Disco might be more or less dead at this point in the 21st century, but it was absolutely everywhere in the 1970s. And with that, there were quite a few big disco one-hit wonders to hit the charts in the 70s. Let’s look at just four funk and disco one-hit wonders from the 1970s worth revisiting. You may have forgotten some of these; or you may have never heard them before!
1. “I’m On Fire” by 5000 Volts
This British disco act was all the rage in Europe in the 1970s with the release of the 1975 disco hit “I’m On Fire”. It was major radio fodder throughout Europe and even peaked at no. 4 on the UK Singles Chart and no. 1 on the German charts. Their sophomore single “Doctor Kiss Kiss” did okay on the charts, but the band struggled to maintain their newfound fame. 5000 Volts ended up disbanding a few years later in 1978.
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2. “Doctor’s Orders” by Carol Douglas
This 1974 hit was a pretty substantial one for Carol Douglas. In fact, “Doctor’s Orders” is considered by many to be a pioneering song in the world of disco. It was originally a moderate hit for Sunny earlier that year, but Douglas’ version hit no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Douglas enjoyed a few other lower-level hits that charted decently in the US until 1978, but “Doctor’s Orders” was her only Top 20 achievement.
3. “Funky Nassau” by The Beginning Of The End
“Funky Nassau” is a funk classic from 1971 that was originally written by Tyrone Fitzgerald and Ray Munnings, though it was performed and popularized by the Bahaman funk group The Beginning Of The End. It hit no. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted well on a number of other international rankings. Unfortunately, The Beginning Of The End never charted as well again and disbanded in 1975.
4. “Armed And Extremely Dangerous” by First Choice
This is one of those disco one-hit wonders that even younger people might recognize. “Armed And Extremely Dangerous” by First Choice is by far the girl group’s most well-known song. It’s hard to just categorize it as disco, too. This track is undeniably a staple track in Philadelphia soul music.
“Armed And Extremely Dangerous” was a Top 40 hit in the US and even became a Top 20 hit in the UK. First Choice enjoyed a few Top 60 hits with “Smarty Pants” and “Doctor Love”, but none of their singles reached the level of infamy that “Armed And Extremely Dangerous” had. Fortunately, First Choice is still active today.
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