Album: Saturday Night Fever
Artist: Bee Gees & Various Artists
Born: Isle Of Man
Released: November 1977
Genre: Disco
Influenced: Sister Sledge, Blondie, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Groove Armada, Franz Ferdinand
Donna Summer's release of I Feel Love earlier in 1977 may have been the more significant moment in dance music history and John Travolta may have done little more than repackage an exciting underground scene for a heterosexual audience, but knowing all that doesn't diminish my appreciation of Saturday Night Fever. All five Bee Gees songs that constitute side 1 of this double LP are nothing short of pop perfection, forming part of a run of six consecutive US No.1 singles from Christmas 1977 onwards. Now often derided as joke figures for their chest hair & medallions and tendency to walk out of interviews on a whim, the brothers Gibb deserve credit for reinventing themselves during the 70s and for briefly ruling the pop universe. My theory about the huge success of the film and soundtrack is that disco offered escapism and a fun alternative to the political posturing of punk and pomposity of stadium rock. I also don't buy the argument that this album watered down disco's connections to its roots in the gay and ethnic minority communities; the album also features great singles from Kool & The Gang, Tavares and the Trammps.
Having seen the film, the best scenes involve Travolta and others dancing in the nightclubs and this element was far more influential than the portrayal of gritty urban reality. Perhaps not as powerful as Gloria Gaynor's 1978 hit I Will Survive, but definitely in the same vein, Stayin' Alive is a song about the redeeming power of disco and dancing for someone with little else to live for. How Deep Is Your Love is undoubtedly the best showcase for the Gibbs brothers' harmonies, while More Than A Woman and If I Can't Have You are both blessed with great melodies. Listening to the album on my parents' record player as a kid, I used to find the classical crossover songs (A Fifth Of Beethoven, Night On Disco Mountain) really weird and cheesy, but now I enjoy the novelty and innovation. There's also strong evidence of the influence of Latin music on disco on tracks like Calypso Breakdown and Salsation, while the soulful Boogie Shoes and the funky K-Jee both get your toes tapping. This is the best document of disco I've ever come across and, though the craze didn't last long, its influence can be felt on post-punk, Chicago house and DJ culture.
Donna Summer's release of I Feel Love earlier in 1977 may have been the more significant moment in dance music history and John Travolta may have done little more than repackage an exciting underground scene for a heterosexual audience, but knowing all that doesn't diminish my appreciation of Saturday Night Fever. All five Bee Gees songs that constitute side 1 of this double LP are nothing short of pop perfection, forming part of a run of six consecutive US No.1 singles from Christmas 1977 onwards. Now often derided as joke figures for their chest hair & medallions and tendency to walk out of interviews on a whim, the brothers Gibb deserve credit for reinventing themselves during the 70s and for briefly ruling the pop universe. My theory about the huge success of the film and soundtrack is that disco offered escapism and a fun alternative to the political posturing of punk and pomposity of stadium rock. I also don't buy the argument that this album watered down disco's connections to its roots in the gay and ethnic minority communities; the album also features great singles from Kool & The Gang, Tavares and the Trammps.
Having seen the film, the best scenes involve Travolta and others dancing in the nightclubs and this element was far more influential than the portrayal of gritty urban reality. Perhaps not as powerful as Gloria Gaynor's 1978 hit I Will Survive, but definitely in the same vein, Stayin' Alive is a song about the redeeming power of disco and dancing for someone with little else to live for. How Deep Is Your Love is undoubtedly the best showcase for the Gibbs brothers' harmonies, while More Than A Woman and If I Can't Have You are both blessed with great melodies. Listening to the album on my parents' record player as a kid, I used to find the classical crossover songs (A Fifth Of Beethoven, Night On Disco Mountain) really weird and cheesy, but now I enjoy the novelty and innovation. There's also strong evidence of the influence of Latin music on disco on tracks like Calypso Breakdown and Salsation, while the soulful Boogie Shoes and the funky K-Jee both get your toes tapping. This is the best document of disco I've ever come across and, though the craze didn't last long, its influence can be felt on post-punk, Chicago house and DJ culture.
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