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Saturday Night Fever

 
Album Review: Saturday Night Fever
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Saturday Night Fever

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Grease [Original Soundtrack], C'est Chic, Physical, Main Course, Is It Still Good to Ya
  • Artist: Original Soundtrack
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1977 11
  • Total Time: 37:16
  • Type: Soundtrack
  • Genre: Soundtrack

Review

Every so often, a piece of music comes along that defines a moment in popular culture history: Johann Strauss' operetta Die Fledermaus did this in Vienna in the 1870s; Jerome Kern's Show Boat did it for Broadway musicals of the 1920s; and the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album served this purpose for the era of psychedelic music in the 1960s. Saturday Night Fever, although hardly as prodigious an artistic achievement as those precursors, was precisely that kind of musical phenomenon for the second half of the '70s -- ironically, at the time before its release, the disco boom had seemingly run its course, primarily in Europe, and was confined mostly to black culture and the gay underground in America. Saturday Night Fever, as a movie and an album, and a brace of hit singles off of it, suddenly made disco explode into mainstream, working- and middle-class America with new immediacy and urgency, increasing its audience by five- or ten-fold overnight. The Bee Gees had written "Stayin' Alive" (then called "Saturday Night"), "Night Fever," "How Deep Is Your Love," "If I Can't Have You," and "More Than a Woman" for what would have been the follow-up album to Children of the World, and they might well have enjoyed platinum-record status with that proposed album. Instead, Robert Stigwood asked them in early 1977 to contribute songs to the soundtrack of a movie that he was financing, a low-budget picture called "Tribal Rites on a Saturday Night." More out of loyalty to him than any belief in the viability of the film, they obliged; the group's involvement even survived the decision by the original director, John Avildsen, that he didn't want their music in the film -- instead, Stigwood fired him and brought in the very talented but much more agreeable John Badham, the movie's title was changed to Saturday Night Fever, the Bee Gees' music stayed, and the result was the biggest-selling soundtrack album in history, a 25 million copy monster whose sales, even as a more expensive double-LP, dwarfed the multi-million units sold of Children of the World and Main Course. Strangely enough, for all of the fixation of the movie and its audience on dancing, the Bee Gees' new songs were weighted equally toward ethereal ballads, which may be one reason for the soundtrack album's appeal -- it delivers what its audience expects, plus a "bonus" in the form of the soaring, lyrical romantic numbers that were, as with most ventures by the Gibb Brothers in this area, virtually irresistible. Despite the presence of other artists, Saturday Night Fever is virtually indispensable as a Bee Gees album, not just for the presence of an array of songs that were hits in their own right -- and which became the de facto soundtrack to a half-decade of pop culture history -- but because it offered the Gibb Brothers as composers as well as artists, their work recorded by Yvonne Elliman ("If I Can't Have You"), and Tavares ("More Than a Woman"), and it placed their music alongside the work of Kool & the Gang and MFSB; in essence, the layout of the soundtrack release was the culmination of everything they'd been moving toward since the Mr. Natural album. Even the presence of David Shire's "Night on Disco Mountain" and "Salsation" and Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven" don't hurt, because these set a mood and a surrounding ambience for the Bee Gees' material that makes it work even better. Heard on CD as 79 minutes of music, Saturday Night Fever comes off like an idealized commercial-free radio set of late-'70s dance music (and, in that regard, the decision to leave Rick Dees' "Disco Duck" off the soundtrack album was a good one for all concerned, except Dees). [The album has been out several times on CD, including a Mobile Fidelity audiophile disc that's rarer than hen's teeth and 1995 remastered, newly annotated audiophile edition from Polydor.] ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Stayin' Alive (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:45)
How Deep Is Your Love (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:05)
Night Fever (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:33)
More Than a Woman (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:17)
If I Can't Have You (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Yvonne Elliman (3:00)
A Fifth of Beethoven Walter Murphy Walter Murphy (3:03)
More Than a Woman (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Tavares (3:17)
Manhattan Skyline David Shire David Shire (4:44)
Calypso Breakdown Ralph MacDonald, Bill Salter Ralph MacDonald (7:50)
Night on Disco Mountain David Shire (5:12)
Open Sesame Kool & the Gang, Ronald Bell Kool & the Gang (4:01)
Jive Talkin' (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:43)
You Should Be Dancing (Lyrics) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:14)
Boogie Shoes Harry Wayne "K.C." Casey, Richard Finch KC & the Sunshine Band (2:17)
Salsation David Shire David Shire (3:50)
K-Jee Harvey Fuqua, Charlie Hearndon MFSB (4:13)
Disco Inferno (Lyrics) Leroy Green, Ron Kersey The Trammps (10:51)

Credits

Bee Gees (Arranger), Bee Gees (Performer), Kool & the Gang (Performer), Kool & the Gang (?), Tavares (Performer), Tavares (?), The Trammps (Performer), The Trammps (?), Yvonne Elliman (Performer), Yvonne Elliman (?), Robin Gibb (Vocals), Robin Gibb (?), MFSB (Performer), MFSB (?), Ralph MacDonald (Performer), Ralph MacDonald (?), Walter Murphy (Performer), Walter Murphy (?), Barry Gibb (Guitar), Barry Gibb (Vocals), Barry Gibb (?), Albhy Galuten (Producer), Dennis Bryon (Drums), Joe Chiccarelli (Engineer), Joe Chiccarelli (Recording), Carmine d'Amico (Guitar), Carmine d'Amico (Guitar (Electric)), Don Renaldo (Conductor), Richard Finch (Producer), Maurice Gibb (Vocals), Maurice Gibb (?), KC & the Sunshine Band (Performer), KC & the Sunshine Band (?), Alan Kendall (Bass), Alan Kendall (Guitar), Ron Kersey (Producer), Arif Mardin (Producer), Joseph M. Palmaccio (Digital Remastering), Freddie Perren (Producer), Karl Richardson (Producer), William Salter (Producer), David Shire (Performer), David Shire (Adaptation), Blue Weaver (Keyboards), Thomas J. Valentino (Producer), John Tobler (Liner Notes), Bill Oakes (Producer), Bill Oakes (Compilation), Bill Oakes (Album Supervision), Bobby Martin (Producer), Broadway Eddie (Producer), KG Productions (Producer)
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Wikipedia: Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack)
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Saturday Night Fever
Soundtrack by Various Artists
Released November 1977
Recorded 1975 - 1977
Genre Disco
Length 74:06
Label RSO, Reprise
Producer Bill Oakes (Music Supervisor)
Professional reviews

Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track is the soundtrack album from the blockbuster film Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta. In the United States, the album was certified 15x Platinum for shipments of over 15 million copies.[1] The album revived the phenomenon of disco in the U.S. and was a national obsession.[2]

Contents

Background

Along with the success of the movie, the soundtrack, composed and performed primarily by the Bee Gees, remains the number one best-selling soundtrack of all time. The cultural impact of Saturday Night Fever in the United States was tremendous. The Bee Gees had originally written and recorded the five original songs for the film, Stayin' Alive, Night Fever and How Deep Is Your Love (all performed by the Bee Gees), "More Than A Woman" (performed in the film in two different versions—one version by Tavares, and another by the Bee Gees), and "If I Can't Have You" (performed in the movie by Yvonne Elliman) as part of a regular album (they had no idea at the time they would be making a soundtrack). Two previously released Bee Gee songs, "Jive Talkin'" and "You Should Be Dancing", are also included on the soundtrack. Other previously released songs from the disco era round out the music in the movie.

In addition to the Bee Gees' score, additional incidental music was composed and adapted by David Shire. Three of Shire's cues, "Manhattan Skyline", "Night on Disco Mountain" (based on the classical piece "Night on Bald Mountain"), and "Salsation", are included on the soundtrack album. Five additional cues, "Tony and Stephanie", "Near The Verrazano Bridge" (both adapted from the Bee Gees' song "How Deep Is Your Love"), "Barracuda Hangout", "Death On The Bridge", and "All Night Train", while heard in the film, remain unreleased on CD.

The soundtrack also won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.[3]

The album was recently re-released on Reprise Records, as part of the Bee Gees' regaining control of their master tapes.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 131 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

The soundtrack hit the #1 spot on Billboard Music Chart's Pop Album and Soul Album charts. In 2003 the TV network VH1 named it the 57th greatest album of all time.

Saturday Night Fever - The Original Movie Soundtrack was ranked 80th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time. 

The original issue of the album included the original studio version of "Jive Talkin'"; later LP pressings included a version culled from Here At Last...Bee Gees...Live. All CD releases have included the original "Jive Talkin'". "Jive Talkin'" was to have been used in a deleted scene taking place the day after Tony Manero's first Saturday night at the disco, but as the sequence was cut for the final film, the song was cut as well.

Track listing

Side A:

  1. "Stayin' Alive" performed by Bee Gees, produced by Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson - 4:45
  2. "How Deep Is Your Love" performed by Bee Gees, produced by Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson - 4:05
  3. "Night Fever" performed by Bee Gees, produced by Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson - 3:33
  4. "More Than a Woman" performed by Bee Gees, produced by Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson - 3:17
  5. "If I Can't Have You" performed by Yvonne Elliman, produced by Freddie Perren - 2:57

Side B:

  1. "A Fifth of Beethoven" performed Walter Murphy, produced by Thomas J. Walentino - 3:03
  2. "More Than a Woman" performed by Tavares, produced by Freddie Perren - 3:17
  3. "Manhattan Skyline" performed by David Shire, produced by David Shire & Bill Oakes - 4:44
  4. "Calypso Breakdown" performed and produced by Ralph MacDonald - 7:50

Side C:

