E-Type - Calling Your Name

Bo Martin Erik "E-type" Eriksson was born in Uppsala, Sweden, in 1965. In his teens he moved to Bromma, and now he lives in the middle of Stockholm. His musical career started early. After having been a drummer for many years he met up with Stakka Bo in 1991, with three singles as a result. This lead to a work as a VJ at one of the most popular TV-station in Sweden - Z-TV! In the summer of 93, his first solo single, called "I'm Falling", was released without reaching any great success.

This was the third and last time he charted on Billboard's Dance Disco Chart.

Taken from the original 12" import single on Stockholm records
Calling Your Name (Pierre J's Q-Type Mix) - 5:47
Calling Your Name (Antiloop Garage Club Mix) - 5:42
Song charted on February 8, 1997. Spent 12 weeks on the chart and reached #17

KISS - I Was Made For Loving You

Kiss, one of the greatest rock bands of the last 30 years, tried their hands at some disco. At the time it was not a rare oddity for rock to go try disco. Take for instance Rod Stewart and the Stones.

This song was released as the first single from the album "Dynasty". It happened to become the band's second gold single, selling over 1 million copies. On the US pop charts, the single reached #11, and also became a top ten hit in Australia in 1979. It was also one of the band's few singles to chart in the UK in the 1970s, though only peaking at No. 51.

This song draws heavily from the disco style that was popular in the United States in the late 1970's. Paul Stanley, who co-wrote the song with Desmond Child and Vini Poncia, has stated that "I Was Made For Lovin' You" was a conscious effort on his part to prove how easy it was to write and record a hit disco song.

Although Peter Criss appeared in the video and on the album cover, he did not actually play on the track. As with most of the Dynasty album, session drummer Anton Fig took his place after he was deemed unfit to play by producer Vini Poncia.

Throughout the years since its release, the song has become a permanent staple in Kiss's live performances, despite sounding different from the studio version. Starting from the 1992-1993 Revenge tour onwards they featured the song with a more-metal, less-disco feel.

As you can well imagine, this was the only time that KISS appeared on the Dance chart.

Taken from the original 12" single on Casablanca 20169
I Was Made For Loving You (Original 12" version) - 7:55
Song charted on July 14, 1979. Spent 5 weeks on the chart and reached #37

John Adams - Strip This Heart

Here is a flash to the past. Do you remember anything about this "flash in the pan". The only thing that I could find is that John Adams was white dance singer born in Brooklyn, New York. If anybody know anything about this artist, please send me a message. I would like to know more about him.

Strip This Heart was the only appearance on the Dance chart, for John Adams, and came in 1987. It reached #9 and spent only 7 weeks on the chart.

Taken from the original 12" single on A&M 12241
Strip This Heart (12" Version) - 8:10
Song charted on August 29, 1987. Spent 7 weeks on the chart and reached #9

Ta Mara & The Seen - Everybody Dance

Ta Mara and the Seen was a Minneapolis-based R&B group, signed byA&M Records to capitalize on the mid-'80s chart success of "Minneapolis Sound" by acts such asPrince, Vanity 6, Sheila E and The Time. They achieved Top 40 success with this single, which peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1986.

Lead singer Ta Mara was born in Kenitra, Morocco and lived there as a child before moving to Minneapolis with her family at the age of seven.

Other members of the group includedbassist Keith Woodson, guitarist Oliver Leiber (son of the famed songwriter Jerry Leiber), keyboardist Gina Fellicetta, and drummer Jamie Chez. A 1988 follow-up album, Blueberry Gossip, failed to catch on and the group disbanded in 1989. Their albums are no longer in print.

Taken from the original 12" single on A&M 12149
Everybody Dance (Original 12" Version) - 5:42
Song charted on October 26, 1985. Spent 11 weeks on the chart and reached #9

B-52's - Mesopotamia / Deep Sleep / Cake

A few weeks back I featured the full LP of "Party Mix" by the B-52's. This time around, it's the follow-up to that.

The fourth chart appearance for the B-52's came from their LP "MESOPOTAMIA". Released in 1982, Mesopotamia is the result of what was intended as the third full length album from the B-52's. Produced by David Byrne of Talking Heads, the recording sessions were aborted prematurely and only six songs were released. Due to a record company error the initial copies of the EP released in the UK and other non-US territories contained some extended versions and different takes of the songs.

Taken from the original EP "Mesopotamia" on Warner 3641

Mesopotamia - 3:51
Deep Sleep - 3:30
Cake - 5:36

All songs charted on February 27, 1982. Spent 16 weeks on the chart and reached #13

Psychedelic Furs - India / Pulse / We Love You / Flower

The self-titled debut LP from The Psychedelic Furs produced a whopping 4 tracks that charted on the Billboard Dance chart. This group consisted of brothers Richard And Tim Butler, John Ashton, and Vince Ely.

They first hit the chart on August 9, 1980 with the Import 12" of We Love You. This 12" was not a remix but rather the LP Version. It spent 4 weeks on the chart and reached #77. Once the LP was released, clubs jumped on it and played India, Pulse, We Love You, and Flowers. With these 4 songs it was the first 2 times they charted. They went on to chart 5 more times. These will be featured soon.

Here they are from the LP Psychedelic Furs.

Taken from the original LP on Columbia 36791
Click here to download all four songs in one .zip file
India - 6:22
Pulse - 2:39
We Love You - 3:28 (originally charted on an import 12" on August 9, 1980 #77)
Flowers - 4:12
All four charted on November 8, 1980. Spent 14 weeks on the chart and reached #36

ABC - Look Of Love

No need for me to tell you about this group from Sheffield, Yorkshire, England that consisted of Martin Fry, Mark White, Stephen Singleton, Mark Lickley And David Palmer. Everybody knows about this group.

