The Best "Disco" Band from the 70s
In his youth, KC (Harry Wayne Casey), of KC and the Sunshine Band, had a happy, smiling face that always touched me when I saw him play and sing his music on TV — songs such as Get Down Tonight, That's the Way (I Like It), (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, I Am Your Boogie Man, and my all-time favorite, Boogie Shoes. I remember playing that on the tape deck in the car each time I drove somewhere. It's feel-good music from an extraordinary band that worked very hard to entertain us and make us happy. I now present you with their five U.S. number-one hits, along with Boogie Shoes — it never reached number one on Billboard, but it's got to be here!
Album cover photo: Very Best of KC & the Sunshine Band
Album cover photo: Very Best of KC & the Sunshine Band
Get Down Tonight
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
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 is Get Down Tonight 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.
This is Get Down Tonight 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.
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That's the Way (I Like It)
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
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.
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Facts About KC And The Sunshine Band
Did you know...
- KC and the Sunshine Band is NOT a disco band. They're R&B and funk; they just happened to be around at the time of disco offering up some excellent dance music!
- Upon hearing them on the radio for the first time, some people assumed that KC was African American.
- There's a reason for the repetitive phrases and words in the band's songs. KC worked in a record store; untold numbers of sales were lost because people came in wanting a particular song but couldn't remember the name of it. Business-savvy KC wanted his song titles to be memorable!
- There are only two original band members touring now: Harry Wayne Casey (KC) and Fermin Goytisolo.
(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
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 an entertaining, get-up-and-dance rendition from the Hard Rock Cafe. Unfortunately, because of copyright law, there is no video available.
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 an entertaining, get-up-and-dance rendition from the Hard Rock Cafe. Unfortunately, because of copyright law, there is no video available.
I'm Your Boogie Man
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
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, because of copyright law, there is no video available for I'm Your Boogie Man, either.
Please Don't Go
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
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 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!
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Rock Your Baby
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
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!
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KC and the Sunshine Band Perform Rock Your Baby (Instrumental)
Sure wish I had been there!
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Boogie Shoes
Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch
I have yet to tire of this song. Like a kid 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!
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KC and the Sunshine Band Today
A good thirty years later and KC and the Sunshine Band is still giving the people their all. Here, KC sings That's the Way I Like It. You can see the crowd, both young and old, still grooving to the beat. Keep it comin' loves!
This video is shown here at regular quality for folks with a slower Internet connection. If you want to view it at higher quality, go here. Right beneath the video, choose watch in high quality.
This video is shown here at regular quality for folks with a slower Internet connection. If you want to view it at higher quality, go here. Right beneath the video, choose watch in high quality.
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Can't Get Enough KC And The Sunshine Band!
See a whole concert filmed in 1981
Listed at YouTube in 10 segments, KC and the Sunshine Band perform in concert at Viña del Mar singing their own hits and others as well -- including We Don't Need No Education (Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall, Part II), and Dancing in the Street (first, a number-two hit for Martha and the Vandellas). He also duets with one of the backup singers singing Yes, I'm Ready -- a classic from Barbara Mason made into a hit again when KC dueted with Teri De Sario.
Squidoo Box Office
What number-one hit from KC and the Sunshine Band is your favorite?
Let's throw in Boogie Shoes as well. Maybe it'll finally reach the top!
Shop KC And The Sunshine Band
Make this music your own...
Do It Good
Amazon Price: (as of 01/05/2010)
KC and the Sunshine Band's first album. Some songs you may have never heard -- including Blow Your Whistle, Queen of Clubs, Sound Your Funky Horn, and I'm a Pushover. Well worth checking out.
KC & The Sunshine Band
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 01/05/2010)
Contains the number-one hits Get Down Tonight, and That's the Way (I Like It). Also in this line-up is Boogie Shoes, and I Get Lifted.
Part 3
Amazon Price: $12.98 (as of 01/05/2010)
Includes the number-one hits (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty, I'm Your Boogie Man, and Keep It Comin' Love -- as well as Wrap Your Arms Around Me and I Like to Do It.
Do You Wanna Go Party
Amazon Price: $6.93 (as of 01/05/2010)
Includes the hit ballad Please Don't Go and the disco favorite Do You Wanna Go Party.
Looking For More KC and the Sunshine Band Music?
Check out these results from Amazon.
KC and the Sunshine Band Tunes
Tunes you MUST hear (if you haven't yet)
I love these songs! Handpicked for you, MP3s from Amazon that all KC and the Sunshine Band fans need to hear! Listen to them right now from this page; if you like them as much as I do, click and buy them directly from Amazon.
Don't You Just Love This Happy Music?
What do you think about KC and the Sunshine Band?
I hope you enjoyed you visit. Love and appreciation to my Squidoo visitors and my Google visitors. Thank you so much. By the way, you don't have to be on Squidoo to comment. Do share your KC commentary here. I would love to hear it! ...Special thank-you to Loni Reeder for stopping by and leaving a comment!
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- OhMe OhMe Nov 16, 2009 @ 2:56 am
- Of course, you know that I just have to Bless KC and the Sunshine Band!
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Aug 22, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
- uh huh uh huh -- that's the way I like it ! Boogie on down tonight. ;)
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- 24websurf 24websurf Aug 17, 2009 @ 11:24 pm
- I do love this band! There is not much that will get you dancing they way they do! Awesome lens! Thanks for the party invite!
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- BevsPaper BevsPaper Aug 3, 2009 @ 12:35 am
- Got my BBBBoogie Shoes on! I loved this band!
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- Loni Reeder Loni Reeder Jul 19, 2009 @ 1:16 am
- Great write-up! I'm fortunate to have an even more inside view to this amazing band and story, as I am the personal manager/publicist for the band's co-founder and original bassist and co-writer of all of their songs, Producer/Arranger, Rick Finch (www.rickfinch.com) - if anyone is interested, Rick will be co-hosting "70's Saturday Night" with Kevin Kirschner (93.3 WLZT Columbus) on July 25th, 2009 FROM 7-10 p.m. Eastern (4-7 p.m. Pacific) --- pleases stop by Rick's web site for more details (oh... and while you're there, be sure to sign the guestbook - he reads every comment!!!). The show will be streamed LIVE on the Internet and they will be taking questions on the air and via email...... Thanks, and let's keep working together to keep GREAT MUSIC ALIVE!!!!!!
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- Sojourn Sojourn Jul 12, 2009 @ 9:25 pm
- One of my first 45s was KC and the Sunshine band! I used to know all the words. They must be using That's the Way I Like It in some children's show or movie these days because I caught my six year old singing it the other day and I've never played it for him. Cracked me up! :)
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- spirituality spirituality Apr 9, 2009 @ 2:44 am
- Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Mar 12, 2009 @ 1:31 pm
- That's the way a huh a huh I like it .... ! Love KC!
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- marsha32 marsha32 Mar 7, 2009 @ 8:54 am
- I found this cool band lens while looking through your tweets this morning.
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- drifter0658 drifter0658 Mar 3, 2009 @ 9:25 pm
- Very cool. And right on, they were funk and R&B. I live in the home of funk and went to school (elementary) with 2 members of the Ohio Players..the best Funk Band this side of anywhere. Although, I do remember being in the most amazing 'bump' line while K.C. was blaring.
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