Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest edition - November 23, 2024
This is Part I of a two part series about the "Rock The Boat" cheer.
This post presents information about the provenance* of the Rock The Boat" cheerleader squads, softball cheers, or children's camp cheers.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/rock-boat-videos-word-only-examples.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases some examples of "Rock The Boat" cheers and chants that are performed by girls' cheerleader squads , by members of some girls' softball teams, and by attendees of children's camps.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, socio-cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in this embedded video.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/11/bring-it-on-all-or-nothing-2006-movies.html for a related pancocojams post entitled "Bring It On All or Nothing 2006 movie's "Introduce Yourself!" Cheer & Other Examples Of "Command/Refusal" Foot Stomping Cheers"
**
Here's the definition of "provenance" *from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provenance "provenance (noun)
1. origin, source
2. the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art
or literature
-snip-
**I am differentiating between girls pretending to be cheerleaders who chanted foot stomping cheers during as part of their recreational activities and girls who are actually members of a cheerleading squad that is associated with a sports team.
****
THE PROVENANCE OF THE SOFT BALL CHANT "ROCK THE BOAT".
A. THE DISCO RECORD "ROCK THE BOAT"
1. Fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_the_Boat_(The_Hues_Corporation_song) " "Rock the Boat" is a song by American trio The Hues
Corporation, written by Wally Holmes. "Rock the Boat" was first
featured on their 1973 debut studio album Freedom for the Stallion (the single
edit later appeared on certain editions of the band's 1974 second album Rockin'
Soul).[1] It was released as the third single from the album in early 1974, to
follow up Stallion's title song, which had peaked at number sixty-three on the
Hot 100, and "Miracle Maker (Sweet Soul Shaker)" which did not chart.
Initially, "Rock the Boat" appeared as though it
would also flop, as months went by without any radio airplay or sales activity.
Not until the song became a disco favorite in New York did Top 40 radio finally
pick up on the song, leading the record to finally enter the Hot 100 and zip up
the chart to number one the week of July 6, 1974, in only its seventh week on
the chart (and fourth week in the Top 40). The record also reached the top ten
in the United Kingdom. "Rock the Boat" is considered one of the earliest
disco songs. Some authorities proclaim it to be the first disco song to hit
number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while others give that distinction
to "Love's Theme" by Love Unlimited Orchestra or "TSOP (The
Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB, both chart-toppers from earlier in 1974.
The song became a gold record. It is a heavy airplay favorite on oldie and
adult contemporary stations today.
Composition and recording
Holmes wrote the song for the band's first album, and
started the song with the line "Ever since our voyage of love
began..". In an attempt to make it more punchy, producer John Florez
suggested starting with the line "So I'd like to know where you got the
notion."[2]
The song features a lead vocal by Fleming
Williams, who left The Hues Corporation shortly after the song was recorded.
According to The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson, the lone
female member of the group, H. Ann Kelley, had originally been pegged to sing
lead, but this idea was discarded out of fear that groups with female lead
singers were less commercially viable. The bass player on the session was
Wilton Felder, not James Jamerson as sometimes reported. Florez also brought in
two other members of the Jazz Crusaders"...
When the song was first released, it went months without
getting radio airplay, but it wasn’t until the song became a disco\club music
favorite in New York that it was picked up by Top 40 radio.
Hues Corporation member St. Clair Lee said that the song
“was a song you could do anything on. You could cuddle or you could get crazy
if you wanted to. It was a love song without being a love song, but it was a
disco hit and it happened because of the discos.”
The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in July of
1974. It also peaked at #2 on Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles chart and #5 on
Billboard’s Hot Dance\Disco Singles chart." -snip- This is how that annotation is written on that page
**** 3. Hues Corporation - Rock The Boat • TopPop
TopPop, November 6, 2015 -snip- This Disco record was first released in 1974.
**** B. "ROCK THE BOAT" FOOT STOMPING CHEERS 1. Information about foot stomping cheers "Rock The Boat" is an example of a dance style foot stomping cheers.
