Disco Alphabet - B is for Best
Ok, first of all, everyone should watch this.
Probably the best song by a band starting with B since, well, maybe I won't go there after all. More B greatness below, now with little blurbs to along with them because I've missed writing about stuff.
Black Devil Disco Club - One To Choose
Originally released sometime 1978, it spent about 20 years collecting dust in the 20-cent vinyl bins of Italy and France before becoming arguably the biggest record of the recent Italo Disco resurgence. "One To Choose", my personal favorite, sounds like smoking opium in a fog-filled skyscraper.
Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug
Everyone's favorite disco wunderkind Patrick Adams (who produced Musique's "Keep On Jumpin'" and "In The Bush" and dozens of other absolutely un-fuck-with-able disco masterpieces from "bands" like Phreek, Inner Life and Cloud One and later engineered Eric B. & Rakim's debut LP for good measure) one day got so fucking high in the studio he decided it was a good idea to make a song about two stoned, horny insects ("I'm a perfect 36, 37, 36!" "Oh my goodness!") laid down one of his most banging rhythm tracks of all time, swallowed three helium balloons and sang the track himself (with Leroy Burgess hilariously credited for 'backing vocals').
Bionic Boogie - Tiger! Tiger! (Feel Good For A While)
Gregg Diamond's most lasting gift to the world may have been his discovery of porn-star-cum-disco-diva Andrea True, but his own Bionic Boogie project, while lacking anything as memorable as True's "seen it all" brothel madam delivery, has all the grunting and flash of a Bobby O record without any of the latter's stank homophobia. Youtube comments to this hot number expectedly include: "Feeling good for a while - not worth it, Tiger."
Black Ivory - Mainline
Another P. Adams production, penned by Leroy Burgess and a popular choice for their best combined effort EVER, listening to "Mainline" is probably as close the world will ever get to filling the void that capital D Disco left when it left the popular consciousness for good (though, of course it never really did, as the Garage, the Music Box, house, italo, electro, Detroit techno, DJ Harvey, DFP, the Balearic Islands, Japan, Berlin and specifically Berghain/Panorama Bar later proved too well). Every great, really GREAT disco song made since has aspired to have a beginning, middle and ending (oh my god, that ending) that got even close to this carved-in-stone Greek statue of a song - a true testament to what made this music so damn good. Three and a half minutes of tension, three and a half of sweet release. Pretty simple, actually.
Beautiful Bend - Make That Feeling Come Again
While disco's straight-up roots are Philadelphia Soul and Motown funk, it soon developed branches all the way to Europe and producers like Giorgio Moroder, Jean-Paul Cerrone, Alec R. Costandinos ended up being as influential on the disco sound of the late 70s and early 80s as Thom Bell, Norman Whitfield and Leon Ware were on its beginnings. One of the eurodisco dudes, a russian emigre by the name of Boris Midney, fled the USSR to pursue a jazz career and ended up cashing in on the disco craze with a few absolutely brilliant orchestral disco numbers, of which this song is the best example. A three minute piano part that comes in late in the song sounds like the first few chords of Diana Ross "Love Hangover" extended all the way to heaven.
Bettye La Vette - Doin' The Best That I Can (Walter Gibbons Remix)
Ok, I ran out of font. This is in my top 10 of all time. If you're lazy, the best part starts around the 5 minute mark. Though, as Donna Summer would tell you, it's all about the journey.
Probably the best song by a band starting with B since, well, maybe I won't go there after all. More B greatness below, now with little blurbs to along with them because I've missed writing about stuff.
Black Devil Disco Club - One To Choose
Originally released sometime 1978, it spent about 20 years collecting dust in the 20-cent vinyl bins of Italy and France before becoming arguably the biggest record of the recent Italo Disco resurgence. "One To Choose", my personal favorite, sounds like smoking opium in a fog-filled skyscraper.
Bumblebee Unlimited - Lady Bug
Everyone's favorite disco wunderkind Patrick Adams (who produced Musique's "Keep On Jumpin'" and "In The Bush" and dozens of other absolutely un-fuck-with-able disco masterpieces from "bands" like Phreek, Inner Life and Cloud One and later engineered Eric B. & Rakim's debut LP for good measure) one day got so fucking high in the studio he decided it was a good idea to make a song about two stoned, horny insects ("I'm a perfect 36, 37, 36!" "Oh my goodness!") laid down one of his most banging rhythm tracks of all time, swallowed three helium balloons and sang the track himself (with Leroy Burgess hilariously credited for 'backing vocals').
Bionic Boogie - Tiger! Tiger! (Feel Good For A While)
Gregg Diamond's most lasting gift to the world may have been his discovery of porn-star-cum-disco-diva Andrea True, but his own Bionic Boogie project, while lacking anything as memorable as True's "seen it all" brothel madam delivery, has all the grunting and flash of a Bobby O record without any of the latter's stank homophobia. Youtube comments to this hot number expectedly include: "Feeling good for a while - not worth it, Tiger."
Black Ivory - Mainline
Another P. Adams production, penned by Leroy Burgess and a popular choice for their best combined effort EVER, listening to "Mainline" is probably as close the world will ever get to filling the void that capital D Disco left when it left the popular consciousness for good (though, of course it never really did, as the Garage, the Music Box, house, italo, electro, Detroit techno, DJ Harvey, DFP, the Balearic Islands, Japan, Berlin and specifically Berghain/Panorama Bar later proved too well). Every great, really GREAT disco song made since has aspired to have a beginning, middle and ending (oh my god, that ending) that got even close to this carved-in-stone Greek statue of a song - a true testament to what made this music so damn good. Three and a half minutes of tension, three and a half of sweet release. Pretty simple, actually.
Beautiful Bend - Make That Feeling Come Again
While disco's straight-up roots are Philadelphia Soul and Motown funk, it soon developed branches all the way to Europe and producers like Giorgio Moroder, Jean-Paul Cerrone, Alec R. Costandinos ended up being as influential on the disco sound of the late 70s and early 80s as Thom Bell, Norman Whitfield and Leon Ware were on its beginnings. One of the eurodisco dudes, a russian emigre by the name of Boris Midney, fled the USSR to pursue a jazz career and ended up cashing in on the disco craze with a few absolutely brilliant orchestral disco numbers, of which this song is the best example. A three minute piano part that comes in late in the song sounds like the first few chords of Diana Ross "Love Hangover" extended all the way to heaven.
Bettye La Vette - Doin' The Best That I Can (Walter Gibbons Remix)
Ok, I ran out of font. This is in my top 10 of all time. If you're lazy, the best part starts around the 5 minute mark. Though, as Donna Summer would tell you, it's all about the journey.