Of course, it was a perfect song for a teenage relationship since it was all about the longing you would feel the minute that the two of you would become separated. I remember in late 1979, when I was dating a girl and hearing that great ballad “Please Don’t Go” for the first time. All but two of the songs were hits on the R&B Chart, while those others got much action in the night clubs. Yet, it is all the other songs included in this compilation that makes this album a classic album. I am saying that the crowd wanted to dance, and KC made it happen unbeknownst to him that night. Now, I am NOT saying that the DJ was good that night. I remember going to a dance club in 1984 and hearing that song played three times during the night, with the dance floor filling up every time. This compilation does include KC’s excellent comeback single from 1983, “Give It Up”. Unfortunately, the latter ballad is not included on KC’s hit package. The band also had a #2 hit with “Keep It Comin’ Love” in 1977, while KC hit #2 with a duet he did with Terry DeSario on “Yes, I’m Ready” in 1979. If you don’t remember, KC & the Sunshine Band had a total of five #1 Top 40 hits: “Get Down Tonight” (1975), “That’s the Way (I Like It)” (1975), “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” (1976), “I’m Your Boogie Man” (1977) and “Please Don’t Go” (1979). On this album, every big chart success the band had is included. For my money, their finest album is the 1989 Rhino compilation entitled The Best of KC and the Sunshine Band. The song’s bouncy rhythm section coupled with that unique guitar sound and easy lyrics to pick up made this song a catchy earworm in the best sense of the word.Īfter that song, KC & the Sunshine Band dominated the charts in the pre- Saturday Night Fever disco days, although the band did contribute a song to that soundtrack. What Finch did was simply sped up the tape of Smith’s guitar playing throughout the song, making it difficult for Smith to recreate the sound in a live setting, until guitar foot pedal technology could catch up. The song was known for its unique guitar sound used at the beginning of the song. In late 1974, the band nailed their first huge hit with “Get Down Tonight”, which went to #1 on both the Top 40 and R&B Charts, while peaking at #11 on the Dance Chart. The band’s sound was a perfect mix of smooth pop sensibilities and great dance grooves. The Casey-Finch collaboration became a highly successful musical relationship as the two wrote and led Smith, Johnson, and many other session musicians into the studio to record many hits on the dance floor and Top 40 radio. Quietly, unbeknownst to many of my friends, I hid my love for KC & the Sunshine Band from everyone back in the mid-Seventies.īack in 1973, a record store employee name Harry Wayne Casey met up with TK Studios engineer Richard Finch created what became KC & the Sunshine Band when they added session musicians Jerome Smith (guitar) and Robert Johnson (drums). Now, the disco artists that jump out to the general public are the Bee Gees, Donna Summer and Chic, but I am going to tell you that there was a band that arrived on the disco scene before any of the aforementioned artists hit the disco scene. Sure, it’s always been a “light” version of funk, but I am of the ilk that I really do not care what brings you da funk, it’s all good. Me, I’m a straight man who has always loved disco. Now, when many of you hear the word disco, you cringe. I will NOT apologize, but I am feeling like a little disco today.
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