Song Name: Disco Dancer
Artist: DEVO
Appears On:
- Total Devo, Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology (album version)
- 50 Years Of De-Evolution (1973-2023) (2023 remaster)
- Disco Dancer singles (non-album versions)
- Recombo DNA (medley, demo)
- Now It Can Be Told: DEVO at the Palace (medley, live)
Run Time: 4:14 BPM: 128
Year Released: 1988 (album version)
Years Performed: (medley*) 1988-1990, 1991 (March 23 only)
Writing Credits: Mark Mothersbaugh/Gerald V. Casale
Sung By: Mark Mothersbaugh (lead), The Femmes Devo ("ja"and"nya" chorus, uncredited)
Remixes By: Ivan Ivan
Single Versions: 7” (4:15), 12” (6:30) and Bonus Beats (4:20) were released on audiocasstte, 12” vinyl record, 7” vinyl record, 3” CD, and were planned to be released with the “Somewhere With Devo” EP. [1]
Trivia / Info:[]
- Bass sample by Steve Lindsey
Videos Trivia:[]
- This is the only song from Total DEVO to receive music videos. Sadly, Enigma failed to effectively promote it, appearing only once on MTV (on a "good or bad" call-in voting show, no less, which doomed the video instantly).
- The dance party and karaoke contests and video filming at Lhasaland club on June 4 and at the World club on June 9 were announced in print, including colored flyers. [2] [3] The Lhasaland party was also announced in a June 3 article. [4]
- The New York City video shoot at the World nightclub was subsequently reported in a September article. [5]
Releases:[]
- The three inch CD maxi single release [6] of "Disco Dancer" was originally intended to be a "CD-V" with video.
- Enigma released the first 3” CDs in Canada, “Disco Dancer” being the second released. [7]
- A promotional three inch compact disc plus graphics (CD+G) was released in 1989. [8]
The side scrolling graphics and credits are available on YouTube. [9] - The 7-inch version of “Disco Dancer” has been included in all single releases. A free streaming remaster was released in conjunction with the 50 Years Of De-Evolution compilation. [10] [11]
Onstage Behavior:[]
- *This was not played live as a standalone song, it was included in the Somewhere With DEVO suite. Here, it usually began with the normal drum-machine intro and a shout by Mark of "The Femmes Devo!" (Likely a reference to the "Ja"&"Nya" interlude, which in the video was sung by the two onstage dancers.)
- Before the concert, the "Disco Dancer" video would be shown.
Lyrics:[]
- I'm a disco dancer
- But I've got no place to go
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- Oh no
- I'm a disco dancer, baby
- And my feet won't touch the floor
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- Woah, no
- I been sleeping twenty years or more
- I remember long time ago
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- Ja
- Ja
- Ja
- Ja
- I been looking for a dance to do
- I been looking for some answers too
- Now I'm back to change your minds
- Now I'm moving right in time
- In a world that's turned unkind
- I see what's going on behind my back
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- I'm a disco dancer
- And I keep dancing on and on
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- Oh no
- I'm a disco dancer, baby
- But I think that something's wrong
- (I'm a disco boy)
- (I'm a disco boy)
- Oh no
- I been sleeping twenty years and more
- I remember long time ago
- Now I'm back to change your mind
- Now I'm moving right in time
- In a world that's turned unkind
- I see what's going on behind my back
Video:[]
Promotional Videos:[]
- Two videos were made for the song, one using the 7" Mix, and an extended video using the 12" Mix.
- Both videos use the same premise and most of the same footage, that of DEVO walking across the country with a disco ball from New York to LA, performing the song in two different venues for cheering crowds.
- The 12" Mix video includes additional scenes of DEVO walking through Manhattan and downtown Los Angeles. A topless woman can be seen near the end of the 12" Mix video, and so was not aired on TV, instead provided on a promo video cassette sent to nightclubs and other venues.
- The 7" Mix video appears on The Complete Truth About De-Evolution
- The 12" Mix video has not been released on any home format, but can be found online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa0DB7-jhzI.
Live Video:[]
- Live video of the “Disco Dancer" was not released commercially.
- (No official concert video release, but the 2 official videos include live audiences with the band on stage performing to playback.)
- Amateur/fan videos exist of DEVO performing "Somewhere With DEVO (live)", which includes "Disco Dancer".
Sources:[]
- Site search of WorldRadioHistory.com for term “disco dancer” and “devo”.[12]
References:[]
- ↑ Discogs. Devo – Somewhere With Devo EP (acetate). discogs.com/release/15927702-Devo-Somewhere-With-Devo
- ↑ web.archive.org/web/20240412175448/https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/OBUAAOSwKl9l-3g0/s-l640.jpg
- ↑ web.archive.org/web/20240412175133/https://www.clubdevo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fa4c0aa8a0084eeb8fae3bc4745a8789_XL.jpg
- ↑ Weinstein, Steve. (1988, June 3). “Pop/Rock” column. LA Times. “Devo, the Ohio transplants who became one of the first big success stories from L.A.’s new-wave rock scene, is back in the spotlight after all but fading from sight. You can see for yourself Saturday night at the new Lhasaland club in Hollywood, where the de-evolution boys will throw a disco dance party featuring a karaoke singing contest and a brief performance to be taped for a video of “I’m a Disco Dancer,” from the new “Total Devo” album.”
- ↑ Music Video (column). (1988, September 17). "Devo Gets Down On It.” Billboard. Page 72. Photo by Chuck Pulin.
‘The five members of Devo were in New York recently to shoot the band's newest video, "Disco Dancer," at the World nightclub. The single is the debut shot off the band's "Total Devo" album on Enigma...’
- ↑ CD3 – Special Catalog Pullout. (1988, September 24). Enigma (releases) - “Devo: Disco Dancer (4 versions).” Billboard. americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1988/1988-09-24-Billboard-Page-0076.pdf#search=%22disco%20dancer%20devo%22
- ↑ (1988, June 18). RPM Weekly. Page 2.
’Enigma scores a first with 3” domestic CD – Enigman Canada, distributed by Capitol, will release the first commercially available 3” domestic compact disc in Canada on June 22… Immediately following… Enigma will ship Devo’s first single, Disco Dancer, on 3” CD from their [Enigma label] debut, Total Devo…
- ↑ cdplusg.com/cdplusg/Discography/Entries/2000/10/17_Devo_-_Disco_Dancer_Promo.html
- ↑ "Devo - Disco Dancer (3" promo)" [playlist: 01 Disco Dancer. 02 Credits]. Uploaded to YouTube by The CD+G Museum. youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8RnW3nRCF9mcBHKXvXGKk8ha5O4zpfDy
- ↑ rhino.lnk.to/discodancer
- ↑ media.rhino.com/press-release/50-years-de-evolution-1973-2023
- ↑ worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/search.cgi?zoom_sort=1&zoom_xml=0&zoom_query=%22disco+dancer%22+devo&zoom_cat%5B%5D=-1&zoom_per_page=20
External Links:[]
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