The music journalist Ron Wynn has noted that "the Trammps' prowess can't be measured by chart popularity; Ellis' booming, joyous vocals brilliantly championed the celebratory fervor and atmosphere that made disco both loved and hated among music fans." The first disco-related track they released was "Love Epidemic" back in 1973. That made them trailblazers of its pop and soul fueled sound.
The history of the Trammps grew from a 60s-era group, called "The Volcanos", which later became "The Moods". With a number of line-up changes by the early 1970s, the band membership included gospel-influenced lead singer, Jimmy Ellis, drummer and bass singer, Earl Young, with brothers, Stanley and Harold 'Doc' Wade. Members of the Philadelphia recording band, MFSB played with the group on records and on tour in the 70s with singer, Robert Upchurch joining later. The group was produced by the Philadelphia team of Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris and Young, all MFSB mainstays who played on the recording sessions and contributed songs.
Their debut chart entry came via an upbeat cover version of the standard, "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart", which became a Top 20 US R&B chart hit in 1972.
Their first few recordings were released on Buddah Records, including "Hold Back The Night" which was a hit in the UK and on the Billboard R&B chart in 1973, before a re-release saw it climb the U.S. Hot 100 two years later. Several R&B hits followed during a stay with Philadelphia International subsidiary, Golden Fleece (run by Baker-Harris-Young) before they signed to Atlantic Records.
Their single "Disco Inferno" (1976), which was included on the Grammy Award winning Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 1977,[3] reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1978.[4]
Other major hits included "Hold Back the Night" (1975) (UK #5) and "That's Where the Happy People Go" (1976). In late 1977, the Trammps released the song "The Night the Lights Went Out" to commemorate the electrical blackout that affected New York City on July 13, 1977.
Their signature song, "Disco Inferno", has been covered by Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper. In addition, Graham Parker covered "Hold Back The Night" on the "The Pink Parker EP" in 1977, and reached #20 in the UK Singles Chart, and Top 60 in the US.
On September 19, 2005, the group's "Disco Inferno" was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony held in New York. The song was part-written by Ron Kersey, a producer-arranger and a member of MFSB, who also played with Trammps in the 1970s for a time. During the ceremony, the original band members performed together for the first time in 25 years.
Two versions of the group, with differing line-ups, currently tour the nostalgia circuit. On March 8, 2012, lead singer Jimmy Ellis died at a nursing home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, at the age of 74. The cause of death was not immediately known but he suffered from Alzheimers' disease.
Earl Young's Trammps still continue to record and as at August 2014 have recently released "Get your lovin while you can" written by the Steals brothers renowned for their Philly hits such as 'Could it be I'm falling in love' for The Detroit Spinners.
Website: http://thetrammps.net/
Disco Inferno
The Trammps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Burn baby burn)
(Burn baby burn)
(Burn baby burn)
To my surprise, one hundred stories high
People getting loose y'all, getting down on the roof
Folks are screaming, out of control
I heard somebody say
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Satisfaction came in a chain reaction (Burnin')
I couldn't get enough, so I had to self-destruct
The heat was on, rising to the top
Everybody going strong, and that is when my spark got hot
I heard somebody say
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down y'all
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Up above my head
I hear music in the air
That makes me know
There's a party somewhere
Satisfaction came in a chain reaction (Burnin')
I couldn't get enough, so I had to self-destruct
The heat was on, rising to the top
Everybody going strong, and that is when my spark got hot
I heard somebody say
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
(Burn baby burn)
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
The Trammps's Disco Inferno is often regarded as one of the landmark disco songs of the 1970s. The title of the song may be a reference to the outrageously high temperatures of the dance floor during the disco fever craze. The song opens with the chorus, "Burn baby burn" being repeated four times, setting the tone for the rest of the track. The lyrics are about a disco party so wild and hot that it is causing the dance floor to ignite. The song expresses the exhilaration and energy of a dance party, with everyone getting into the groove.
