One of the great joys of dance music is all the sampling and sharing/pinching of snippets from earlier classics, then re-using them and creating new tracks which in turn become club classics.
Many, many PCC tracks (I won't say all, but it's not far off) are culminations of samples and snippets from earlier classics, whether it's using vocals, riffs or catchy melodies.
The number of tracks that contain vocals sampled from classic diva vocalists like Loleatta Holloway, Aretha Franklin, Rochelle Fleming, Martha Wash etc. etc is astounding, there are literally thousands.
Here's a great example of several club classics which have all pulled and pinched from two classic tracks and created some great tracks in the process.
This will be a long post, so stay with me.
To start it off here is an acapella of "Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott".
This was produced in 1986 and it is simply amazing.
Just listen to the power of her voice, her vocals are absolutely sensational.
Right can you hear where the key bit of "DJ H featuring Stefi - Think About" came from?
The
"rock" and
"oh yeah" bits.
It also draws inspiration from another Aretha Franklin track called "Think", which is where the "Think About" title comes from.
The "DJ H featuring Stefi - I Think About" track was absolutely massive in clubs and was hammered by every DJ going at the time. It was a biggie hammered by Sasha and I remember great nights in Leeds Warehouse in 1991 when it just used to absolutely lift the roof off. It was one of those tracks that everyone just used to go totally
radio rental to. Looking back I bet we all looked crackers, but it was just one of those tracks which caused dancefloor mayhem. Happy Days!!
Moving on....
Ok next up, listen to the "Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott" acapella again and you'll hear another few tracks which used those vocals.
First up, is the "49er's - Touch Me" which was a big track back in 1989. It sounds a little cheesy now, but it was a great track at the time.
That track took not only samples from the Aretha track, but also took lyrics from the Alisha Warren house classic "Touch Me" which came out in 1989. Which is a great house track.
I particularly love the vocals and lyrics in this track and of course, it also then produced the foundations for one of my favorite PCCs.
Do the lyrics
"Cold chill down my spine"
"Don't walk away show me you're mine"
mean anything too you?
Well to anyone who was clubbing in the heady days of 1991 they certainly will.
The "Joy and Joyce - Babe Babe" track was absolutely huge and one those tracks which had everyone in a total state of ecstatic delirium with the impromptu "hands in the air".
Everywhere was full of smiley faces and and head nodding as we sang along to the lyrics and then launched into the chorus.
"Baby, baby, why can't we just stay together".
This bonafide PCC was then copied by Corona in 1995 and although it was very cheesy and very commercial, there were a couple of good mixes and hence I've included the Dancing Divaz mix and also the "Robyx Piano remix". Both mixes have some cracking piano.
Right I think that now concludes the connections, but there are probably some others which I'm unaware of, (if so give me a shout).
However, within this little lot there are 4 bonafide PCCs in the 49er's, Alisha Warren, Joy and Joyce and DJ H featuring Stefy tracks.
Enjoy!!!
Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott
(Acapella Mix)
DJ H Featuring Stefy - Think About
(12" Mix)
49er's - Touch Me
(Sexual Version)
Alisha Warren - Touch Me
(The Amore Mix)
Joy & Joyce - Babe Babe
(Extended Version)
Corona - Baby Baby
(Dancing Divaz Club Mix)
Corona - Baby Baby
(Robyx Piano Remix)
Well I don't want to over do it, but since the sheer quality of Paul Gotel's remix work was pointed out to me, I have to say that I've been blown away by some of the tracks he's tinkled with.
