Sweetback!

A lot of people wonder “what was the first disco song?” Like anything subject to evolution, the true origins of a genre are difficult to pinpoint accurately, especially when considering something as subjective as music. What two people hear in any given song may be entirely different.

The most commonly accepted answers include “Soul Makossa” by Manu Dibango in 1973, the extremely danceable and highly syncopated “One Night Affair” recorded by Jerry Butler co-written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff in 1972, Isaac Hayes’ 1971 smash hit “Shaft”, or anything by Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra. I propose however, that we rewind just a little further back.

In 1969, a horn-rock group formed in Seattle, Washington who would very quickly earn the reputation of stealing shows from the headlining bands they would open for. Their extended jam style and groove oriented, horn driven performances were such an intense and satisfying experience for concert goers, audiences would leave after their set, demonstrating no further interest in seeing the headliner. This didn’t bother Jimi Hendrix, a childhood friend of band members Luther Rabb and Ronnie Hammon, who asked them to open every show on his 1970 “Cry of Love” tour.

They would go on to release four albums between 1970 and 1974, all containing original drum lines, rich melodies, intense orchestration and extra helpings of “Wah-Wah” guitar; the building blocks of Disco life. After 1974, the members disbanded and continued to play music separately with top acts like Santana and War. The band’s music would disappear from relative popularity until 1989, when a rapper named Young MC would create his own Grammy Award winning single by famously sampling the dance break in Rabb and Hammon’s lead off song on their first album.

That track, off Columbia Record’s 1970 LP release and self-titled debut “Ballin’Jack”, is my candidate for the first song in true Disco style. If you can’t dance to this, you just can’t dance:

 

 Found A Child - Ballin'Jack [2:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

The thing I have found about hip-hop is that so many of the truly great songs have borrowed their hooks and baselines from classic funk and disco tracks most people probably don’t remember, or the new generation never heard. To think of a few off the top of my head, would you know that Eminem’s “My Name Is …” was Labi Siffre’s “I Got The …”, J Dilla’s “Dilla Says Go” used The Trammps “Rubber Band”, and Dr Dre’s “Nothin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” was most recognizable as Leon Haywood’s “I Want’a Do Somethin’ Freaky To You” but also contained portions of Kid Dynamite’s “Uphill Peace of Mind”.

Well Hip hop has done it again, reviving a relatively obscure classic deserving of a second spin. When Jadakiss released his album “The Last Kiss” on April 7th, I listened through and found myself drawn to the track “By My Side” which was noticeably different from the rest of the cuts. On closer inspection I found that indeed we had another case of under-appreciated disco.

Teena Marie never won any awards for her own songs, all of which were written, produced, sung and arranged herself from 1980’s “Irons in the Fire” and going forward. She was also Rick James’ protege and together they recorded some great tunes, but what she would ultimately be recognized for was the song “Oh La La La” which reached the top of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and remains her only #1 single to date. You may remember this song re-interpreted as the chorus for The Fugees’ “Fu-Gee-La” in 1995 which remains The Fugees’ top selling single and certified Gold.

But in her first release as writer, producer, artist and arranger, Teena Marie would hit the top 40 with this song, a true dancefloor jam, and respectfully brought back to life by Jadakiss for us all to enjoy again:

 

 I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie [3:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup