Thanks Tamara. Much appreciated. He’s The Greatest Dancer is a fantastic track. Originally meant for themselves but they decided to use it for the Sister Sledge album.
I’m not surprised that Nile was lovely when you interviewed him. While I’ve never had the pleasure myself, the guy has always radiated good vibes, and he always comes across in interviews as kind, funny and really thoughtful.
“Le Freak” (or “The Freakout Record,” as my school friends called it at the time), was the first Chic song I heard on the radio; but while I liked it, it was so omnipresent that I didn’t feel the need to own a copy. So my first Chic single was “I Want Your Love,” which I liked a little more than “Le Freak” because it was so melancholy and melodic. But my favorite Chic track? It’s gotta be “Happy Man,” which I rediscovered in 2010 and has been my theme song ever since!
It really was omnipresent. And probably even more so in the US, where it went on to sell around 6 million copies. With radio being such a powerful driver, the airplay must have been phenomenal 😁
I Want Your Love is a great song indeed, just like Happy Man. I believe Happy Man was also a favorite of Nile’s, as it was included on the Chic Organisation box set my French Warner colleague released at the time. I also know Nile was closely involved in putting that box together.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan. Have a great weekend!
All I can say is “Everybody Dance”. I don’t know why this jam isn’t among the biggest talking points, or the hit list’s #1 spot. Having an up-close & personal experience to Nile, Bernard, Norma Jean, etc. and all things NY, this piece seems to have missed the essence or the spirit of it all. I ❤️ NY. Back then, the essence was about drugs, alcohol, debauchery, etc. in the coolest (most dangerous), celebrity flooded orgies the world has ever known since our beloved Romans. We discriminated a lot. Not racially. Financially and aesthetically. The lyrics on “Lost In Music” spelled it all out. Lyrics to “Greatest Dancer” highlighted the whole reason we all were in the nightclubs. It was to get laid. Nothing more, nothing less. Remember I ❤️ NY, and I always dig your shows.
Haha… Nile Rodgers alone could fill a whole series of posts, Donald! I focused this one on the origin story and the Studio 54 episode. The other singles will definitely get their own spotlight further down the line.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to react, my friend, always very much appreciated. Have a great weekend! 😁
Fantastic piece Pé!! It’s amazing how the hands of musical fate so often bring together the right people at the right time. So many layers of synchronicity in the development of Chic, Rodgers’s sound, and Le Freak. Really looking forward to the B side as I try to get caught up on my Substack reading!!
Thanks, Mark! And trust me, I know the feeling, I’m running behind on my reading as well. The good thing is they’re always here, waiting whenever you’re ready. 😁
Another great job, Pe Dupre! An innovative, informative and insightful fun-to-watch time capsule!
I had first heard the now-legendary group Chic on New York radio when "Dance, Dance, Dance" became a hit. I purchased their self-titled debut album for "You Can Get By," which was played on the disco-friendly WBLS-FM (an influential station that introduced the city to Donna Summer by the after midnight repeat playing of her side-long "Love To Love You, Baby" from her debut album).
On Saturday, April 7, 1979, I took the subway from my home in Brooklyn to Manhattan to see Chic in concert at the Palladium in New York City where they were promoting their latest album, "C'est Chic" featuring "Le Freak" (which they performed as both their opening and closing number).
I sat right next to the sound mixer engineer in the 14th row, so I was able to look over his shoulder at his set list. No surprises as to what was coming next in the show. (Their third LP, Risqué, was yet to be released in the next four months, which is why "Good Times" wasn't on the set list that evening.)
The group played highlights from each of their long-players (and if I recall correctly, their Sister Sledge hits), including my favorite Chic song: the moody and moving "I Want Your Love."
(The highlight of the opening act, Sarah Dash was her recent "Sinner Man," one of my then-favorites, which it remains to this day!)
Thanks, skipper! I know they didn’t do many live shows back then, so that must have been quite a unique experience. And I have no doubt it sounded fantastic, the band members were all very seasoned musicians and vocalists.
I only got to see them much later, as I mentioned in the intro, but what a party that was!
