Claudi Fritsch-Mentrop aka Desireless

 A classic Euro Dance track from 1986 was the first of a string of singles by a French fashion designer turned chanteuse.

Voyage, Voyage is the most well known and the first.  I don't post much French stuff since this is mostly an italo Disco blog but if a song works in the mix why not?

NOT ONLY VOYAGE, VOYAGE

Everybody wants to be Bourgié Bourgié Gladys Knight, John Davis, Ashford & Simpson and crew

Moving this one back up to the top.

Ashford and Simpson's Bourgié Bourgié is disco legendary. It was originally a cut on their 1977 l.p. Send It.  In the U.S. their version was never released on 12" so the U.K. press of it has become a coveted collector's item.  There is even a mis-pressed version of the U.K. 12" in which in one part the song gets sped up and then goes back to normal.

In 1979 John Davis and the Monster Orchestra covered it and it was released on a white label Promo, for which I wrote the discogs entry HERE.  The next year it was covered by Gladys Knight and the Pips as the b side to their soulful disco classic Taste of bitter Love.  The Gladys Knight version of Bourgié Bourgié was produced by Ashford and Simpson.  GLADYS VERSION SINGLE EDIT POUND BOYS EDIT

A highly coveted edit of the Ashford and Simpson version was done by Joe Clausell.  It's not to be missed!  THE BEST VERSION

All three versions are outstanding though perhaps the John Davis version is the most campy in that over-the-top kinda way disco can be.  This version features Nickloas Ashford and Valerie Simpson on vocals according to the credits listed on the John Davis l.p. The Monster Orchestra Strikes Again.  
M AND M INSTRUMENTAL in .wav
same
BOTH SIDES OF THE JOHN DAVIS 7 INCH

Here I'll provide a link to download the Gladys Knight and the Pips version, in the Pound Boys bootleg form.
Pound Boys Bootleg

And finally even a house version.  The Watergates featuring Janette Sewell came out in 1991.  The vocals are not unlike Gladys Knights.  WATERGATES

If anyone would like to post an opinion about this track or a comparison of the three versions I'd love to hear what you have to say.

From the Urban dictionary:
Stemming from the French word bourgeoisie. Pronounced "boo-zhee"

Someone who is class-conscious, with educated and discerning tastes, and interested in enjoying the finer things in life. It is definitely not high-class, aristocratic, snooty, or snobbish. “Bourgie'” is as much an idea, and a state of mind, as it is an attitude towards enjoying good food, good friends, and good conversation, everyday.  It evokes a mood of simple elegance, casual yet sophisticated—modern.
"Check out old girl in the Mercedes.  Isn't she from 82nd and International (Oakland)? Oh I guess she's bourgie now!"

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