Week 27: Quebecois Disco

This one is for Grammar Hammer, who got all excited about Lime when I announced the Hi-NRG tape, only to be cruelly deprived of even a SINGLE Lime song. And for the people who came to the show in Québec this weekend.

Most people aren't aware of this, but for a brief period in the 1980s Montreal was like the WORLD CAPITOL OF DISCO. Or one of a handful of capitols, anyway. This was right after everything disco-related in New York clubland and the US record industry had ground to a halt and become terribly unhip (the so-called "Death of Disco", to hear rock critics speak of it), but before Europe's Hi-NRG and Eurobeat scenes really took over. It was a weird transitional phase, wherein electronics gradually took over for live instruments—a crucial step on the road from disco to house.
Much like its close relative Italo-disco, a lot of the Québécois Disco stuff is still big with house DJs here in Chicago. I found out about it through bargain-bin shopping as I was growing up in Kansas City, and it's always been one of my very favorite musical styles. And before you discophobes start yelping: Yes, it's corny. Yes, the lyrics are ridiculous. Yes, it's saccharine and blatantly commercial and synthetic and manufactured and all that junk we're taught to hate about music. But it's also amazing. It's really forward-thinking. And INSANELY catchy. Enjoy.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 27: Quebecois Disco

1. Suzy Q; Get Into The Funky Music Now (J.C. Records, 1982)
   
2. Karen Silver; Nobody Else (Quality Records Ltd., 1981)
   
3. Nightlife Unlimited; Do Me Tonight (Unidisc, 1979)
   
4. Nancy Martin; Can't Believe (Neige, 1982)
   
5. Misty Lane; Energy (Celsius, 1983)
   
6. Lime; Don't You Wanna Do It (Matra, 1984)
   
7. Motion; Don't Stop (Tojo, 1983)
   
8. Lime; You're My Magician (Matra; 1981)
   
9. Gino Soccio; Dancer (Warner Bros., 1979)
   
10. Bob-A-Rella; Spend The Night (Channel, 1979)
    
11. Carol Jiani, Ask Me (Matra, 1982)
    
12. Sweet Brandy; Stoned Love (J.C. Records, 1982)
    
13. Lime; I Don't Wanna Lose You (Matra, 1984)
    
14. Jade; I'm Gonna Get Your Love (Disconet Remix) (Rams Horn, 1982)
    
15. Sunbelt; Spin It (Rio, 1982)
    
16. Kebekelektrik; Magic Fly (Tom Moulton Mix) (Salsoul, 1977)
    
17. Lime; Give Me Your Body (Matra, 1984)
    
18. Vera; Baby Won't You Dance With Me (Matra, 1982)
    
19. Trans-X; Living On Video (Illusion, 1983)
    
20. Susan Stevens; This Is Love (Tojo, 1983)
    
21. Kendra; Helping Myself (Dub) (J.C. Records, 1983)
    
22. Denis LePage; Magnum (Celsius, 1979)
    
23. Nightlife Unlimited; Disco Choo Choo (Howard Merit Mix) (Unidisc, 1979)
    
24. Jump; Does It Feel Good (Unidisc, 1979)
    
25. Ann Joy; Love Now Hurt Later (Unidisc, 1978)
    
26. Voggue; Roller Boogie (Celsius, 1981)
    
27. Lime; Help Yourself (Matra, 1982)
    
28. Susan Stevens; Boogie Walk (Rams Horn, 1983)

NEXT WEEK: Knockin' Boots.