I’m listening to “You Can Get By” while writing this reply, it’s a great track indeed. The first album is actually one of the ones I know the least. I would’ve loved to have been in New York during that period 😁
Anyway, thanks for the kind words, and have a great Sunday! 🎶
There was quite a kerfuffle over the release of the C'est Chic album here in the UK. The European version was originally to have been called Tres Chic, with a suggestive sleeve featuring a classy looking woman in the Roxy Music style clinging to a lighted neon tube (as you do!). According to WEA's Director of Creative Services David Clipsham, this was more in keeping with the "British disco look" (whatever that may be; I never saw women like that at my local disco!). However, the alternative artwork had hot been submitted to Rodgers and Edwards and they were not happy. The result was that the album was recalled after a week and the whole marketing campaign had to be scrapped, including a television advert shot specially for the UK. A new ad was shot at a cost of £200,000 and the album sleeve was redesigned using the US artwork with the addition of the 2 hit singles Dance Dance Dance and Everybody Dance.
It does seem like WEA UK didn’t quite get the memo that Chic had moved on from the anonymous women on the cover used for their first album. It’s also funny how they ended up mixing material from both albums, taking the first two Chic hit singles and placing them on the C’est Chic album, almost turning it into a kind of unofficial Best Of.
I can imagine the phone calls from Atlantic in the US to the WEA office weren’t the most pleasant ones 😁 Whoever was responsible may well have had to say bye-bye to their future career at Warners.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Paul, and happy Sunday! 🎶
I absolutely agree and at the time I couldn't understand why they didn't go on scoring hits like before. This is/was only the first Chic episode. Thanks for reading & reacting Emm! Have a great weekend!
Well, I look forward to more and will let you know that I am working on an essay about something else Rodgers did in the 80s that I don't think gets enough love... Hope that intrigues you, but I am sure you'll know and (maybe?) love the work in question.
He was incredibly prolific in the eighties, so it could be any number of things 😁 But I’m looking forward to it, Emm. Maybe we should plan a Five For Friday collaboration on Edwards & Rodgers? 🎶
What a great deep dive, and I can’t wait for side B! I have very fond memories of your Vital Records appearance for several reasons; one of them is that you brought this record to the surface for me. I’m still listening to it, especially when I’m at the gym (which is quite often 🤣).
It’s such a great example of the fine musicality disco can offer, which often goes unnoticed (or is not recognised enough). Amazing job!
Although I was born toward the end of the period The Twelve Inch covers, I feel like this song has been a part of the American fabric for as long as I’ve been alive. Glad to learn Nile Rodgers is such a nice person too and would expect no less. Can’t wait for Side B tomorrow!
It really is, Max. A lot of that renewed grounding came from the disco revival in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Disco house in particular is built very much on the framework Chic introduced.
Thanks for reading and reacting. Have a great weekend!
Great playlist, with some surprising additions like Queen and ABC. It shows once again just how far the influence of the Chic sound reached! Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan. Have a great weekend!
I love Edwards' bass playing so much. Such a groove. I frequently play covers and remixes of Chic tunes, but Le Freak just about always gets the best reaction. Everyone loves to shout "freak out." Ever since I heard that story about the song's origin, I always listen for someone adding in a "fuck off!" when singing along.
Me too, it’s great fun, isn’t it? 😁 But then again, it’s such a unique origin story. In the Side B post I published today, Kevin, I included a video of a bass player playing Bernard’s part from the song. When you see it being played, you understand even more the genius behind their work.
Thanks for reading and reacting. Have a great weekend!
Haha… and I promise you the story will stick with you every time you hear Le Freak. There’s also a second lyric variation I talk about in the B-side, one I often end up singing myself when the song comes on.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Ken. Have a great weekend! 😁
Soup for One but they're all good. I showed up early at Chaz and Wilson's UPW NYC one night and Nile was hanging in the corner with some cronies. The band playing for nobody let me sit in and sing Cold Sweat by JB. Nile smiled after a first verse "I don't care..." then I traded off with the lead singer. It was a moment in time never to be forgot but not nearly as great as just the ecstasy of seeing them live twice! Nile's magic is subtle and not everyone benefited from his presence on recordings he produced. I know this from an irate almost made it guy that tried to blame me for leaking a pre-release tape for his downfall! I left that out of my story no names but damn! There, it's out there. I bought a budget disco three CD set for $6 and there's an incredible post Bernard live Good Times on it with the Sugar Hill Gang Hotel Motel Holiday Inn, in the middle. Nile can do almost anything in the studio but he's even better live. Aside from Thelma Houston not many disco acts can claim that as their strong suit. She also has great live tracks on that metal box 3 CD set. Maybe that's something to highlight down the road: The Best Live Disco Acts? Chic's Le Freak was a game changer for every genre at the time because of the guitar riff. Like a method acting affective memory I easily visualize that NJ bar for a joyous feeling. The song made me feel better. Your story made me stop in my tracks again. Friday night! Your story is written like a great song it flows from beginning to the end in a reverse pyramid.
