Program One

"Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowza, Yowza, Yowza)"
Chic

Kicking off this cart with the infectious grooves of Chic's debut single... what could be a better way to get your bootie in the groove?

(Performance video from AMERICAN BANDSTAND)

"It's Ecstacy When You Lay Down Next To Me"
Barry White

Prepare to feel your body melt like a chocolate bar in the hot summer sun when the sultry sounds of Barry White "the undisputed king of boudoir disco" starts oozing out of your hi-fi. This hit spent five weeks at the top of the R&B singles charts during the fall of 1977 and has soundtracked probably a million late-night makeout sessions.

(In the recording studio with Barry White)

"Theme From WHICH WAY IS UP?"
Stargard

Super funky main theme from the panned 1977 Richard Pryor movie (1/5 stars, TV GUIDE? Brutal. Pryor had just started dating iconic 70s ultra-fox Pam Grier earlier that year so maybe his mind was too focused on the FOXY BROWN leading lady to be funny). But this theme song - killer, man! Written by the legendary Motown writer Norman Whitfield ("Ball Of Confusion" and "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"), less successful than his undeniable disco soundtrack theme song "Car Wash", but still a stone groove!

(Performance video from SOUL TRAIN)

Program Two

"Devil's Gun"
C.J. & Company

The first song played on the opening night of Studio 54, (April 26th 1977). And when you drop the needle on this dancefloor energizing track (or pop in this 8-track cart) you'll instantly know why! Dramatic bass intro, scratch guitar, funky deep-voiced chorus... this record may have rode low in the charts but it will forever hit high in true disco loving hearts.

(Official "Devil's Gun" music video)

"I Feel Love"
Donna Summer

The queen of the 1970s!

(Performance video from MIDNIGHT SPECIAL)

Program Three

"Risky Changes"
Bionic Boogie

Attention rock fans out there - You might not know this song, or Bionic Boogie, but you'll know the drummer! This micro-hit "Risky Changes" was penned by NYC studio producer brother duo Gregg Diamond and Godfrey Diamond who, upon seeing some chart action on their hands with this song, recruited a local band to perform a series of shows as Bionic Boogie for gigs at Walt Disney World and on disco TV shows in Canada and Florida (including Miami's showcase show DISCO 77). And that live version of Bionic Boogie included drummer Eric Carr (!), who would go on to be a beloved member of the insanely popular band KISS, The Fox, after KISS' original drummer Peter Criss left the band in 1980.

(Performance video from DISCO 77)

"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
Santa Esmeralda

A classic (and sometimes hated) staple of disco radio and dancefloors was the many disco-ified remakes of popular songs of yesteryears, even classical numbers, and the Latin-inflected disco group Santa Esmeralda were mining that niche with boogie-bounce cover versions of 1960s chart-toppers by The Animals like "House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." As Santa Esmeralda was a French / Spanish / American group, and the international power of disco crossed all boarders, this one burned across the globe, including a high-energy performance on TOPPOP television show in The Netherlands, and also 25+ years later in this great scene from the movie KILL BILL.

"Star Wars Title Theme"
Meco

From STAR WARS AND OTHER GALACTIC FUNK, the ubiquitous disco album that seemed to be everywhere in the Summer of 1977,

(Disco Ballet Performance from TOPPOP)

Program Four

"Boogie Shoes"
K.C. & The Sunshine Band

From STAR WARS AND OTHER GALACTIC FUNK, the ubiquitous disco album that seemed to be everywhere in the Summer of 1977,

(Performance from AMERICAN BANDSTAND)

(Performance video from TOPPOP)

"Gonna Fly Now (Theme From ROCKY)"
Rhythm Heritage

This discotheque-ified version of the theme song from ROCKY by Rhythm Heritage (who are no strangers to theme songs - including "Baretta's Theme" as well as "Theme from Starsky and Hutch" and also no strangers to the charts, they had a number one single with "Theme from S.W.A.T."). These days it is hard to even wrap your head around how popular the ROCKY soundtrack song was in the mid-1970s. The original version by Bill Conti with lyrics by Carol Connors and Ayn Robbins, and performed by DeEtta West and Nelson Pigford - with an orchestra, number one on the 1977 Billboard Hot 100 chart - this disco version (#94 on the Billboard chart as well as #78 on the R&B charts) - and a third version by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson hit the top (#28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977) - were all on the charts all at the same time!

From 1977

(Maynard Ferguson's jazz version Performance from MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW)

"I Can't Stand The Rain"
Eruption

From 1977.

(Performance from MUSIKLADEN)

"Best Of My Love"
The Emotions

Maurice White

(Performance from SOUL TRAIN)