Altered Images - Love To Stay - 1983

Altered Images were an early 1980s Scottish New Wave post punk band. Led by lead singer Clare Grogan., the band branched into mainstream pop music , and had a string of chart hits between 1981 and 1983.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeaYrNupn3I

Mandalay - Beautiful - 2001

Mandalay was a trip hop duo from the United Kingdom , composed of multi-instrumentalist Saul Freeman (formerly of Thieves ) and singer Nicola Hitchcock. They released two albums (plus one America-only compilation disc) and were briefly tagged as "Madonna's favourite band.
The third single from their second LP,  Empathy - "Beautiful" - appeared on a number of chillout albums of the time including Cafe Del Mar Vol 6 and Hed kandi's Serve Chilled. As a result Mandalay were invited to headline at the Cafe Del Mar 20th anniversary celebrations in Ibiza in 2000. A sunset remix of "Beautiful" was recorded and mixed by Lenny Ibizarre, the leading chillout DJ/musician on the island. The song went on to be used in a major advertising campaign by Estee Lauder and was chosen for the title track of German film Der Eisbar. In 2003 "Beautiful" was covered by Sarah Brightman  and released as the lead single for her hit album Harem. The Victor calderone mix was the club mix to play in the states, however, bringing the band  huge amount of new fans.

video link
Calderone Mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30VWQubv6Lg.

The English Beat - Mirror In The Bathroom - 1980

The Beat (known in North America as The English Beat) are a 2 tone ska revival band founded in England in 1978 Their songs fuse ska, pop, soul, reggae, and dance. Mirror in The Bathroom was released in 1980, and peaked at # 4 on the UK pop charts.

video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTNpaaPHENE&feature=related

Menace - Sound Of The Floor - 2002

As much as I miis music from the late 1980s as far as house is concerned, the house music from the early 2000's was actually very good. I was by this time buying my records from Sattelitte Records in New York City, and going to dance clubs Twilo and Sound Factory. And I was resident at a couple clubs that gave me full reign to play whatever i wanted, which was deep progressive house. this track stands out. Not in its hot Superchumbo remix, but in its original form.
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audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFF4ltx2YG8

Cormano - Mangamania - 2000

Nothing but drums and beats and Spanish (Portugese?) samples on this pure tribal - big dancefloor track. No weepy vocals. No melody. Not a lot to grab, unless drums and bongos appeal to you. Well my amigo, they certainly appeal to me,  and this bongo driven drum track ruled my dancefloors in 2000. released in the US on 4Play Records, mixes by Eric Pier O'Neil .

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fSXE3s9O3c

Sia - Drink To Get Drunk - 2000

Fantastic Different Gear mix made this hot Sia track stand out as one of the first classic dance tracks from the new Millenium. That incredible voice, the DF Gear mix matched it . Remix perfection.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zci1P_BAADg

DJ Dero - The Train - 1997

With that hot Faithless sound and fantastic progressive house/pseudo trance beats, DJ Dero racked up a slew of hits through the late 1990's early 2000's. This one was one of his biggest  and best hits, creating dancefloor mayhem in the clubs I spun.

audio link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkzc8BsUCOM

Made By Monkeys - I Try - 2003

Serious assortment of mixes on this club banger. the original itself was hot. There were mixes by Rauhofer, Gabriel & Dresden, Stephan Grondin , Javith, Piliavin & Zimbardo , and other bootlegs.I prefer that Gabriel & Dresden mix, such a wicked hot beat, at the peak of their fame. I had many copies of this single on all sorts of white labels, it always worked for me on most dancefloors. Hot in 2003 thats for sure. Released in the US on * 69 Records.

Gabriel and Dresden audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn9khLb3NBM

Shamen - Make It Mine - 1992

Shamen had a string of hits in the early 1990's, Move Any Mountain was a huge hit. The Moby mixes of Make It Mine did some serious dancefloor damage in 1992, right when both Moby and Shamen were at their peak. My deep progressive crowd ate this up, was a def. number one for me.

audio link to moby edit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZN5Uz3_p0Y&feature=related

A Bitch Named Johanna - I'm A Bitch - 1990

Fierce classic house from NYC , Project X Records in the house.  This is a much sampled record, since it had that accapella. Johanna used to come to hear me DJ in New York City at Riot, she was very sweet, not a bitch at all. She had  a massive follow up with the tune 'Freak It' as well. This shit is true house underground.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tNLIiGZvek&feature=related

