Disco Lady

Written by Don Davis, Harvey Scales and Lee Vance, this song was originally titled "Disco Baby." Scales brought the song to Davis, who was Taylor's producer, Davis came up with new lyrics inspired by an African dancer he saw in Spain who would draw all eyes to her when she started dancing. The Impressions had a song called "Gypsy Woman," and Davis used those themes to create his song - instead of a Gypsy Woman, he had a Disco Lady.

Johnnie Taylor, nicknamed the "Soul Philosopher," recorded for Stax Records until the label imploded in 1975. Moving to Columbia, his first release was this massive disco hit, which finds Taylor singing the praises of a lady on the dancefloor. Members of George Clinton's crew, including Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell, played on the track, and Telma Hopkins - of "Shut Your Mouth!" fame - sang backup. It was recorded at United Sound Studios in Detroit, where Davis usually worked.

The Platinum award was instituted in 1976 by the RIAA for albums selling one million units and singles selling two million units (in 1989 they lowered the requirements for singles so Gold was 500,000 units and Platinum was a million). This was the first single to ever be certified platinum and it's claimed that to celebrate his success, Taylor took a bath in Dom Perignon champagne.