Here is ABC's first appearance on the Dance chart. After this release they went on to chart 10 more times between 1982 and 1991. Of course, three of their songs did chart twice with different remixes. (Those songs will be featured a little later.)

Anyway here is the 12" single of LOOK OF LOVE.

Taken from the original 12" single on Mercury 4023
Look Of Love (USA Remix - Dub Version) - 7:37
Look Of Love (Part 3 - Dance Version) - 4:17
Song charted on September 4, 1982. Spent 26 weeks on the chart and reached #1

AB Logic - Get Up (Move Boy Move)

With today's post, I am choosing the follow-up single from post. After AB Logic had success with Hitman, they picked another track to pack the dance floor. This one has all same things the other song had (It's almost the same song). However this song had better dance floor success reaching #15. Hope this brings back some memories for you. I know it did for me....

Taken from the original 12" single on Interscope 96096
Get Up (Move Boy Move) (12" Extended) - 5:55
Get Up (Move Boy Move) (Killer Mix) - 5:20
Get Up (Move Boy Move) (Street Mix) - 5:05
Song charted on December 26, 1992. Spent 10 weeks on the chart and reached #15

AB Logic - Hitman

I'm sorry for the lack of posts, but, I was out of town for work with no access to my music collection. Man, I hate working...I just want to dance and party. Anyway, on with the Billboard posts.

Today is the first single to chart on Billboard Hot Dance/Disco chart by the techno-rave group AB Logic. This group is actually Jacko Bultinck and Peter Gillis (both Belgian) with vocals by Marianne and rapping by K-Swing.

I remember when this song came out in the summer of 1992. It was one of those catch rave songs that it seemed like everybody requested. Truly a 90's classic. It even made it to the sports stadiums across the country and became known as a "Jock" Jam.

Taken from the original 12" single on Interscope 16168
Hitman (Original Mix) - 5:20
Hitman (Piano Mix) - 5:52
Hitman (Extended Mix) - 6:05
Hitman (Killer Mix) - 4:40
Song charted on July 11, 1992. Spent 10 weeks on the chart and reached #20

Monyaka - Go Deh Yaka (Go To The Top)

Monyaka was a funk group based out of Los Angeles, California. The members included Beres Barnett (vocals, guitar), Errol Moore (guitar), John Allen (keyboards), William Brown (keyboards), Larry McDonald (percussion), Val Douglas (bass), and Richie Bertram (drums)

Go Deh Yaka is a disco reggae stomper from the early 80s, really love this song especially when the sun is shining.

Taken from the original 12" single on Easy Street 7502
Go Deh Yaka (Go To The Top) (Club Mix) - 6:32
Song charted on August 6, 1983. Spent 7 weeks on the chart and reached #48

Level 42 - Micro Kid

Level 42 is a popular Pop-Rock-Dance group from Manchester, England. The group had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 80's & 90's.

The band gained fame for its high calibre musicianship, especially that of Mark King, whose percussive slap bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the band's hits.

They are also known for the combination of King's lead vocals and keyboard player Mike Lindup's falsetto backing vocals. After originally disbanding in 1994, they reformed in 2001. Level 42 have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide.

"Micro-kid" is a song, released in 1983, by the british musical group Level 42. It was from their fourth studio album "Standing In The Light".

This was their second appearance on the Dance/Disco Chart in the US and faired well reaching #25.

Taken from the original 12" single on A&M 12091
Micro-Kid (Special Remixed Version) - 7:36
Song charted on June 9, 1984. Spent 8 weeks on the chart and reached #25

Jamiroquai - Deeper Underground

Jamiroquai is an interracial alternative dance group led by singer/songwriter Jason Kay. They are probably best know for the song from "Napolean Dynomite" where Napolean dances for the school election skit. VOTE FOR PETRO!!!!!!!!

Over the years there has been numerous personnel changes with the only constant being Kay. The core members during the 90's included Toby Smith, Wallis Buchanan, Stuart Zender, And Derrick McKenzie.

"Deeper Underground" was the first single from the album "Synkronized" as a hidden track and was included in the soundtrack of the movie GODZILLA. It is the only single from the band to have reached number 1 in the UK charts and their 8th appearance on Billboards Dance Chart.

Taken from the original 12" promo single on Work records
Deeper Underground (Metro Mix) - 6:59
Song charted on August 22, 1998. Spent 9 weeks on the chart and reached #22

Ultra Nate - Free

Born in 1968 in Baltimore Maryland, Ultra Nate is a female dance singer/songwriter. Before her being discovered by the Basement Boys, she was a pre-med student. Of course, she dropped that and it's a good thing she did since she has made a name for herself on the dance floor.

Ever since Ultra released the internationally renowned deep house classic, "It's Over Now" with the esteemed Basement Boys in 1989, which led to her equally eminent debut album, "Blue Notes in the Basement" (Warner Bros., 1991), Ultra has been a perennial force in dance music, regardless of idiomatic styles. Considering the ephemeral nature of dance/electronica music, Naté's endurance attests to her musical acumen.

This post incorporates the Mood II Swing remix of her number 1 song from 1997.

Taken from the original 12" single on Strictly Rhythm 12512
Free (Mood II Swing Extended Vocal Mix) - 12:09
Song charted on May 24, 1997. Spent 14 weeks on the chart and reached #1

Brainstorm - Lovin' Is Really My Game

Brainstorm was a disco group formed 1976 in Detroit, Michigan (USA) as a spinter group of 5th Revelation.