"Foot stomping cheers is a sub-category of children's cheerleader cheers.
I observed and collected foot stomping cheers (from the mid 1980s to 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Soloists were usually chosen by the order in which the members of the group called out "first", "second", "third" etc. Each person in the group has the same amount of soloist time. Ideally, the cheer doesn't end until each person in the group has a soloist turn. Each soloist turn is the same amount of time.
In my observations, these cheers were* performed as part of the recreational play of Black girls, ages around 6 years to around 12 years. These girls were pretending to be cheerleaders outdoors during school recess, or outdoor or indoors after-school. Usually, there wasn't any formal audience for these cheerleading performances, although other children (and adults) might watch the girls perform. cheers weren't written down. Girls learned the cheers by watching the performances of others who knew them. Because the entire cheer had to start again from the beginning if anyone "went offbeat" [in the synchronized foot stomping/hand clapping routine or messed up a word because they waited too long to say it, girls who didn't know a cheer were usually reluctant to attempt to perform it.
Foot stomping cheers used a distinctive foot stomping cheer textual pattern of group/consecutive soloist. The group (without the soloist) speaks first, The soloist responds and the group speaks. At some point, the soloist has a brief portion in the spotlight, sometimes followed by the group which echoes what the soloist says and/or does. That pattern immediately begins again from the beginning.
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUHe51IiOaMfor a YouTube video of the "Shabooya Roll Call" cheer that is performed as part of the2006 cheerleader movie entitled Bring It On: All Or Nothing. That clip isprobably the most widely known example of a performance of a foot stomping cheer. However, I believe that the dancing/stepping that these three girls did while chanting that cheer was greatly exaggerated and therefore isn't an accurate documentation of the choreographed syncopated, foot stomping routines.
*I'm using past tense about foot stomping cheers in this post (and in other pancocojams posts) because (based on my direct observation and based on the lack of current comments about these cheers and the lack of examples of current performances of these cheers, I believe that old foot stomping cheers are no longer performed [the same way that they were traditionally performed] and new foot stomping cheers don't seem to be created.
The BIG caveat for the above statement is that (usually unbeknown to the people chanting these cheers), a few old foot stomping cheers still live on as softball cheer, and/or (actual) cheerleader cheers, and/or camp songs/cheers.
Although those above categorized cheers have some of the same words as some foot stomping cheers, they may not strictly adhere to the "every one in the group has a solo turn" that is an essential foot stomping cheer rule. Also, those softball cheers that originated as foot stomping cheers may not be performed the same way as "traditional" foot stomping cheers (i.e. with chanters standing in a circle or in a horizontal line performing a choreographed, syncopated foot stomping and hand clapping routine to a 4/4 metronome type beat.)
**** 2. Two Examples Of "Rock The Boat' Foot Stomping Cheers
ROCK THE BOAT (Version #1)
Rock the boat,
Rock, rock the boat
[repeat]
My name is Yasmin (rock the boat)
I know I'm fine (rock the boat)
Just like my sign (rock the boat)
My sign is Leo
I go bang-bang choo choo train
Wind me up and I do my thing
Reeses pieces butter cup
Don't mess with me, cause I'll mess you up,
Rock the boat, rock rock the boat... -Yasmin H. (Latina female; memories of East Brooklyn, New York, in the late 1980s), 2/25/04 -snip- Yasmin noted that the words in parenthesis were chanted by the other members of the cheerleading squad. This example probably was performed using the "traditional" choreographed, syncopated foot stomping and hand clapping routine.
