Is Uptown Funk plagiarism and what else was ‘stolen’ (borrowed!) in disco

This week the message came that Uptown Funk would be plagiarism. The Sequence, a rap group from the eighties (with no hits on their name) claimed the song would be quite like their song Funk You Up. I think the simularities are very very very little, but there are several cases where it is more obvious.

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Song of the day: Sheila & the B. Devotion- Spacer

In 1979, Sheila & the Black Devotion made the song they would be remembered for. Produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, who both were in Chic, it would be one of their bigger hits. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were successful with the sound they made with Chic, and were asked to use their knowledge in the production of other artists, such as Sister Sledge and Diana Ross. Sheila & the Black Devotion were, till their co-operation, a group which did not have a lot of success. This changed with the single Spacer, which managed to get top 10 positions over the world, and a number 18 position in the UK. Later, the song would be sampled for Crying In The Discotheque by Alcazar. Enjoy

Sheila & the Black Devotion- Spacer

Song of the day: Modjo- Lady (Hear Me Tonight)

In 2000, the French duo Modjo released a song which would immediately be a number 1 hit in the UK. The hit version was already a remix of the original mix. They used a sample from Chic, the song Soup For One. It also was number 1 in the US club chart. Enjoy

Modjo- Lady (Hear Me Tonight)

Nile Rodgers

For the people who’ve read this blog longer, or who have read a lot of posts, this choice is not a big surprise. They already know I’m a very BIG fan of disco. And this man has influenced disco a lot. Actually, he did not make a lot of  solo work, but I have not yet heard it. However, he was the brain behind lots of good disco acts. The man formed the group Chic, who are good!, he was the brain behind Sister Sledge, and later he was responsible as a producer for The Reflex (Duran Duran), Like A Virgin (Madonna), Let’s Dance (David Bowie) and that were just some of the records.

Nile Rodgers showed us in 2013 that he was never really away, by showing up for “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. Again, he had a big hit. And for 2014, he played on “Calling All Hearts”. This man changed the music in a very positive way, and therefore he definitively deserves a place in the Chris Hall Of Fame!

Song of the day: Chic- Le Freak

Man! Ever since the album Random Access Memories from Daft Punk was released, I heard the name Nile Rodgers everywhere. He played on a track on the album, produced the hits of Sister Sledge, he made music for David Bowie, he played on some other new hit, and of course he was in Chic! What a man can do in a life…

And what did I hear yesterday? The nominations for the Rock ‘n Roll Hall Of Fame are known: Nirvana, Yes, Kiss and…. Chic!
My preference? I really wouldn’t know. They are all great bands, but okay, Chic. I like disco…

Chic- Le Freak