Happy Mondays - Stinkin' Thinkin' - 1992

Hot house mix on these promo remixes by Junior Boys Farley and Heller from the UK , released on Elektra Records. Sounding nothing like the Mad-Chester original track , Farley and Heller turned it into a bona-fide club smash.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V7gEE2ug8Y&feature=related

Coldcut feat Robert Owens - Walk A Mile In My Shoes - 2006

This may not even be considered a dance record. Its very mellow, at least the version i really like and what put it on this list/blog for me. Produced by Coldcut, its the Henrik Schwarz remix that i really dig. Super mellow, it really wouldnt work well on dancefloors, the beat doesnt even kick in till about 2/3 of the way in. Still, it is a moving record to say the least , and the beat does eventually kick in. Originally sung by Elvis.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqJ6D5woJXk

Blakk Society - Just Another Lonely Day - 1989

Classic deep Chicago house produced by Larry Heard, this Fingers Inc. sounding smooth house gem worked fantastic with sophisticated club crowds, as with most Larry Heard projects. Fantastic vocals by David Hollister , this was released on AlleviatedMusicout of Chicago, a division of Gherkin Records.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grDpQSeYY54

Boyz In Shock - Give Me Back The Love - 1988

Classic deep Chicago house, released on Jack Trax Records UK with super Marshall Jefferson mixes. This was one hot record, I used to mix two copies back and forth for thirty minutes. While the original mixes were superb, the Marshall Jefferson mix worked the best for me. Dont confuse this with On The House's Give Me Back The Love , another hot Marshall Jefferson production, which was also HOT.

audio link
original mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g_fKnSvKmk

Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - 1976

"You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" (written by Kenny gamble and Leon Huff 0 is a song performed by R&B singer Lou Rawls on his 1976 album All Things In Time. The song proved to be Rawls' breakthrough hit, reaching number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the R&B and Easy Listening and charts. The single also reached number four on the dance chart.  It was the only Rawls' record to reach Billboard's pop top ten. It was the first big hit for Philadelphia International to feature the reformulated MFSB,  after many of the original members left Gamble and Huff for better opportunities. The song started Rawls' live shows from 1977 on.
The single went on to sell over a million copies and was certified gold  by the RIAA.
"You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" has been covered by singers Michael Buble' , Laura Pausini , reggae legend John Holt ,  and most recently the The Dub Pistols (who use a sample of John Holt's version) on their Speakers and Tweeters album.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2ijL2tljdI

FFWD - Baby Don't Go (House Mix) - 1987

Released in 1987 on Criminal Records New York, and mixed by Gail Sky King, this freestyle jam remixed house style did serious damage to urban NYC metro dancefloors during 1987. At the time there were a lot of new house sounds and styles coming out, Cole & Clivilles (C&C Music Factory) were
hitting big with their new sound, Sandee Notice Me was an example. Masters At Work (Louie Vega and Kenny Dope Gonzales) were making noise, and Todd Terry and Marshall Jefferson were on top of the world. My club was infatuated with all these sounds, but also hitting big were the crossover records, records like Cynthia  Change On Me on MicMac , and Vanilla Mix Easier Said Than Done . And this vocal tune, big not in its original mix but remixed house style. Pretty mainstream back in 1987 , nearly 25 years ago. Somewhat obscure today.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0U52Xr41h4

Liz Torres - Mama's Boy - 1987

Classic house from the Queen Of House , this one had a superb dub, a spanish mix, and rocked Paradise Garage. And every other club that played it.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd-BHNunZ80

Phyllis Nelson - I Like You - 1985

Huge # 1 dance record from 1985, well known for its emulator vox and fantastic dub. Played by NRG and pre-house DJs alike, this was a well known crossover dance hit if you went out to clubs in 1985. (check out the emulator at 3:13) . Mixed by Shep Pettibone.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I0ML2KAcIA&feature=related

Donna Summer - I Will Go With You (Con Te Partiro) -1999

Serious high energy classic, again, a genre I am not the biggest fan of, being a true house head. But I love all kinds of good dance music. This is a classic. Great beats, it has both Italian and english vocals, its really an amazing dance record if you let your guard down and enjoy it. NRG and Donna Summer fans know, but mainstream audiences dont. It was a moderate hit for her though. The Hex Hector version was the best, the same one that was in the video edit. Between this, and This Time I know Its For real , and other hits, she has proven she is not just a 70's disco artist time and time again.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8U7cEDLyU4&feature=related

Musique - Keep On Jumpin' - 1978

Serious disco classic here, released on Prelude Records in 1978. The band had a huge follow up with In The Bush , but this song, remade years later by house legend Todd Terry as Jumping (also on this blog/list) still sounds like it did in 1978. (LOL . duh.) Fantastic pre house disco classic. If you like bongos (I DO) this is for you. Love the LP cover, disco images are so cool.  You can hear a lot of house samples in this if you are a house freak. Its been sampled to death.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__bCBAgwbQ&feature=related

Tantra - Su-ku-leu/Mother Africa - 1980

Very under-rated track(s) off the brilliant Italian Tantra album, which produced two huge dance hits, Hills Of Katmandu and Wishbone. These album tracks, very tribal and Village People sounding , were what initially brought the group to my attention.  Running back to back on the LP, i wouldnt have discovered Hills Of Katmandu, nor Wishbone, if it wasnt for these two songs. A fantastic LP, one of my first. Both Su-ku-leu and Mother Africa are ripe for remixing or sampling, very house sounding at 130 BPM. And obscure. Ah disco.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBNN_XoOuA

Tracy Weber - Sure Shot - 1981

1981 classic funk - garage classic, mixed by Larry Levan. This song reminds me of Oz nightclub in Sauget, IL , east of St Louis. I went there in the late 1970's early 1980's , along with faces in East St. Louis, these clubs played music much better than any club in St Louis. Faces was gay, but thats where I first heard Abba Lay All Your Love On Me , Human league Dont You Want Me, GoGos Our Lips Are Sealed ,B52s Planet Claire , the list is long. Oz was straight, I took dates there. Thats where I first heard Debra DeJean Goosebumps, Shades of Love - Keep In Touch (Body To Body) and Karen Silver Set Me Free. And this. Released on Quality Canada, this was THE jam

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLMaOEHr-cs

E.G. Daily - Love In The Shadows - 1985

E.G. Daily reached the top of the Hot Dance Music/Club Play Billboard charts with "Say It, Say It" reaching #1, "Love In The Shadows" #6, "Mind Over Matter" #7 and "Some People" #33. While Say It Say It (very Madonna sounding) was her biggest hit and a fantastic song, this hi energy classic was moving at the least. If nothing else, it was moving dancefloors geared towards hi-nrg fans. When I heard this at The Saint in New York City in 1986 it sounded amazing. I wasn't a high energy music fan , but this song was brilliant for that genre. The song was also was featured in the films 'Theif Of Hearts'
and 'Circuit'.

audio link
Disconet Mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzzYiKFBc_8

Les Rythmes Digitales - (Hey You) What's That Sound? - 1998

Released initially in 1998 but 2000 in the USA on Astralwerks Records, this Stuart Price produced breakbeat electro classic always sounds fresh. It fits into almost any kind of set, hip hop, house, electro, house...the list is end(less...).
audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UWWWbwc-ag

Barbara Fowler - Come And Get My Lovin' - 1984

1984 release on Radar Records US that was huge in New York pre-house venues like Better Days and Paradise Garage. This Hartford Connecticut USA native (where I was born) had a follow up on Profile Records with Knocking At My Door.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3fw4aCBo6s

Adele Bertei - Build Me A Bridge - 1983

A very, very early house track that was recorded by German-born Bertei in 1983, it didn't chart but it's a landmark song in the birth of house music. German-born, New York-based dance music singer Adele Bertei was the keyboardist of the Contortions. Her single "Build Me a Bridge," produced by Thomas Dolby, was a dance/disco hit in 1983. She was heard on producer John "Jellybean" Benitez's 1988 U.K. hit "Just a Mirage." She released her debut solo album, Little Lives, in 1988. It contained the adult contemporary hit "Little Lives, Big Love".

