Disco YouTube: KC And The Sunshine Band

KC took the advice of Diana Ross to always smile when performing — to never lose one's composure on stage. To watch him here in his prime, I see more to his stage presence than that. There's an innocence; his smile is so easy, so unaffected. He looks genuinely happy. Take his resolve to be the composed showman, throw in the sophistication of the 70s, add some outrageousness along with the requisite youthful rebellion, and you still get this sweet-faced lead singer of a hugely creative band playing the most happy dance music ever recorded!

This video is Get Down Tonight, performed at a Miami concert in 1975. Watch and listen to a great performance and a grand time for both performers and audience. It lasts about five and a half minutes and is still cut off at the end! I wanted it to see it to the last drop! It's the band's first Number One.

I read somewhere that KC had always felt that he was going to be famous. He's still doing concerts — more than when the band was at its hottest! That's the Way (I Like It) was a number-one on Billboard Top 100 in 1975. This video coming up is from the same Miami concert where you just listened to Get Down Tonight. KC and the Sunshine Band is excellent at entertaining the crowd and making people just feel good! They are in their element here.Unfortunately, the video was removed from YouTube. The replacement below is from The Midnight Special TV show.

KC was 58 this past January. He's been through some rough stuff, including the debauchery of drugs and alcohol (He decided to be a "bad boy" for a change after he quit the business due to burn-out — burn-out from the business and burn-out from being a good guy, I have gathered), a wreck where he was hit head-on by another vehicle and had to spend close to a year recuperating (He couldn't walk because the wreck had caused a pinched nerve), and weight gain (Nowadays, he tells his young audience members to get a good look at him, because they are seeing what Justin Timberlake is going to look like in 30 years!).

According to Billboard, (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty has the most repeated words in its title for any song ever to make it to a number one position. Released in 1976, it was number one on Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard's Hot Soul Singles. ...Here's Shake Your Booty!

I'm Your Boogie Man was number one In 1977 on Billboard Hot 100. In R&B, it reached number three. As you'll see in this video, it's yet another must-see performance Unfortunately, I've had to replace the first video. This one is still good, and with the added benefit that KC introduces the song. Give it a listen, and see for yourself. :)

Released in 1979, Please Don't Go was number one for one week in January of 1980. It's the band's try at a ballad. I'd say it was a success -- now, it's a classic song for heartbroken lovers everywhere. KC and the Sunshine Band broke up a week after it hit number one. I don't know if it's because of the band breaking up or because he's in the mood of the song, or if he's had it with the business, or he's on cocaine or something, or even if it's only my imagination, but KC just doesn't seem here to have that same happy spark. Still, a great song, a good performance, and I am very happy that the video is available for us all to enjoy again!

Rock Your Baby is actually the first number-one song for KC and Richard Finch -- as writers. They gave it to someone else -- George McCrae -- because the band didn't feel like it was a good match for KC's voice. Here's George McCrae performing it in 1974. The band was on a roll after this!

I have yet to tire of this song. Like a child who watches a movie or listens to a story being read over and over again, I can watch and listen to Boogie Shoes over and over and over! Can you believe it was a B-side (Shake Your Booty), and John Travolta danced to it for the movie Saturday Night Fever, but they didn't use it!? I want to see that out-take something fierce!