Members included Renell Gonsalves, Belita Karen Woods, Charles Overton, Jeryl Bright, Larry H. Sims, Gerald Kent, Trenita Womack, E. Lamont Johnson, Willie Wooten

They made an inspirational/message track in 1977 called "Wake Up And Be Somebody" but enjoyed their biggest breakthrough, later that year, with "Lovin' Is Really My Game". Here it is in it's entire 12" majestic version.

Taken from the original 12" on Tabu 10963
Lovin Is Really My Game (Original 12" Version) - 7:37
Song charted on May 14, 1977. Spent 26 weeks on the chart and reached #14

Garbage - Push It

"Push It" was written and recorded at Smart Studios during the 1997 sessions for Version 2.0. released in 1998. It became a worldwide hit in the spring of 1998, preceding the long awaited second album from the group. Its success was in no doubt helped by being accompanied by one of the darkest, original and one of the most award-nominated video clips of that year. This track is a dark, schizophrenic track with an industrial techno edge, "Push It" delved into the psyches of two frustrated lovers trying to sort themselves out.

This song contains an interpolation of 60's Californian band the Beach Boys "Don't Worry Baby" and 1990s act Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It".

They originally sampled the actual Beach Boys vocal track, but it wouldn't work with the song, so Shirley re-sung the lyric. After debating whether to keep the line, they sent a tape to Brian Wilson, who gave them permission to use the sample, and also said he liked the song and asked if he could keep the tape.

Taken from the original 12" single
Push It (Victor Calderone Club Mix) - 7:20
Song charted on July 11, 1998. Spent 13 weeks on the chart and reached #5

Check out the video

Soccer - Dancin' Game / Give Me Your Love

Soccer was a studio group assembled by producers Angelo Venuto And Tony Valor. Tony originally charted in 1976 with The Tony Valor Sounds Orchestra.

In 1979, Soccer first recorded for Salsoul records, then switched to Roy B in 1980. They first chart hit on the dance disco chart was Come And Get It On. That was followed up by todays post. Both songs were listed as on entry, by Billboard magazine, since both sides of the 12" recieved considerable club play. Enjoy Soccer

Taken from the original 12" single on Roy B Records 2509
Dancin' Game - 5:07
Give Me Your Love - 6:44
Both songs charted on May 31, 1980. Spent 6 weeks on the chart and reached #73

Mike & Brenda Sutton - Don't Let Go Of Me

The husband and wife team of Mike & Brenda Sutton hail from LA and first worked together as staff writer and singers for the Motown label in the early 70's.

Mike was discovered by Stevie Wonder and during their time with Motown, they wrote for Michael Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, Thelma Houston and Jerry Butler. In 1978 both were a member of the group Finished Touch which recorded for Motown.

After their stint with Motown, they continued to write and produce for Detroit Spinners, Anita Pointer and Cheryl Lynn. Then in 1981, they performed and recorded for SAM records. They first charted with "We'll Make It" and followed that up with today's post.

Although they are now separated, Mike worked with Brenda on a solo project in 2002.

Song taken from the original 12" single on SAM 12351
Don't Let Go Of Me - 6:52
Song charted on September 25, 1982. Spent 9 weeks on the chart and reached #37

Lil' Mo' Yin Yang - Reach

This group is a duo of electronic producers Little Louie Vega And Erick Morillo. Before they collaborated on this track, Little Louie Vega released Ride On The Rhythm in 1991. Vega was also a member of Masters At Work.

After this release, Morillo released and charted with his own solo track, Jazz It Up, as Erick Morillo Project in 1996. He was also a member of Reel 2 Real.

This is the only the time the two charted as a duo. This song eventually reached #1 on the dance disco chart.

Taken from the original 12" single on Strictly Rhythm 32380
Reach (Little More Mix) - 7:50
Song charted on October 21, 1995. Spent 15 weeks on the chart and reached #1

Wrecks-N-Effect - New Jack Swing

Wrecks-N-Effect originally comprised of then adolescent; Aqil Davidson, Brandon Mitchell, Markell Riley, and Keith "K.C." Hanns. They were formed around 1988 with their first release being an eponymous EP of six tracks for Atlantic Records. This EP included the singles "Go For What You Know", "Let's Do It Again" (which sampled The Staple Singers hit song), and a self-titled track sampling Jimmy Castor's "Bertha Butt Boogie". They received little promotion from Atlantic however, and, with the help of one-time manager and alleged gangster Gene Griffin, jumped ship for the Motown Label

When they released their self-titled debut album the following year, "K.C." had left and the group had become a trio. Wrecks-N-Effect was then produced by Teddy Riley (brother of Markell Riley), and rapper/producer Redhead Kingpin. This debut LP reached #16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #103 on Billboards Top 200 LP chart.

The single "Juciy", off this LP, met a similar fate. However, the follow-up, "New Jack Swing" becoming a #1 single on the Rap Chart. This release also landed them their first Dance Chart single. (The first of two...guess what the second was) Mitchell was killed in a shooting incident shortly after its release in 1990.

Taken from the original 12" single on Motown 4654
New Jack Swing (Original 12" Version) 5:27
Song charted on November 25, 1989. Spent 2 weeks on the chart and reached #48.

Young MC - I Come Off

Young MC is really Marvin Young. Born on 5/10/67, in London, England, he is best known for his hit "Bust A Move" in 1989. You may not know this but he is also the co-writer of "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" for Tone Loc

"I Come Off" was his follow-up, on the dance chart, to "Bust A Move". Even though the above three songs were huge, this one did not fair too well. Heck, you might not have even heard this song before. I think it was OK at best. This is his second and final time he charted on the Dance/Disco Chart.

Song taken from the original 12" single on Delicious Vinyl 96499
I Come Off (Southern Comfort Mix) 6:31
Song charted on April 14, 1990. Spent 3 weeks on the chart and reached #36

Booker Newberry III - Love Town

Thanks for all the congrat's for my new son. It is greatly appreciated...now on with the music.

