The Wagtunes Corner

[htcnext2]

Indeed, your drums sound like dry bones in the valley. A fresh approach contrary to the overdesigned soundaesthetic of modern music. Tough, your songwriting skills may outweigh the missing drummer..

[wagtunes]

Indeed, your drums sound like dry bones in the valley. A fresh approach contrary to the overdesigned soundaesthetic of modern music. Tough, your songwriting skills may outweigh the missing drummer..

Well, thanks. I try.

[wagtunes]

16th and final track from my upcoming CD "Outtakes II"

This wraps this one up. Next is my disco CD. In spite of the fact that I actually grew up during the era (from 1974 to 1978 I was 17 to 21 years old) I am going to first listen to a ton of disco tracks. I never really studied the structure of these songs during that time so I want to make sure I get it right.

Anyway, here's the last track of Outtakes II

Out With The Old

As we come to the bitter end
We look back at past mistakes
The regrets we had along the way
And all of those bad breaks

If we'd done it all differently
And listened to all our friends
All the tears we shed from day to day
We might have made amends

But now
There's only one thing to do

Out with the old
In with the new
This is goodbye
For me and you

We pretended all was okay
And denial the game we played
The fights we fought I can not say
We felt we had to stay

But now it's come to this
We're parting but not as friends
And the war we lost unto this day
I guess it's how it ends

So now
There's only one thing to do

Repeat Chorus

Instrumental Break

Repeat Pre Chorus 2 and Chorus

Outro

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... th-the-old

[Music Bird]

For disco you are going to have to check out tracks from around the world.
And also some Italo/hi-NRG, as well as of course, Agadoo, Rivers Of Babylon, and Do The Conga.
I feel like you’d like Bollywood disco music. It’s very unique and it was during the 80’s, but it has a very 70’s sound.

[wagtunes]

For disco you are going to have to check out tracks from around the world.
And also some Italo/hi-NRG, as well as of course, Agadoo, Rivers Of Babylon, and Do The Conga.
I feel like you’d like Bollywood disco music. It’s very unique and it was during the 80’s, but it has a very 70’s sound.

Actually, not really. I can stick to pure US disco and have more than enough material to do an entire album.

[Spring Goose]

Looking forward to your disco cd Wagtunes. I love disco!

[wagtunes]

Before I begin, thanks to Spring Goose for the encouragement.

Anyway, for everybody else, I am ready to start this project. I have spent a couple of days solidly listening to all the disco I grew up with as a teenager. I really didn't appreciate the intricacies of the musical composition and arrangement of these pieces until now.

In my listening, I noted some "basics" of disco songs. Naturally, there are always exceptions, but for a good part of the disco era of the mid to late 70s, I have found the following to be fairly standard in no special order.

1. Lots of major and minor seventh chord progressions.
2. Lots of intricate string arrangements using a number of articulations.
3. Lots of brass.
4. Lots of that staccato guitar chord technique, whatever it's called.
5. Kick drum a steady 4 on the floor throughout.
6. Lots of reverb.
7. Overall flamboyant and over the top productions.

I think the most difficult of the above (aside from just trying to write songs in the style that sound good) is the string arrangements. I am truly blown away by some of what I heard. These are, for the most part, masterful pieces of work and obviously written by people who know orchestration. That disco string sound I think is going to be the thing that makes or breaks this whole project. And then of course there's striking a balance between sounding authentic and not sounding too cliche. That may be extremely difficult if not impossible. I mean how do you sound like disco and not include things that actually make it sound disco, thus by nature making it cliche. I suspect that I will be spending the majority of each song working these things out. Sure, I could do a few "easy" tracks in the style of "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer, but I think that would be a cop out. I'm going for Bee Gees, Odyssey, Deadly Nightshade, Silver Convention, Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra and other similar artists in that style. I have my work cut out for me but ultimately, I want this to the best CD I've ever done. So this will not be knocked out in a few weeks.

I will begin work on this tomorrow after listening to some more music.

Thank you to all who voted for disco. I think I'm really going to enjoy this.

[JoeCat]

If I may:

More forerunners of true disco (at least initially) - imma suggest listening to some of the Gamble and Huff / Philadelphia International acts from the early 70s (culminating in "TSOP" from MFSB - the Wrecking Crew of PI). I'm sure you remember these (growing up around the same time in New Jersey especially), but they're not always on the disco radar.

Best disco-y stuff
"The Love I Lost" - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
"Love Train" - The O'Jays
"You'll Never Find" - Lou Rawls
"TSOP" - MFSB


A more subdued sound than what came later (with the exception of "TSOP", which is straight-up disco, and heavy on the orchestra (closer to Love Unlimited).

Of course, you don't have Teddy Pendergrass, or Lou Rawls, but no one does

For extra credit, listen to Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones", and then listen to the title track from his next album, "War of the Gods". Actually, you can just look at the cover

[wagtunes]

If I may:

More forerunners of true disco (at least initially) - imma suggest listening to some of the Gamble and Huff / Philadelphia International acts from the early 70s (culminating in "TSOP" from MFSB - the Wrecking Crew of PI). I'm sure you remember these (growing up around the same time in New Jersey especially), but they're not always on the disco radar.

Best disco-y stuff
"The Love I Lost" - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
"Love Train" - The O'Jays
"You'll Never Find" - Lou Rawls
"TSOP" - MFSB


A more subdued sound than what came later (with the exception of "TSOP", which is straight-up disco, and heavy on the orchestra (closer to Love Unlimited).

