"Disco Inferno" is a single by The Trammps from the album of the same name. It was also notably covered by Cyndi Lauper on the A Night at the Roxbury soundtrack , the Players Association, and also by Tina Turner in 1993 on the What's Love Got To Do With It? soundtrack album.
| "Disco Inferno" | |
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| A-side | "Disco Inferno" |
| B-side | "You Touch My Hot Line" |
| "Disco Inferno" | |
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| Song |
| "Disco Inferno" | |
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| Song |
Song information
The song was originally performed by the Trammps in 1976 and released as a single. Although it topped the U.S. Disco chart, it was not a significant success at pop radio, peaking at number fifty-three on the Billboard Hot 100. According to famed mixer Tom Moulton (who mixed the record), the levels had been set wrong during the mixdown of the tracks, resulting in a much wider dynamic than was commonly accepted at the time. Due to this the record seems to "jump out" at the listener.[1]
"Disco Inferno" gained much greater recognition once it was included on the soundtrack to the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. Re-released by Atlantic Records, the track peaked at number eleven in the U.S. during the spring of 1978, becoming the Trammps' biggest and most-recognized single. Later, it was included in the Saturday Night Fever musical, interpreted by the 'DJ Monty' in the "Odissey 2001" discotheque.
The song also became an unofficial theme song for New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams. It was often played at Yankee stadium while the scoreboard/video system displayed the phrase "Bern, baby Bern," a play on the song's refrain.
Cover versions
Cyndi Lauper version
Lauper performed this song live for the first time at NEW YORK, Bryant Park on June 21st, 1998
In the Billboard magazine dated May 16, 1998 in the "Dance Trax" column, there was a story on remixers Bobby Guy and Ernie Lake, aka Soul Solution: "They are working with Cyn on a chest-pounding rendition of 'Disco Inferno'. The cut will be featured on the forthcoming soundtrack to A Night At Roxbury."
Although the original release date of the maxi single was August 3, 1999, it was distributed from July 24 in some regions. The single was officially released in the U.S. on December 16, 1999. Lauper performed it at many shows around the time of its release.
Additional versions
Dread Zeppelin covered the song on their 1992 album It's Not Unusual (album).
Tina Turner covered the song in 1993 for the What's Love Got To Do With It soundtrack and it charted at number twelve in the UK Singles Chart, 4 places higher than The Trammps' version (#16).
Fast Eddie sampled "Disco Inferno" on his "I Want You, Girl"
Marcia Hines has recently covered "Disco Inferno" on her latest album Discotheque released September 2006.
Madonna performed her vocals from "Music" over an instrumental version of this song on her 2006 Confessions Tour creating the amazing mash-up "Music Inferno".
Chart Performance
The Trammps version
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 11 |
| UK Singles Chart | 16 |
Tina Turner version
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 12 |
| US Dance/Club Play | 8 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 13 |
Cyndi Lauper version
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Hot Dance Club Play | 8 |
| Hot Dance Singles Sales | 12 |
Official Versions
- Boris & Beck Roxy Edit Dub
- Boris & Beck Roxy Dub
- Club Mix
- Rescue Me Mix
- Soul Solution A Capella
- Soul Solution Drumapella
- Soul Solution Mix
- Soul Solution Radio Edit