****
ROCK THE BOAT (Version #2) this is how we do it at my school:
rock the boat dont tip it over
rock the boat dont tip it over
my name is __
yeah!
im feelin fine!
yeah!
u mess with me
yeah!
ill blow ur mind
so bang bang choo choo train
u look at me and i do my thang
no recces pieces no butter cup
i kno karate i kno kung fu
u mess with ill mes with u!
i kno its tottaly off to wat everyone else is sayin but thats wat we sing on the bus all the time. -slimeshady100, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QuTsAtQPY, 2010 -snip- I categorize this example as a somewhat modified foot stomping cheer. This example begins with the group voice as is a characteristic of "traditional" foot stomping cheers. However, based on this contributor's comment, that this cheer was chanted during bus rides (probably to and from school), the chanters couldn't perform the foot stomping/hand clapping routine that is a key characteristic of foot stomping cheers.
Softball examples of "Rock The Boat" are even more modified than that example, as is partly documented in Part II of this pancocojams series.
**** This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of an online article about the (former) Empire skating rink that was located in Brooklyn, New York.
This post also showcases four YouTube video of jam skating (dancing to Funk, Disco, R&B, or House music at skating rinks while wearing roller skates). Video #1 and Video #2 are actual footage of Empire Skating Rink. Video #3 is footage of Skate Key skating rink in the Bronx, New York and the location of the fourth skating rink (given as Video #4 below) is unknown.
This post also documents selected comments from those videos' discussion threads about that skating rink in particular or about jam skating in general.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Vaughan Mason & Crew for the song "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll", thanks to all those who were responsible for the production of this video, and thanks to all those who are featured in this video. Thanks also to the publisher of this video and all those who are quoted in this post.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT EMPIRE ROLLER SKATING RINK
From https://www.placematters.net/node/1161 "Empire Roller Skating Center (former)", Martha Cooper, Place Matters entry from ca. 2004.
Brooklyn's last large-scale roller rink, closed in 2007
"Editor's note: Sadly, the Empire Roller Rink was closed on April 23, 2007, after being sold. The word is that it will be turned into a storage facility.
The Empire Rollerdrome has been a fixture in Brooklyn for over 60 years, regularly transforming itself to reflect trends in popular culture. Particularly known for its pioneering role in the roller disco craze, the Empire is now the last remaining large-scale roller rink in Brooklyn.
The Swanson Family opened the Empire Rollerdrome (now the Empire Roller Skating Center) in 1941 in a former Ebbet's Field parking garage…..
The Empire was once part of a circuit of rinks in the city where skaters would go for competitions, lessons, and recreation. In the 1950s there were about 28 such rinks in the city including the Fordham Skating Palace, the Queens Roller Rink, and the Coney Island Roller Skating Rink. After they purchased the Empire, the Abramis tried to diversify its appeal by adding other activities to the huge rink including boxing matches, miniature golf, and even a bowling alley. During this time the rink also hosted many events including the first open New York State Championship in 1957.
In the 1960s, the Empire gained prominence for the many innovative roller dance styles that were pioneered there including the "Brooklyn Bounce," also known as the "Wobbly Duck." Adding to the rink's prestige was the presence of Bill Butler, one of the most influential skaters of the 1960s and 70s. He made the Empire his home base during these years, practicing and teaching there and attracting skaters from around the country eager to learn from him and witness his unique "jamming" technique firsthand.
When the disco craze of the 1970s hit, the rink was renamed the Empire Roller Disco (both "Rollerdrome" and "Roller Disco" can still be seen on the rink's exterior signage). In this incarnation it played a major part in the roller disco craze that swept the nation--it was one of the first places to popularize this new style of skating and attracted people from across the country. The Empire was also the first rink to replace organ music with a live DJ--for over 15 years the internationally acclaimed DJ Big Bob (Robert Clayton). The rink's reputation for great music grew even more after 1980 when a 20,000-watt system was installed, which was considered the best sound system at any roller rink in the country.
The disco atmosphere inside the rink was reinforced by the disco-club lighting, a "California-like" decor with plastic palm trees, and, of course the latest disco music of the day. Outside a canopy gave it a Studio 54-look. The Empire became so popular that movies were filmed there and celebrities like Cher would stop by to take lessons from Butler. The Empire's disco heyday also provided many fond memories. Sam Alston remembers, "This was one of the first places I ever skated. My mother used to bring me here in the 70s and 80s. And this place, it was one of the first ones that had a disco atmosphere, where it had a sound system, it had the disco lights. All the other skating rinks back then would be just a big warehouse."