Booker Newberry III (born 19 January 1956, in Youngstown, Ohio) is a singer and keyboardist, who was a member of the mid 1970s soul groups Sweet Thunder ("Baby I Need Your Love Today"), and Impact before pursuing a solo career.

Newberry began his professional singing career in the group Mystic Nights around 1971. Moving to Philadelphia he became the lead singer of Sweet Thunder, which also included drummer John Aaron, bassist Rudell Alexander, and guitarist Charles Buie. Signing with the Philly-based record label WMOT Records, the group's single, "Baby I Need Your Love Today" b/w "I Don't Care What You Say," stirred interest and was picked up for distribution by Berkeley, California based Fantasy Records.

The group recorded three albums, Above The Clouds (1976), Sweet Thunder (1978), and Horizons (1979), the latter of which listed the single "I Leave You Stronger," which went to #63 Billboard R&B chart in late 1979. Newberry joined another WMOT Records group, Impact, who was best known for the dance hits "Give a Broken Heart a Break" and "Rainy Days Stormy Nights."

Newberry signed with Neil Bogart's Casablanca Records in 1983 and today's post "Love Town" was a Top Ten UK hit. The "Love Town" album was issued the same year. He has also recorded for Malaco Records and Omni Records

This was the first and last time any of his solo hits charted on the Billboard Dance Disco Chart.

Song taken from the original 12" single on Boardwalk 99905
Love Town (Long Version) - 5:18
Song charted on June 4, 1983. Spent 3 weeks on the chart and reached #66

My new son has arrived......

Sorry for the lack of post over the past few days. I have an excuse...my new son arrived on September 27, 2007. Here are a few pictures for you of Ian James.




I will post new songs on October 8, 2007. Talk to you then

Sly Stone - Sing A Simple Song / Dance To The Music

Sly Stone (born Sylvester Stewart, March 15, 1943, in Denton, TX) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & The Family Stone, With that band he played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. Sly & the Family Stone which started in Vallejo, CA had 18 top 100 hits before calling it quits in 1975. I believe the split was due to the band's shaky reputation for not showing up at concerts (which caused promoters to avoid booking them), and a disastrous engagement at Radio City Music Hall in January of 1975.

In 1979, Epic Records released Ten Years Too Soon, an album of remixes of Sly & the Family Stone songs. Many rock jounalists denouced this LP as a cheap and shameless exploitation. As they saw it, great works of art were being tampered with and just a way for a record company to try to make money. Of course, at this time, critics hated disco music and were determined to condemn the LP before hearing it. However, I feel that John Luongo, the remixer of the LP, did a fantastic job on these songs. I feel they might even be better than the real thing. Enjoy

Songs taken from the original 12" single on Epic 50794
Sing A Simple Song - 6:12
Dance To The Music - 6:45
Both songs charted on October 27, 1979. Spent 12 weeks on the chart and reached #36

Taste-T-Lips - Hypnotize

I couldn't find anything on this group anywhere. The only thing I know is that this was the only Billboard chart single by this group. I don't even own the original 12" of this. This version I found on another blog and according to discogs.com, this is the House version from the original 12" single. If anyone knows anything about this group please leave me a comment. I would like to hear other songs from this group. They kind of remind me of Black Box.

From the original 12" single on Mercury 870169
Hypnotize (12" House Mix) - 6:11
Song charted on December 19, 1987. Spent 14 weeks on the chart and reached #9

Sinnamon - Thanks To You

In order for a song to have an impact on a listener for the first time, there has to be something in it from the very beginning that blows the listener away. In the early 80's, there were many dance trax that did just that, but they were underground songs, mainly designed for dj's to surprise people with at discos, so the mainstream public never knew about them. Most of these songs never made the charts (think of Toney Lee's "Reach Up" and Brenda Taylor's "You Can't Have Your Cake And Eat It Too") But if there was one song that broke this despicable rule, it was "Thanks To You" by Sinnamon, a female vocal trio of Connecticut natives Barbara Fowler, Marsha Carter and New Yorker Melissa Bell. When it was released on May 22, 1982, it hit #44 on the black singles charts for eleven weeks. As the song begins, you are hypnotized by the keyboards and the arcade-like rhythm, while lead singer Fowler takes you on warm journey too start off the summer.

The reason this song was big was because it was popular and high in demand, especially in the New York area. Radio stations like WRKS(98.7 KISS-FM)and WBLS(107.5 FM) were the big supporters who played it constantly. Sinnamon would also keep things going that same year with "He's Gonna Take You Home(To His House)", which has a seductive nightime mood. Unfortunately no other Sinnamon songs charted on the Dance chart.

Taken from the original 12" single on Becket 508
Thanks To You (Original 12" Version) - 6:59
Song charted on May 15, 1982. Spent 17 weeks on the chart and reached #1

Simply Red - Ain't That A Lot Of Love

Simply Red is a band from Manchester, England consisting of Mick Hucknall. Born on June 8, 1960, Mick got the nickname "Red" because of his red hair. The rest of the band included Fritz McIntyre (keyboards), Tim Kellett (keyboards), Sylvan Richardson (guitar), Tony Bowers (bass), And Chris Joyce (drums).

Today's post was the eighth and last time that they saw one of their songs make the dance chart and is also their third Top 10.

By far, this has got to be THE greatest Simply Red song. ENJOY

Taken from the original 12" single on EastWest 67014
Ain't That A Lot Of Love (Club 69 Underground Club Mix) - 8:18
Song charted on November 13, 1999. Spent 14 weeks on the chart and reached #3

Veronica - Let Me Go...Release Me

Veronica (born Veronica Vazquez in 1975 in the Bronx, New York) is a dance music singer and theatrical actress. Along with singers Ultra Nate, Deborah Cox, she is considered to be one of the leading divas of the 1990s club music scene. She also is one of the few Latinas to become a successful artist in the English-language dance music genre.