  1. "Night on Disco Mountain" performed by David Shire, produced by David Shire & Bill Oakes - 5:12
  2. "Open Sesame" performed and produced by Kool & the Gang - 4:01
  3. "Jive Talkin'" performed by Bee Gees, produced by Arif Mardin - 3:43
  4. "You Should Be Dancing" performed by Bee Gees, produced by Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson - 4:14
  5. "Boogie Shoes" performed by KC and the Sunshine Band, produced by H. W. Casey, Richard Finch - 2:17

Side D:

  1. "Salsation" performed by David Shire, produced by David Shire & Bill Oakes - 3:50
  2. "K-Jee" performed by MFSB, produced by Bobby Martin & Broadway Eddie - 4:13
  3. "Disco Inferno" performed by The Trammps, produced by Ron Kersey - 10:51

"Jive Talkin'" was not contained in the film.

Personnel

  • Mike Baird - Drums (Track C 1)
  • Michael Boddicker - Synthesizer (Tracks B 3, C 1)
  • Bob Bowles - Guitar (Tracks A 5, B 2)
  • Dennis Bryon - Drums (Tracks A 1 to 4, Side C 3 & 4)
  • Dennis Budimir - Guitar (Track C 1)
  • Sonny Burke - Piano (Tracks A 5, B 2 & 3)
  • Sonny Burke - Electric Keyboard (Track D 1)
  • Eddie Cano - Acoustic Piano (Track D 1)
  • Carmine d'Amico - Guitar, Electric Guitar (Track B 1)
  • Paulinho DaCosta - Percussion (Tracks A 5, B 2)
  • Scott Edwards - Bass (Tracks A 5, Side C 1, D 1)
  • Steve Forman - Percussion (Tracks B 3, C 1, D 1)
  • James Gadson - Drums (Tracks A 5, B 2 & 3)
  • Robin Gibb - Vocals (Tracks A 1 to 4, C 3 & 4)
  • Barry Gibb - Vocals, Guitar (Tracks A 1 to 4, C 3 & 4)
  • Maurice Gibb - Vocals, Bass (Tracks A 1 to 4, C 3 & 4)
  • Ralph Grierson - Keyboards (Track C 1)
  • Mitch Holder - Guitar (Track B 3)
  • Alan Kendall - Guitar (Tracks A 1 to 4, C 3 & 4)
  • Abraham LaBoriel - Bass (Track B 3)
  • Joe Lala - Percussion (Track C 4)
  • Freddie Perren - Synthesizer, Keyboards, Percussion (Track A 5)
  • Emil Richards - Percussion (Track C 1, D 1)
  • Jerome Richardson - Trumpet solo (Track D 1)
  • Lee Ritenour - Guitar (Tracks B 3, C 1, D 1)
  • David Shire - Adaptation (Track C 1)
  • Mark Stevens - Drums (Track D 1)
  • Chino Valdez - Congas (Track D 1)
  • Blue Weaver - Keyboards (Tracks A 1 to 4, C 3 & 4)
  • Bob Zimmitti - Percussion (Tracks A 5, B 2, D 1)
  • John Tobler - Liner Notes
  • Bill Oakes - Compilation, Album Supervision

Additional songs in the film not on the soundtrack album

Additional songs recorded for the film but not used

Charts

Album

Chart (1978) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Pop Albums 1
U.S. Billboard R&B Albums 1
Australian Kent Music Report 1

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1977 "How Deep Is Your Love" Adult Contemporary 1
Pop Singles 1
1978 "Night Fever" R&B Singles 8
Pop Singles 1
"If I Can't Have You" Pop Singles 1
"Stayin' Alive/Night Fever/More Than A Woman" Club Play Singles 3
"Stayin' Alive" Pop Singles 1
R&B Singles 4

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gold & Platinum - November 30, 2009". RIAA. http://riaa.org/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS. Retrieved 2009-11-30. 
  2. ^ James Sullivan, Chronicle Pop Culture Critic (2003-01-14). "APPRECIATION / Contributor to a sound that went beyond disco". Sfgate.com. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/01/14/DD113470.DTL&hw=appreciate&sn=223&sc=222. Retrieved 2009-11-30. 
  3. ^ "GRAMMY.com". GRAMMY.com. 2009-02-08. http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/Results.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-30. 

External links

Preceded by
Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt		 Billboard 200 number-one album
January 21, 1978 – July 7, 1978		 Succeeded by
City to City by Gerry Rafferty
Preceded by
Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt		 Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
March 20, 1978 - June 25, 1978		 Succeeded by
Bat out of Hell by Meat Loaf
Preceded by
20 Golden Greats by Nat 'King' Cole		 UK Albums Chart number-one album
6 May 1978 - 2 September 1978		 Succeeded by
Nightflight to Venus by Boney M
Preceded by
Arrival by ABBA		 UK Albums Chart biggest selling album of the year
1978		 Succeeded by
Parallel Lines by Blondie
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Grammy Award for Album of the Year
1959
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This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack)".  Read more

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