At 30,000 square feet, the Empire is the last big roller rink in Brooklyn, comfortably hosting 1,000 skaters at a time. Following the illness of its longtime manager, Gloria McCarthy (Henry Abrami's daughter), the Empire closed for two years beginning in 1998. A nationwide chain, United Skates of America, later purchased the rink and it reopened in the spring of 2000 with a focus on family entertainment.”....
Theme : " Roller Skate " - Vaughan Mason & Crew ( 1980 )
-snip-
Statistics as of May 10, 2019 12:56 AM:
total number of views - 15,379
total likes - 96
total dislikes - 9
total comments- 7
-snip-
Selected comments, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. djafrican, 2009
"Damn! I remember when they shot this. Pat the Cat, Vinzarrelli, Dexter. Good footage."
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2. IamDiva, 2018
"Yup pat the cat is my father with the cow boy hat on. He passed away tho 😔"
**
3. David Barnes, 2011
"YO.THIS CLIP IS A RARE CLASSIC.I GOTTA THANK THE PEOPLE WHO KEPT THIS CLIP IN THE ARCHIVES.I THINK THIS SHOULD BE RIGHT UP THERE WITH WHAT MAKES NY USA THE BEST.KEEPING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.I WAS LUCKY I WAS THERE FROM 1980 TO 1994 BEFORE THE DARK STORMS OF IGNORANCE CAME.ONE LOVE."
****
Video #2: Bill Butler Quad Skating At Empire Roller Rink In Brooklyn 1978!!!
LegendaryBillButler, Published on Sep 11, 2009
Classic Quad & Pair Skating At Empire Roller Rink In Brooklyn Jammin' with Maurice Gatewood (R.I.P.) Anthony Ford, Vin Zee & Nicky Music By: Round Tree - "Get On Up" (Get On Down)
-snip-
Statistics May 8, 2019 3:38 PM
total views - 47,494 views
total likes - 264
total dislikes- 8
total comments - 32
-snip-
Selected comments, with numbers added for referencing purposes only.
1. David Barnes, 2011
"THIS CLIP IS AMAZING.PEOPLE TAKE HISTORY FOR GRANTED WHICH IS WHY POEPLE OF THE 21ST CENTURY ERA ARE SO DAMM STUPID.I GIVE A PROUD SHOUT-OUT TO THE ''CLASSIC QUAD 78'',FOR KEEPING IT RAW AND FUNKY.I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT ''EMPIRE ROLLER RINK ''LOOKED LIKED IN 78''.BEAUTIFUL.I WAS LUCKY.I WAS ALATE 70'S KID.PEOPLE OF TODAY WILL NEVER KNOW THE TRUE FUN OF THIS TIME."
**
2. RAYYAN KASHANI, 2011
"This is where it all began and sadly THE EMPIRE ROLLERDROME aka EMPIRE is no more. We skateheads lived for this 7 nights a week, and to show you our love for the art of dance-skating, in late December 1977 when NYC was closed down because of the snow, we trudged from EMPIRE to PARK CIRCLE and took over the joint. ROXY, SWEET RUBY, MIDDLE VILLAGE, 516 in BALDWIN, UTICA, USA, SKATE CITY, SKATE KEY, THE RINK & LACES could never touch EMPIRE."
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3. Nathaniel Aiken, 2018
""Pat The Cat" was the cowboy with white skates and cowboy hat. "Big Mike" Skate guard and security, forever having a cast on his right wrist. Horace Michael and his sister Roslynd.Some of the people at Empire. Steve Tyler, Stephanie Tyler, the Abromi Family...Raymond, "Shine", Lamb...Anthony Ford, Dawn, Janet Burrows Imani, Little Mike, Randy Higgensen, Big Bob..."
