Disco Inferno

For other uses, see Disco Inferno (disambiguation).

"Disco Inferno"
Single by The Trammps
from the album Disco Inferno
B-side	"You Touch My Hot Line"
Released	1976
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	1976
Genre	Disco, funk
Length	10:53
Label	Atlantic
Writer(s)	Leroy Green, Ron Kersey
The Trammps singles chronology
"Soul Searchin' Time" (1976) "Disco Inferno" (1976) "I Feel Like I've Been Livin' (On the Dark Side of the Moon)" (1977)
Saturday Night Fever track listing Side A "Stayin' Alive" "How Deep Is Your Love" "Night Fever" "More Than a Woman" "If I Can't Have You" Side B "A Fifth of Beethoven" "More Than a Woman" "Manhattan Skyline" "Calypso Breakdown" Side C "Night on Disco Mountain" "Open Sesame" "Jive Talkin'" "You Should Be Dancing" Boogie Shoes" Side D "Salsation" "K-Jee" "Disco Inferno"

"Disco Inferno" is a 1976 song by The Trammps from the album of the same name. It became a success in 1978 after being included on the soundtrack to the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever. The title alludes to the 1974 film The Towering Inferno, and the "Burn, baby, burn" chorus references a saying attributed to activist Bill Epton.

It was also notably covered by Cyndi Lauper on the A Night at the Roxbury soundtrack and Tina Turner on the What's Love Got to Do with It? soundtrack.

Song information

The song was originally performed by the Trammps in 1976 and released as a single. Although it topped the U.S. Disco chart, it was not a significant success at pop radio, peaking at number fifty-three on the Billboard Hot 100. According to famed mixer Tom Moulton (who mixed the record), the Dolby levels had been set incorrectly during the mixdown of the tracks. When engineer Jay Mark discovered the error and corrected it, the mix had a much wider dynamic than was commonly accepted at the time. Due to this, the record seems to "jump out" at the listener.

"Disco Inferno" gained much greater recognition once it was included on the soundtrack to the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, this time in extended form running nearly 11 minutes. Re-released by Atlantic Records, the track peaked at number eleven in the U.S. during the spring of 1978, becoming the Trammps' biggest and most-recognized single. Later, it was included in the Saturday Night Fever musical, interpreted by the 'DJ Monty' in the "Odissey 2001" discothèque.

The song also became an unofficial theme song for former New York Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams. It was often played at old Yankee Stadium while the scoreboard and video systems displayed the phrase "Bern Baby Bern," a play on the song's refrain and Williams' first name.

In 1996, "Disco Inferno" was included on the soundtrack to the cult comedy classic Kingpin, and featured in two pivotal scenes in which Roy Munson (played by Woody Harrelson) confidently strolls into a bowling alley. The scenes and the song embody the promise of the mid to late seventies.

On September 19, 2005, "Disco Inferno" was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame.

The song was used during the trailer to the Adam Sandler comedy, Bedtime Stories.

Cover versions

"Disco Inferno"
Single by Tina Turner
from the album What's Love Got to Do with It
B-side	"I Don't Wanna Fight" (Single edit)
Released	1993
Format	CD Single
Recorded	1993
Genre	Pop
Length	4:03
Label	Parlophone Records
Writer(s)	Green, Kersey
Producer	Tina Turner, Chris Lord-Alge, Roger Davies
Tina Turner singles chronology
"I Don't Wanna Fight" (1993) "Disco Inferno" (1993) "Why Must We Wait Until Tonight" (1993)

"Disco Inferno"
Single by Cyndi Lauper
from the album A Night at the Roxbury soundtrack
Released	1999
Recorded	1999
Genre	Pop
Label	Jellybean Records
Writer(s)	Green, Kersey
Producer	Cyndi Lauper, Mark Saunders, Jan Pulsford
Cyndi Lauper singles chronology
"Early Christmas Morning (1998) "Disco Inferno" (1999) "Shine" (2001)

Tina Turner version

Tina Turner covered the song in 1993 for the What's Love Got to Do with It soundtrack and it charted at number twelve in the UK Singles Chart, 4 places higher than The Trammps' version (#16). The single included remixes by The Beatmasters.

