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Saturday, March 20, 2021

GRACE JONES SIGNATURE SONG WAS NOT ORIGINALLY HERS

Refreshed link in comments sectionHere's another told post I'm brining back.

The vocalist for La Vie En Rose was meant to be Teresa Wiater.  Produced, arranged and remixed by the mighty Tom Moulton in 1977 it has become one of the definitive disco re-make classics.  His muse Grace Jones knowing a good thing when she hears one convinced Tom to give it to her.  The rest made history as it crossed over to pop all over Europe and other parts of the world.


 Teresa unfortunately fell into the depths of obscurity.  Although she managed to have one minor disco hit in 1979 with Once and For All.  Grace on the other hand.....
ULTRA RARE TERESA WIATER UNRELEASED VERSION
or how about the Donna Summer version?
DONNA SUMMER'S ROSE from 1993

So which version is better?


And for those of you curious about the Edith Piaf original from 1945.




For fun in the zip I threw in the Nancy Martinez version.  She's a chanteuse from Montreal who had a few cute dance hits in the 80's under several different monikers.  LA VIE EN ZIP




Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Right by the Moon by K. Barre (Giorgio Dolce)

Another perfect example of my beloved genre of Italo.  Right by the Moon came out in 1984 on the Italian label of Many records.
This

K. Barré record was an international hit and licensed to several labels around the world.



Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Italo Disco greats The Creatures, Maurizio Sangineto

Maurizio Sangineto based out of the beautiful northern Italian city of Vincenza made some Italo Disco magic back in the early 80's from involvement with Firefly and The Armed Gang to his productions for Passengers, Amanda Lear, The Creatures and Valery Alington. All great material!
Though I have posted about Believe in Yourself, one of my very favorite Italo Disco tracks here I will provide you with two albums by The Creatures 1983's Believe in Yourself and 1985's Illusion. Quite prolific there is other great Creatures material to collect.
As usual until I figure out how blogspot has changed it's format I'll be putting the links in the comment section. But who cares as long as you can get your hands on them!

Monday, March 15, 2021

Ankie Bagger italo euro magic with even a Kiss cover

A 1989 Swedish import featuring the dynamite single Where Were You Last Night?

CHA CHA CHA FINZY KONTINI

Japanese pressing of the 1987 Italo Disco gem by Finzy Kontini. Finzy Kontini are: Claudia Colombi: Vocal Fabrizio Baldoni: Keyboards, Electronics, Vocal Bruno Rosellini: Guitars, Bass, Guitar Synthesizer, Vocal They had two albums in 1987. This was the first one. It's a treat.

Saturday, January 2, 2021

July 19, 1980 what was happening in Billboard magazine

About a month later when Olivia Newton-John's Magic was #1 on the pop charts is when I stopped writing the Top 40 down in my notebook.  I had been doing it religiously for at least five years.  I swear I have a photographic memory of the peaks of all the songs in those years.  I was also doing my public access t.v. show Music Corner at the time.  As a precocious teenager in Connecticut who sucked at all sports might do.
As you can see I started with the Top 25 on the Hot Soul Singles chart which would later be changed to Hot Black Singles.  Then we can see the arbitron ratings in New York City.  Disco was certainly not dead!  I thank god that I was suburban enough to grow up listening to that fantastic New York radio.
How could you not love this ad for Importe 12" records?
An article about clubs in the dance section.
How could you not love the disco action section where you could see which disco songs were hot where?
Not only did I have just about every one of these records on the Disco Top 100, but almost every one was good if not great!
How about a story on what's going on with disco in Europe?
They sure loved Bob Marley in Italy, still do. The hits of the world section was amazing too.  I always loved to see how certain American acts were huge in other countries even when they weren't in the states anymore.   I mean hell Can't Stop the Music was #1 pop in Australia!  That bitch went nowhere in the US.   Frank Zappa was #4 in Sweden!  He never had a pop hit in America.
And then the Hot 100 itself.  Damn did I ever pore over that thing.  I mean after all I was a young teen in Connecticut. Not much didco in there at this point.  I mean  lot of great disco was still being made it just wasn't breaking big.  Like you can see All Night Thing by Invisible Man's Band peaked at #45 pop.  That was a huge dance record in New York.  How about that classic by Frank Sinatra, New York, New York only 12 weeks on the chart.  That was no huge pop hit.  Call Me was on it's way down.  It ended up being the #1 record of the year and quite a smart collaboration between Giorgio Moroder and Blondie.  This was also the week that Lover's Holiday by Change entered the Top 40 at #40 and that's where it peaked.  That was one of the most played records in my bedroom.  But when you think of things in terms of pop peaks it was no hit.  Again a huge record in New York, huge! Thanks again guys for being here.  Have a wonderful New Year.  Much love from Roma.  AUGURI!!!!!!!!!!!