**
4. lou harris, 2013
DJ Big Bob Dexter Abernathy and his Dance Crew...Cali had nothing on Brooklyn"
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5. Julius Freeman, 2018
"Before he started playing at Empire around the days of DJ Horace, he used to hang out at my club called Club Atlantis in ENY & Phase III on Atlantic & Eastern Parkway & he was one of the best Hustlers (the dance) around. This would be around 1978. Before Empire, he used to DJ at Laces on Hillside Ave in New Hyde Park.
I still see him from time to time & he's still spinning."
**
6. ArlineNC, 2013
"Skating here in the early sixties, was a member of the Empire Figure and Dance Club under the pros Donald and Beverly Maddaloni, what wonderful memories, moved to Park Circle to join their club when I found a dance partner."
****
Video #3: Skate Key Meets Empire pt 1
AntUpscalephotos, Published on Mar 14, 2013
-snip-
Skate Key was a roller rink in the Bronx, New York.
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only.
1. Babydoll Chula, 2016
"Must have played Empire Music because I never headed those songs in skate Key. Sounds more of the central park old peoples mix stuck in the days but not the lit good old days lmao."
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2. David Rubenstein, 2017
"Amazing! Where is this place? Is this in New York?"
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3. ICU4life !!!!, 2018
"This is in the Bronx ,NY"
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4. Crucialkeyz1999, 2017
"@9:38 His footwook is AMAZING!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥"
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4. Ashanti Zulu, 2019
"That’s my homeboy from Brooklyn Empire Roller Rink he really gets down!"
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5. Ashanti Zulu, 2018
"I use to skate with all of these Cats back @ Empire in Bklyn . Shoutouts ta Big Bob..
now I’m here in Orlando Fl and their Roller Rink is wack as ever 😑.."
**
6. always a student, 2018
"I miss skate key and empire!!!! I moved back to the east coast in the past year; where are the rinks at I can go to now? I looked, and they mostly seem to be closed down...? I miss this kind of music too. Last rink I went to they played mostly modern rap music...
I am also rusty on the skates these days too... I need more practice! Where can I practice! Somebody help! HA!"
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7. Eric Jordan, 2018
"You can also hit up Branchbrook in Newark, NJ on Sunday nights. A lot of these people you see in this video come there. This past Sunday night (12/30/18) was lit!!!"
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8. Gregory Reese, 2018
"Central park dance skaters association"
-snip-
Additional Skate Key Meets Empire videos can be found on YouTube.
****
Video #4: "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" By Vaughan Mason & Crew
Androsaryan Norman, Published on Jan 15, 2018
-snip-
Statistics (as of May 9, 2019 11:38 pm)
total # of views - 3,260,396
total likes - 42,000
total dislikes - 1,300
total # of comments - 2,866
-snip-
No information is given in this video or in the discussion thread about where or when this video was taped.
This appears to be purposeful, as the video publisher responded to several commenters about other subjects related to roller skating, but never answered any of the multiple inquiries about the location of the skating rink and when this video was made. For instance, the publisher gave a shout out to California from a commenter who wrote that he or she was from that state.
Several commenters wrote that this video wasn't from the 1990s, but was much more recent than that. Another commenter wrote in the comment given as #21 below that this isn't the Empire Skating Rink in Brooklyn, New York. And one commenter wrote that the skating styles that are documented in this video "has Detroit [Michigan] all over it". One commenter wrote that the "504" number on several of the skaters' shirts [the telephone area code for New Orleans, Louisiana] might be a clue as to the location of this skating rink. I think it's likely that this video was taped in the early 2000s at a national (United States) gathering of jam skaters.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM VIDEO #2'S DISCUSSION THREAD
These comments are given in relative chronological order with the oldest comments given first, except for replies. Numbers are added for referencing purposes only. I've added a few explanatory notes after some of these comments.