She began her career, in 1995 with the release of her debut album V...As in Veronica. The album was a mixture of R&B and Hip hop and also featured production from Rodney Jerkins and Dallas Austin. In 1997, Veronica released her second album Rise. This album was again R&B and Hip Hop influenced. She released two singles/videos off of this album. The first single was No One But You and it feautured Craig Mack. The second single and album title track, Rise, was released and that featured guest vocals by Big Pun & Cuban Link. As one of the first artists to signed to Jellybean Recordings, a label founded by legendary music producer Jellybean Benitez, Veronica had a string of hits on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including three reached the top ten. Her first number one on this chart is today's post, Let Me Go... Release Me. Soon afterwards it was followed by the legendary club anthem Someone To Hold (which peaked at the number two slot) and was remixed by producer Johnny Vicious and played heavily in the club circuit scene. The song still remains a classic among clubgoers today and it was featured on the soundtrack to the independent film Trick released in 1999 and starred Christian Campbell and Tori Spelling. She scored a second number one dance hit in 2000 with her cover of Evelyn "Champagne" King's classic R&B song I'm In Love, which was rerecorded for a club setting. She remains a very popular singer to this very day among gay audiences and especially in the club circuit scene.

She moved away from New York and the club music scene for a few years. During these years, she pursued her love for musical theater and was given the opportunity to portray slain Tejano singer Selena in a traveling production about her life and times. The production, titled Selena Forever traveled to numerous cities with a large Mexican-American population for over a year. Shortly after the successful run of the production, she decided to return to New York and start a family and return to her love of music. In 2004, Veronica recorded a song with rapper Triple Seis titled "Krazy". The song was featured on Triple Seis' debut album Time'll Tell. After a brief hiatus, Veronica returned in 2006, with music producer Tim Rex on her first dance single in over five years, Relentless...Just a Game. She soon will be seen in the film The Singer where she plays Hector Lavoe's mother in his younger years. The film is scheduled to be released in fall 2007.

She presently resides in New York City with her husband and their son, C.J. After her son was diagnosed with autism, Veronica has become a tireless advocate for further research and has led several efforts, including charitable walkathons, to raise research funds and awareness for the disorder.

Taken from the original 12" single on H.O.L.A 341031
Let Me Go...Release Me (Johnny Vicious Club Mix) - 8:47
Song charted on August 22, 1998. Spent 15 weeks on the chart and reached #1

ABBA - Lay All your Love On Me-Super Trouper-On And On And On

The most commercially successful pop group of the 1970's, the origins of the Swedish superstars ABBA dated back to 1966, when keyboardist and vocalist Benny Andersson, a onetime member of the popular beat outfit "The Hep Stars," first teamed with guitarist and vocalist Bjorn Ulvaeus, the leader of the folk-rock unit "The Hootenanny Singers." The two performers began composing songs together and handling session and production work for Polar Music/Union Songs, a publishing company owned by Stig Anderson, himself a prolific songwriter throughout the 1950's and 1960's. At the same time, both Andersson and Ulvaeus worked on projects with their respective girlfriends: Ulvaeus had become involved with vocalist Agnetha Faltskog, a performer with a recent Number One Swedish hit, "I Was So in Love," under her belt, while Andersson began seeing Anni-Frid Lyngstad, a onetime jazz singer who rose to fame by winning a national talent contest.

In 1971, Faltskog ventured into theatrical work, accepting the role of Mary Magdalene in a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar;" her cover of the musical's "I Don't Know How to Love Him" became a significant hit. The following year, the duo of Andersson and Ulvaeus scored a massive international hit with "People Need Love," which featured Faltskog and Lyngstad on backing vocals. The record's success earned them an invitation to enter the Swedish leg of the 1973 Eurovision song contest, where, under the unwieldy name of Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha & Frida, they submitted "Ring Ring," which proved extremely popular with audiences but placed only third in the judges' ballots.

The next year, rechristened ABBA (a suggestion from Stig Anderson and an acronym of the members' first names), the quartet submitted the single "Waterloo," and became the first Swedish act to win the Eurovision competition. The record proved to be the first of many international hits, although the group hit a slump after their initial success as subsequent singles failed to chart. In 1975, however, ABBA issued "S.O.S.," a smash not only in America and Britain but also in non-English speaking countries such as Spain, Germany and the Benelux nations, where the group's success was fairly unprecedented. A string of hits followed, including "Mamma Mia," "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do," "Fernando," "Take A Chance On Me," and "Dancing Queen" (ABBA's sole U.S. chart-topper and first promotional-only 12" single), further honing their lush, buoyant sound; by the spring of 1976, they were already in position to issue their first "Greatest Hits" collection.

ABBA's popularity continued in 1977, when both "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "The Name of the Game" dominated airwaves. The group also starred in the feaure film "ABBA-The Movie," which was released in 1978. That year Andersson and Lyngstad married, as had Ulvaeus and Faltskog in 1971, although the latter couple separated a few months later; in fact, romantic suffering was the subject of many songs on the quartet's next LP, 1979's "Voulez-Vous." "Voulez-Vous" was the groups second promotional-only 12" single. Shortly after the release of 1980's "Super Trouper," which contained the double-sided hit promotional-only 12" single of "On And On And On" and "Lay All Your Love On Me" (which thanks to a Disconet Remix propelled them to number one in the clubs.) Andersson and Lyngstad divorced as well, further straining the group dynamic. "The Visitors," issued the following year, yielded yet another promotional-only 12" single of the title track, and was the final LP of new ABBA material. The release of "Abba-The Singles The First Ten Years" contained two new tracks "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack" and the foursome officially disbanded in late 1982.

