Disco, dance, and groove were all the rage during this era. Here are some songs from the late 70s that would have played at a school dance in 1979.
“Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind & Fire
This song was inspired by the 1977 film Looking for Mr. Goodbar. The movie follows a schoolteacher who uses drugs, sex, and alcohol to escape feelings of insecurity. “Boogie Wonderland” is an exposé on escapism and the realities of trying to mask your feelings through partying. It might work, but not for long.
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As Rose Riggins shared with The Californian: “…The song [Boogie Wonderland] is an exploration of times spent at house parties and at discos, when you wanted to be disco queen or king and the spotlight just wouldn’t focus on you. You wonder why and look into the mirror and it says, ‘Uh, uh, baby it don’t work you dance to shake the hurt…’”
“Le Freak” by Chic
Come on, everybody knows this 1978 track. “Le Freak” by Chic is the ultimate disco jam. It has an infectious beat, a memorable lyrical lick, and, not to mention, it was No. 1 on the disco charts for seven weeks after it came out in September. This one undoubtedly would have had teens running to the dance floor the following year.
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
One wouldn’t think that a song about grinning and bearing it is particularly danceable, but “I Will Survive” is the exception to that assumption. The title of this song, which preaches perseverance no matter what, was inspired by something that songwriter Dino Fekaris said after getting fired from Motown Records. “I’m going to make it. I’m going to be a songwriter. I will survive!”
“Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” by Rod Stewart
I can just imagine teenagers mockingly singing the words to this one—but in the most camp way possible. “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” came out in November 1978 and topped the Hot 100 at the beginning of the next year. This song has just the right amount of ego, sass, and energy to get anyone moving.
Photo by: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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