Poisoned Purple Pen

Love to Love you, baby

Do you remember disco? I sure do, even though I was just ten at its height. It’s hard to forget the funky, booming music, specific dances with intricate moves, and disco ball, not to mention all those flashing lights and colorful clothing trends. Disco music laced together funk, soul, salsa and pop, right out of New York’s gay underground, at clubs like the Loft and 12 West before Studio 54 was born. The music wasn’t enough, as flamboyant clothing, including platform shoes, bell bottoms, hot pants, three piece suits, crazy colors and glitter all made heavy fashion statements as people hit nightclubs [discotheques] to boogie all-night long. Even hairstyles were a must during the Disco Era, with the feathered looked, big afro’s, or long and loose. Drugs, on-spot sex, and euphoric dancing became the norm in the club scene. DJ’s were the big stars at the clubs, introducing new music, spinning songs together on the turntable and setting the swift, electric pace for the night. This was the 70’s escape from white rock and took hippie free-love to another dimension.

Popular Disco dances included the hustle, the Bus Stop and of course the bump. This was all out self-expression as you gave yourself over to the beat of the music and let all of your troubles fade away. Donna Summer had one hit after another with great vocal range and a pulsing beat that made it almost impossible to sit still. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor became an anthem for women as women found self-empowerment. The Bee Gees, Chic, Earth, Wind & Fire, KC and the Sunshine Band, and The Trammps, just a name a few dominated the charts with multiple hits.

Disco fever was topping the charts by 1974 and when Saturday Night Fever hit movie theaters in 1977, it catapulted disco into the mainstream. In the late 70’s anti-disco momentum was growing in the US, where people started seeing disco as too flamboyant, escapist and out of touch to what was going on in the world. On July 12th, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the backlash went to a new high – Disco Demolition Night. The anti-disco demonstration went from exploding disco records and evolved into a riot. Was it the record producers who just wanted Rock to top the charts again, or was it a bigoted attempt to squash the popularized minority? That all depends on who you ask.

What I do know is that disco is part of my childhood, and to this day when I hear those booming beats, laced with funk and R&B I cannot sit still. Dance is my escape, I admit that. Here is one my all-time faves from the Disco Era.
WC:450



Now get up off your arse and shake your booty! What's your favorite disco song?

I had to go with the Queen of Disco. No one did it better in the 70's.

Written for "a very Wodehouse challenge"   by iKïyå§ama