Alicia Bridges -- I Love The Nightlife

 

I love the nightlife! I love to boogie! Indeed. Alas, though I knew about disco as a kid, I don't think I was ever quite old enough to partake in the various dances that sprouted up in the 1970s. Moreover, none of those school raffle tickets ever translated into enough money for me to get anywhere close to Toronto International Airport to fly down to Studio 54. I did have the bell-bottoms, though.

Reminiscings of Youth has had a few disco songs in the past such as Van McCoy's "The Hustle" and KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way (I Like It)" because I often do reminisce about my childhood that way. And another one that comes to mind is "I Love The Nightlife" by Alicia Bridges. And much like those other disco classics, this June 1978 single by Bridges first came to my ears via one of those K-Tel compilations on television.

It's crazy to say this but as high octane as "I Love The Nightlife" sounds, Bridges' magnum opus strikes me as being one of the most relaxing songs of the genre that I've ever heard. The reason for that is that arrangement and the images that it evokes of the time. New York City, once known as the most dangerous city on Earth and on the precipice of financial ruin at the time, was made into a rather contented setting through this song. Just imagine listening to "I Love The Nightlife" while forgetting about the troubles all around and getting gussied up for a disco night. Then it's all-night dancing and drinking and carousing with good friends for a number of hours. OK, I admit that what I've fantasized about is a little too utopian considering all of the drugs and the other stuff that were also bandied about at Studio 54. However, when I see all of the stuff around the world now compared to what it was like back then, it's easy for me to grow those rose-coloured glasses around my head.

In Canada, "I Love The Nightlife" hit No. 3 on RPM while in America, the disco anthem got as high as No. 5. But what else was being released in Japan in June 1978?

Hiromi Go & Kirin Kiki -- Ringo Satsujin Jiken （林檎殺人事件）

Southern All Stars -- Katte ni Sinbad （勝手にシンドバッド）

Pink Lady -- Monster （モンスター）