Back in 1975, many a 70s teen attended prom and jammed out to some disco-heavy songs, including a few one-hit wonders. The following three songs definitely made an appearance at almost every prom night that year (and a few years after, honestly), and I doubt anyone who was around in 1975 could forget them. Let’s take a trip back to Prom Night 1975, shall we?
“I’m On Fire” by 5000 Volts from ‘5000 Volts’
Remember this disco jam from 1975? 5000 Volts really had a hit on their hands with this addictive tune, due in part to Tina Charles’ legendary vocals. Listen closely, and you’ll hear a sample of “Black Is Black” by Los Bravos, too.
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“I’m On Fire” peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached the Top 20 across the board internationally. Unfortunately, 5000 Volts wouldn’t reach the Hot 100 again. They would later disband in 1977. Though, it’s worth noting that their 1976 song “Doctor Kiss Kiss” did find a bit of international success outside of the US.
“The Hustle” by Van McCoy from ‘Disco Baby’
I don’t think there’s a disco song more memorable and addicting than Van McCoy’s iconic anthem, “The Hustle”. Recorded with The Soul City Symphony, this song became an enormous hit on the charts across the board. It peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100, though McCoy would never have as big of a charting hit again. “The Hustle” also won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. And I know plenty of 70s teens were doing the hustle to this song at prom that year.
“Sky High” by Jigsaw from ‘Sky High’
Surprise! Another disco tune, this time with a bit of a pop-rock vibe. Jigsaw’s “Sky High” makes it to our list of one-hit wonders from 1975 that 70s teen prom-goers jammed out to, and it was a song that really did resonate with younger listeners in a big way. “Sky High” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart and No. 9 on the UK Singles chart. But outside of that one major hit, Jigsaw never quite made it to the Top 20 in the US again. Though, songs like “Love Fire” from 1976 and “If I Have To Go Away” from 1977 did decently.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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