Search - Various Artists :: Billboard Top Dance: 1977

Big Hits and Rare Gems

Ryan A. Rigg | 03/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is the second CD in the Billboard Top Dance Hits series that I have reviewed, the first being the 1976 volume. If you look at my reviews, you may notice that I am a big fan of disco music. I particulary like finding rare gems and songs that I never knew existed. In the 70's, I was in my pre-teens and too young to go to discos. The only disco songs I knew at them time were the crossover hits by the likes of Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, and KC & the Sunshine Band. I enjoy hearing the club hits that did not crossover. Too me it is like brand new music even though it may be 25 years old. I love this CD and have listened to it many times over the years. Here is a track by track review:



1. Overture by DC LaRue: Mostly an instrumental with a prominent horn section that is reminiscent of KC & the Sunshine Band. Has a bit of a disco/jazz/funk fusion to it.



2. Quiet Village by the Ritche Family: Another song that is almost an instrumental. Has a very dated mid-70's sound. Almost sounds like generic music that they would play on TV shows in the 70's when a scene would be set in a disco.



3. Rumour Has It by Donna Summer: Another Donna classic that is best heard when you listen to the entire "Once Upon a Time" album from which it came. Back in the day, Donna released some great concept albums that had a unifying theme, as opposed to other albums that maybe had 1 or 2 hits and lots of filler.



4. Girl Don't Make me Wait by Pattie Brooks: Sort of a Donna Summer immitator who did not enjoy the crossover success of Donna.



5. San Francisco (You've Got Me) by The Village People: This was not a Pop hit as later Village People songs were, but I first heard this song in 1979 when Casey Kasem did a special Top 40 Countdown of the Top 40 Disco Songs. If I remember, this song was ranked as #1 (or at least in the Top 3), and I loved it the minute I heard it. The boys have been much maligned over the years, but they had some fun, catchy tunes.



6. Slowdown by John Miles: A Pop and Disco hit. John Miles was somewhat revolutionary in fusing a "rock" vocal to a disco beat.



7. I Feel Love by Donna Summer: A song that has been cited as an influence by a variety of artists ranging from The Rolling Stones to The Human League. A classic.



8. Hold Tight by Vickie Sue Robinson: The late, great Vickie Sue. She never duplicated the crossover success that she experienced with "Turn the Beat Around", which is a shame because she had such rich vocals. Listen to this song and hear what the world missed.



9. Got to Give it Up - Pt 1 by Marvin Gaye: I am not sure Marvin was trying to have a disco hit with this song, I think it was meant to be a funky number that just happened to click with the disco crowd.



10. Do What You Wanna Do by T-Connection: A great song that deserved to do much better at Pop radio than it did.



All of these songs reached either #1 or #2 on the Disco chart and certainly deserve inclusion on a disco compilation circa 1977. Great liner notes also."