The Trammps: Disco Inferno

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The Trammps: Disco Inferno

Sun 7 Oct 2012 by abagond

Remarks:

Like “Ave Maria”, one of the best songs of all time. For some reason. Certainly iconic of the late 1970s, at least for me. In 1977 it went to #9 on the American R&B charts, #53 on the pop charts and #16 on the British charts. Then it was put on the soundtrack for the film “Saturday Night Fever” (1977) and went to #11 on the American pop charts in 1978. The song is a take-off on the cheesy disaster film “Towering Inferno” (1974).

Lyrics:

Burn baby burn! Burn baby burn! Burn baby burn! Burn baby burn!
Burnin’!

To mass fires, yes! One hundred stories high
People gettin’ loose y’all gettin’ down on the roof – Do you hear?
(the folks are flaming) Folks were screamin’ – out of control
It was so entertainin’ – when the boogie started to explode
I heard somebody say

Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno!
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno!
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burnin’!

Satisfaction (uhu hu hu) came in the chain reaction
(burnin’) I couldn’t get enough, (till I had to self-destroy) so I had to
self destruct, (uhu hu hu)
The heat was on (burnin’), rising to the top, huh!
Everybody’s goin’ strong (uhu hu hu)
And that is when my spark got hot
I heard somebody say

Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno!
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down, yoh!
Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno!
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burnin’!

Up above my head I hear music in the air – I hear music!
That makes me know there’s (somebody) a party somewhere

Satisfaction came in a chain reaction – Do you hear?
I couldn’t get enough, so I had to self destruct,
The heat was on, rising to the top
Everybody’s goin’ strong
That is when my spark got hot
I heard somebody say

Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno! (Aah yeah!)
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno, yeah!
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno! (Aah yeah!)
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burn baby burn! – Disco inferno, yeah!
Burn baby burn! – Burn that mama down
Burnin’!

I just can’t stop
When(till) my spark gets hot
Just can’t stop
When my spark gets hot

Burning, burning, burning, burning…

Posted in stuff | 48 Comments

48 Responses

on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 06:47:37 Sondis Green

When its time for me to leave this earth and my soul leaves my body, I don’t want anyone to shed tears of pain, I prefer for them to boogie down by playing this at my cremation!!!!! @ : o D ) >
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 09:09:43 mary burrell

This such a fun funky jam. Tina Turner’s version is fun as well.
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 13:35:54 B. R.

“The Trammps were a Philadelphia group that had their most success on the R&B charts, mostly with Disco songs. They came together when two local groups, The Volcanoes and The Exceptions, merged. They called themselves The Trammps after Charlie Chaplin, who was known as “The Little Tramp,” and added the extra M to infer they were “superior tramps”

I had to really search to get this info, the Trammps were part of the “Philly Sound”, although not apherantly produced by Gamble and Huff. Ive mentioned this “Philly Sound” before as being the origin of who really brought all this “four on the floor” beat and groove to the pop American culture.

All this huge popularity of “electronic dance music ” , its huge ascendancy as the new music idiom to command great success all over the world, has its origins in the black “Philly Sound”
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 14:28:14 truthbetold

Great choice. I love this song!
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 16:39:09 Bulanik

@ Sondis Green

When its time for me to leave this earth and my soul leaves my body, I don’t want anyone to shed tears of pain, I prefer for them to boogie down by playing this at my cremation!!!!! @ : o D ) >

LOL! What a way to go! This chooon always makes me turn to this one:

And this one…..(there are so many more!!!!!)
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 16:57:40 Bulanik

May I add:
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 17:07:03 Bulanik

And of course:

and this one………”i love music, any kind of music….”
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 17:50:58 poetess

This song is the jam. The best disco song ever.
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 18:53:21 truthbetold

@ Bulanik

Did I forget to add that I’m in love with Lou Rawls?
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 18:56:36 Sondis Green

@ truthbetold:

Even when Lou’s singing, ” here comes Garfield”? @ : o O ) >
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 19:54:36 Bulanik

@ truthbetold –

Did I forget to add that I’m in love with Lou Rawls?

I love him loooonng time, too, and will fight ya for him!

I listen to a lot different kinds of musics, but right now I am playing another of my crushes, Mr Green, particular this song, over and over, from “The Book of Eli”:
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:12:36 Adeen Danica Mckenzie

As a young person, it nice to read and hear about Black music from back in the day. I love R&B and Soul and Disco.
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:24:30 Bulanik

@ Adeen!!! We are not that old
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:27:34 Sondis Green

Bulanik:

Any person in their twenties, think anything over 30 is old. @ : o l ) >
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:29:35 B. R.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhtFzdpudOk)

Here is Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes with the The Love I Lost, with Teddy Pendagras, from 1973.This is the Gamble Huff Philly Sound clearly using 4 on the floor in a diso type sound

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxoFKu4Ok_Q)

The Gamble Huff Philly sound story, so many hits
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:37:35 B. R.

better history here

Donna Summer released Love to Love you babe in 1975, the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes was in 1973…they were way ahead of the game
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:41:07 Sondis Green

Anyone remember Sylvester? He was a gay drag queen, disco/gospel singer.

He dies from complications of AIDS, he contracted from his gay lover, that died from aids, like a lot of gays in the mid 80′s. This track called, You make me feel, mighty real” hit the charts back in the day. @ : o / ) >
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:49:09 Bulanik

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Sylvester. I have posted too many vids and was waiting for someone to say his holy name….
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 21:59:25 Sondis Green

Alright, enough of this smooth R&B, its time to boogie down with some earth wind and fiyah!!! Come on yall, lets dance! @ : o D ) >

Then some kool and the gang!
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:06:17 brothawolf

I was born in ’79, but I grew up in the 80′s. I love the 1980′s, especially for the music and cartoons. But sometimes, I wish I grew up in the 70′s.
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:19:47 Bulanik

@ Sondis, nice. Very nice. I love this era’s music…
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:26:10 Bulanik

These choooons….

