As I noted a couple weeks ago, I spent some time reminiscing about "Retro Saturday Night," a radio show I used to listen to when I was in high school. The show was a fun, dance-y mix of R&B, pop and disco from the 70s. I thought I'd put together a mini-playlist sampling a few of the songs featured on Retro Saturday Night.
Rock Your Baby - George McCrae
Everlasting Love - Carl Carlton
Nights on Broadway - the Bee Gees
Their songs from Saturday Night Fever may be better known but this is, no joke, one of my favorite songs.
Copacabana - Barry Manilow
It won't let me embed, but I've included the link because this song's video is truly a riveting pop culture artifact. My advisor claims to be fond of informing undergraduates that in singing and gesturing along with "YMCA," they've participated in Stonewall protest culture. It's easy to write off the Village People's songs as goofy, but if you think about it as a relatively unprecedented expression of gay male sexuality in popular culture, it's kind of mind-blowing.
Doctor's Orders - Carol Douglas
Given the karaoke opportunity, I plan to someday perform this song. Consider yourselves warned.
Upside Down - Diana Ross
Who Loves You - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
Rock With You - Michael Jackson
Then Came You - the Spinners with Dionne Warwick
Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
Until I saw this video, I had no idea that the vocalists in this group also played instruments. Badass.
It Only Takes a Minute - Tavares
Boogie Fever - the Sylvers
The Hustle - Van McCoy
Car Wash - Rose Royce
Last Dance - Donna Summer
Always the last song of the night, right before midnight. Did you know this song won the Oscar for Best Original Song? There's a category that's seen better days.
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