Parliament - Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977)

“Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome” by Parliament (1977)

Release Date: November 28, 1977
Produced by George Clinton
Genre: Funk, funk-rock, psychedelic soul
Label: Casablanca

Chart Positions: #13 (US), #36 (New Zealand)
Certifications: Platinum (US)

Singles: “Bop Gun” #102 (US), #14 (US R&B), “Flashlight” #16 (US), #3 (New Zealand), #1 (US R&B), “Funkentelechy” #27 (US R&B)
Singles Certifications: Gold: “Flashlight” (US)

Other Charting Tracks: N/A
Best Tracks: “Flashlight,” “Bop Gun”

“Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome” by Parliament 

(Click Here)

“Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome” is the sixth studio album by Parliament, released in 1977. The album is considered to be one of the best in Parliament's catalog. It is a loose concept album warning the listener of falling into the 'Placebo Syndrome', which according to George Clinton is consumerism, and listening to disco music, which he saw as a simplification of funk music in attempt to gain commercial success. “Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome” is the third installment in the album trilogy which began with 1976's "Mothership Connection" and continued with "The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein." "Mothership Connection" was the beginning of their science fiction era in which Parliament restructured their sound, style and look to fit their electric attitude of the future.

The album spawned the R&B number #1 single in "Flash Light", which features a funky synthesizer bass line played in a Minimoog by keyboardist Bernie Worrell. The legendary Bootsy Collins provided some no frills simply energetic drumming while Catfish Collins (Bootsy's younger brother Phelps) gave the song it's electrifyingly amazing guitar performance. The line; "Everybody's got a little light under the sun," neatly describes the song's meaning of freedom and victory against the oppressors. "Flash Light" encapsulates the overall theme of the album of the ideal "us" struggling for freedom in a world run by an oppressive "them."

"Flashlight" (1977)
"Flash Light" was originally written for Bootsy Collins' first album, "Stretchin' Out In Bootsy's Rubber Band." But he didn't like the song so he passed on it. This was a huge missed opportunity for Bootsy as he never scored a hit as big as "Flash Light." George Clinton, with Parliament, turned this song into a funk anthem that still lives on to this day.

“Bop Gun,” the album's first single, starts with a brisk guitar figure and beat then turns into an instant party on all fronts, with great lead vocals and an addictive chorus, the Horny Horns and company hit the grooves and blast them hard with their earthy horns while Bernie Worrel's synthesizer fills electrify the song. Though "Flashlight" was the bigger hit, it seems critics favor "Bop Gun" as being the more innovative of the two.

Singer and guitarist Glen Goins provided the funkalicious lead vocal for "Bop Gun." Goins was prominently featured on three Parliament albums before his untimely passing at the young age of 24 in 1978 due to Hodgkins Lymphoma. Goins also played on Funkadelic albums from the same time period.

The third single "Funkentelechy" was not such the success as "Bop Gun" or "Flash Light" but still is a masterpiece of music that received a fair amount of airplay.

“Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome” became Parliament's fourth consecutive gold album and second platinum album. It tied as being their highest charting album with 1975's "Mothership Connection," both albums made it to #13 in the US.

Parliament (1977)

Link to “Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome” (Click Here) 

PARLIAMENT

Village People - Cruisin'" (1978)

“Cruisin'" by Village People (1978)

Release Date: September 25, 1978
Produced by Jacques Morali
Genre: Disco
Label: Casablanca
Chart Positions: #1 (Germany, Austria), #2 (Canada), #3 (US, Sweden, France), #5 (Norway), #6 (Netherlands, New Zealand), #24 (UK), #27 (Japan)
Certifications: 3xPlatinum (Canada), Platinum (US), Gold (Germany)

Singles: “Hot Cop” (#2 US Disco), “YMCA” #1 (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, New Zealand, UK, France, Ireland, Canada, Australia), #2 (US, Norway), #3 (South Africa), #10 (Japan)

Cruisin' is the third studio album by the American disco group Village People, released on September 25, 1978. Features the hits "Hot Cop" and "Y.M.C.A." which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Cruisin'” by The Village People (Click Here)

After the success of Macho Man, the Jacques Morali-produced Village People unleashed their biggest ever hit upon an eager public with the September 1978 release of their third LP, Cruisin'. Having already become symbols of the outrageous hedonism of the disco movement, the band now thrust their high camp into the mainstream, and what was once intended to draw people to the clubs now brought an entire nation to the milieu.

YMCA (1978)

The first single release “Hot Cop” did not fare well on the charts but did reach #2 on Billboard’s Hot Disco Songs in the US. Victor Willis sang the lead vocal on the song as it served to be his theme song as he played the part of the “Cop” in the band. It received a good amount of dance club airplay but not enough sales to propel it onto the pop charts. Less than two months later Village People quickly released “YMCA,” the band’s defining moment. The song seemed to be everywhere as it reached #1 in at least a dozen countries around the world and the top ten in another half dozen or so. “YMCA” sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Catchy, hooky, and singalongable, the song tongue-in-cheek-ily espoused the many, and often surprising benefits of paying a visit to that now immortalized club/hostel. It even spawned a dance complete with calisthenic arm movements -- clubbers were doing it, kids were doing it, even their parents were doing it. The only question was, did anybody actually ever listen to the lyrics? You haven't lived until you've seen your grandmother going to the Y.M.C.A. The song was a global phenomenon.

