And Then There Was... Disco!

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Three Degrees:
Rolling Stone journalist Vince Aletti first spoke of ‘disco’ in 1973. So we are celebrating 40 years of disco this year! This mix is a selection of the early years. The tracks I chose made the (disco) ball rolling. In 1973, for instance, 'Girl, you need a change of mind' was one of the first songs with a (disco) break and 'The love I lost' was probably the first song that had an uptempo disco beat, because of the hi-hat pattern played by drummer Earl Young (Source: A House on Fire: The Rise and Fall of Philadelphia Soul). One year later, 'Rock the boat' (that started to use the off-beat tom tom) and 'Rock your baby' were the first disco hits that reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100:

“Considered by some to be the first disco hit, the Hues Corporation's funky 1974 hit "Rock the Boat" is certainly a key track in the style's development. Certainly the song's hypnotic structure -- aside from two brief verses early on, it's basically just the call and response chorus over and over -- is indicative of the groove-based song structure of the classic disco hits, but the song's completely organic, horn-and-percussion drive has more to do with the loping funk of War or early Kool and the Gang. Regardless of its place in rock history, it's still one of the definitive party jams of the '70s, one of those songs guaranteed to fill the dance floor at wedding receptions and high school reunions for decades to come." (Source: Allmusic.com)

'Love to love you baby' from Donna Summer is remixed by Giorgio Moroder himself on the album 'Love to love you Donna' that came out last week, but I prefer the original.

Track listing:

Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes – The Love I Lost [Dimitri From Paris Super Disco Blend] (1973)
Eddie Kendricks – Girl, You Need A Change Of Mind (1973)
Labelle – Voulez-vous Coucher Avec Moi, Ce Soir? (1974)
The Three Degrees ‎– Dirty Ol' Man [A Tom Moulton Mix] (1973)
The Ritchie Family – The Best Disco In Town (1976)
Gloria Gaynor ‎– Reach Out, I'll Be There (1975)
The Ritchie Family – The Best Disco In Town (1976)
Alfie Khan Sound Orchestra – Mayflower (1974)
Fox – S-S-S Single Bed [Bill Brewster Edit] (1976)
Love Unlimited – Love’s Theme (1974)
Lotte & Leherb – Irre Gut (1974)
Donna Summer ‎– Love To Love You Baby (1975)
Moonshoes – Someone (2013)
George McCrae – Rock Your Baby (1974)
Johnny Bristol ‎– Hang On In There Baby (1974)
Barry White – Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love (1973)
Hues Corporation – Rock The Boat (1974)
MFSB ‎– Love Is The Message [A Tom Moulton Mix] (1973)


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