Hello,
For some reason this weekend I've been in a Disco phase, I've been enjoying many of Disco's greatest hits. There are so many great Disco songs, but almost no great Disco albums. If you don't believe me then Google Disco's greatest albums. There's not many links for that subject on the internet and the rankings that I found are highly dubious. In fact I was going to create my own list of greatest Disco CDs, but honestly there's not enough great Disco CD's to make a list of suitable length.
I really wanted to write a blog for a greatest all-time Disco CD, but there's just no Disco CD that qualifies to be a musicaddict's Greatest CD of all-time. If you would like to make a nomination, I'd be glad to check it out. However I'm very dubious that I would consider it a classic.
The closest thing to a classic album is the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, but for some reason it's just not classic songs. It has some filler on it. What other Disco albums would be considered classic?
Diana Ross' "Diana" has the fantastic songs "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down" I also like "My Old Piano". However there's more filler than classic music.
I want to clarify up front, I'm a huge Donna Summer fan. Is her "Bad Girls" a classic CD? Any CD that which features the songs "Bad Girls", "Hot Stuff", "Dim All The Lights" and "Sunset People" should be considered at least a great CD. I'd give credit, but I can't remember where I read the following: Summer's voice really shines on the ballads on this CD. And that is true, but sadly many of those songs just aren't that good.
Is the Bee Gees "Spirits Having Flown" a classic? With such songs as "Tragedy", "Love You Inside Out", "Too Much Heaven" and "Spirits (Having Flown)", that's certainly a great start. The same thing that keeps so many other Disco albums from classic status is what keeps this CD from classic status. Simply once again there's just too much filler.
The musicians that thrived during Disco, seemed to fade away once it's influence waned. The Bee Gees and Donna Summer remaining superstars pretty much ended when Disco died. (Although I was surprised by how much I liked Summers' recent CD "Crayons"- it has a very modern Lady Gaga dance feel to it.) Although those two artists faded away, and sadly many of them have died, their music is still around. Songs like "Tragedy" and "Stayin' Alive" are such as good of songs now as they were in the midst of the 70's Disco craze.
Earth, Wind and Fire had a few great songs, but they were spread out over a few CDs. Same with Chic, Village People and KC and the Sunshine Band. Maybe after I do a bit more research I'll change my mind.
It seemed anyone that was a music star in the 70's went through a Disco phase. The already established music stars were the musicians that were the most enduring. Artists like Cher, Diana Ross, Rod Stewart and The Commodores took full advantage of disco, but weren't defined by it. Most of their careers lived on for many years afterwards.
One band that certainly had some classic Disco songs, but also lived on beyond Disco was Kool and The Gang. In the following link Kool and the Gang is rated the number 4 Disco band of all-time, but look who's after them. http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_disco-artists.html. That's not a whole lot of depth for the Disco genre. Honestly number 4 is probably higher than I would rank them, however Kool and the Gang have many great songs. They are one of the bands that took full advantage of Disco, but weren't defined it. Here I'd like to include a few of my favorite Kool and the Gang songs.
'Fresh":
A song I hadn't heard before today, but I really like, "Misled":
"Ladies Night":
Bring on da funk! "Get Down On It":
"Jungle Boogie":
"Celebration":
The incredibly sexy "Too Hot" (From 2009 in Montreaux):
"Cherish":
"Joanna":
themusicaddict
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