Garçons – “French Boy (Part 1)” (1979)
Philips Records, 1979 Produced by Michael Zilkha & Michel Esteban Written by Patrick Vidal, Erik Fitoussi, & Jean-Pierre Charriau
Disco was much derided during it’s heyday and with good reason. The popular stuff was pretty crappy. Yet, with all genres of music there are the tunes that you don’t hear on the radio. They are being played in clubs, shared among friends, found by unlikely listeners in the record store. These two songs probably belonged to this more obscure genre. I’ve never heard these songs before and found them randomly on Youtube. Thanks to allanrk for making them available to new ears!
Bagarre – “Lemonsweet (Disco Version)” (1982)
Moving into the 80s, the music gets a bit arty-er, likely influenced by new wave. The lyrics and vocals on this song are awesome, the beginning bit about “Uncle Frankie” kills it. I hear echoes of future music as well, The Knife perhaps got some inspiration from this tune.
I have to disagree that the popular stuff was crappy: “I Feel Love,” “Supernature,” “You Sexy Thing,” “Shake Your Booty,” “Night Fever,” “The Hustle,” “Funkytown,” “You Make Me Feel Mighty Real,” …not to mention the entire Chic catalogue. I hate to sound like Time-Life, but it wasn’t a dead genre. The annoying side of it was that it seemed phony and was insistently upbeat. But I think, really, we just weren’t/aren’t comfortable with loony affectation dominating popular culture. Some of the old tracks–I feel love comes to mind–were simultaneously tight and soaring. I personally think the “disco-sucks” event-and backlash–was a bit anti-gay. That anyone would band together for non-religious reasons to shun an musical genre is suspect. It was doomed to fail and I’m glad all music didn’t turn into disco, but damn if it’s influence didn’t dominate the 80’s and beyond–in a good way!
I like your italo tracks–have you seen any of the “Fancy” video’s? I blow my whole arguement here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HYtCMl0PMs
Thanks SLoC for keeping me in check! When I wrote that line I was thinking of the BeeGees and I should have been more specific because I actually really love lots of music from the disco genre.
As I mentioned in one of my other posts, my dad was one of the first mobile disco DJs in the Chicano community and I grew up listening to all kinds of R&B, funk, soul and disco. Also, disco has the best basslines, period. (I wanted to be a bass player for a short minute)
I totally agree with you Chic is truly awesome and I have a soft spot for Donna Summer too! Then getting into all the 8os HI-N-RG genre…phew! I was a hardcore punk with a secret love for dance music. 🙂
I’d never heard “Lady of Ice” but I like it! It reminds me of these Vietnamese mix tapes I used to get in Chinatown and the Vietnamese clubs I’d go to with my best friend in high school.
Wow, I never thought about the disco backlash being anti-gay but I can see that. All those rocker dudes thinking they’re all macho. Funny, just a few years later and they were probably listening to Poison and not even understanding the irony. I loved it when Rob Halford of Judas Priest came out, it was like “In your face, ignoramuses!” 🙂
My all time favorite disco band is Boney M. I was introduced to them by a Persian co-worker.
http://chimatli.org/blog/?p=115
Thanks again for the comments and the link!