''Sweet Dynamite'' is the debut album by Canadian singer
Claudja Barry
Claudja Barry (born in 1952) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter and actress. Her successful songs were " Down and Counting", "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes" (which peaked at #56 on Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music ...
. Barry had briefly been a member of an early line-up of
Boney M.
Boney M. was a German-Caribbean vocal group that specialized in disco and funk created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary songwriter. Originally based in West Germany, the four original members of the group's o ...
but left January 1976 and was replaced by
Liz Mitchell
Liz is a female name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God's Promise". It is also a short form of Elizabeth, Elisabeth, Lisbeth, Lizanne, Liszbeth, Lizbeth, Lizabeth, Lyzbeth, Lisa, Lizette, Alyssa, and Eliza.
People
* Liz Balmaseda (born 1959), Pul ...
. Shortly after, she released her first single on the Lollipop-label, produced by her husband-to-be Jürgen S. Korduletsch, a cover of Jeanne Burton's "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do", backed with the track "Disco Love" (a track similar to
Penny MacLean
Gertrude Wirschinger, better known as Penny McLean (born 4 November 1948), is an Austrian vocalist who initially gained acclaim with the disco music act Silver Convention, but also had exposure as a single recording artist. As a solo singer, she i ...
's contemporary hit "
Lady Bump
"Lady Bump" is a pop disco song by Austrian singer Penny McLean, released in 1975. It was a hit for McLean, who was formerly with Silver Convention.
About the single
The single backed with "The Lady Bumps On" was released on the Jupiter record la ...
"). Later in the year the single "Why Must a Girl Like Me" was released, leading up to the release of the LP entitled "Sweet Dynamite" in November. While most of the material was original compositions by Korduletsch and his partner Jörg Evers, it included a medley of two songs, both entitled "Do It Again", one by
George Gershwin
George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...
and one by
Steely Dan.
Although the album and its singles went fairly unnoticed in Germany, import copies garnered interest in the US where
Salsoul Records
Salsoul Records is an American New York City based record label, founded by three brothers, Joseph Cayre, Kenneth Cayre, and Stanley Cayre (the Cayre brothers). Salsoul issued about 300 singles, including many disco/post-disco 12-inch release ...
picked up the album for a release in May 1977 in a drastically altered version.
Tom Moulton
Thomas Jerome Moulton (, ; born November 29, 1940) is an American record producer. He experimented with remix in disco music and this led to its wide adoption as a standard practice in the industry. He also invented the breakdown section, and the ...
had kept only 5 of the original tracks, remixing and extending them and, in the case of "Live a Little Bit", removing Barry's vocals completely. "Sweet Dynamite" became a Top 10 hit on Billboard's Disco Charts
Love for the Sake of Love
Barry's mid-tempo album track "Love for the Sake of Love" garnered recognition 23 years after its release when it was sampled in 1999 on
Montell Jordan
Montell Du'Sean Barnett Jordan (born December 3, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Best known for his 1995 single "This Is How We Do It", Jordan was the primary male solo artist on Def Jam's Def Soul imprint until le ...
's "
Get It On Tonite
"Get It On Tonite" is the lead single released from American singer turned pastor Montell Jordan's fourth album, '' Get It On...Tonite'' (1999). The song was produced by Brian "Lilz" Palmer and Sergio "PLX" Moore, who used a sample of Claudja Ba ...
" which went No. 1 on
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
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 ...
, selling 800,000 copies in the US alone. It was also a Top 20-hit in several European countries. The track has been sampled by other artists, incl. the late rapper
Prodigy
Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to:
* Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer
** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess
Arts, entertainment, and ...
and
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from New York City. The duo consisted of rappers Prodigy and Havoc. They are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore East Coast hip hopEdwards, Paul, 2009, '' How to Rap: The Art & Sci ...
.
Track listing
1976 European Version
1977 US Version
Remix:
Tom Moulton
Thomas Jerome Moulton (, ; born November 29, 1940) is an American record producer. He experimented with remix in disco music and this led to its wide adoption as a standard practice in the industry. He also invented the breakdown section, and the ...
Musicians
Drums:
Keith Forsey
Keith Forsey (born 2 January 1948) is an English pop musician and record producer.
Early life
Forsey began his career as a percussionist in the mid-late 1960s as the drummer for The SpectrumCaptain Scarlet and the Mysterons - The Vault - Chris ...
Bass: Gary Unwin, Dave King
Keyboards:
Thor Baldursson
Thor Baldursson (born Þórir Baldursson in 1944) is an Icelandic composer, organist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with Giorgio Moroder, and records with Donna Summer, Grace Jones and Elton John. The 1978 Disco-funk track ...
Guitar: Jörg Evers
Percussion: Jürgen S. Korduletsch, Jörg Evers
Backing Vocals:
Roberta Kelly
Roberta Kelly (born November 23, 1942) is an American disco and urban contemporary gospel singer who scored three hits on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart between 1976 and 1978. Her most successful US hit single, " Trouble-Mak ...
, Claudia Schwartz & Stefan Zauner
[https://www.discogs.com/release/1396212-Claudja-Barry-Sweet-Dynamite]
Charts
Singles
References
External links
Claudja Barry-Sweet Dynamite at Discogs
{{Authority control
1976 debut albums
Claudja Barry albums
Philips Records albums