According to Roger Ebert, Saturday Night Fever was Gene Siskel's favorite movie. When it was re-released in a watered down PG version in 1978, my mother finally allowed me to see it. At age 12, I naïvely thought it was just a disco movie and completely ignored the dark subject matter of abortion, bigotry, rape, gang violence, and death. Other than the dance sequences, my favorite scene takes place at the coffee shop between Tony and Stephanie because the dialogue perfectly captures the boastful, ignorant conversation of a first date.
The double LP soundtrack was a Grammy-winning best seller that spent 120 weeks on Billboard's album chart and held the top position for 24 of those weeks.
| Side One | Side Two |
|---|---|
| Stayin' Alive How Deep is Your Love Night Fever More Than a Woman If I Can't Have You |
A Fifth of Beethoven More Than a Woman Manhattan Skyline Calypso Breakdown |
| SideThree | Side Four |
| Night on Disco Mountain Open Sesame Jive Talkin' You Should Be Dancing Boogie Shoes |
Salsation K-Jee Disco Inferno |
Of the songs on the soundtrack album, "Jive Talkin'" and "Calypso Breakdown" do not appear in the film and do not appear in the credits. To prepare this list, I watched the 2007 DVD release, which runs 118 minutes. Unless noted, songs are available on the original soundtrack album. In addition to the songs listed, the film includes "additional music and adaptation by David Shire" which does not appear on the soundtrack album.
- Opening credits, Tony strutting down 86th street: "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees
- Tony in his room getting ready for a night out: "Night Fever" by the Bee Gees
- Arriving at 2001 Odyssey club: "Dr. Disco" by Rick Dees, found on The Original Disco Duck (1977)
- Entering 2001 Odyssey club: "A Fifth of Beethoven" by Walter Murphy
- Tony dances with Annette: "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps
- Tony complains to DJ, first sees Stephanie: "Salsation" by David Shire
- Tony at bar with Annette, watching stripper: "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
- Line dancing: "Night Fever" by the Bee Gees
- The next morning, Tony's bedroom: "Serenata" by C.A. Bracco, performed by Enrico Caruso
- Tony and Annette enter the dance studio: "Boogie Shoes" by K.C. and the Sunshine Band
- Stephanie dancing: "Nocturne in E flat, Op. 9, No. 2" by Frédéric Chopin (1832)
- Tony and Annette rehearsing: incidental music by David Shire, not included on soundtrack album
- Tony creeps up on Stephanie: "Nocturne in E flat, Op. 9, No. 2" by Frédéric Chopin (1832)
- Stephanie brushes off Tony: incidental music by David Shire, not included on soundtrack album
- Dance class at disco: "Disco Duck" by Rick Dees, found on The Original Disco Duck (1977)
- Tony creeps up on Stephanie (again), asks her out: "Manhattan Skyline" by David Shire
- Tony and Stephanie rehearsing: "More Than a Woman" by Tavares
- At 2001 Odyssey: "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
- Tony dances with Connie: "Disco Inferno" by The Trammps
- Tony takes over the dance floor: "You Should Be Dancing" by the Bee Gees
- At 2001 Odyssey: "Boogie Shoes" by K.C. and the Sunshine Band
- On the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge: "Night on Disco Mountain" by David Shire
- Tony scolds Stephanie at the rehearsal studio: incidental music by David Shire, not included on soundtrack album
- Tony moves Stephanie to Manhattan: incidental music by David Shire adapted from the Bee Gees' "How Deep is Your Love," not included on soundtrack album
- Pete and Stephanie at the rehearsal studio: "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
- The Barracudas' hangout: "Barracuda Hangout" by David Shire, not included on soundtrack album
- Arriving at 2001 Odyssey for the dance contest/ first couple: "Open Sesame" by Kool & the Gang
- Stephanie and Tony compete in the dance contest: "More Than a Woman" by the Bee Gees
- Couple #15 compete: "K-Jee" by MFSB
- Stephanie and Tony win the dance contest: "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees
- On the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge: incidental music by David Shire, not included on soundtrack album
- In the subway: incidental music by David Shire, not included on soundtrack album
- Tony travels to Stephanie's place: "How Deep is Your Love" by the Bee Gees
- Closing credits: "How Deep is Your Love" by the Bee Gees
- Closing credits: "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees
After subjecting me to the horrors of Jaws, which was rated PG btw, my parents paid no mind to the pretty little R in the box that immediately followed Saturday Night Fever's title up on the marquee. I wanna say it was end of January or early February before the movie made it to the base theater but we went as a family and like millions of other fans, my Dad went out and bought the soundtrack album the next day. He was a little perturbed that "Disco Duck" was left off the double album, though. Until I showed him I had it on K-Tel's album. He dubbed it onto an 8 track tape in between the two soundtrack discs.
ReplyDeleteSure, we talked about it out on the playground because it was SEX but the movie really didn't strike a chord in me until the early 80s when I watched it on HBO one night. I bought the soundtrack the next day! Have since owned three versions on CD and have purchased two versions of the DVD. Like Prince's Purple Rain, I think it is a horrible film overall but skipping through to some of the scenes, there are some outstanding performances that warrant repeated viewings.
I love love love the music from this film! I saw the R-rated version with my cousin Joan (she two years older than me and had a huge thing for Travolta) in early 1978 - I had just turned 13. As Mark noted, it had a lot of darker themes to it but a lot of that did not completely register until I watched it, like Herc, continually on HBO years later. I was just thinking about this movie this morning - might be a good night to break out the DVD.
ReplyDeleteMy full review of the soundtrack is here:- Martin's View - Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack)