Peech Boys - Don't Make Me Wait - 1982

The Peech Boys, also known as the New York Citi Peech Boys or NYC Peech Boys, was a band that comprised Bernard Fowler , Steven Brown, Robert Kasper, Darryl Short, Larry Levan and Michael de Benedictus. The group formed at th Paradise Garage , being influenced by Larry Levan. They only released four 12" records with "On a Journey" peaking at #56 in the 1983 R&B Hip Hop chart. However, they are most known for their 1981 song "Don't Make Me Wait", which was one of the early hits in the New York house/garage scene, due to Levan's playing it at the Paradise Garage.  "Don't Make Me Wait" was their only UK singles chart entry, peaking at #49 in November 1982. They were signed to the West End Records label , but in 1984 they split up.

^{audio link}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHVmbtaly1w

Vanilla Mix - Easier Said Than Done - 1987

Produced by Mark Boccaccio and Bruce Greenspan and remixed by Robert Clivilles and David Cole before they hit it huge as C+C Music Factory, this Done Properly production was massive, particularly if you were into the new Cole & Clivilles sound that they were known for, scoring it big on many hits including Grace Jones ' Love On Top Of Love' , Stardon Groove ' It's Too Late ' , and scores of other dance hits circa 1987. This major label release really should have been a much bigger hit. It was a hit, but maybe its major label kept underground DJs from playing it, while it's house sound kept crossover Djs from playing it. This being just before house music hit it big. Either way, this song is pure pleasure to hear.

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

Man Friday - Love Heartache - 1986

Mixed by Larry Levan and championed by the DJ at Paradise Garage, this early house very underground song was released on Vinyl Mania Records, the fantastic record shop on Carmine Street on New York City had its own record label. Very New York City peech boys sounding, this monster hit in the NYC area never was a big crossover hit , but was re-released in 2004 for its 25th anniversary.

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

Section 25 - Looking From A Hilltop - 1984

Section 25 is an English post punk band, best known for its single "Looking from a Hilltop" and its association with th Manchester  record-label, Factory Records. The song, off the 1984 LP 'From The Hip' was produced by Bernard Summer of New Order . An electronic masterpiece , many consider this tune way ahead of its time. Never charted in the U.S.

video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO2PGJdgtiA&feature=related

Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime - 1981

"Once in a Lifetime" is a song by Talking Heads , from their album Remain in Light.Written by David Byrne, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz , Jerry Harrison, and Tina Weymouth , it was named one of the 100 most important American musical works of the 20th century by National Public Radio.  It made #14 in the UK charts and #31 in The Netherlands. The song never charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, although over the years various 80s format radio stations have come to programming it in their playlists. It was an early MTV staple and was one of the most heavily played videos upon MTVs debut in Aug. 1981.

^{audio link}
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wg1DNHbNU

Chicago - Street Player - 1979

Released in October of 1979, this bands disco outing bacame the the beat underneath the Bucketheads massive house hit ' The Bomb (These Sounds Fall into My Mind).  An international hit, though still unknown to the bands fan base - considering their lengthy list of chart hits. This song was never a favorite of mine, though time has only made it sound better. Way ahead of it's time. The Bucketheads sampling of it brought the tune newfound popularity.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJMw8cUGjwI

Alfredo de la Fé - Hot to Trot - 1979

Alfredo De La Fé is a Cuban-born and New York-based violinist who lived in Columbiafor more than 16 years and is responsible for transforming the violin into an important sound of Salsa and Latin music. The first solo violinist to perform with a Salsa orchestra, De La Fe has toured the world more than thirty times, appearing in concert and participating in more than one hundred albums by such top-ranked Latin artists as Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz "El Canario", Cheo Feliciano, The Fania All-Stars and Santana. His second solo album, Alfredo, released in 1979, received a Grammy nomination as "Best Latin album".That Lp had on it the disco classic ' Hot To Trot' .

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdCN5opL4wo

War - City Country City - 1972

This one goes way back, pre disco. Off the fantastic'World Is A Ghello Lp ' and then on the Platinum Jazz Lp from the group War , this was a Paradise garage favorite. Not very well known, this ten minute dance jazz classic is music brilliance. Released in 1972 on the bands fifth album , on United Artists Records. The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973. In 2003, the album was ranked number 449 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time.

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

Carrie Lucas - Dance With You - 1979

Carrie Lucas, is an American female r&b musician, born in Carmel, California. In 1976 she was signed to Soul Train Records Lucas made six albums over seven years with Soul Train an Solar Records. " I Gotta Keep Dancing ' and "Gotta Get Away From Your Love' were her first two hit singles from her first album, released in 1977. 'I Gotta Keep Dancing' peaked at # 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977.
Lucas' second album Street Corner Symphony  was released in 1978. It featured The Whispers as backing vocalists.
In 1979 Lucas released Carrie Lucas in Danceland.  Griffey brought in Jody Watley (Shalamar) for background vocals, Lakeside (co-producers and backgrounds) and Walter and Wallace Scott (The Whispers) for backgrounds. organist Kossi Gardner (1941–2009) wrote (and played on) the hit "Dance With You", which propelled the album to #37 in the US Dance album chart. "Dance With You" gave Lucas her only appearance in the UK Singles Chart,, where it peaked at #40. 1980's Portrait Of Carrie was less commercially successful, although it did spawn three modest hit singles. The first 12"" was a reworking of her first hit, re-titled as "Keep Smilin'." This was followed by "It's Not What You Got (It's How You Use It)" and "Career Girl." Griffey shared production duties with Leon Sylvers and Gardner.
Her most recent album was released in 1985. "Horsin' Around" spawned four 12" singles; "Charlie," "Horsin' Around," "Summer In The Street" and "Hello Stranger." Her cover version of Barbara Lewis' "Hello Stranger" reached #20 on the US Billboard R&B chart.  In 1998 Armand Van Helden sampled 'Dance WithYou ' and used it as the main beat underneath 'You Don't Know Me', that song went # 1 internationally in clubs.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtMmOrdYW6E

 

Dexter Wansel - Life on Mars - 1976

Dexter Wansel  is an American keyboardist from Philadelphia. He contributed to the development of the Philly Sound and worked with producers Gamble and Huff at Philadelphia International Records. Wansel led the musical group Yellow Sunshine.   He wrote The Jones Girls 1981 soul music song"Nights over Egypt" an Patti LaBelles 1984 #1 r&b hit 'If Only You Knew"", with Cynthia Biggs. His "Theme from the Planets" has been  sampled and was featured on the breakbeat compilation album ' Ultimate Breaks and Beats'.
His most successful album was Life On Mars, released on the Philadelphia International record label in 1976. Wansel played keyboards, Derek Graves played bass guitar whilst a session singer, Terri Wells, was on vocals. The remaining sound was filled in by Dexter's rhythm section called The Planets featuring Darryl Brown, Calvin Harris, Bobby Malach, Al Harrison and the aforementioned Graves.
The song  'Life On Mars was re-made (sampled ) and scored big with house music fans in 1990 as 'Reach To Mars ' by Earth People, aka Pal Joey.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvDB-26aPtA

Grace Jones - Walking In The Rain - 1981

"Walking in the Rain" was the third single from Grace Jones' 1981 album Nightclubbing. . The song was originally composed and recorded by Australian band Flash And The Pan and included on their eponymous debut album.
The B-side, "Peanut Butter" credited to the Compass Point All- Stars, was actually an instrumental dub version of  'Pull Up To The Bumper", yet to be released on CD.
Reggae sounding, the song is one of many Grace Jones songs that scored big with New York City underground dance music crowds. She was /is quite a talent, paving the way for eccentric artists like Lady Gaga to actually be unique, and still have hits.

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

Leftfield - Afro Left - 1995

Leftfield are a British duo of electronica artists and record producers, namely Paul Daley (formerly of The Rivals, A Man Called Adam ,and the Brand New Heavies) and Neil Barnes, who formed in 1990 in London , England. The name Leftfield was originally used simply by Barnes for its first single with editing/arranging and additional production added by Daley  'Not Forgotten'", but after this, Daley was involved in remixing "Not Forgotten" and then in the creation of all Leftfield's music. The pair were pioneers in the fields of intrelligent dance music and progressive house, being among the first to fuse house music with dub and reggae. They were among the first electronic musicians to incorporate live guest vocalists, along with The Chemical Brothers and Underworld. Ultimately the duo have been influential on the electronic genre as a whole, with The Crystal Method's Scott Kirkland referring to them in 2005 as "the best electronic band, period!
"Afro-Left" is a song by Leftfield, released as their seventh single. The song was released on 12", CD and cassette on 24 July 1995. It featured Neil Cole (as Djum Djum) on vocals, and it was rumoured that the lyrics were in an unspecified African language; it was later revealed that they were simply gibberish, , or "Djum Djum talk". The song reached #22 in the UK charts.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwQONiu85As

Tensnake - Coma Cat - 2010

Fairly recent hit from this amazing producer-remixer from Germany , who's real name is Marco Niemerski. Fantastic late 1980's classic house feel to this massive worldwide dance hit. Tensnake used a melody and bassline ripped from Anthony & The Camp's 1986-Jellybean-produced "What I Like" to veer towards "modernized" early Chicago and Italian piano-house territories on this gem, which hit # 1 on many DJ's palylists during the summer of 2010.

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

Rick Astley - Keep It Turned On - 2001

Rick Astley  is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality.. He is known for his 1987 song, " Never Gonna Give You Up ", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries. Astley holds the record for being the only male solo artist to have his first 8 singles reach the top ten in the UK, and by retirement in 1993 had sold approximately 40 million records worldwide. Astley was voted "Best Act Ever" by Internet users at the MTV Europe awards in 2008. Keep It Turned On was only released in Continental Europe in 2001, where I first heard it on the radio driving across Spain. So it was never a single here in the United States, most people here don't know the song. It's pop music, not house. Very similar to 'Never Gonna Give You Up ' in style,  a kinda laid back dance pop groove.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDD9U8xx0U4

C.C.C.P. - American Soviets - 1986

C.C.C.P. is a German synth-pop act led by Rasputin Stoy.. They were best known for their 1986 instrumentals American-Soviets I and American-Soviets II, released by Clockwork Germany. This six-minute song themed on the cold was became a hit on the US Billboard Charts, German Top 75 and other European charts. Their follow-up singles (Made in Russia and Orient Express) were no. 1 and no. 2 on official music charts in the same week (Hong Kong, BeNeLux, France and Spain). Their 1990 song Don't Kill The Rainforest was also a minor alternative radio hit..

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5QeSl0czW0

Inner Life - I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) - 1979

Inner Life was an American r&b soul- studio project of the post disco erathat enjoyed success with "I'm Caught Up (In a One Night Love Affair)" (1979) and ' Aint No Mountain Hight Enough" (1981). Both tracks featured the vocals of Jocely Brown and Leroy Burgess(formerly of Black Ivory). Produced and arranged by Patrick Adams , the album was originally produced for executive producer Greg Carmichael, whose Red Greg Records was an early and prolific disco label based in New York. .
They also had a minor hit on Salsoul Records in 1981 with Knock Out (Let's go another round).

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZpmaqI1HdA

Raw Silk - Just In Time - 1983

Insanely popular follow-up to the groups first monster hit 'Do It To The Music ' , both released on New Yorks West End Records. Very funk sounding fast r&b as opposed to straight up disco, almost sounding like a SOS Band records or Skyy or similar. Fantastic piano driven groove, this song worked all underground dance demographics in 1983, except those playing straight up high energy of New Wave.....big Paradise Garage/Better Days/Nickel Bar/Zanzibar record. Another Nick MArtinelli and David Todd mix .

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKniL0ukQbo

Mahogany feat. Bernice Watkins - Ride On The Rhythm - 1982

Fantastic Paradise Garage tune from Mel Cherens West End Records , released in 1982. Not as much disco as smooth funk flavored soul, a fantastic 114 BPM groove that swept across dancfloors in 1982 and 1983, DJ's with good taste pounded this track. Kiss FM Radio in New York City played this a lot as well, thats where I first heard it. Mixed by the fantastic Nick Martinelli and David Todd , famous for their Evelyn King productions and so so many more.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiO9TCy3yEw

Ian Van Dahl - Reason - 2002

Another trance classic....ie NOT a house song. If your into house, or techno, or alternative, or disco, then this ain't for you baby. I'm a househead myself, the amount of trance songs i really love is limited. This, however, is one I love. Follow up to the international smash ' Castles In The Sky ' which I'll admit I heard one too many times, and 'Will I' her second single,  this third release is def for the girls who love singy trance ala Lasgo. Taken from the LP 'Ace', and released on Dos Or Die in Germany and Robbins in the USA , Reason peaked at # 8 on the UK pop charts, and quite frankly should've been a pop hit here in the USA, being very commercial sounding. To me its pop, not underground dance. But very good pop, and highly danceable. Should it be on this list ? Maybe, maybe not. For now , however, it is.

video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2C_WQFdhKI

U2 - Beautiful Day - 2000

While the album/radio mix is superb in its own right, the super Perfecto mix by Paul Oakenfold really does stand out on this well known huge pop dance hit from 2000. Everybody knows this song, hell even Barak Obama used it at the Democratic Convention in 2008. It is the first track from their 2000 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind , and it was released as the album's lead single. It was a commercial success, helping launch the album to multi-platinum status, and is one of U2's biggest hits to date. The song became their fourth number-one single in the UK and their first number-one in the Netherlands. The song peaked at number 21 in the United States, the band's highest position since  Discoteque" in 1997. In 2001, the song won three Grammy Awards for Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, and Best Rock Performance by A Duo Or A Group With Vocal. The song went to # 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart.

video link
Oakenfold mix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeZ52Basjtk&playnext=1&list=PL0C1B957DBEDBD4FD

Northend - Happy Days/Tee's Happy - 1981

Northend feat Michelle Wallace is the whole name of the group, and both sides of this disco classic are fantastic, the vocal side and the instrumental vibe filled b-side. I first heard this at Better Days in New York City, Bruce Forest was banging it and the crowd was screaming. Ah those were the days, when DJ's mixed two copies of the same record on two turntables, as opposed to today when its mp3 files and Dj's just playing song after song. DJing skills arent what they used to be, and neither is the music. This was produced by Arthur Baker, Tony Carbone and Russell Presto and mixed by Tee Scott (Better Days DJ) and released on Emergency Records in the US in 1981. In Europe it saw the light of day on Rams Horn Records. Huge.

audio link
Happy Days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3avFRtT6SU


audio link
Tee's Happy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRDUu96mzvw

Tyree - Turn Up The Bass - 1989

Classic hip house from DJ International circa 1989, this Rob Base sounding hip house classic was MASSIVE for me, but I played a lot of hip house. I tryed to build a huge cross-demo crowd, deep yet hard. house yet not. This song fused the hip hop crowd with the house crowd. It was huge, for the crowds thta heard it. Released, of course, in the UK on FFRR. Tyree Cooper.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgUoLrS5tjc

Depeche Mode - It's No Good - Club 69 Mix - 2004?

Never officially released Peter Rauhofer Club 69 mix, I bought mine on a import white label. Fantastic song, but a great under-heard/underappreciated mix of a great song, probably the best mix of the song including the original track. Rauhofer was at his peak.  And this mix being so rare it was a pleasure to play. Everyone wanted to know about it. Yet no-one could get it-pre-mp3 bootleg. A classic.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSXbdyit0xs

Dionne - Come Get My Loving - 1988

Produced by super house producer Komix and released initially on Bigshot Records, one of my favorite labels. This fantastic underground vocal track was huge, givin its Inner City style appeal.
Released in the UK a year later on City Beat, this song used to tear up the clubs in New York. Most old school club goers will concur , this song was massive. And fantabulous.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efBdZI1E4mc&feature=related

Tiesto - Lethal Industry - 1999

Huge trance classic by Tiesto, an instrumental. Peaked at # 5 on the Spain pop chart, # 6 on the Netherlands pop chart,  # 25 on the UK singles chart , and # 15 on the Belgium singles chart. And huge on trance turntables worldwide. Probably one of the biggest trance records ever, though i prefer his 'Love Comes Again' .Released initially on VC Recordings UK , never had an official US release.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKaG0Abz_u8

Kelly Rowland - Work - Freemasons Remix - 2008

Fantastic Freemasons remix of this R&B classic that wasn't really a hit at all. But they took the r&b original and crafted a superb dance anthem that was HUGE for me. I think it went # 1 on the Billboard dance chart. Whatever,..it works.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h66Uc5G970