Wow Steve, that’s a wonderful compliment, one to cherish. And that’s a great idea too. I should definitely do something with the live aspect.
I never saw Thelma live, but I’m not surprised she’s excellent on stage. She comes from a generation of singers who learned the craft from the very best, starting at Motown. And she’s built up an impressive body of work as well. She’ll definitely feature in a few episodes down the line.
By the way, what’s the title of the 3-CD set you mentioned?
Thanks for reading and reacting. Wishing you a great weekend!
I posted a picture with your link to my notes. Nile even has a moment where he over-chunks the guitar exuding spectacular humility in knowing how one little clam doesn't spoil the whole effervescent track and laughs it off.
"Good Times" is the first one that comes to mind. It was everywhere.
• Do you think “Le Freak” is the ultimate Chic anthem, or does another song beat it?
See above. :)
• Where did you first hear Chic, on the radio, in a club, or on vinyl?
Radio, most likely, but where I remember actually paying attention it was on a jukebox in the Pizza Hut where I worked then. I want to say it was "Dance Dance Dance".
• And which Nile Rodgers production still blows your mind today?
I really like what he did for Duran Duran. Plus, I love his first solo record, "Adventures in the Land of the Good Groove".
Good Times will definitely get its own episode further down the line. A great song—and arguably even more influential than Le Freak.
And I agree about Duran Duran. Notorious is one of my favorite albums, and Nile’s production works brilliantly on it. It was also his remix that turned The Reflex into their biggest hit on this side of the Atlantic. And Simon Le Bon returned the favor by adding vocals to the Lost in Music remix by Sister Sledge, which became a big hit as well. There’s clearly a very strong and fruitful connection between Duran Duran and Nile.
Thanks for reading and reacting, David. Have a great weekend!
Excellent Pe. Really enjoyed this one. I think Greatest Dancer is probably my favorite.
Thanks Tamara. Much appreciated. He’s The Greatest Dancer is a fantastic track. Originally meant for themselves but they decided to use it for the Sister Sledge album.
I’m not surprised that Nile was lovely when you interviewed him. While I’ve never had the pleasure myself, the guy has always radiated good vibes, and he always comes across in interviews as kind, funny and really thoughtful.
“Le Freak” (or “The Freakout Record,” as my school friends called it at the time), was the first Chic song I heard on the radio; but while I liked it, it was so omnipresent that I didn’t feel the need to own a copy. So my first Chic single was “I Want Your Love,” which I liked a little more than “Le Freak” because it was so melancholy and melodic. But my favorite Chic track? It’s gotta be “Happy Man,” which I rediscovered in 2010 and has been my theme song ever since!
It really was omnipresent. And probably even more so in the US, where it went on to sell around 6 million copies. With radio being such a powerful driver, the airplay must have been phenomenal 😁
I Want Your Love is a great song indeed, just like Happy Man. I believe Happy Man was also a favorite of Nile’s, as it was included on the Chic Organisation box set my French Warner colleague released at the time. I also know Nile was closely involved in putting that box together.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan. Have a great weekend!
Thanks, Pe! You too!
All I can say is “Everybody Dance”. I don’t know why this jam isn’t among the biggest talking points, or the hit list’s #1 spot. Having an up-close & personal experience to Nile, Bernard, Norma Jean, etc. and all things NY, this piece seems to have missed the essence or the spirit of it all. I ❤️ NY. Back then, the essence was about drugs, alcohol, debauchery, etc. in the coolest (most dangerous), celebrity flooded orgies the world has ever known since our beloved Romans. We discriminated a lot. Not racially. Financially and aesthetically. The lyrics on “Lost In Music” spelled it all out. Lyrics to “Greatest Dancer” highlighted the whole reason we all were in the nightclubs. It was to get laid. Nothing more, nothing less. Remember I ❤️ NY, and I always dig your shows.
Haha… Nile Rodgers alone could fill a whole series of posts, Donald! I focused this one on the origin story and the Studio 54 episode. The other singles will definitely get their own spotlight further down the line.
Thanks for reading and taking the time to react, my friend, always very much appreciated. Have a great weekend! 😁
Fantastic piece Pé!! It’s amazing how the hands of musical fate so often bring together the right people at the right time. So many layers of synchronicity in the development of Chic, Rodgers’s sound, and Le Freak. Really looking forward to the B side as I try to get caught up on my Substack reading!!
Thanks, Mark! And trust me, I know the feeling, I’m running behind on my reading as well. The good thing is they’re always here, waiting whenever you’re ready. 😁
Another great job, Pe Dupre! An innovative, informative and insightful fun-to-watch time capsule!
