hit and run pass on

BBC Radio 2 remembers the Second Summer of Love – 20 years after the acid house scene exploded in the UK – with a season of programmes dedicated to Dance Music and a poll to find the greatest dance record of all time.

From Saturday 21 June, Zoe Ball traces the evolution of the musical genre, from the early days of Northern Soul to the present day, in a three-part series, The Definitive History Of UK Dance Music.

Now that the original ravers have grown up, perhaps settled down with children of their own, Radio 2 considers how today's music scene compares with a youth movement that burst out of the clubs and integrated itself into popular culture.

In Acid House – The Next Generation, DJ Chris Coco speaks to ravers young and old – from promoters, musicians and DJs like Carl Cox and Dave Haslam, who helped kick-start a dance music revolution, to new kids on the block like New Young Pony Club and Klaxons (the Mercury-winning poster boys of "Nu Rave").

As contributors reminisce about their own Summers Of Love, Chris ponders the tricky question of how much information he should share with his own teenage son.

And in Don't Start Me Talking About... Dance Music – the latest addition to Radio 2's oral history series – UK clubbers share their memories.

A panel of dance music experts has drawn up a shortlist of 20 records which span the years and reflect their musical merit and importance in the narrative of UK dance music.

Listeners can hear clips and vote for the tune that really gets them dancing at bbc.co.uk/radio2 from Friday 6 June.

The voting closes at midnight on Saturday 14 June and Zoe Ball will reveal the results in a three-part series, The Greatest Dance Records Of All Time, beginning Tuesday 1 July.

Notes to Editors

For the shortlist of dance tracks, details of the selection criteria and the panel of music experts, please visit bbc.co.uk/radio2.

Voting opens at 2.00pm on Friday 6 June and closes at 23.59 on Saturday 14 June.

The shortlist of 20 songs – in date order – are:

Artist Track Year

The Charades Key To My Happiness 1966

James Brown Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine 1970

The Detroit Spinners I'll Be Around 1972 Cymande Bra 1973

Maceo & The Macks Cross The Tracks 1974

Donna Summer I Feel Love 1977 Loleatta Holloway Runaway 1977

Gloria Gaynor This Love Affair 1978

Gwen McRae All This Love That I'm Giving 1979

Michael Jackson Billie Jean

1983 Marshall Jefferson Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem) 1986

MARRS Pump Up the Volume 1987 Steve ‘Silk' Hurley Jack Your Body 1987

Rhythim is Rhythim Strings of Life 1987

S-Express Theme from S-Express 1988

Inner City Big Fun 1988

Fingers Inc. Can You Feel It 1988

Soul II Soul Keep On Movin' 1989

Alison Limerick Where Love Lives 1994

Jakatta American Dream (Joey Negro Mix) 2001

Radio 2's Dance Music Season:

looks good when are these shows on ? seen good footage of the summer of love on TV was a touch young myself ...

what time ?

here's the bit had left off

Radio 2's Dance Music Season:

The Definitive History Of UK Dance Music (Unique Productions) - begins Saturday 21 June at 7.00pm

Acid House - The Next Generation - Tuesday 24 June at 10.30pm

Don't Start Me Talking About... Dance Music - Friday 27 June at 7.00pm

The Greatest Dance Records Of All Time (Unique Productions) - begins Tuesday 1 July at 11.30pm

Behind The Velvet Rope: Studio 54 Uncovered (revised repeat) - Saturday 12 July at 7.00pm

Saturday Night Chill (repeat) - Saturday 19 July at 7.00pm 6.6.08.

"The Key To My Happiness" - The Charades????

As one of the Greatest Dance records of all time???

Someone's having a laugh aren't they?

Who are the so-called experts?

Surely it's patently ridiculous to have the Charades as the 60's example isn't it?

For a start, it was never even released in the UK, no one outside of Northern Soul knows it and, good though it is, it wouldn't even be in the Top 500 Northern records would it?

Just bizarre and incredibly stupid. It's put me off already.............

Ian D

"The Key To My Happiness" - The Charades????

As one of the Greatest Dance records of all time???

Someone's having a laugh aren't they?

Who are the so-called experts?

Surely it's patently ridiculous to have the Charades as the 60's example isn't it?

For a start, it was never even released in the UK, no one outside of Northern Soul knows it and, good though it is, it wouldn't even be in the Top 500 Northern records would it?

Just bizarre and incredibly stupid. It's put me off already.............

Ian D

Couldn't have put it better myself

Surely a Motown, Atlantic or Stax track would have been more appropriate from the 60's?? Especially in terms of broader appeal across the country back then I would have thought........though I was still a nipper in the 60s

As for The Charades track, I suspect that as they are talking about the Northen scene in the program then they needed a record from the northern scene and I suspect they were trying to be different from the more obvious choices........but agree, certainly wouldn't have been my choice

Couldn't have put it better myself

Surely a Motown, Atlantic or Stax track would have been more appropriate from the 60's?? Especially in terms of broader appeal across the country back then I would have thought........though I was still a nipper in the 60s

As for The Charades track, I suspect that as they are talking about the Northen scene in the program then they needed a record from the northern scene and I suspect they were trying to be different from the more obvious choices........but agree, certainly wouldn't have been my choice

Yep, it just doesn't make any sense at all.