The verses describe the wild scene of people partying on the rooftop, screaming and getting out of control as the music intensifies. The singer describes how he couldn't resist the urge to dance, and the heat of the moment leads to a self-destructive urge to keep going. The song implies that the dancing was so intense that it caused a chain reaction, leading to a wilder scene that grows more out of control as the night goes on. The music and the atmosphere are described as so intense that it feels like there is another party happening high in the sky.
Line by Line Meaning
(Burn baby burn)
The excitement is building up
(Burn baby burn)
Let the excitement continue to build up
(Burn baby burn)
The excitement has reached its peak and is about to explode
(Burn baby burn)
Now let the excitement explode
To my surprise, one hundred stories high
I am amazed to see a hundred-story building
People getting loose y'all, getting down on the roof
People are having fun and dancing on the roof
Folks are screaming, out of control
The excitement is out of control and people are screaming
It was so entertaining when the boogie started to explode
The explosion of excitement was so entertaining
I heard somebody say
Someone shouted
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
The excitement is like a fiery inferno, inspired by disco music
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Let the excitement burn everything down
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
The excitement is still burning like a fiery inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Let everything burn down completely
Satisfaction came in a chain reaction (Burnin')
Everyone is so satisfied that it's contagious
I couldn't get enough, so I had to self-destruct
I was so hooked that I had to let myself get carried away until I was exhausted
The heat was on, rising to the top
The excitement was getting more and more intense
Everybody going strong, and that is when my spark got hot
Everyone was really into it and that's when I got even more excited
Up above my head
I hear music in the air
I hear music in the air
There's a party going on somewhere
That makes me know
This makes me believe
There's a party somewhere
There's definitely a big party happening somewhere
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
The excitement is still like a fiery inferno, inspired by disco music
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down y'all
Let everything burn down completely
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
The excitement is still burning like a fiery inferno
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Let everything burn down completely
(Burn baby burn)
The excitement continues to build up
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Let everything burn down completely
(Burn baby burn) disco inferno
The excitement is still like a fiery inferno, inspired by disco music
(Burn baby burn) burn that mother down
Let everything burn down completely
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Leroy Green, Tyrone Kersey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cocochannel5324
❤I'm 66 and still dance arround like I'm 18 I miss the good old Times and the amazing Music ❤❤❤❤❤❤
@brendawilliams8832
I am 77 and THOSE WERE THE DAYS. I stayed on the dance floor. I really miss those days.
@markkelley2094
I’m 59 I cannot stop lol 😂 I’ve had three heart attacks, a bleed to the brain, I was recovering from that and was hit with bacterial meningitis all about killed me, but I not stay down lol 😂
If life is a full circle ⭕️ I’m going for round two lol 😂 I’m not frightened of death, if I was to be sat around with my bedroom slippers on I would die of boredom anyway lol 😂 I’m going out dancing, you know that ❤😂🎉🎉🎉🎉 it will say death by dancing 😂 see ya on the other side, my life my rules, I was told I would never walk again lol 😂 I was up and out of bed in no time, telling me what I cannot do, I feel great now, all frame of mind, thank god i didn’t believe what he told me hay, that’s me though, I believe me!!!!! 👍
@luzchoy.u.5816
Me too .. ! I love the 80's music ...the best. ! Blessings
@luzchoy.u.5816
@markkelley
@markbell335
I'm 76 and dance like I'm only 75.... but in my little world.... I'm back in 70's enjoying some of the greatest music in my lifetime.
Mark
@DISCOVEGASGUY
One of the finest moments in disco! Beautiful orchestration, harmonies and lyrics. The speakers and the floor shaking at midnight and everyone dripping with sweat. No cell phones. No internet. No computers. No Facebook. No Twitter. No Zoom. No Microsoft. None of that crap. Just good times and good music. Take me back on a Time Machine.
@christineewing3492
I miss the 1980's, when the dance floor shook.
@MinecraftRick
You wrote this on a computer with internet access.
@christineewing3492
@@MinecraftRick What a smarty pants you are.