Daily Dirt: Turning back the hands of time to the disco era

Daily Dirt for Sunday, July 7, 2024

Quick, someone put on a Bee Gees record. Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 998 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Love it or hate it, the disco era will always be a part of our musical history.

I’m one of those guys who has always said “I hated disco,” but there were actually some great songs from that time. Not many, but some.

Here are the top 10 disco songs — according to Billboard magazine — that dominated the decade of the early-to-mid 1970s until the early 1980s:

• 1. “Stayin’ Alive,” Bee Gees: No surprise here. It was hard not to hear the Bee Gees on the radio during the disco decade.
• 2. “I Will Survive,” Gloria Gaynor: Gaynor, now 80 years old, performed this song in 2022 on an episode of “The Masked Singer.”
• 3. “Night Fever,” Bee Gees: I’m not sure which was the most overplayed song of that period, this one of “Stayin’ Alive.”
• 4. “Le Freak,” Chic: Always a great beginning to this song … “One, two — ahhhhh, freak out!”
• 5. “Dancing Queen,” ABBA: Hmmm … I never really thought of ABBA and disco in the same breath.
• 6. “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” Michael Jackson: This is not considered one of Michael’s top 10 songs.
• 7. “Funkytown,” Lipps Inc: One-hit wonder, and the term “hit” is used loosely.
• 8. “Disco Inferno,” Fabulous Trampps: One of the best lines in any song ever … “burn that mother down.”
• 9. “YMCA,” Village People: There is not one person in the entire country who was alive in the 1970s that can say he/she did not sing along with this song.
• 10. “September,” Earth Wind and Fire: Another song I’m not sure should be classified as disco.

2. Did you know (Part 59) …

• Michael Jackson’s chimpanzee “Bubbles” is still alive at 40 years old and living in Florida.
• Pope Francis has not watched TV since 1990.
• Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ 2024 salary with the Kansas City Chiefs is $44.3 million. After taxes, he will keep $22.5 million.
• Elvis Presley weighed 350 pounds at his heaviest.
• Ultimate Classic Radio says the Beach Boys are the No. 1 all-time American band, followed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Van Halen, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Aerosmith.

3. Five famous individuals you might not have been aware of who are dealing with Parkinson’s Disease:

• Neil Diamond: The “Sweet Caroline” singer was diagnosed in 2018 and retired from touring shortly thereafter. He still performs occasionally.
• Ozzy Osbourne: Diagnosed in 2019, he has worked to raise awareness about the disease.
• Linda Ronstadt: The singer was diagnosed in 2013 and not long after had to stop singing due to the disease.
• Michael J. Fox: He was diagnosed in 1991 and eventually founded the Michael J Fox Foundation, which has raised more than $1 billion for Parkinson’s research.
• Alan Alda: The actor was diagnosed in 2015, but has remained positive and active.

Steve Thought O’ The Day
Let’s all say it again … “One, two — ahhhh, freak out!”

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Can you imagine Steve doing his best John Travolta moves on some colorfully lit Ohio dance floor in the 1970s? No, neither can we.