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Sunday, August 11, 2013
Chic - C 'est Chic (35th anniversary)
Welcome to another edition of Seventies Sunday.
Today (August 11th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the release of C 'est Chic, the second studio album from the R&B band Chic.
Please click here for my full track by track review of this disco classic.
Still listen to this album fairly regularly. We had afterschool dances, too, but all music was played from albums and singles we (the students) brought in and played by our music teacher, who served as DJ. She never ever played anything remotely disco or even funky. The skating rink was the place to go to hear disco and funk played LOUDer than I could play my records at home.
Pretty sure I got my vinyl copy from Columbia House too while my Dad opted for the 8-track from RCA Music Service which was annoying to listen to after becoming acquainted with the vinyl running order:
Program One started with "Chic Cheer" just like its vinyl counterpart but then "At Last I Am Free" came next (instead of "Le Freak")and was split with a big KER-CHUNK! sound as it continued on Program Two which then continued the album's running order of "Savoir Faire" and "Happy Man". Program Three led off with my fave track on the album "I Want Your Love" and then came "Le Freak" (in place of "At Last I Am Free") which was split into Program Four and wrapped up just like the vinyl version with "Sometimes You Win" and "(Funny) Bone".
I have a modern day annoyance with the album as well - for whatever reason, the Spotify version features the 3:34 single edit of "Le Freak" instead of the original 5:23 album version. Why? Don't know but fortunately the full length version is included on two other albums on Spotify:
That one has the 3:30 single edit of Sister Sledge's "We Are Family", which is also inexplicably substituted for the original album version on the Spotify rendering of the same-named parent album.
A little playlist tweaking restores both C'est Chic and We Are Family to their original, beloved format - albeit in a 21st century digital medium.
The month of August in 1978 was a great time in music and saw the release of several of my favorite albums: Boston's Don't Look Back, Chic's C'est Chic, The Who's Who Are You, Devo's first album and Donna Summer's Live and More. Maybe you'll feature some of the ones you haven't already.
I have to go back and check my CD version of C 'est Chic to see if the extended version is there or not. If it is shortened there as well, that might be why Spotify has it short. Hard to say. I know for awhile Spotify was picking up my iTunes library version of tracks in place of those on its system. Gotta see if that is still the case.
As for the rest of 1978, well...I am trickling those in on days I don't have a 1983 album to post. However, as I found this year I am really digging up some forgetten 30th anniversary albums so room on the calendar for 70's fill-ins are rare. If I reviewed a 1978 previously, it is easy to revisit it. No worries though - all of 1978 will get a focus in 2018 for their 40th anniversaries.
Yes, I hope to keep the "year in reviews" going that long. My ultimate goal is 84 full, an 85/75 mix, an 86/76 mix, and 87/77 mix ( and then full on 78, 79, 80 and then 81.
Still listen to this album fairly regularly. We had afterschool dances, too, but all music was played from albums and singles we (the students) brought in and played by our music teacher, who served as DJ. She never ever played anything remotely disco or even funky. The skating rink was the place to go to hear disco and funk played LOUDer than I could play my records at home.
ReplyDeletePretty sure I got my vinyl copy from Columbia House too while my Dad opted for the 8-track from RCA Music Service which was annoying to listen to after becoming acquainted with the vinyl running order:
Program One started with "Chic Cheer" just like its vinyl counterpart but then "At Last I Am Free" came next (instead of "Le Freak")and was split with a big KER-CHUNK! sound as it continued on Program Two which then continued the album's running order of "Savoir Faire" and "Happy Man". Program Three led off with my fave track on the album "I Want Your Love" and then came "Le Freak" (in place of "At Last I Am Free") which was split into Program Four and wrapped up just like the vinyl version with "Sometimes You Win" and "(Funny) Bone".
I have a modern day annoyance with the album as well - for whatever reason, the Spotify version features the 3:34 single edit of "Le Freak" instead of the original 5:23 album version. Why? Don't know but fortunately the full length version is included on two other albums on Spotify:
Atlantic 60th: On The Dance Floor, Vol. 3
Rhino Hi-Five: Chart Hits: Disco
That one has the 3:30 single edit of Sister Sledge's "We Are Family", which is also inexplicably substituted for the original album version on the Spotify rendering of the same-named parent album.
Both Atlantic 60th: On The Dance Floor Vol. 1 and Atlantic 60th: On The Dance Floor Vol. 4 have the 8:22 original version.
A little playlist tweaking restores both C'est Chic and We Are Family to their original, beloved format - albeit in a 21st century digital medium.
The month of August in 1978 was a great time in music and saw the release of several of my favorite albums: Boston's Don't Look Back, Chic's C'est Chic, The Who's Who Are You, Devo's first album and Donna Summer's Live and More. Maybe you'll feature some of the ones you haven't already.
I have to go back and check my CD version of C 'est Chic to see if the extended version is there or not. If it is shortened there as well, that might be why Spotify has it short. Hard to say. I know for awhile Spotify was picking up my iTunes library version of tracks in place of those on its system. Gotta see if that is still the case.
ReplyDeleteAs for the rest of 1978, well...I am trickling those in on days I don't have a 1983 album to post. However, as I found this year I am really digging up some forgetten 30th anniversary albums so room on the calendar for 70's fill-ins are rare. If I reviewed a 1978 previously, it is easy to revisit it. No worries though - all of 1978 will get a focus in 2018 for their 40th anniversaries.
Yes, I hope to keep the "year in reviews" going that long. My ultimate goal is 84 full, an 85/75 mix, an 86/76 mix, and 87/77 mix ( and then full on 78, 79, 80 and then 81.