Maybe "This Old Heart Of Mine", "Dancing In The Street", "Landslide", "Tainted Love" or "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" or, in fact, several thousand other more popular records which would be a better example of a 60's Dance Classic and would be better than "Key To My Happiness" which wasn't even played until the early 70's anyway, never released here and really wasn't a massive record on the Northern scene either compared to others.

It's just nuts.

It's probably the choice of a 25 year old researcher who doesn't have a clue!

It's already got a massive beacon which is screaming 'not to be taken seriously' before it's even aired!

You'd think the BBC would have a bit more bloody sense wouldn't you? This is just embarassing............

Ian D

Yep, it just doesn't make any sense at all.

Maybe "This Old Heart Of Mine", "Dancing In The Street", "Landslide", "Tainted Love" or "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" or, in fact, several thousand other more popular records which would be a better example of a 60's Dance Classic and would be better than "Key To My Happiness" which wasn't even played until the early 70's anyway, never released here and really wasn't a massive record on the Northern scene either compared to others.

It's just nuts.

It's probably the choice of a 25 year old researcher who doesn't have a clue!

It's already got a massive beacon which is screaming 'not to be taken seriously' before it's even aired!

You'd think the BBC would have a bit more bloody sense wouldn't you? This is just embarassing............

Ian D

Yes also fronted by Zoe Ball so expect quite an emphasis on FatBoy Slim in the programmes about the later years of the dance scene. Plus her dad cut me up in a petrol station once......I'll give him Think Of A Number

Edited June 10, 200817 yr by El Corol

Yes also fronted by Zoe Ball so expect quite an emphasis on FatBoy Slim in the programmes about the later years of the dance scene. Plus her dad cut me up in a petrol station once......I'll give him Think Of A Number

Mmmm, might be better for 'em to just drop the 60's angle completely and concentrate on the 70's onwards methinks........

Doesn't do the 60's a good service at all which is ironic considering the word 'discotheque' was coined to describe 60's clubs.........

Ian D

Yep, it just doesn't make any sense at all.

Maybe "This Old Heart Of Mine", "Dancing In The Street", "Landslide", "Tainted Love" or "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" or, in fact, several thousand other more popular records which would be a better example of a 60's Dance Classic and would be better than "Key To My Happiness" which wasn't even played until the early 70's anyway, never released here and really wasn't a massive record on the Northern scene either compared to others.

It's just nuts.

It's probably the choice of a 25 year old researcher who doesn't have a clue!

It's already got a massive beacon which is screaming 'not to be taken seriously' before it's even aired!

You'd think the BBC would have a bit more bloody sense wouldn't you? This is just embarassing............

Ian D

You watch Its probably Steve Wright,who is the expert in every thing,It will be like all the rest of the 50-20 best ever crap shows,a load of has beens,telling us how good it was.

Kev

Listeners can hear clips and vote for the tune that really gets them dancing at bbc.co.uk/radio2 from Friday 6 June.

Rhythim is Rhythim Strings of Life 1987

Yep, it just doesn't make any sense at all.

Maybe "This Old Heart Of Mine", "Dancing In The Street", "Landslide", "Tainted Love" or "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" or, in fact, several thousand other more popular records which would be a better example of a 60's Dance Classic and would be better than "Key To My Happiness" which wasn't even played until the early 70's anyway, never released here and really wasn't a massive record on the Northern scene either compared to others.

It's just nuts.

It's probably the choice of a 25 year old researcher who doesn't have a clue!

It's already got a massive beacon which is screaming 'not to be taken seriously' before it's even aired!

You'd think the BBC would have a bit more bloody sense wouldn't you? This is just embarassing............

Ian D

sorry ian got to dissagree with you on this, if one of the better known northern tunes was selected the outcry would have been *typical bbc* would it not? also just because it wasnt played in the 60`s isnt really that relevent. and how many of the other selected sounds will still be danced to in 35 years time? not too many me thinks.Surely charades gets spins play now than the 5 you mentioned

yours in aspic

jules

sorry ian got to dissagree with you on this, if one of the better known northern tunes was selected the outcry would have been *typical bbc* would it not? also just because it wasnt played in the 60`s isnt really that relevent. and how many of the other selected sounds will still be danced to in 35 years time? not too many me thinks.Surely charades gets spins play now than the 5 you mentioned

yours in aspic

jules

Well gotta disagree Jules.

This is for 'The Greatest Dance Record Of All Time' which will be chosen by a public vote. I hardly think "The Key To My Happiness" will garner many votes from the UK public LOL.....

"Band Of Gold", "Tears Of A Clown", "There's A Ghost In My House" etc would maybe pull some healthy votes since the UK public has actually heard of 'em since they were all massive UK hit records unlike "The Key To My Happiness" which has never been released in the UK and is unknown outside of Northern Soul circles.

Anyway, I'll guess we'll see when the votes come in.

Anyone wanna take a bet on the Charades winning?

Ian D

Would agree that The Charades is a strange choice for the Northern record.

Very difficult to choose between the 20 songs but think Mr Fingers - Can You Feel It would be my choice....over 20 years old and still sounds fantastic....a true masterpiece.

Original and best version, without the vocal....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0fUZ2O8uV0...feature=related

"The Key To My Happiness" - The Charades????

As one of the Greatest Dance records of all time???

Someone's having a laugh aren't they?

Who are the so-called experts?

Surely it's patently ridiculous to have the Charades as the 60's example isn't it?

For a start, it was never even released in the UK, no one outside of Northern Soul knows it and, good though it is, it wouldn't even be in the Top 500 Northern records would it?

Just bizarre and incredibly stupid. It's put me off already.............

Ian D

==============

I love the record, but representative of 1966? Would have thought four tops would have been more apt.

According to the trailer I heard on Radio 2 last night......the records were picked by a panel of experts!!! so whose the expert on the 60s then??

As Ian and myself are saying surely other tracks are more representative of what was being played in disco's and clubs back then as a nation and got more people onto the dancefloor than The Charades (which if it was ever played in a club in this country in the 60's...then I'll happily get me coat )

As i said I was a nipper in the 60's, but as a teenager in the 70's The Hustle and Rock Me Baby got more people on the dancefloor at me school disco than Love On A Mountain Top! and when I hit proper discos, the Bee Gees, Garys Gang, Brothers Johnson and Motown etc filled the floor. This programme is about The Greatest Dance Records Of All Time........which to me would imply it to be about records that were of mass appeal to the dancefloor...........if it is about more underground scenes then ok go for more obscure tunes!

Come on the older guys and gals what were you dancing to in mainstream clubs back in the 60's....we can take our own poll

Rob

"The Key To My Happiness" - The Charades????

As one of the Greatest Dance records of all time???

Someone's having a laugh aren't they?

Who are the so-called experts?

Surely it's patently ridiculous to have the Charades as the 60's example isn't it?

For a start, it was never even released in the UK, no one outside of Northern Soul knows it and, good though it is, it wouldn't even be in the Top 500 Northern records would it?

Just bizarre and incredibly stupid. It's put me off already.............

Ian D

Are you serious Ian, it's one of the greatest Northern records ever made and thoroughly deserves to be in any top 10 of any music - I can't think of a getter example of the archetypal northern soul track. Change the battery in your deaf aid grandad...

Footnote. Ian Levine asked me to say that he chose The Charades and Gloria Gaynor because it is all about the records that were most influential to the individual, not to the history of dance music and he regards the Charades as the best Northern Soul record ever made and is as proud and unrepentant with his choices as he was when he made the Four Vandals.

I am just the messenger.

Are you serious Ian, it's one of the greatest Northern records ever made and thoroughly deserves to be in any top 10 of any music - I can't think of a getter example of the archetypal northern soul track. Change the battery in your deaf aid grandad...

Nowt wrong with my ears youngster!

Great record though it is, it's a lousy choice 'cos no none-Northern soul listener will vote for it.

Just wait and see and then I'll remind everyone of this thread once the vote's come in!

Ian D

Footnote. Ian Levine asked me to say that he chose The Charades and Gloria Gaynor because it is all about the records that were most influential to the individual, not to the history of dance music and he regards the Charades as the best Northern Soul record ever made and is as proud and unrepentant with his choices as he was when he made the Four Vandals.

I am just the messenger.

Oh, NOW it all makes sense LOL!

But typical of Ian, it's just not right for a Radio 2 popular vote. He's blown with that choice I'm afraid.

Funnily enough both of his choices didn't really crack it in the decades they were released. The Charades didn't get played until the 70's and Gloria Gaynor didn't crack it 'til the 80's - great records though they are.

He'll argue till he's blue in the face, but I still think there were a zillion better choices to better represent the 60's and 70's.

I'll get earache over this LOL. He's already phoned up tonight and I'll be at another one of his launches shortly where I'll get him to publically apologise for losing the vote!

Ian D

Nowt wrong with my ears youngster!

Great record though it is, it's a lousy choice 'cos no none-Northern soul listener will vote for it.

Just wait and see and then I'll remind everyone of this thread once the vote's come in!

Ian D

the thing is you could say the same for 'strings of life', who outside the early rave scene is going to have heard of this, although it is most definitely the best house track of the time and sent people crazy when they heard it

at least we can be thankful they didnt choose frank wilson or the snake