By Charles Apple
The Spokesman-Review
Forty years ago Sunday, “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, becoming the final big hit of the disco era. Here’s a look at 53 essential No. 1 disco hits to help you remember how to shake, shake, shake your booty.
Shown: song, artist, when the single hit No. 1 and how long it spent there
Theme From Shaft
Isaac Hayes
Nov. 20, 1971
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Superstition
Stevie Wonder
Jan. 27, 1973
No. 1 for 1 week
Love Train
O’Jays
March 24, 1973
No. 1 for 1 week
Love’s Theme
Love Unlimited Orchestra
Feb. 9, 1974
No. 1 for 1 week
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)
MFSB and the Three Degrees
April 20, 1974
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Rock the Boat
The Hues Corporation
July 6, 1974
No. 1 for 1 week
Rock Your Baby
George McCrae
July 13, 1974
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Kung Fu Fighting
Carl Douglas
Dec. 7, 1974
No. 1 for 2 weeks
The Hustle
Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony
July 26, 1975
No. 1 for 1 week
Jive Talkin’
Bee Gees
Aug. 9, 1975
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Get Down Tonight
KC and the Sunshine Band
Aug. 30, 1975
No. 1 for 1 week
That’s the Way (I Like It)
KC and the Sunshine Band
Nov. 22, 1975
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Fly, Robin, Fly
Silver Convention
Nov. 29, 1975
No. 1 for 3 weeks
Love Machine
The Miracles
March 6, 1976
No. 1 for 1 week
December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)
The Four Seasons
March 13, 1976
No. 1 for 3 weeks
Disco Lady
Johnnie Taylor
April 3, 1976
No. 1 for 4 weeks
Boogie Fever
The Sylvers
May 15, 1976
No. 1 for 1 week
Love Hangover
Diana Ross
May 29, 1976
No. 1 for 2 weeks
You Should Be Dancing
Bee Gees
Sept. 4, 1976
No. 1 for 1 week
(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
KC and the Sunshine Band
Sept. 11, 1976
No. 1 for 1 week
A Fifth of Beethoven
Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band
Oct. 9, 1976
No. 1 for 1 week
Disco Duck
Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots
Oct. 16, 1976
No. 1 for 1 week
Dancing Queen
ABBA
April 9, 1977
No. 1 for 1 week
Sir Duke
Stevie Wonder
May 21, 1977
No. 1 for 3 weeks
I’m Your Boogie Man
KC and the Sunshine Band
June 11, 1977
No. 1 for 1 week
Got to Give It Up
Marvin Gaye
June 25, 1977
No. 1 for 1 week
I Just Want to Be Your Everything
Andy Gibb
July 30, 1977
No. 1 for 4 weeks
Best of My Love
The Emotions
Aug. 20, 1977
No. 1 for 5 weeks
Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band
Meco
Oct. 1, 1977
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Dec. 16, 1977
The disco-themed dance movie “Saturday Night Fever” starring John Travolta was released in theaters. The soundtrack album would spend 24 straight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
How Deep is Your Love
Bee Gees
Dec. 24, 1977
No. 1 for 3 weeks
Stayin’ Alive
Bee Gees
Feb. 4, 1978
No. 1 for 4 weeks
(Love is) Thicker Than Water
Andy Gibb
March 4, 1978
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Night Fever
Bee Gees
March 18, 1978
No. 1 for 8 weeks
If I Can’t Have You
Yvonne Elliman
May 13, 1978
No. 1 for 1 week
Shadow Dancing
Andy Gibb
June 17, 1978
No. 1 for 7 weeks
Boogie Oogie Oogie
A Taste of Honey
Sept. 9, 1978
No. 1 for 3 weeks
MacArthur Park
Donna Summer
Nov. 11, 1978
No. 1 for 3 weeks
Le Freak
Chic
Dec. 9, 1978
No. 1 for 6 weeks
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?
Rod Stewart
Feb. 10, 1979
No. 1 for 4 weeks
I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor
March 10, 1979
No. 1 for 3 weeks
Tragedy
Bee Gees
March 24, 1979
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Knock on Wood
Amii Stewart
April 21, 1979
No. 1 for 1 week
Heart of Glass
Blondie
April 28, 1979
No. 1 for 1 week
Hot Stuff
Donna Summer
June 2, 1979
No. 1 for 3 weeks
Love You Inside Out
Bee Gees
June 9, 1979
No. 1 for 1 week
Ring My Bell
Anita Ward
June 30, 1979
No. 1 for 2 weeks
July 12, 1979
“Disco Demolition Night” is held at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. D.J. Steve Dahl blows up disco albums. A riot breaks out. The second game of a doubleheader is canceled.
Bad Girls
Donna Summer
July 14, 1979
No. 1 for 5 weeks
Good Times
Chic
Aug. 18, 1979
No. 1 for 1 week
Don’t Stop ’Till You Get Enough
Michael Jackson
Oct. 13, 1979
No. 1 for 1 week
Rise
Herb Alphert
Oct. 20, 1979
No. 1 for 2 weeks
No More Tears (Enough is Enough)
Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer
Nov. 24, 1979
No. 1 for 2 weeks
Rock With You
Michael Jackson
Jan. 19, 1980
No. 1 for 4 weeks
Funkytown
Lipps Inc.
May 31, 1980
No. 1 for 4 weeks