Versions and remixes

• Album Version - 4:03
• 12" Version - 5:33
• 12" Dub - 6:57

Cyndi Lauper version

Lauper performed this song live for the first time at New York, Bryant Park on June 21, 1998

In the Billboard magazine dated May 16, 1998 in the "Dance Trax" column, there was a story on remixers Bobby Guy and Ernie Lake, aka Soul Solution: "They are working with Cyn on a chest-pounding rendition of 'Disco Inferno'. The cut will be featured on the forthcoming soundtrack to A Night At Roxbury."

Although the original release date of the maxi single was August 3, 1999, it was distributed from July 24 in some regions. The single was officially released in the U.S. on December 16, 1999. Lauper performed it at many shows around the time of its release.

Official Versions

1. Boris & Beck Roxy Edit Dub
2. Boris & Beck Roxy Dub
3. Club Mix
4. Rescue Me Mix
5. Soul Solution A Capella
6. Soul Solution Drumapella
7. Soul Solution Mix
8. Soul Solution Radio Edit

Accolades

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
1999	"Disco Inferno"	Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording	Nominated

Other cover versions

• Players Association covered the song as a single release in 1979.
• Dread Zeppelin covered the song on their 1992 album It's Not Unusual.
• Australian singer Marcia Hines covered "Disco Inferno" on her 2006 album Discothèque.

Sampling

• Fast Eddie sampled "Disco Inferno" on his "I Want You, Girl"
• Madonna performed her vocals from "Music" over an instrumental version of this song on her 2006 Confessions Tour creating the mash-up "Music Inferno".
• UK dance act Baby Bumps released their song "Burning" in August 1998 which was a modern remake of "Disco Inferno", it was essentially a 'cover' of the songs intro riff and chorus looped over a modern house beat. Although the vocals recorded were much more in the style of Tina Turner's version. It reached No.17 on the UK Top 40.
• Punk icon John Otway and Steps songwriter Barry Upton used the song as the backing for John's 2nd Top Ten Hit Bunsen Burner.

Appearances in other media

• Rapper The Notorious B.I.G. mentioned the song in "Who Shot Ya" from his 1994 album Ready To Die. The Lyrics are: "old school, new school need to learn though/I burn baby burn like disco inferno".
• A version of the song recorded by The Earl Young Band was included in the 1999 video game Dungeon Keeper 2. song plays along with the announcer's voice stating "Jackpot winner!" whenever a minion wins a jackpot in the casino.
• In the 2008 video game Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed, the song is played when the player (Crypto) needs people around them to be distracted.
• This song is used as the "Disco Fever" button in the 2008 video game, Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon.
• The song was hummed by character David Brent during his infamous dance in the TV series The Office.
• The song was referenced in the third episode of the first series of the British sitcom Phoenix Nights by Fire Safety Officer and canine friend Keith Lard Keith Lard, who mistakenly believed the lyrics to be a news article relating to a night-club fire in America, much to the amusement of his audience.
• The recording by The Trammps was played in the 1997 film Donnie Brasco and 2004 film What the Bleep Do We Know!?.
• The song is played in the 1998 film Little Voice.
• The Trammps' version appeared on the Grand Theft Auto IV expansion pack The Ballad of Gay Tony.
• The bonus costume in the "Dark Forest" pack for Dante's Inferno is called "Disco Inferno Dante".
• The song is performed live by Westlife on their The Number Ones Tour.
• In the video game Bulletstorm, which is set in the 26th Century, this song plays in an abandoned dance club. The player character remarks "This classical music explains World War III."
• In Hobo With A Shotgun as a villain uses a flamethrower on a school bus full of children.

Chart performance

The Trammps version

Chart (1977)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1
Chart (1977)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	11
UK Singles Chart	16

Tina Turner version

Chart (1993)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	12
UK Airplay Chart	3
U.S Hot Dance Club Play	8
Irish Singles Chart	13
New Zealand Singles Chart	25

Cyndi Lauper version

Chart (1999)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	8
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales	12

Preceded by "Don't Leave Me This Way" / "Any Way You Like It" by Thelma Houston

Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "Starvin'" and "Body Contact Contract") February 5, 1977 - March 12, 1977

Succeeded by "Do What You Wanna Do" by T-Connection