MJ, looking beautiful:
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:29:02 diaryofanegress

@ Sondis and Bulanik

hehehehe…
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:37:54 Bulanik

Sigh….
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:48:16 Herneith

These songs came out before any of you were born! LOL!!!!
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 22:56:01 Sondis Green

Alright now, I’m bout tah split yall wig! yall done get me started and I can’t stop!

what else you got Bulanik, bring it! @ : o D ) >
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:01:10 Bulanik

Probably my fave singer of “disco”:

(I have to stop this…)
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:04:12 Bulanik

^^ The beautiful, beautiful Ms Hyman should be still recording and performing, SMH, miss her music….
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:09:58 Bulanik

What happened to these guys? They are brothers, aren’t they?

Nearly forgot this one:
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:14:29 Sondis Green

OK Bulanik, I got one more and I’ll say its a tie. @: o D ) >

Here is Stephanie mills, this beautiful black woman and her beautiful voice and smile that lights up from here to Bangor, Maine!
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:15:48 Bulanik

Chic! yes.
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:27:49 Bulanik

@ sondis — Stephanie Mills: class act.
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:31:16 Sondis Green

@ Bulanik

Good selections, chic and boogie oogie n such. We could go on for hours, the 80′s and the 70′s was the best era of music. ^_^
on Mon 8 Oct 2012 at 23:40:22 diaryofanegress

*sigh*

This makes me wanna put on my bell bottoms and Afro Sheen.
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 00:00:04 Sondis Green

@ diaryofanegress

I bet you’d look very sexy with form fitting, tight corduroy bell bottom, pants with your afro all puffy. ^_^
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 00:03:04 B. R.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Modl_Oej78I&feature=relmfu)

Patrice Rushen can really play, here Wayne Shorter hands off a solo to her and she burns it to death…nothing but heavyweihts on the stage
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 00:09:34 B. R.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMLkgtJ3N0w&feature=related)

oh my god, Patrice plays here beautiful self off on this one…unbeleivable
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 00:11:40 mary burrell

Of course Miss Donna S ummer did Spring Afair. Another sexy tune. And Chaka Khan’s & Rufus Rags to Rufus. With “You Got The Love” And Labelle came on the scene with their album “Nightbirds.Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash were a force of nature. And there was also Herbie Hancock with his funky Headhunters album.
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 00:16:42 Bulanik

Tight, corduroy pants… a sprayed on top and platform boots….big hoop earrings… my uniform! LOL.

Way past my bedtime, but I’m happy…:-)
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 00:25:52 mary burrell

@B.R. I was going to ask you are you hip to Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter album. also are you familiar with Les Chakas Jungle Fever. Very dangerous tune. Herbie Hancock’s Watermelon Man was a funky groove as well. Love Hangover by Miss Ross was everything.
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 01:19:49 Sondis Green

@ Bulanik You make me feel…….. Mightyyyy real!!!!! LMFAOO! @ : o l ) >
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 01:44:56 diaryofanegress

You guys…LOL!!!
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 03:47:41 B. R.

Mary , am I hip to Herbie Hancock”s Headhunters ? Its one of my “bibles”….wow, what an incredible ground breaking record…

Yes, Watermelon Man, Sly, Vien Melter, and, Chameleon…the second half of that song, is the bass line for White Line Fever…and the drummer, Harvy Mason, innovated some nasty funk licks that many producors later on , programmed some of his bass drum parts into their drum tracks…they invented those drum machines because of Harvey, and guys like Steve Gadd

I dont recognise the title Les Chakas Jungle Fever, but, I might have heard it and recognise the music….

absolutly, Mary, Headhunters…super heavy…and look at Herbie Hancock… my gosh what ground he has covered
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 03:49:42 B. R.

Mary, my comment is in moderation ( probably too much unintentionable slang), but, essentialy, Headhunters, Chameleon is one of my bibles…and Herbie one of my idols
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 04:01:11 B. R.

Sly from Headhunters

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3vhl88j9jg&noredirect=1)

the soprano sax solo is so good (if this is about music of the 70′s, this is definitly a ground breaking record)
on Tue 9 Oct 2012 at 04:31:42 B. R.

I dug Love Hangover also, there is this period in 75 and 76 when Donna’s Love to Love You Baby, and Diannas, Love Hangover hit it big, and the four on the floor style really took off…then of course Travolta’s film made it international…

And, see how Gamble and Huff put that beat out in 73 , probobly they worked it out a little before

There was a period in disco when live bands were playing the tracks, they had hip horn sections, and great arrangements, the hip studio musicians in New York would do some dates,the Philly Sound guys…..

I welcomed disco when it came in, letting the beat flow without changing everything to go into the B section, even James Brown took it to the B…but, in disco, even if there was a B section, the beat just kept driving, at that point, almost like a Salsa clave concept…or a Mambo or Samba or even swing ..interesting moment in rhythm and blues and funk developement,with hip hop busting out on the side and took it deeper by basing itself on just the drum break…
on Wed 10 Oct 2012 at 15:55:18 Bulanik

More songs I associate with “disco inferno” era, “Now that we’ve found love”:

Harvest for the World:
on Wed 10 Oct 2012 at 15:58:45 Bulanik

Pull up to the Bumper (a more recent song):

The voice of David Ruffin, my god, too good: