Our Top 10 Nile Rogers And Chic Songs list looks back at the songs of a group who had multiple big time hits in the late 1970s that crossed the genres of disco, soul and pop music. Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards would inspire countless musical artists with the sound they developed as the founders of the group Chic. Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards would also become two of the most respected and sought after musicians and music producers in pop music history over the course of a forty year period. Our Top 10 Chic songs list looks back at 10 of our favorite Chic songs that will make you want to jump up and dance until the wee hours of the morning.
# 10 – I’ll Be There
We open up our top 10 Nile Rogers And Chic Songs list with the perfect track to introduce anyone to the sound of Chic who may be unfamiliar with the band. Of course, this is not Chic from the 1970s but rather a great tribute from Nile Rogers and Chic recorded in 2015 as a tribute to those classic 1970s legendary days. It is a brand new song that samples grooves and melodies from Chic’s 1970s glory days.
# 9 – Soup For One
Continuing with our Top 10 Chic songs we head back to a great Chic song released in the early 1980s. The song was released on the soundtrack to the motion picture Soup for One in 1982. This is a slow laid back funk groove that just oozes with soul….. The song “Soup For One,” was a top 20 hit on the Billboard R&B music charts.
# 8 – Chic Mystique
At number eight on our top 10 Chic Songs list we present the great track “Chic Mystique.” Listen to that drum and bass groove at the song’s start. A few measures into the song the legendry Chic guitar riff starts grooving away and bam your right in the middle of a classic Chic groove. I saw this CD in the stores in 92 and said to myself “No way, a new Chic album?” I brought the CD instantly. So did a lot of other people as the band had themselves another number one record on the U.S. Billboard Dance Charts in 1992 with the great song “Chic Mystique.”
# 7 – Rebels We Are
Chic’s great song “Rebels We Are, “grabs your attention within seconds. The song’s great tremolo guitar lick sets the stage for those classic vocals that hit you hard. The song “Rebels We Are,” was released on the album Real People in 1980. The song broke the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Soul/Black Singles charts. It also broke the Top 40 on the Billboard Dances charts as well as reaching the 61st position on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.
# 6 – My Forbidden Lover
At number six on this top 10 Chic songs list we finally make our way to the classic Chic album entitled Risqué. The album was released during the summer of 1979. “My Forbidden Lover,” was the second single released from the album. The song followed up the album’s smash debut single called “Good Times.” While “My Forbidden Lover,” did not celebrate the same success as the song “Good Times,” did, it was still a hit record. The song peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a top 40 hit on the U.S. Billboard Dance charts. Chic scored the most success with the song in the United Kingdom where it became a top 20 hit.
# 5 – Everybody Dance
As we cross on into the second half of our top 10 Chic songs list we present some of Chic’s biggest hits. We start with the great song “Everybody Dance.” The song was released as the second single from their debut album entitled Chic in 1977. The song would become the group’s second straight number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Disco Music Charts. It would also break the top 20 on the Billboard R&B charts as well as slip into the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
# 4 – Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)
Do you remember this classic song entitled “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah),” You might not remember the title, but you will remember the song. “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah),” stands as Chic’s first hit single. The song was released on their debut album in 1977. The song hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Dance Music charts. It also broke the top 10 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts peaking at number six on both charts.
# 3 – I Want Your Love
The next three Nile Rogers And Chic songs were massive mega hits for the group and define the sound of the dance music era of the late 1970s. Along with Donna Summer and The Bee Gees, the music of Chic filled the discos around the world in 1977, 1978 and 1979. The track “I Want Your Love,” was released in 1978 on the album C’est Chic. The song hit number one on the U.S. Billboard Dance Music charts. It also broke the top 10 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts peaking at number seven on the Hot 100 and number five on the R&B charts.
# 2 – Le Freak
At number two on our top 10 Nile Rogers And Chic Songs list is a pretty big one. We bet pretty big odds that no matter how old you are, at least one time in your life you have danced to the classic Chic song called “Le Freak.” The song became the group’s first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It also hit number one on the Billboard R&B charts. The song sold over four million records making it the group’s most successful song of their career from a commercial standpoint. Yes, four million records sold.
# 1 – Good Times
Words can’t describe how popular the song “Good Times,” was in 1979. Every night club, bar and saloon that owned a juke box made a lot of money on this song. It was easily the most played 45 vinyl single in those jukeboxes. Talk about a song that could get the party started. “Good Times,” was so perfectly titled. Over forty years later, one cant help but want to get up and dance the moment they hear the song’s opening notes.
“Good Times,” was a massive commercial success for Chic. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of 1979. While disco at the time was beginning to simmer a bit just a little, the song “Good Times,” was really more a soul record than a disco song. Of course, most people categorized it as disco, but the song had a bass line and groove that went beyond the standard disco grooves. This was something completely new. It was such a fresh sound, it would inspire many artists to copy that groove into their own sound. John Deacon of Queen who was friends with Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards took Chic’s bass line and rhythmic groove of the song “Good Times,” and turned it into one of Queen’s biggest hits of all time entitled “Another One Bites The Dust.”
Chic’s “Good Times,” not only inspired many future songs written and recorded by multiple artists to copy the rhythmic groove of the song, it can be argued that the song served as an inspiration to Quincy Jones and what he accomplished with Michael Jackson on the Thriller album which was released only a couple of years later. Of course, we can’t fail to mention how many times the song “Good Times,” has been sampled by hip hop and rap artists over the past forty years. There are various pivotal moments in music history when one song can change the direction or at least open up and inspire a new path for artists. The release of the single “Good Times,” was one of those moments.
Feature Photo At The Top of Page – Photo: Alex Marshall, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Top 10 Chic Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