Although all of the group's members soon embarked on new projects & both Lyngstad and Faltskog issued solo LPs, "Somethings Going On" and "Wrap Your Arms Around Me" respectively, while Andersson and Ulvaeus collaborated with Tim Rice on the musical "Chess" � none proved as successful as the group's earlier work, largely because throughout much of the world, especially Europe and Australia, the ABBA phenomenon never went away.

Repackaged hits compilations and live collections continued hitting the charts long after the group's demise, and new artists regularly pointed to the quartet's inspiration: while the British dance duo Erasure released a covers collection, "ABBA-esque," an Australian group called Bjorn Again found success as ABBA impersonators. In 1993, "Dancing Queen" became a staple of U2's "Zoo TV" tour � Andersson and Ulvaeus even joined the Irish superstars onstage in Stockholm, while the 1995 feature "Muriel's Wedding," which won acclaim for its depiction of a lonely Australian girl who seeks refuge in ABBA's music, helped bring the group's work to the attention of a new generation of moviegoers and music fans.

ABBA recently turned down an offer of one billion dollars (yes, one billion) to reform for a 2000 world tour. Instead, Benny and Bjorn unveiled a new musical set to ABBA's music to great success entitled "Mamma Mia!"

Today, I'm posting every song that charted by this group. First off, three songs from the SUPER TROUPER LP. Billboard listed all three as one entry. They also listed the LP as the source so today's post is all LP Versions. You all probably have these versions but since it charted I'm posting it.

Taken from the orginal LP Super Trouper on Atlantic 16023
Lay All Your Love On Me - 4:34
Super Trouper - 4:14
On And On And On - 3:40
Songs charted on January 24, 1981. Spent 28 weeks on the chart and reached #1

ABBA - Visitors - When All Is Said And Done

Today's second post comes from ABBA's last LP together as a band. Billboard, also, listed these songs as from the LP and as one listing. These were the only songs by ABBA to chart on Billboards Dance/Disco Charts. ENJOY

Taken from the original LP Visitors on Atlantic 19332
Visitors - 5:48
When All Is Said And Done - 3:14

Songs charted on January 23, 1982. Spent 21 weeks on the chart and reached #8

Expose - Tell Me Why

Formed in 1984, Miami-based Exposé (originally X-Posed) was the brainchild of dance music producer Lewis A. Martinee. The all-girl trio consisted of Sandra “Sandee” Casanas, Aléjandra “Alé” Lorenzo and Laurie Miller.

After just two singles, “Exposed To Love” and “Point Of No Return,” both of which became major club hits, Exposé split up. Alé and Sandee embarked on solo careers, and Sandee had great club success with her solo album “Only Time Will Tell”, which included the dance smash “Notice Me”.

When it came time to record a third single, “Come Go With Me” , an entirely new lineup, Ann Curless, Jeanette Jurado and Gioia Bruno, was brought together by Martineé.

The album “Exposure” was released in 1986 and sold over two-million copies and reached the top 20. The album was released with the original versions of Point Of No Return and Exposed To Love, with the vocals of Alé Lorenzo et al intact. Martineé chose to re-record and re-release Point Of No Return with the new vocalists, and the song was a hit.

Exposé released a second successful album in 1989, What You Don't Know, and had many more hits. But in 1992 Gioia left the trio due to health reasons. She was replaced by Kelly Moneymaker for a self-titled release later that same year, but the album didn't make much of an impact and the group broke up.

Gioia has since released several solo singles and a solo album, called Expose This.

Taken from the original 12" single on Arista 9918
Tell Me Why (Extended Version) - 6:37
Song charted on January 13, 1990. Spent 12 weeks on the chart and reached #3

B-52's - Party Mix (all cuts)

TAKEN FROM THE OFFICAL B-52'S WEB SITE.....

It has been said that the B-52's are as quintessentially American as the Beach Boys. And thirty years and over twenty million albums into their career, they remain the among the most beloved rock stars ever. Known as “the world’s greatest party band,” the B-52’s have attracted legions of faithful, fun-seeking fans with their unique sound and electrifying stage show.

Formed on an October night in 1976 following drinks at an Athens, GA, Chinese restaurant, the band played their first gig at a friend's house on Valentine's Day 1977. Naming themselves after Southern slang for exaggerated 'bouffant" hairdos, the newly-christened B-52's (Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson) began weekend road trips to New York City for gigs at CBGB's and a handful of other venues. Before long, their thrift store aesthetic and genre-defying songs were the talk of the post-punk underground. A record deal soon followed and their self-titled debut disc, produced by Chris Blackwell, sold more than 500,000 copies on the strength of their first singles, the garage rock party classic "Rock Lobster," and "52 Girls." The B-52's had tapped into a growing audience for new music that was much larger than anyone could have anticipated. “We’ve always appealed to people outside the mainstream,” says Kate Pierson, “and I think more people feel they’re outside the mainstream these days.”

With the release of their second studio effort, Wild Planet (1980), the B-52's and co-producer Rhett Davies proved their success was no fluke with hits with "Private Idaho," "Give Me Back My Man" and "Strobe Light." In just two albums, the B-52's created a lexicon of songs, styles, phrases and images which would set the standard for the development of the 'alternative music scene.' The success of Mesopotamia, produced by David Byrne (1982), and Whammy! (1983) positioned the B-52's as MTV regulars as well as alternative radio staples.