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsLx6LxIceM

Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop The Music - 1980

"Don't Stop the Music" is a song by Yarbrough & Peoples, from the duo's 1980 debut album, The Two of Us. It was released as a single on Mercury Records in 1981.
The song reached #26 on the dance charts, #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, #7 in the UK and fared even better on the US R&B chart, where it hit number one,  helping to earn a gold record for the duo.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XZ7gi1VRwU&feature=related

Meat Beat Manifesto - Psyche Out - 1990

This rock tinged classic from alt favorites Meat Beat Manifesto packed my house music crowds dancefloor heavily when i played it, even after more soulful hits by Ten City etc. Its simple sex, drugs, and rock and roll vocal the house crowd could relate to, though i actually dropped Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride into my sets so my crowd was as used to rock as they were to soul. This jam was playable only in Version 1 , the LP mix was good but not really a dance song. The song did well on the dance charts, though i am not sure at what # it peaked.

audio link
Version 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQN7fYLcNw4

Gary Wallace presents Ecstacy - Gotta Have You - 1991

1991 Chicago house classic, produced by Garry Wallace and released on House-N-Effect Records. This smooth  sultry jam, with superb female vocals by Gail Seals, was pretty big back in the day. A little more laid back than the jack tracks that came out, this had more of a mid tempo E-Smoove sound, but boy did it pack dancefloors. Simple yet effective.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqYZZcdsaAA&feature=related

DJ's Rule - Get Into The Music - 1990

Released in 1990 on Hi-Bias Music - Canada (Toronto) , this was the first song on the Serious EP Volume 1 , then it was remixed and re-released as a single on its own. And has since been re-released and remixed many times over. While most of the mixes are really good, i still prefer that original mix.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb1NxbBZZcU

Queen Latifah - How Do I Love Thee - 1992

This is one of my favorite all time records, an obscure Queen Latifah song from 1992. And it is not a rap record, not even hip hop. Its really an acid jazz record. Break beat like beats with a sultry Queen Latifah talking, not rapping. Nice sax in it as well. I am gonna go out on a limb and say not many people know this obscure jam. The record peaked at # 32 on the US Billboard R&B chart, though it fared better on the dance chart, peaking at # 19 , which testifies to it not being a rap record. Her best single in my opinion, and one of my all time favorite early night classics

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOiXaer4Z0E

The Flying Lizards - Money - 1979

The Flying Lizards were a British experimental rock band, who were formed in 1976 in England. They are best remembered as new wave one-hit wonders, thanks to their deliberately eccentric cover of Barrett Strong's 'Money", which became a UK and US chart success in 1979. This song could go one of two ways, it's either one of the best dance records ever, or one of the worst. I'll say best. But then again, I like off the wall music that doesn't sound mainstream.

video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P2qL3qkzk&ob=av2n

Steve Arrington - Dancin' In The Key Of Life - 1985

R& B for dancefloors, pre house garage. Follow up to his huge hit Feel So real, Steve Arrington burned up urban dancefloors during the bleak Reagan/HIV infused summer of 1985. I was at that time spending a lot of time in New York City, hanging out at Better Days and Vinyl Mania and other dance music haunts. Aids was handing over this scene by this time, though i was distant from it myself as i wasn't personally involved in the life choices that brought on such tragedy. But as a DJ, in a club with a large urban gay clientel, the whole world seemed....bleak. Songs like this were uplifting, one of the reasons people went out....one of the reasons i was a DJ. Positivity.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVXYsQWvYu0

David Joseph - You Can't Hide (Your Love From Me) 1983

Hot R&B pre house garage music huge at urban clubs like Zanzibar, Better days, Paradise Garage , Zebra - St. Louis and a slew of others, released on Mango records, a division of Island Records.  Reminds me of Steve Arrington, or Billy Ocean. Classy.

audio link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdzvu6bt37w&feature=related

Be Noir - Give Me Your Love - 1991

From Irma Records Italy, 1991 comes this smooth italo house garage track. Fantastically seductive and so sophisticated , this pulled dancefloors together worldwide for a co-heasive world eargasm, turning many DJ's into italo house fans along the way.

audio link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7TTK1nUpGE

Colm 3 - Take Me High - 1987

From Ruby Red Records Germany, very obscure hard pounding Chicago house sounding classic. Huge for me, the B -side anyway. Side A is called You take Me High, this is the b-side. Serious bassline on this track. And great 808 or 909 sounds. classic house music.
audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn5skKU6sLM&feature=related