A-T-3 332 Party Season
Big records that have become perennial party 'jams' since there release in 1983
These first ones you will and have heard in every town bar and club and are guaranteed to get women up singing and dancing (Dj rule number 2 get the women dancing and the boys will follow.) They're as safe as a Wu-Tang t-shirt or Calvin Harris record, and all favourites with your average habitual BBC 6 Music listener
Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody this was released in November 1983 but didn't chart in the UK until March 1984. I'm not sure if this is because it had a later release date across the rest of the world the P+C's all read 1983 so that's no help. It's included on Greg Wilson's UK club floor fillers for 1983 and he'd know https://electrofunkroots.co.uk/greg-wilsons-top-10-floorfillers-december-83/
David Bowie - Let's Dance Nile Rodgers so much to answer for
Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) not quite the draw to the floor the two above have maybe more of a sit down for Christmas cocktails and food, saying that I've seen it fill a dance floor many times if the clientele is middle-class enough. Talking Heads are almost as safe as Fleetwood Mac nowadays. The album Speaking In Tongues is released in 1983, it's lead single Burning Down The House didn't chart in the UK but tracks like those mentioned above and Girlfriend Is Better have become hugely popular through mainstream radio play. As a smart-arse I'd probably play Moon Rocks off the album, out. Wally Baradou's keyboard playing is brilliant on this album
Now here are a few soul night staples from 1983
O'Jays - Put Our Heads Together silk, and a complete D Train rip-off co-written and produced by Keni Burke of The Five Stairsteps
Fatback Band - I Found Lovin' only released as a single in the UK on a UK label, this'll be some UK rep saying to the label in the US I Found Lovin' off the With Love is blowing up in the clubs over here you have to put it out as a single and the US label not being arsed
So slightly less mainstream than the two above but these following tracks may find there way onto an 80s soul comp
D Train - Music (Remix) not as big or influential as D Train's Your The One For Me or Keep On, it still got to 23 on the UK's single chart which was better that the two tracks above. It also contains the 'M.U.S.I.C. Deep Inside Of Me' Sample which was huge, especially with British producers. Like all D Train's best tracks mixes come from François Kevorkian - the Dub Version is especially spacial
I'm filling up the remaining links from my Tumblr quota with still massive club hits and still on 80s soul comps but they are probably less known by a mainstream audience
Cuba Gooding - Happiness Is Just Around The Bend on the subject of samples popular with UK producers here's another big one that's to the acapella on the b-side. Main Ingredients singer and father of disgraced actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. produced Arthur Baker, arranged by Fred Zarr, sampler programmed by John Robie, and it's a cover of a Brian Auger track
Status IV - You Ain't Really Down - "You Just Ain't For Real" sample popular from the house days, yup there's an acapella on this one too. Written by Toney Lee who made Reach Up, produced Eric Mathew and again released on Matthew's Radar label
Tracy Weber - Sure Shot (Instrumental) another produced by Eric Matthew. Sure Shot originally came out in 1981 but this instrumental came out on the b-side of One Step At A time in 1983 - probably thanks to Larry Levan and the play he gave it at the Paradise Garage
Surface - Falling In Love big record, Shep Pettibone mix, never heard this version before