At the time of their greatest achievements, however, they suffered their greatest tragedy — the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson from AIDS. "He really had a vision…," said sister Cindy Wilson. "He was one of the strongest elements of the B-52's from the beginning." Ricky Wilson's passing in 1985 came just after the sessions for Bouncing Off The Satellites (1986). The album, dedicated to Wilson, had taken nearly three years to complete but was worth the wait, serving up the fan favorites "Summer of Love" and "Wig." After a period of mourning, Keith, switching from drums to guitar, gradually resumed writing music for a new album. Working together on vocal melodies, lyrics and arrangements for the new tracks, Keith, Kate, Fred and Cindy re-emerged with the Don Was/Nile Rodgers co-produced Cosmic Thing (1989). The album yielded their first-ever Hot 10 hits — "Love Shack" and "Roam" and a Top 40 hit with "Deadbeat Club." Its success propelled the band to international superstardom.

After an exhaustive 18-month tour in support of Cosmic Thing, Cindy amicably left the band. "I'd been a B-52 for a long time, and it just felt like time for a change," said Cindy. Before long, Wilson had successfully completed her first solo project — a baby girl. Meanwhile, Kate collaborated with other artists, including Athens compatriots R.E.M., for whom she guest-starred on their 1991 album Out of Time. She also scored a hit with fellow CBGB's alum Iggy Pop on his lovelorn duet "Candy." Fred, meanwhile started work on a solo project, Just Fred (1996), with producer Steve Albini, his second solo project following the release of 1984’s Fred Schneider and the Shake Society.

As a trio, Fred, Keith and Kate re-enlisted the tag team of Was and Rodgers to produce the energetic Good Stuff (1992). With its popular title cut and concert favorite "Is That You Mo-Dean?," the album stands as the group's most overtly political album. "We're out there to entertain people," said Fred, "but it's great to get people thinking and dancing at the same time."

In 1998, reuniting permanently with Cindy, the B-52's wrote and recorded two new tracks that fit perfectly into Time Capsule, a stellar collection of greatest hits. The first single from the collection, "Debbie" was a metaphorical tribute to band friend and supporter Debbie Harry and the whole CBGB's scene of the late '70s. With the release of the two-disc collection Nude on the Moon: the B-52's Anthology (2002), the B-52's took much-deserved credit for a body of work that is unique, beloved and timeless in its own way. The B-52's have always cut a wide path through much of so-called 'modern rock' — from the low-fi efforts of nouveau garage bands to the retro-hip of ultra-lounge, to the very core of dance music itself. "We've always just done our own thing, which is a combination of rock 'n 'roll, funk, and Fellini, and game show host, and corn, and mysticism," says Fred. “Maybe people are beginning to pick up on what we’ve been doing all along,” muses Keith. “The underlying message of the B-52’s is that it’s ok to be different.”

The B-52’s have just completed recording a brand new album, their first in 15 years, with producer Steve Osborne (KT Tunstall, New Order, Manic Street Preachers) and programmers Damian Taylor (Bjork) and Pete Davis (New Order). Set for an early 2008 release, it maintains the band’s classic party vibe, but with a more modern direction. "There's more electronica on it," he said. "It's up-tempo and a bit sexed-up. It's sexier than ever,” says Fred.

There’s no doubt that fans are looking forward to this new release. Thirty years into their career, the B-52’s continue to keep the party going, serving up their own unique blend of music and showmanship to millions of people worldwide, and with no signs of slowing down.

This mini-album is one of the first REMIX albums to chart on Billboards Top 200 Album chart. This album, reaching #55 on the Top 200 chart, contains 6 remixes of previous songs. Side 1 contains 3 songs from "Wild Planet", while side 2 contains 3 songs from their debut album "The B-52's" Enjoy

Songs taken from the original LP PARTY MIX on Warner 3595
Download PARTY MIX in one zip file
A1. Party Out Of Bounds - 5:12
A2. Private Idaho - 4:04
A3. Give Me Back My Man - 7:02
B1. Lava - 6:08
B2. Dance This Mess Around - 2:59
B3. 52 Girls - 2:58
Entire LP charted on August 29, 1981. Spent 4 weeks on the chart and reached #55

Al Downing - I'll Be Holding On

Al Downing was born on January 9, 1940 in Cetralia, Oklahoma. Exposed to both R&B and country music as a boy, he taught himself piano on an instrument he found on a rubbish dump. in 1940. In 1958 he took the unusual step, for the time, by joining a whit group called "The Rhythm Rockers", led by Bobby Brant. After changing their name to "The Poe Kats", which also featured country great Buck Owens, they recorded a regionally successful hit called "Down on the Farm"

Just after they recoded that song, the group was signed to sing backup for Wanda Jackson, for whom they played during most of 1958. Some of the songs they appeared on were "Let's Have A Party", "Right Or Wrong" and "In The Middle Of A Heartache".

While Downing enjoyed moderate success with his recording of the Marty Robbins song, "Story Of My Life", his early recording contracts did little for his career. Finally, in 1974, he had his first big hit with the club classic "I'll Be Holding On" which made it to the R&B Chart and disco chart.

Billboard listed the source for this song as the 45 single which also happens to be the "DISCO VERSION" Unique for it's time, since it ran over 5 minutes, today's post has an insistent guitar hook that had clubbers cutting the rug and made this a northern soul favorite. One thing to note is that the single lists the time of this song at 5:35 but actually runs for :13 longer at 5:48. It is also the first and last time he appeared on the Dance Chart.

Taken from the original 7" single on Chess 2158
I'll Be Holding On (Disco Version) - 5:48
Song charted on November 16, 1974. Spent 21 weeks on the chart and reaching #1

Cate Bros. - Union Man

The Cate Brothers are the singer-songwriter-musician duo of twins Earl and Ernie Cate, brothers born in Fayetteville, AK on December 26, 1942. In the mid 1960's, they became performers of southern soul music at clubs and dances throughout the regional South of the United States. Both brothers are singers, with Earl on guitar and Ernie on piano. They became prolific recording artists during the mid to late 1970s, and again since the mid 1990s.

