163. Various Artists, "Saturday Night Fever"

 


The propulsive strut of "Stayin' Alive," the first song on this absolutely legendary soundtrack, is in the title sequence of the 1977 film.  Just watch Travolta swing the paint can in time with the music:


Even if you profess to hate disco, you were bopping your head, admit it.  

This is officially a "Various Artists" album, but we all know it's a Bee Gees joint.  Speaking of the Bee Gees, did you see the fantastic documentary that came out in 2020?  It's absolutely worth a watch.  The story of the group is a lot more complicated and interesting than I ever knew.

The producers of Saturday Night Fever originally went to Boz Scaggs, but he turned it down and so the Bee Gees got called.  "Stayin' Alive" was originally called "Saturday Night," but they sagely observed there were too many songs already called "Saturday Night."  They already had "Jive Talkin'," a slinky bop with a rhythm based on the the clicking of car wheels on a bridge, and "You Should Be Dancing," an instantly recognizable disco hit.  So in one weekend the Gibbs cranked out "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever," and "If I Can't Have You."  In one fell swoop, disco was appropriated from the gay and minority spaces where it had originated and been made palatable for the American public.  My Mom had a copy of this record.

Not to say that black artists weren't represented here.  Kool and the Gang's "Open Sesame," a funk-disco gem, appears, along wth The Trammps' "Disco Inferno," as classic a disco track as you can get.  But the Bee Gees are obviously the centerpiece here.  Lots of smarter people have said a lot more about cultural appropriation, so let's just acknowledge that it looms over this album in hindsight.

KC and the Sunshine Band's "Boogie Shoes," which had actually been released a couple of years earlier, charted as a result of this album.  And just in case you forgot, Walter Murphy's novelty hit "A Fifth of Beethoven" shows up here as well.

There's no question this is one of the most important soundtracks in history.  And, look, disco got a lot of shit and the reason for that has now been reappraised, not inaccurately I think, as deriving from racism and homophobia, and fears about the Other intruding into the rock space.  It's nice to throw this on, though, and just enjoy these songs - some of which are absolute bangers - on their own terms.

Does this album deserve to be in the Top 500? I'm a yes.

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