Spirit of the Boogie (song)

"Spirit of the Boogie" is a funk/soul song recorded by Kool & the Gang as the title track for their 1975 album.

"Spirit of the Boogie"
Single by Kool and the Gang
from the album Spirit of the Boogie
B-side	"Summer Madness"
Released	March 13, 1975[1]
Recorded	1975
Genre	Funk
Length	3:15
Label	De-Lite Records
Songwriter(s)	Ronald Bell, Don Doyce & Kool and the Gang
Producer(s)	Kool and the Gang & Ronald Bell
Kool and the Gang singles chronology
"Rhyme Tyme People" (1974) "Spirit of the Boogie" (1975) "Caribbean Festival" (1975)

It was their third single to top the soul singles chart in the U.S., and was their fourth Top 40 hit, peaking at number thirty-five on the Billboard Hot 100.[2]

Part of the song's melody was sampled in The Afros' song titled "Feel It", the full song was sampled in "On The Black Line" by Michelle D'Clora.

Track listing

De-Lite Records – DE-1567:[3]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Spirit of the Boogie" (From the album Spirit of the Boogie)	Ronald Bell, Don Doyce & Kool and the Gang	3:15
2.	"Summer Madness" (From the album Light of Worlds)	Alton Taylor, Kool and the Gang & Robert Spike Mickens	4:16

Critical reception

Daryl Easlea of the BBC said the song "showcases Claydes Smith’s tight, crunchy guitar grit and occasional member Donal Boyce’s "Boogie Man" vocals, as well as the Gang’s trademark group chants. Ronald Bell’s wayward synth gives it the requisite in-era cosmic edge."[4] Amy Hanson of Allmusic proclaimed Spirit of the Boogie "is quintessential Kool & the Gang -- fiery funk which is kept in check by rhythm and chant."[5]

Samples

Spirit of the Boogie has been sampled by Doug E Fresh and Notorious BIG.[6]

Personnel

• Robert Kool Bell – vocals, bass
• Ronald Bell – piano, tenor saxophone
• George Brown – drums, vocals
• Robert Spike Mickens – trumpet, vocals
• Otha Nash – trombone, vocals
• Claydes Smith – guitar
• Dennis Thomas – alto saxophone, vocals
• Rick West – vocals

References

1. "Spirit of the Boogie/Summer Madness". Rate Your Music. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
2. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 333.
3. "Spirit of the Boogie/Summer Madness". Discogs. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
4. Easlea, Daryl (2012). "Kool & The Gang Spirit of the Boogie Review". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
5. Hanson, Amy. "Kool & the Gang: Spirit of the Boogie > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
6. "Kool and the Gang: Spirit of the Boogie". the-breaks.com.