Short notice but

[evilstepdad]

Hello,

This Saturday I will be doing a 70's nite at the club I play at (we call it a club but it is a bar with a dance floor lol) and would like a few suggestions on some of the better dance songs from the 70's.

The way I will work the night is by playing 70's along with some of the regular stuff that I usually play which includes top 40, Dance, Pop and Hip/Hop.

On most nights I mix in classic rock, 70's, 80's, 90's etc. along with some old school hip/hop and dance stuff.

I know about the 70's to a point but trying to sort out just a couple of hours of the very best dance stuff is giving me a headache lol.

So if you can put in some song names that will get people up and off there can's and get them dancing.

Our small club is usually packed every weekend but from about 11:45 on if turns into a younger crowd and out of the 250 -325 or so they make up 90% of the crowd thus the reason for a mixed night and not a straight 70's.  Yes the dance floor is hopping all the time so want this to flow well.

Thanks for any help.

[Dr.J]

Some off the top of my head that I think would work...

Steelers Wheel - Stuck In The Middle
Abba - Dancing Queen (or anything else for that matter)
Shaun Cassidy - Saturday Night
B.T.O. - Takin' Care Of Business
Elton John - Crocodile Rock
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Fishin' In The Dark
Rolling Stones, AC/DC, etc.

Hope I didn't make too many mistakes, I'm up pretty late tonight.

[arthurvasey]

My dream gig - a 70s night!

A lot of 70s stuff is quite cheesy to today's audience - but I can at least provide you with a list of artists and groups, off the top of my head:

Billy Ocean;

Abba;

Billy Paul;

Brotherhood Of Man;

The Dooleys;

Doobie Brothers;

Gloria Gaynor (you can't do a 70s night without I Will Survive or Never Can Say Goodbye);

Village People (you MUST play YMCA and/or In The Navy);

Any of Elton John's uptempo stuff - though Daniel, Candle In The Wind and Your Song are a little slow for discos;

Boney M;

Silver Convention;

Andrea True Connection;

Three Degrees;

Anything from Saturday Night Fever and Grease;

Sparks;

Punk and new wave;

Glam rock, such as Slade, Sweet, T-Rex and Roxy Music.

There are more - but my brain won't let me think.  Look for Motown, any Philadelphia stuff and anything on the Carrere or Atlantic labels.

Avoid those cheap oldies CDs sold in supermarkets LIKE THE PLAGUE!  At the bottom, there is a disclaimer that says that they are one of the following:

Live recordings (taken from a concert or TV appearance;

In the case of single artists, new recordings;

In the case of groups, " ... as many of the original members as possible".

[mpanda]

Arthur,

you're the luckiest as 70's is the most prolific decade of dance history.
There are loads and loads of 'shure shot dance hits' coming from 70's that it might result a never ending list to compile a playlist.

Most part of that repertory comes from U.S. and several cities like Philadelphia, Miami, L.A., N.Y., Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis (just to mention some) gave born labels with terrific bands, artists and producers.

The approximative approach could be:

Philly Sound, Motown and RCA for classic dance
CBS and Polygram for funk and disco fever

All of those majors (where still alive) published a lot of 'dance floor filler' collections that you could easely find to your record store.

I purchased (many years ago in S.Francisco) a great collection called '100 All time Classic Dance Hits of the 1970's' by Connoisseur Collection (record label), a box set of 5 cds.
Connoisseur published also other extremely good collections but IMO '100 All time' is still the best (and useful for dance jocks) one.

[Vinny H]

http://www.discomusic.com/charts-more/6480_0_8_0_C/
http://www.yourweddingplace.com/wedding-songs/dance%20party/70s%20disco.htm

I love precompiled lists.

[evilstepdad]

Thanks for the input.  Here is a list of most of the stuff I will work with.  The gig last the usual amount of time...from 9 to 2 but I usually play until about 2:30 as the dance floor is still hoppin and we don't do a last call, I just close the bar and then give them time to finish up with what they have.

I will probably start early about 8:30 as I don't get to listen to this great music that much during our regular nights. Music will early will be most the stuff that is not great dance stuff or is ok but not for when we really kick it up and I try to get the younger crowd to warm up to it and will also take the usual request for some 70's stuff that the pool players might want to hear but not really dance stuff. Probably play mostly 70's until 10:00 and then start mixing in a little modern stuff to let the younger crowd know they will be getting some of their music.

About 10:00 music will start to change a bit with a little better dance stuff from the 70's and a little more modern stuff added to the mix.

At 11:00 we will hit full dance mode and from this point on I want to play the BEST dance stuff from the 70's, now when I say dance I also mean the rock music also. Mix will be about 55% 70's and then rest modern stuff.  by the end of the night that will turn into 75% modern and the rest 70's.

Here is what I have so far to choose from.  Oh, I did check out those list already but thanks for the heads up.

No, this is no particular order right now just thrown up there list will be made later...that's why I asked for the help on the best dance stuff lol.

