4 Disco Hits That Will Make You Want to Dust off Your Go-Go Boots

If you were lucky enough to be alive during the late 70s disco craze, I envy you. Here are four fun songs that defined this period and still make us want to dance today.

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“Upside Down” by Diana Ross

It’s impossible not to love this groovy tune. Even King Charles once highlighted it as one of his favorite songs.

The idea for “Upside Down” was inspired by Diana Ross wanting to take her career in new directions.

Nile Rodgers, who helped write the track, told NME, “She said that she just wanted to turn her whole career upside down, and that was in our notes. But we thought that it would be more powerful in a romantic setting, so we wrote ‘Upside down, boy you turn me.’”

“Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind, And Fire and The Emotions

“Boogie Wonderland” might sound pretty fun and upbeat, but don’t get it twisted.

As writer Allie Willis admitted to SongFacts, “Boogie Wonderland” isn’t a happy song at all. The track was inspired by the film Looking For Mr. Goodbar. The movie explores the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s. Turns out, the song is more about the dark side of nightlife.

“When I saw ‘Mr. Goodbar’, I got kind of fascinated with people who did go to clubs every night,” she shared. “Whose life was kind of falling apart, but they lived for the nightlife, though it didn’t seem to be advancing them as humans in the end.”

“Rock With You” by Michael Jackson

Before Jackson released the disco-infused Off The Wall, he released “Rock With You” as a single second to “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough”.

That infectious beat, in combination with the way that Jackson’s voice glides over the track, is hard not to be addicted to.

“Disco Inferno” by The Trammps

This song was first released by The Trammps on their album bearing the same name. Then, in 1977, “Disco Inferno” was included on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, making it the group’s most enduring hit.

If you’re not partial to this version, both Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner have also covered it, if you’re curious.

Photo by: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images