"Devil's Gun" is a 1977 song by
C. J. & Company from the
album of the same name. "Devil's Gun" was written by
Barry Green (also known as Barry Blue),
Ron Roker
Ronald Ernest Alfred Roker (born 23 January 1941) is an English songwriter, singer and record producer
Roker has written UK chart hits for Jackie Lee, The Fortunes, Barry Blue, Tina Charles, Polly Brown, The Pearls, The Real Thing and Swee ...
, and Gerry Shury and produced by Mike Theodore and
Dennis Coffey.
Along with the tracks "We Got Our Own Thing" and "Sure Can't Go to the Moon", the song went to number one for five weeks on the
''Billboard'' disco/dance chart. The single also peaked at #2 on the
R&B chart
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
. and at #36 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
The song's longevity had it barely cut the 1977 year-end chart despite its low peak position, at #100. The song would remain the lowest peaked song to appear in the year end for 37 years, and even unmatched for 20 years.
Chart performance
Popular culture
*The song is notable for being the first record played at the opening of
Studio 54
Studio 54 is a Broadway theater and a former disco nightclub at 254 West 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Operated by the Roundabout Theatre Company, Studio 54 has 1,006 seats on two levels. The theater ...
on April 26, 1977, by DJ
Richie Kaczor
Richie Kaczor (9 December 1952 – April 1993) was an early DJ during disco's infancy in the 1970s.
His DJ career began in New Jersey, Kaczor played at clubs in New York City and surrounding states before being asked by nightclub owners Steve ...
.
"Disco-Disco: A history of Studio 54"
*The instrumental portions of "Devil's Gun" were featured prominently in the International version of ''Crocodile
Crocodiles (family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term crocodile is sometimes used even more loosely to include all extant ...
''.
*It was also featured in the film "The Real Bruce Lee".
*In 2016 the song was rediscovered due to its inclusion in ''The Get Down
''The Get Down'' is an American musical drama television series created by Baz Luhrmann and Stephen Adly Guirgis. The series debuted on Netflix on August 12, 2016, and was cancelled after the first season.
Produced by Sony Pictures Television, t ...
'' soundtrack.
*In 2017 it was featured in the film "BORG Vs McENROE" on General release in the UK and Europe and due out in 2018 in the USA.
*The song's latest inclusion will be in the documentary being made of "Studio 54" due soon.
See also
* List of number-one dance singles of 1977 (U.S.)
Dance Club Songs was a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States, which ranked the popularity of songs in nightclubs across the country, based on a national survey of club disc jockeys. In 1977 it was published under ...
References
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1977 singles
1977 songs
Disco songs
Songs written by Barry Blue
Songs written by Ron Roker
Songs written by Gerry Shury