Today's the twenty-fifth anniversary of Disco Demolition Night (credit to A Small Victory for noting the anniversary, via Llama Butchers). I wasn't there, but a colleague at my campus job had been at Comiskey that night. (Her take: "It was like 'Lord of the Flies'.") Funny that it's now remembered as a sort of cultural milestone, when to my mind it was nothing more than attention-seeking behavior by someone who just could not get over the fact that he wasn't, never was, and never would be Larry Lujack. Back then, I had only one question for those who jumped on the "Disco Sucks!" bandwagon: after you've blown up all those records, what on earth do you dance to? So, with nostalgia and affection for the days when we would repair to the basement of Woodward Court to dance* after heatedly debating messianic symbolism in Melville late into the night, I am pleased to present the Bookish Gardener mix of '70s dance tunes. Disco est mort; vive disco!
"Dazz" by Brick: "Everybody go on and dance if you want to..."
"Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor: "If it wasn't for the girl sittin' next to me, I'd jump right up and outta my seat you see..."
"Disco Inferno" by The Trammps: "I heard somebody say...burn baby burn..."
"Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston: "Awwwww...baby!"
"Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste of Honey: "If you're thinkin' you're too cool to boogie..."
"Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart: "Think you'd better knock knock knock on wood..."
"Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend)" by Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan: "Every time I see your face, you remind me of that someone..."
"I Wanna Get Next to You" by Rose Royce: "Boy, I'm spending my dimes, wasting my time, talking 'till I'm black and blue..."
"Flashlight" by Parliament. Because..."Everybody's got a little light under the sun...under the sun...under the sun..."
Next up: Your Disco Cultural Concurrence Index ("Protégées: The Emotions, or Samantha Sang?"). Kidding!
*Disclaimer: not typical of the undergraduate experience at the U. of C. in the '70s.
Disco emerged at the same time that I quit listening to the radio and started to build my classical record library. Coincidence? Nope.
Posted by: Don | July 13, 2004 at 11:51 AM
I was more of a punk rocker myself
Posted by: bill | July 13, 2004 at 06:38 PM
Not sure what you're talking about~is this an anti-disco revolution or something else? Should I be reading a political subtext into it? Do tell; I find your non-bookish/gardening rants fascinating as you are an excellent writer...
Posted by: avril | July 14, 2004 at 11:07 AM
Avril, you are too kind (but compliments are always welcome!). To answer your question, though, I didn't mean to be too clever by half--the songs listed are my favorite songs from the disco era (really!).
Posted by: Chan S. | July 14, 2004 at 01:57 PM
Don't forget "(Every time I turn around) Back in Love Again" by LTD...
I could go on.
Posted by: Martha | July 20, 2004 at 05:46 PM
[Horns: Baba ba ba baba -- slide guitar: Waow.]...with the awesome Jeffrey Osborne.
Posted by: Chan S. | July 20, 2004 at 06:25 PM
Research Help --
Your Thoughts and Memories Needed: www.discosucks.org
Posted by: Richard | June 17, 2005 at 12:45 AM
iOaiMpuHv cheap ugg boots for women kVonNjbIl http://www.thepartypeople.ro/blogs/3432/19922/uggs-discounted-18gn
Posted by: ReciarfBlearf | December 27, 2011 at 03:15 AM
pC7 uggs gP6 http://insqlserver.com/Blog/uggs-during-cold
Posted by: Ethincing | December 30, 2011 at 03:04 AM