Village People (1978)

Link to “Cruisin’” (Click Here)

VILLAGE PEOPLE

Donna Summer - Once Upon A Time (1977)

“Once Upon A Time” (album) by Donna Summer (1977)

Release Date: October 31, 1977
Produced by Girogio Moroder and Pete Bellotte
Chart Positions: #26 (US), #24 UK, #9 Norway, #10 Spain, #27 Canada, #31 Japan, #44 Australia
Certifications: Gold (US, UK, Canada)

Singles: “I Love You”(#37 US, #10 UK and Norway, #6 Netherlands, #16 Italy, #21 Spain, #27 Canada, #47 Australia)
“Fairy Tale High” (N/A)
“Once Upon A Time” (#14 Italy)
“Rumour Has It” (#53 US, #19 UK, #21 Denmark and Germany, #20 Netherlands, #64 Canada)

Once Upon a Time is Donna Summer’s sixth studio album and is the album released just before her pinnacle with “Bad Girls.” It was released on October 31, 1977, and peaked at #26 on the US Billboard 200, #13 US R&B chart and #24 on the UK Albums Chart. The entire album charted as one entry at #1 on the US Hot Dance/Disco chart. Once Upon a Time includes the singles "I Love You", "Fairy Tale High", "Once Upon a Time" and "Rumour Has It".

“Once Upon A Time” by Donna Summer (Click Here)

The concept album was Summer's first double album, telling a modern-day Cinderella-themed story through means of disco music. The album's story concept was conceived by Joyce Bogart, Susan Munao and Donna Summer based on an idea by Al Bogatz. The songs were written in collaboration between Summer, Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte. The album was recorded at Musicland Studios, Munich. Arrangements were handled by Bob Esty while electronic arrangements were the work of Moroder. The artwork was designed by Stephen Lumel and Gribbitt! with photography by Francesco Scavullo.

Summer's previous two records were musical concept albums: 1976's Four Seasons of Love told the story of a love affair by relating it to the four seasons, while 1977's I Remember Yesterday presented a musical catalogue of musical styles and lyrical themes from the past, present and an imagined future “I Feel Love” was the imagined future). Once Upon A Time is another concept album—the first "disco opera" per Robert Christgau *—developed by Joyce Bogart, Susan Munao and Donna Summer as a modern-day Cinderella narrative.

Throughout the album and as described in the liner notes storyline, the songs tell the story of a young woman who lives in a fantasy world of make-believe in which she is seemingly trapped, but thanks to her belief in her dreams she embarks on an adventure that ends with the man she loves entering her life. The "rags to riches" story is brought into the modern day via the use of the electronic disco sound. * Robert Christgau is a music critic that has covered music for Esquire, Cream, Playboy, Billboard, Rolling Stone Magazine, NPR and other popular music and entertainment periodicals.

The excellent use of strings brings a lush quality to both the disco numbers ("Faster And Faster To Nowhere") and the ballads ("Happily Ever After"). With this album Summer, Moroder and Bellotte focused on writing full flshed out songs as opposed to minimal lyrics of the previous albums each song tells a complete story. That’s not to say the previous albums were not good – they were great it’s just with this album the songwriting, most precisely the lyrics improved tenfold.

"I Love You"

The first single release “I Love You” became Donna Summer’s third US top 40 hit reaching #37 on the US singles chart. The song was a big hit in Europe making it into the Top 10 in the UK, Norway and Netherlands. “I Love You” is a dreamy disco song that brings about a wonderfully optimistic feel as you listen to it. The second single “Fairy Tale High” came and went pretty quick. It received airplay in dance clubs across the US but did not make it on to the charts. “Once Upon A Time,” the album’s third single also did not chart but received extensive dance club play. The fiurth and final single “Rumour Has It” is a cult classic that became one of the album favorites and was one of the most played songs in the night clubs from the album. “Rumour Has It” charted at #53 in the US and made it into the Top 20 in the UK and Netherlands. Album highlight “Working The Midnight Shift” is a song that many fans feel was a missed opportunity for single release. The song received major club play, was a working-class anthem predating "She Works Hard For The Money,” “Midnight Shift” told the story of a waitress who worked the late shift but still made it out to see her friends before the clubs closed. The song sports a dark disco flavor that was very popular in the underground discos and in the later 70s worked it’s way into the mainstream discos.

Donna Summer 1977

Donna Summer 1977

Link to “Once Upon A Time” (Click Here)

DONNA SUMMER