In their 1950's Fayetteville hometown, where rock pioneer Ronnie Hawkins had also grown up during the 1940's, Hawkins owned and operated the Rockwood Club. There, some of Rock music's earliest pioneers came to play, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Conway Twitty.

During the late 1950's the Cates associated with Hawkins and his original band members in Arkansas, known as the Hawks, including Hawks drummer Levon Helm. After 1958, Helm and Hawkins left, and settled in Canada, where they went on to form the core of the group The Band.

In 1975 Levon Helm introduced the Cates to a record company representative in Los Angeles. The Cates, soon after, received a recording contract with Asylum Recods, and so began their recording career.

Their 1975 debut self-titled album was produced by guitarist Steve Crooper, who also appeared on the record along with Levon Helm, Donald "Duck" Dunn and Poco bass guitarist Timothy B Schmit, who later joined the Eagles. Today's post was from this LP.

Two more albums followed in 1976 and 1977.

In 1979 they reached a wide audience when they appeared on the PBS music television program Austin City Limis, taped in December of the prior year.

In 1979 the brothers released their fourth and final album of the period, Fire on the Tracks, which reached number 24 on the album charts that year from the success of the single "Union Man." That single was one of the songs the brothers had performed during the Austin City Limits television show, leading up to the album's release.

During the 1980s the band's recording career went on hiatus, though they remained a popular touring act around the southern country rock and blues circuit of the Tennessee and Arkansas region.

In the early 1980s, the brothers joined Levon Helm on tour for a reconstructed version of The Band, without guitarist Robbie Robertson, and also worked with blues singer Maria Muldaur.

The Cate Brothers resumed recording in the mid 1990s, on a series of independent label albums.

Billboard listed this song as from the 7" single and not the LP so that is the version included here today. This is also the only time they appeared on the dance chart.

Taken from the oringinal 7" single on Asylum 45294
Union Man - 4:48
Song charted on January 31, 1976. Spent 2 weeks on the chart and reached #19

Visage - Moon Over Moscow / Tar

The new romantic dance-rock group from England known as Visage. The memebers consisted of Steve Harrington (vocals), Midge Ure, John McGeoch (guitar), Billy Currie (violin), Dave Formula (keyboards), And Rusy Egan (drums). Ure and Currie were later members of Ultravox.

Visage signed to Radar Records and released their first single, "Tar" (which was originally composed whilst Steve was in 'The Photons') in September 1979.

The following year saw the release of their self-titled debut album, which sold extremely well and raised the band's popularity mainly because of the single "Fade to Grey". The single quickly became a huge hit, went to number one in 21 countries and marked an imminent commercial breakthrough for electronic music and the whole New Romantic movement, for which the first Visage album became a kind of soundtrack.

Billboard, for some reason, listed both songs as one entry on the Dance Chart. There were no 12" singles for either of these tracks, so Billboard listed the LP as the source. These versions are included in today's post.

Even though club's would play other Visage songs, including "Night Train" and "Pleasure Boys", this was the only time that Visage made this chart.

Songs taken from the original LP VISAGE on Polydor 6304
Moon Over Moscow - 4:00
Tar - 3:31
Both songs charted on January 10, 1981. Spent 11 weeks on the chart and reached #40

Go West - Eye To Eye

The british duo of Peter Cox and Richard Drummie called themselves Go West. Formed in 1982, they quickly had a publishing deal and possessed a porastudio, but, lacked a band or recording company. With the support of their manager, John Glover, the two recorded two demo tracks ("We Close Our Eyes" & "Call Me"). These songs landed them a recording contract with Chrysalis Records. Both songs, also, landed them their first two pop hits in America and they never looked back.

They contributed their biggest hit to date to the Pretty Woman soundtrack called "King Of Wishful Thinking". This song gave them their only top 10 as it peaked at#8 in the spring of 1990. Currently, the two is still touring and recording.

Today's track comes from the duo's debut LP Go West. This song gave them their third and final appearance on the dance chart.

Taken from the original 12" single on Chrysalis 42900
Eye To Eye (Horizontal Mix) - 5:10
Song charted on September 28, 1985. Spent 4 weeks on the chart and reached #32

Various Artists Compilation - Philadelphia Classics

If you have been an avid reader of this blog, you know that Billboard magazine did not chart only 12" singles for the Dance/Disco chart, but they also included 7" singles and full LP's. Today I pulled out one of those entire LP's . It's a great double LP compilation from 1978.

Philadelphia Classics is a compilation of the great Philly sound of the mid-late 70's. It is also sort of a label sampler, since every artist on this compilation was with Philadelphia International. All songs on this compilation were mixed by Tom Moulton, who isn't credited on the LP issue. Some of the longer versions, like MFSB - Love Is The Message, were created especially for this release.
The original press of this was in a gatefold sleeve, while the repress had the 2x12" vinyl together in one sleeve.

Taken from the original double LP on Philadelphia International 34940
Download entire LP in one Zip file
A1. MFSB - Love Is The Message - 11:27
A2. MFSB - TSOP (Sound Of Philadelphia) - 5:42
B1. Three Degrees - Dirty Ol' Man - 8:17
B2. O'Jays - I Love Music - 9:39
C1. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Don't Leve Me This Way - 11:00
C2. O'Jays - Love Train - 6:14
D1. Intruders - I'll Always Love My Mama - 9:41
D2. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Bad Luck - 8:00
Entire LP charted on January 7, 1978. Spent 1 week on the chart and reached #34