I had first heard the now-legendary group Chic on New York radio when "Dance, Dance, Dance" became a hit. I purchased their self-titled debut album for "You Can Get By," which was played on the disco-friendly WBLS-FM (an influential station that introduced the city to Donna Summer by the after midnight repeat playing of her side-long "Love To Love You, Baby" from her debut album).
On Saturday, April 7, 1979, I took the subway from my home in Brooklyn to Manhattan to see Chic in concert at the Palladium in New York City where they were promoting their latest album, "C'est Chic" featuring "Le Freak" (which they performed as both their opening and closing number).
I sat right next to the sound mixer engineer in the 14th row, so I was able to look over his shoulder at his set list. No surprises as to what was coming next in the show. (Their third LP, Risqué, was yet to be released in the next four months, which is why "Good Times" wasn't on the set list that evening.)
The group played highlights from each of their long-players (and if I recall correctly, their Sister Sledge hits), including my favorite Chic song: the moody and moving "I Want Your Love."
(The highlight of the opening act, Sarah Dash was her recent "Sinner Man," one of my then-favorites, which it remains to this day!)
Thanks, skipper! I know they didn’t do many live shows back then, so that must have been quite a unique experience. And I have no doubt it sounded fantastic, the band members were all very seasoned musicians and vocalists.
I only got to see them much later, as I mentioned in the intro, but what a party that was!
I’m listening to “You Can Get By” while writing this reply, it’s a great track indeed. The first album is actually one of the ones I know the least. I would’ve loved to have been in New York during that period 😁
Anyway, thanks for the kind words, and have a great Sunday! 🎶
There was quite a kerfuffle over the release of the C'est Chic album here in the UK. The European version was originally to have been called Tres Chic, with a suggestive sleeve featuring a classy looking woman in the Roxy Music style clinging to a lighted neon tube (as you do!). According to WEA's Director of Creative Services David Clipsham, this was more in keeping with the "British disco look" (whatever that may be; I never saw women like that at my local disco!). However, the alternative artwork had hot been submitted to Rodgers and Edwards and they were not happy. The result was that the album was recalled after a week and the whole marketing campaign had to be scrapped, including a television advert shot specially for the UK. A new ad was shot at a cost of £200,000 and the album sleeve was redesigned using the US artwork with the addition of the 2 hit singles Dance Dance Dance and Everybody Dance.
I had completely forgotten about that one, Paul 😁
It does seem like WEA UK didn’t quite get the memo that Chic had moved on from the anonymous women on the cover used for their first album. It’s also funny how they ended up mixing material from both albums, taking the first two Chic hit singles and placing them on the C’est Chic album, almost turning it into a kind of unofficial Best Of.
I can imagine the phone calls from Atlantic in the US to the WEA office weren’t the most pleasant ones 😁 Whoever was responsible may well have had to say bye-bye to their future career at Warners.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Paul, and happy Sunday! 🎶
Le Freak is their finest track but their early 80s records have some hidden gems many folks overlooked at the time.
I absolutely agree and at the time I couldn't understand why they didn't go on scoring hits like before. This is/was only the first Chic episode. Thanks for reading & reacting Emm! Have a great weekend!
Well, I look forward to more and will let you know that I am working on an essay about something else Rodgers did in the 80s that I don't think gets enough love... Hope that intrigues you, but I am sure you'll know and (maybe?) love the work in question.
He was incredibly prolific in the eighties, so it could be any number of things 😁 But I’m looking forward to it, Emm. Maybe we should plan a Five For Friday collaboration on Edwards & Rodgers? 🎶
Oh, I would be very down for that. Feel free to DM me any time with what you have in mind...
What a great deep dive, and I can’t wait for side B! I have very fond memories of your Vital Records appearance for several reasons; one of them is that you brought this record to the surface for me. I’m still listening to it, especially when I’m at the gym (which is quite often 🤣).
It’s such a great example of the fine musicality disco can offer, which often goes unnoticed (or is not recognised enough). Amazing job!
Thanks Andy. Means a lot! Let me know what you think about Side B. Thanks for reading & reacting. Have a great weekend!
Although I was born toward the end of the period The Twelve Inch covers, I feel like this song has been a part of the American fabric for as long as I’ve been alive. Glad to learn Nile Rodgers is such a nice person too and would expect no less. Can’t wait for Side B tomorrow!
It really is, Max. A lot of that renewed grounding came from the disco revival in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Disco house in particular is built very much on the framework Chic introduced.