Bou Khan - Magic - 1988

Quark Records US release from deep in 1988, this ultra deeep tribal vocal track was simply perfection in dance music, that is if you like classic deep house. Sounding an awful like a Marshall Jefferson tune, this Arnold Campbell & Troy Stanton produced New York House gem really moved underground dance floors well into 1990. Lots of congas by Lloyd Woodard, huge at fantastic clubs like The World, The Choice , Zanzibar etc. And of course, Riot NYC and Riot Hartford.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z1-ZVEIgkI&feature=related

On The House - Give Me Back The Love - 1987

Written and produced by Marshall Jefferson while he was at his peak, this Trax Records Chicago release (and Jack Trax UK re-release) was smooth as silk and heaven to hear at Paradise Garage, The Choice, Traxx and similar house music havens. I played the shit out of this tune, vocal to instumental to vocal. The vocals were amazing. The drum track was amazing. Goosebumps. 1987 was a great year for music.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5jACS47ghk

Chaka Khan - Love You All My Lifetime - 1992

Fantastic Dave Shaw production on this Love Suite Mix, this track solidified Chaka khan as a true dance diva, as if we hadn't figured that out before this anthem with her hits 'Ain't Nobody' or I'm Every Woman' or even her Rufus hits. (Tell Me Something Good...) This song peaked at # 68 on th US pop charts , # 2 on the R&B charts (US) , # 1 on the Billboard Dance chart and # 49 on the UK charts. Released right after Paradise Garage closed and in the same timeframe of club closings of Better Days, The Saint, and all the big New York dance clubs, this tune still scored big at clubs like Zanzibar and , well, most clubs throughout the US that played real dance music, not just hip hop and 2 Unlimited.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJPcFpmhQp8

The Cure - Lovesong - 1989

This is a pure classic. One of my favorite all time songs for sure. There have  been a few good remakes of it as well, proving it's a great song, not just a great song by a great group (The Cure!). Adele re-did it in 2011, and 311 did a fantastic downtempo remake in 2009 , I still play that version in my car every time I travel. The Cure original, now years later, stands tall as an amazing record , one of a slew of fantastic Cure songs. Released as the third single from their eighth studio album Disintegration in 1989. The song saw considerable success in the United States, where it was their only top ten pop hit, peaking at # 59 on the Hot 100 Singles and # 1 on the Modern Rock chart. In the United Kingdom, however, the single only charted in the top twenty.

video link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXCKLJGLENs

Hannah Jones - No One Can Love You - 1996

Sure, it's disco. Hi-energy even , in the age of deep house. But this UK pop remake of a Weather Girls 1985 downtempo classic scored big with dance crowds into pop vocals, particularly Euro clubs and gay clubs. Released initially on East Side Records UK and in the US on Ariola Records, thus (US) double pack had plenty of mixes to choose from, including Stonebridge and Mark Picchiotti . The original mix was what worked my Sunday Tea Dance crowd into a frenzy, and not to mention at the time I lived in Atlanta and the tune was huge there. So this track is def not for a house crowd or techno crowd or trance crowd, its for the Cher/Lady Gaga/Deborah Cox crowd...if you know what I mean. Quality though, chanding a fantastic downtempo original into a dance track, something many records fail at.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7ONB0-ZDSQ

Umosia - Unity - 1990

Very deep house from Other Side Records UK , produced by house ledend Marshall Jefferson when he was at his peak. This classy classic Jersey flavoured vocal monster features keyboards by Roy Davis Jr and a fierce flute line towards the end, and great tribal beats throughout. Great for quality house music crowds, big at Shelter , Body & Soul and similar New York City  venues.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ijh2kST33U

Cybersonik - Technarchy - 1990

Hard hitting nasty early Detroit techno classic, very popular with the rave crowd and hard house crowd, and huge for me back in the day. Produced by Daniel Bell and John Aquaviva, and co-written by Richie Hawtin with the two and released on Pluse 8 Records in 1990, and re-released later in the UK on Champion Records. Great energy and a massive techno classic.

audio link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEW0gdw7UxU