1990s.

keep on rolling those sample lists of songs you feel are prototype disco remember though pre 1975 breakthrough.

Here Are Some More
(& i mean some!)

1.MOVE ON UP-CURTIS MAYFIELD (1971 ON CURTOM)
2.CAN'T LIVE THIS WAY-BARNABY BYE (1974 ON ATLANTIC)
3.TELL ME WHY-LIFE (1974 ON REPRISE)
4.ASTRAL TRIPS-MYSTIC MOODS (1974 ON WEA)
5.LEND A HAND-BOBBY HUTTON (1973 ON ABC)
6.IT'S YOUR THING-ISLEY BROS (1969 ON T-NECK)
7.BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER-WILLIAM DE VAUGHAN (1974 ON CHELSEA)
8.QUICK FAST IN A HURRY-NEW YORK CITY (1974 ON CHELSEA)
9.IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT-DELLA REESE (1972 ON PHONOGRAM)
10.LOVE' THEME-LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA (1973 ON 20TH CENTURY)
11.I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION-GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (1974 ON BUDDAH)
12.QUEEN OF CLUBS-KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (1974 ON JAY BOY)
13.FUNKY NASSAU-BEGINNING OF THE END (ORIG REL 1971 ON ATLANTIC)
14.HONEY BEE-GLORIA GAYNOR (1974 ON EITHER CBS OR MGM)
15.TOM THE PEEPER-ACT ONE (1974 ON MERCURY)

[BrunoRepublic]

3) Save Me - Silver Convention (1974)
[I have seen the name "Silverbird" used! Does anyone know why that name was used?]

Early copies had the group's name listed as Silver Bird. It was later changed to Silver Convention.

[discotom73]

Thanks, Graham_Start! Is there more information why Silver Convention was called Silver Bird? Was "Save Me" the only song that Silver Bird was used? What is the best website to read about Silver Convention in your opinion?

Feif, I have never heard of both "Astral Trips" and "Tom The Peeper". Something tells me I've missed out on something. Do you like these songs and are they both available on CD?

[qdearl]

Here are a few more to consider.......

1. Blue Magic (1974) Welcome to the Club
2. Blue Magic (1974) Look Me Up
3. The Four Tops (1973) Are you Man Enough
4. The Spinners (1972) I'll Be Around
5. The Jackson 5 (1974) I Am Love
6. The Delfonics (1969) Funny Feeling
7. Archie Bell & the Drells (1968) Tighten Up
8. Sister Sledge (1974) Love Don't go though No Changes on Me
9. The Stylistics (1974) Love is The Answer
10. Chairman of the Board (1970) Give me Just a little More Time

:D

[remicks]

****
Ten More :

Betty Wright (1971) Clean Up Womam
Ohio Players (1973) Funky Worm
Ohio Players (1974) Skin Tight
Staple Singers (1972) I'll Take You There
James Brown (1972) Get On The Good Foot
James Brown (1973) Got Ants In My Pants
Billy Preston (1972) Outa-Space
Billy Preston (1973) Space Race
Al Green (1971) Let's Stay Together
Al Green (1972) You Ought To Be With Me


*****

[feif]

Msg to discotom Astral Weeks is currently available on a compilation CD called After Hours 3 (it sounds even better on CD-much crisper).
Whilst Tom The Peeper is on a compilation CD called The Spring Story-i hope this helps.

[Mixmachine]

I was listening to a few examples of early Club music I consider proto-Disco, all of this were played in early clubs or Disco-theques.

"Running Back and forth" - Edwin Starr -'69
From the "War” Album

"Stone out of my mind" Chi-Lites '73

"You got to be the one" Chi-lites '74

"Don't bring back memories" Four tops-'69
Later re-done by Ray Martinez of Amant

"Want ads" Honey Cone '69
IMO this one is one of the strongest proto disco records released this early, lots congas and nice short break with lots of strings....is the LP version Longer?

"It's a shame" Spinners '70
Written By Stevie Wonder and according to accounts a Dance floor magnet at the time

"Brother gonna work it out" Willie Hutch '73
From the flick "The Mack", Lots of drums and strings with soulful vocals delivering a strong message for the ages, I could listen to this one forever ... :D

"Once more with feeling" The Whispers '74
Written by the Baker/Harris/Young team with that "Rock the Boat" beat

"I'll bake me a man” Barbara Acklin '73
This one was a club classic years later still, produced by Eugene Record who also produced the Chi-lites hits above, if this is not early “Disco” I don’t know what is. :P

"I love you, yes I do" Independents, '72
Many other Disco hits used this drum style (4 on the floor?) notably Don Downing's (74) hit, "Dream World".

[Mixmachine]

Feif, I have never heard of both "Astral Trips" and "Tom The Peeper". Something tells me I've missed out on something.

"Tom The Peeper" is a funky fun number with heavy bass and nice horn/sax arrangements, no lead vocalist here, just girly background singing about Tom with male band members interacting with the girls, nice number..

[QUINNY]

Tom The Peeper was very big in UK discos. I used to enjoy playing it and still listen to it occasinally. It's not one I'll flip past, like First Choice's Smarty Pants, for instance.

[DISCODISK]

Feif, I have never heard of both "Astral Trips" and "Tom The Peeper". Something tells me I've missed out on something. Do you like these songs and are they both available on CD?

also check out another version by SOUL FOOD- TOM THE PEEPERS BROTHER JOHN also from 75 its a bit obscure though, and its also really funny :P

[dfc99bb]

The Tymes summer 1974 hit "You Little Trustmaker" and their lesser known "Someway, Somehow I'm Keepin' You" also belong in the 'pre-disco' or 'early disco' category.

Both songs were on their 1974 album "Trustmaker" (RCA# APL1-0727). A longer version of "Someway, Somehow I'm Keepin' You" was released in 1975 on a 45rpm record (RCA# 10244DJ). Note the 'DJ' in the catalog number.

More Tymes info -

http://www.discomusic.com/records-more/2541_0_2_0_C/

and

http://www.discomusic.com/cds-more/4717_0_3_0_C/