David Vance SubstackRead More
Leave the politics aside for a few minutes and join me down a musical rabbit hole. I want to show you how three amazing songs are all directly linked and “inspired” by each other. It all starts back in 1974 when the iconic disco track “Rock your Baby” sung by George McCrae became a global blockbuster. I remember buying it. It’s a feel good tune and went to number one around the world.
Written and produced by Harry Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band, “Rock Your Baby” was a landmark recordings of early disco music.
ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have cited the song as an inspiration for the backing track of their 1976 smash hit “Dancing Queen”. Here is what Bjorn Ulvaeus had to say on the topic..
“I can say that ‘Dancing Queen’ was inspired by a big hit in the US called ‘Rock Your Baby’. [But] when you hear ‘Dancing Queen’, it has nothing to do with ‘Rock Your Baby’. But the groove, that slow kind of disco groove was something that [made us think], ‘That’s interesting.’ There’s nothing wrong with that. I think that’s how pop music evolves.”
Listen and you can hear what he means here! He is absolutely right.
This then takes us to 1979 and the massive Elvis Costello and the Attraction hit “Oliver’s Army.” This song is noted for keyboardist Steve Nieve’s “buoyant” piano part, which was inspired by “Dancing Queen”.Nieve has explicitly acknowledged the influence. Listen and you hear the splash of Dancing Queen in the chorus descending keyboard riff.
These musical echoes continue to fascinate me!
