Album #67: Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack (with Brian Miller)

This week's conversation is about the soundtrack from the film "Saturday Night Fever". And yes, if you're keeping score this is the second soundtrack album on the poster.

And The Guys are welcoming Brian Miller back to the podcast to add his well-read perspective! You may recall a January 2025 episode in which Brian joined the pod to give his, errrr, feedback on The Guys' opinions on "Blue Lines" by Massive Attack (go back and check out that episode).

Got thoughts about this episode - or others? Let The Guys know by leaving a voice message at Speakpipe.com/100albums. Who knows? Maybe they will feature your message in an upcoming episode!

As always, thanks so much for listening!

 

Referenced in this episode

Barry Gibb Talk Show on SNL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Ea5a19jTc

"Chassidisco Fever" - Ricki Gal: https://www.discogs.com/release/3615547-Ricki-Gal-Chassidisco-Fever 

Scene from "Beerfest": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYbLD5fmioI 

John Travolta dancing "the Robot" in a deleted scene: https://youtu.be/D-lzzUgXiTg?si=SkRcB0oFWB0dL15t&t=64 

 

Additional notes from Brian

Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever by Will Hermes - This takes a holistic look at NYC from 1973 - 1977 (for reference Saturday Night Fever came out in December 1977), showcasing the vibrant explosion of creativity at that time and place. Punk, Disco, hip hop, salsa, folk, minimalists like Philip Glass and Steve Reich, and The Boss. It was all happening! 

Love saves the day by Tim Lawrence - The definitive account of NYC dance music in the 70s. You learn a lot about David Mancuso, Nicky Siano, and the other early DJs leading up to the opening of famous clubs like Studio 54 and burgeoning genres via Frankie Knuckles at The Warehouse and Larry Levan at Paradise Garage as disco progressed from the underground to the mainstream, largely triggered by Saturday Night Fever.

Life and Death on the New York Dance Floor by Tim Lawrence - An exhaustive account of the years 1980 - 1983 in NYC, covering stuff like Post-Disco, New Wave, No Wave, Post Punk, and Hip Hop. There's very little disco (other than the downfall of Steve Rubell and Studio 54) but for anyone interested in these other genres this is a fantastic resource. 

Love is the Message: A podcast by Tim Lawrence and Jeremy Gilbert - if you'd rather listen to podcasts than read the books. The podcast goes to more places than Lawrence's books do so if you did read the books and want more then the podcast is an ongoing effort to give you more good stuff to listen to. For example, they have a 20-episode tour through afro-psychedelia in the 60s and 70s and an 18-episode series just on NYC in 1977). 

 

Songs featured in this episode

"A Fifth Of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy

"Stayin' Alive" by Bee Gees

"Saturday Night" by Bay City Rollers

"Night Fever" by Bee Gees

"How Deep Is Your Love" by Bee Gees

"If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman

"More Than A Woman" by Tavares

"Open Sesame" by Kool & The Gang

"Disco Inferno" by The Trammps

"A Fifth Of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy

"Manhattan Skyline" by David Shire

"Main Theme (from 'The Conversation')" by David Shire

"Main Title (from 'The Taking of Pelham 123')" by David Shire

"Sure Shot" by Beastie Boys

"Night On Disco Mountain" by David Shire

"Salsation" by David Shire

"I Feel Love" by Donna Summers

"MFSB" by T.S.O.P. (feat. The Three Degrees)

"Calypso Breakdown" by Ralph McDonald

"Just The Two Of Us" by Bill Withers

"Rio" by Duran Duran

"Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai

"Get Lucky" by Daft Punk (feat. Pharrell Williams)

"As Alive As You Need Me To Be" by Nine Inch Nails

"Boogie Shoes" by KC & The Sunshine Band

"How Deep Is Your Love" by PJ Morton feat. YEBBA

"You Should Be Dancing" by Bee Gees

"Nugget" by Cake

"Take It To Da House" by Trick Daddy