Of course, you don't have Teddy Pendergrass, or Lou Rawls, but no one does

For extra credit, listen to Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones", and then listen to the title track from his next album, "War of the Gods". Actually, you can just look at the cover

Of course every song you've mentioned made WABC's top 20 countdown during the period so I know them all intimately having heard each one at least a hundred times if not more.

Having said that, I don't think any of them would be considered true disco. The drums aren't quite right, unless I'm not remembering them correctly.

But just for the heck of it, I'll go check out 1972 to 1973 (before disco hit in our area) and see what's actually going on structurally. Admittedly, I never really analyzed those songs back then as I was like 15 and didn't really care about anything other than I loved the music.

FYI, Me And Mrs Jones, at that tempo, couldn't be considered disco even with a 4 on the 4 kick added to it. That was one very slow song.

And no, I don't have Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls or even Barry White to sing my songs. How I wish.

Thanks for the recommendations. Now I'm going to go and live some more of my childhood. Should probably listen to Papa Was A Rolling Stone Too.

[wagtunes]

PS - Will list songs I listened to in this post. Updated as I go along.

Let's Stay Together - Al Green
I'll Take You There - Staple Singers
Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
Me And Mrs Jones - Billy Paul
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby - Barry White
I'm Doin' Fine Now - New York City
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
So Very Hard To Go - Tower Of Power
One Of A Kind (Love Affair) - The Spinners
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
TSOP - MFSB
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

[JoeCat]

If I may:

More forerunners of true disco (at least initially) - imma suggest listening to some of the Gamble and Huff / Philadelphia International acts from the early 70s (culminating in "TSOP" from MFSB - the Wrecking Crew of PI). I'm sure you remember these (growing up around the same time in New Jersey especially), but they're not always on the disco radar.

Best disco-y stuff
"The Love I Lost" - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
"Love Train" - The O'Jays
"You'll Never Find" - Lou Rawls
"TSOP" - MFSB


A more subdued sound than what came later (with the exception of "TSOP", which is straight-up disco, and heavy on the orchestra (closer to Love Unlimited).

Of course, you don't have Teddy Pendergrass, or Lou Rawls, but no one does

For extra credit, listen to Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones", and then listen to the title track from his next album, "War of the Gods". Actually, you can just look at the cover

Of course every song you've mentioned made WABC's top 20 countdown during the period so I know them all intimately having heard each one at least a hundred times if not more.

Having said that, I don't think any of them would be considered true disco. The drums aren't quite right, unless I'm not remembering them correctly.

But just for the heck of it, I'll go check out 1972 to 1973 (before disco hit in our area) and see what's actually going on structurally. Admittedly, I never really analyzed those songs back then as I was like 15 and didn't really care about anything other than I loved the music.

FYI, Me And Mrs Jones, at that tempo, couldn't be considered disco even with a 4 on the 4 kick added to it. That was one very slow song.

And no, I don't have Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls or even Barry White to sing my songs. How I wish.

Thanks for the recommendations. Now I'm going to go and live some more of my childhood. Should probably listen to Papa Was A Rolling Stone Too.

Yeah, "Me and Mrs. Jones" wasn't officially on my list - just thought Billie Paul's trajectory was cool.

I forgot all about WABC - yup! Childhoods align there.

And correct - they're not true disco (short of "TSOP"), coming as they were before the trend ("The Hustle" was 1975, "Saturday Night Fever" wasn't until 1977). However - they're kinda roots music, akin to the blues and folk pre-dating rock.

[Spring Goose]

PS - Will list songs I listened to in this post. Updated as I go along.

Let's Stay Together - Al Green
I'll Take You There - Staple Singers
Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
Me And Mrs Jones - Billy Paul
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby - Barry White
I'm Doin' Fine Now - New York City
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
So Very Hard To Go - Tower Of Power
One Of A Kind (Love Affair) - The Spinners
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
TSOP - MFSB
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

Have you tried High Energy by Evelyn Thomas? This one i like.

https://youtu.be/6W3qenc5mek

[Spring Goose]

Before I begin, thanks to Spring Goose for the encouragement.

No problem, Wagtunes.

[wagtunes]

PS - Will list songs I listened to in this post. Updated as I go along.

Let's Stay Together - Al Green
I'll Take You There - Staple Singers
Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
Me And Mrs Jones - Billy Paul
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby - Barry White
I'm Doin' Fine Now - New York City
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
So Very Hard To Go - Tower Of Power
One Of A Kind (Love Affair) - The Spinners
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
TSOP - MFSB
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

Have you tried High Energy by Evelyn Thomas? This one i like.

https://youtu.be/6W3qenc5mek

It never came to the US and I'm concentrating solely on the US disco sound. If you listen carefully to this track, it is quite different rhythm wise, which might explain why it was never popular here. It's okay. Not one of my favorites, but it's okay. It's just not what I want to focus on for this project.

[wagtunes]

PS - Will list songs I listened to in this post. Updated as I go along.

Let's Stay Together - Al Green
I'll Take You There - Staple Singers
Family Affair - Sly & The Family Stone
Me And Mrs Jones - Billy Paul
Pillow Talk - Sylvia
I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby - Barry White
I'm Doin' Fine Now - New York City
Could It Be I'm Falling In Love - The Spinners
So Very Hard To Go - Tower Of Power
One Of A Kind (Love Affair) - The Spinners
Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra
TSOP - MFSB
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae

Have you tried High Energy by Evelyn Thomas? This one i like.

https://youtu.be/6W3qenc5mek

Also, 1984? This is a disco project, not a dance music project. There is a difference. I'm focusing on the era between 1974 and 1979. By 1984, disco was dead.