Again, thank you all.

the trammps - disco inferno (3:38)
Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (5:58)
PAT BENATAR - Heartbreaker (3:25)
Quiet Riot - Highway to Hell (3:56)
GRAND FUNK - Some Kind of Wonderful (3:10)
Foreigner - Hot Blooded (2:56)
DONNA SUMMER - Hot Stuff (4:50)
Commodores - Brick House (3:21)
CHIC - Le Freak (3:31)
VILLAGE PEOPLE - YMCA (3:42)
THELMA HOUSTON - Don't Leave Me This Way (3:36)
AEROSMITH - Walk This Way (3:34)
T. Rex - Bang a Gong (4:22)
A Taste of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie (3:31)
Carl Carlton - She's a Bad Mama Jama (5:42)
Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music (3:11)
Sugar Hill Gang - Rappers Delight (6:52)
GRAND FUNK - Some Kind of Wonderful (3:10)
LaBELLE - Lady Marmalade (3:14)
Anita Ward - Ring My Bell (3:27)
K.C. AND THE SUNSHINE BAND - That's The Way (I Like It) (3:01)
Kool & The Gang - Ladies Night (3:20)
FREE - All Right Now (5:30)
ZZ Top - Tush (2:12)
AC/DC - T.N.T (3:31)
Donna Summer - Bad Girls (4:54)
K.C. AND THE SUNSHINE BAND - Boogie Shoes (2:09)
Robert Palmer - Bad Case of Loving You (3:09)
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive (4:39)
Styx - renegade (4:04)
Rick James - Give It To Me Baby (4:00)
KC & The Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight (3:08)
Bachman Turner Overdrive - Takin' Care of Business (4:46)
Sister Sledge - We Are Family (3:31)
Bee Gees - Boogie Child (4:06)
Lipps inc - Funkytown (3:48)
ROSE ROYCE - Car Wash (3:22)
O'Jays - Love Train (2:54)
Chic - Everybody Dance (5:46)
Electic Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down (4:00)
L.T.D - Back In Love (4:38)
Miracles, The - Love Machine (3:19)
Gladys Knight & The Pips - I've got To Use My Imagination (3:19)
Gloria Gaynor - I will Survive
Donna Summer - Last Dance (3:16)
BEE GEES - Night Fever (3:28)
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD - We're An American Band (3:23)
Elton John - Saturday Night's All Right For Fight'n (4:40)
Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing (4:11)
Shirley & Company - Shame, Shame, Shame (3:59)
LYNYRD SKYNYRD - Sweet Home Alabama (4:36)
ARGENT - Hold Your Head Up (3:30)
Joe Tex - Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Women) (6:30)
Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing (4:00)
The S.O.S Band - Take Your Time do it Right (7:36)
Spinners - I'll Be Around (3:05)
Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar (3:46)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around The Bend (2:34)
Donna Summers - Rumor has it mix (3:20)
Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover (5:37)
ALICIA BRIDGES - I Love the Nightlife (3:04)
JAMES BROWN - Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine Pt. 1 (5:14)
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around The Bend (2:34)
Steve Miller Band - Rock'n Me (3:00)
Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing (4:11)
FLEETWOOD MAC - Dreams (4:12)
Billy Preston - Will it go round in circles (4:18)
Earth, Wind and Fire - After The Love Has Gone (3:51)
Earth, Wind & Fire - Boogie Wonderland (4:45)
BOSTON - Peace of Mind (4:52)
Eagles - One of These Nights (4:32)
Eagles - Hotel California (6:22)
Cheap Trick - Surrender (4:10)

[evilstepdad]

Oh and I know...Quiet Riot - Highway to Hell...AC/DC but until they start putting them online so I can get individual tracks I will be playing this cover.  It is actually pretty good and it go's  over well.  Lol not enuff cash to be buying cd's all the time.

[Jigger]

It looks like you have a good list along with the other suggestions you should be fine.

[Jumpin' Jeff]

Although it's from 1967, I'd consider the turtles - Happy together, and 1970s Partrige family - I think I love you also.

We've had alot of great response from these songs as well as many in your list.

[whisper]

every area has it's own mark on this subject...even in the uk it goes from area to area
i'm assuming it's across the pond so to speak playlist
the big influences in 70's in the uk was glam rock, and disco with a good smattering of good old pop.
from abba to the nolans sisters..from change to mongo santa maria
t.rex to bay city rollers...blondie to human league

some stuff we can't play are
simply the best..tina turner..it's a football song here (rangers)
gerry and the pacemakers..you'll never walk alone (celtic)
all gary glitter songs (convicted paedophile here in the uk on a number of occasions so doesn't sit well at all)

best of luck..i'm sure it will be a good night

[evilstepdad]

Lol on all accounts Whisper.  That really is the whole thing, first there is just so much good music from that era that I can't play it all but the trick is getting the younger crowd to buy into the night and have a good time as well and also taking care of the people the night is for which is the 70's crowd.

I will start a little early as the 70's crowd will be early and I will play just about anything from the 70's during that first hour and a half until we start to fill and then it's dance time.  I have about 650 70's tracks on the system...not a lot but it does have a good range as far as variety go's so I usually have something for everyone.

And yes, you can travel 20 miles to the next town and their taste in music is different from where I play.

Again, thanks everyone for all the input.

[evilstepdad]

Update, well we had 70's night and I would like to report it went great...but I can't.

Not much of a 70's crowd turn out and went into more of the regular stuff a lot sooner than I thought I would and ended up just a touch of 70's here and there throughout the night.

By the way, the night went great as we ended up with about 300 people but it was mostly regular crowd.

Again, thanks for the input now onto other things

[Vinny H]

Done too many shows like that where I didn't end up playing the music I had planned.