Thanks for reading and reacting. Have a great weekend!
Wow! I had no idea that Edwards was associated the the band New York City. I remember that song well. Not a big hit but catchy enough for me to enjoy it! By the way, this is my Rodgers/Edwards playlist that I keep on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/nile-rodgers-bernard-edwards/pl.u-oZylPW9TR3k4MA
Great playlist, with some surprising additions like Queen and ABC. It shows once again just how far the influence of the Chic sound reached! Thanks for reading and reacting, Dan. Have a great weekend!
I ❤️ NY
I love Edwards' bass playing so much. Such a groove. I frequently play covers and remixes of Chic tunes, but Le Freak just about always gets the best reaction. Everyone loves to shout "freak out." Ever since I heard that story about the song's origin, I always listen for someone adding in a "fuck off!" when singing along.
Me too, it’s great fun, isn’t it? 😁 But then again, it’s such a unique origin story. In the Side B post I published today, Kevin, I included a video of a bass player playing Bernard’s part from the song. When you see it being played, you understand even more the genius behind their work.
Thanks for reading and reacting. Have a great weekend!
Can’t unhear the song now as ‘Awww, fuck off!’ Great story, Pé.
Haha… and I promise you the story will stick with you every time you hear Le Freak. There’s also a second lyric variation I talk about in the B-side, one I often end up singing myself when the song comes on.
Thanks for reading and reacting, Ken. Have a great weekend! 😁
Soup for One but they're all good. I showed up early at Chaz and Wilson's UPW NYC one night and Nile was hanging in the corner with some cronies. The band playing for nobody let me sit in and sing Cold Sweat by JB. Nile smiled after a first verse "I don't care..." then I traded off with the lead singer. It was a moment in time never to be forgot but not nearly as great as just the ecstasy of seeing them live twice! Nile's magic is subtle and not everyone benefited from his presence on recordings he produced. I know this from an irate almost made it guy that tried to blame me for leaking a pre-release tape for his downfall! I left that out of my story no names but damn! There, it's out there. I bought a budget disco three CD set for $6 and there's an incredible post Bernard live Good Times on it with the Sugar Hill Gang Hotel Motel Holiday Inn, in the middle. Nile can do almost anything in the studio but he's even better live. Aside from Thelma Houston not many disco acts can claim that as their strong suit. She also has great live tracks on that metal box 3 CD set. Maybe that's something to highlight down the road: The Best Live Disco Acts? Chic's Le Freak was a game changer for every genre at the time because of the guitar riff. Like a method acting affective memory I easily visualize that NJ bar for a joyous feeling. The song made me feel better. Your story made me stop in my tracks again. Friday night! Your story is written like a great song it flows from beginning to the end in a reverse pyramid.
Wow Steve, that’s a wonderful compliment, one to cherish. And that’s a great idea too. I should definitely do something with the live aspect.
I never saw Thelma live, but I’m not surprised she’s excellent on stage. She comes from a generation of singers who learned the craft from the very best, starting at Motown. And she’s built up an impressive body of work as well. She’ll definitely feature in a few episodes down the line.
By the way, what’s the title of the 3-CD set you mentioned?
Thanks for reading and reacting. Wishing you a great weekend!
Disco Chart Busters Special 3 CD Edition...
I posted a picture with your link to my notes. Nile even has a moment where he over-chunks the guitar exuding spectacular humility in knowing how one little clam doesn't spoil the whole effervescent track and laughs it off.
• What is your favorite Chic track?
"Good Times" is the first one that comes to mind. It was everywhere.
• Do you think “Le Freak” is the ultimate Chic anthem, or does another song beat it?
See above. :)
• Where did you first hear Chic, on the radio, in a club, or on vinyl?
Radio, most likely, but where I remember actually paying attention it was on a jukebox in the Pizza Hut where I worked then. I want to say it was "Dance Dance Dance".
• And which Nile Rodgers production still blows your mind today?
I really like what he did for Duran Duran. Plus, I love his first solo record, "Adventures in the Land of the Good Groove".
Good Times will definitely get its own episode further down the line. A great song—and arguably even more influential than Le Freak.
And I agree about Duran Duran. Notorious is one of my favorite albums, and Nile’s production works brilliantly on it. It was also his remix that turned The Reflex into their biggest hit on this side of the Atlantic. And Simon Le Bon returned the favor by adding vocals to the Lost in Music remix by Sister Sledge, which became a big hit as well. There’s clearly a very strong and fruitful connection between Duran Duran and Nile.
Thanks for reading and reacting, David. Have a great weekend!
“Everybody Dance”