The Battle of the Lists is on! Anyone who makes a Top 10 List of anything is bound to get 10 people who totally disagree with all 10 of the author’s favorite picks. There will also be 10 people who agree with everything on the list and 10 who agree with some of the list. Top 10 lists are fun to read. I love music, so was happy to see Associated Content showcase a song list article* on the front page. AC’s “You May Also Be Interested In” listed more song list articles and I came upon Content Producer, Roy Barnes. He writes well on a variety of subjects. After reading “Roy’s Top 10 1970s Dance Songs”, I promised to offer him My Top10 1970s Disco Dance Songs. Without further ado, here it is:
#10 “Ladies Night” by Kool and the Gang, 1979
Kool & the Gang sing: “romantic lady, single baby, sophisticated mama, come on you disco lady”. This song is not sophisticated, just a simple song anyone can dance to. You will not break into a sweat as with faster paced disco songs, thus perfect for less energetic dancers.
#9 “Boogie Fever” by the Sylvers, 1976
The boogie fever was “going around” and when he “put some money in the jukebox for her, you know she ate her pizza dancing to the beat”. The Sylvers did not have a lot of hit songs and are probably best remembered for another popular dance tune of the disco era, “Hot Line.
#8 “Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel” by Tavares, 1976
Not a word in this song about dancing, but Tavares’ music was very much a part of the disco scene. This tune is a pretty love song that gets the hips swaying and is perfect for partners to show off their disco steps. Or you can go solo, copying Tavares’ moves from their dance routine.
#7 “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” by Leo Sayers, 1976
Leo feels like dancing due to “all this perpetual motion”, The song continues “If you let me stay, we’ll dance our lives away”. I just love Leo’s voice and love dancing to this tune.
#6 “Boogie Shoes” by KC & the Sunshine Band, 1978
Like Leo, KC & the band wants to “do it till the sun comes up”. Being with his girl, makes him want to put on his boogie shoes and dance with her until he “can’t get enough”. KC & the Sunshine Band were not much on lyrics, but all about disco and dancing. Boogie Shoes” ties with “Keep It Coming Love” as my fav KC song.
#5 “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees, 1977
Whenever I hear this tune I picture John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. The movie was all about dancing and Travolta’s character’s dream of dancing for a living. Many great dance tunes came from the movie, and most of my dance steps to this song came straight from John’s dance routines, too. Great confidence building lyric for winning dance contests: “Got the wings of heaven on my shoes, I’m a dancing man and I just can’t lose.
#4 “The Hustle” by Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony, 1975
No lyrics for his instrumental except for “do the hustle”, which was the major disco dance, along with “the bump”.
#3 “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, 1976
“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life” and every young lady wanted to be known as the queen of the dance floor.
#2 “Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me Girl” by the Spinners, 1979
This song is not about dancing, but is on the Spinner’s disco LP. Dancin’ and Lovin’, which also featured “Disco Ride”. I had a dance routine for this song that was mostly a simple dance called, “the rock”. When the guys sang, “I want you over, and over, and over, and over again”, I went into full disco twirls with my imaginary partner in the middle of the living room. “Working My Way Back To You” is a remake of the Four Season’s 1960s hit.
#1 “Last Dance” by Donna Summer, 1978
No top 10 dance songs of the 1970s list are complete without this one. Actually, I nominate the entire “Thank God, It’s Friday” soundtrack album. It is all about dancing. This song is not only about the last dance, but the “last chance for romance tonight”. It starts off slow, like every wedding reception’s last dance song~all the couple’s on the floor for a slow, romantic snuggle and all the singles on the sidelines crying out their hearts. Donna is probably the undisputed “Disco Queen” and “Last Dance” is Donna at her finest. The song moves on a faster pace and music, perfect for all the twirls and swirls of disco music.
1970s music was not all about disco dance songs. Rock & Rollers had two words for it: Disco Sucks. Stay tuned for my next Top 10 Ten 1970s Dance Tunes article.
Related Article: *The Ten Worst Cover Songs of All-Time by Lee Andrew Henderson