1. victoria brown, 2018
"Yesssssssss Empire skating ring Brooklyn nyc"
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2. MissPickyJudgemental, 2018
"victoria brown Thanks Victoria! I kept rewinding and was telling myself this rink looks familiar. I haven't been there in like over thirty years. Memories 🤗"
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3. factNo fiction, 2018
"Do it still exist? If so I need to come to Brooklyn NYC"
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4. trkk01, 2018
"Uh empire been closed down a few years ago un less this a old video"
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5. trkk01, 2018
"MissPickyJudgemental they closed a few years"
-snip-
The article about Empire Skating Rink that is quoted above indicates that that rink closed in 2007.
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6. lisa perkins, 2018
"victoria brown we had skate fever in the Booty down. This brought back memories."
-snip-
The words "Booty down" here is used here as a nickname for Brooklyn, New York.
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7. factNo fiction, 2018
"trkk01- Thanks for responding but I'm sorry to hear that. DAMN!! I was looking forward to visit the Empire, the video did look kinda old but I still was hoping it still existed."
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8. Pat Johnson, 2018
"victoria brown : Girl empire was the bomb and I miss the smaller rink in back and Raymond."
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8. Pat Johnson, 2018
"factNo fiction remember Big Mike, Raymond and them guys. they tried keeping it open for skating church event but that didn't last long and the last I saw of the space it was a carpet store I am not sure now but we got our memories right🙌"
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9. myjamsoldtonew, 2018
"They have closed so many roller skating rinks in NY it's a shame. there are so few left"
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10. victoria brown, 2018
"jimmie williams me to and remember there was no fighting. Those's skate Guards was mean as hell. Kept us in check. I was coming from Queens this was the highlight of my life. This and Paradise Garage."
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11. victoria brown, 2018
"lisa perkins yessssss we did."
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12. victoria brown, 2018
"trkk01 so SAD"
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13. victoria brown, 2018
"Pat Johnson we did our THANG"
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14. Pat Johnson, 2018
"U know Central Park and I think somewhere in New Jersey was the other place's where folks when to skate . Yo, remember the Roxy in Manhattan and Skate Key the Bronx."
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15. MissPickyJudgemental, 2018
"I was gonna ask if the Roxy still exists. My dad used to take us back in the 80's"
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16. MissPickyJudgemental, 2018
"Took the B49 to Empire to be nosy only to find out that the area has changed tremendously. I see "gentrification" has made it's way over there as well. It doesn't look right."
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17. geoff mcclean, 2018
"Loved that place, I still have my skates.."
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18. Marie Colette, 2018
"myjamsoldtonew You are so right and it makes me so mad, My kids and others don't get to know fun like this cuz of how Real Estate is more important than anything else. If it don't bring in millions of dollars they shut it down. If it's in an "up n coming" neighborhood they shut it down. Damn shame."
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20. The 71eights, 2018
"MissPickyJudgemental been closed"
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21. Lordsincere1, 2018
"victoria brown This ain't the Empire."
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22. victoria brown, 2018
"jose rosa ty ty but it brought back memories. In my mind it's the empire. Lol"
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23. jose rosa, 2018
"victoria brown It’s cool I’m originally from Park Slope I used to go to Park Circle Roller Rink . You took me back.Thanks."
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24. victoria brown, 2018
"jose rosa yes yes why did they get rid of them. We didn't act the fool.( Right) lol"
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25. jose rosa, 2018
"victoria brown lets cut through the chase let’s hook up Just kidding . I’m in Staten Island . Just waiting to Retire"
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26. victoria brown, 2018
"jose rosa Queens here we are neighbors. Check this out my butt can't get on NO skate's now. I would be so scared today. but I truly miss those's days. And don't TELL me it's like riding a bike. LMAO"
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boroughs_of_New_York_City
"New York City encompasses five county-level administrative divisions called boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. All boroughs are part of New York City, and each of the boroughs is coextensive with a respective county, the primary administrative subdivision within New York state. Queens and the Bronx are concurrent with the counties of the same name, while Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island correspond to New York, Kings, and Richmond counties respectively."
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27. Silvio Dante, 2018
"victoria brown
USA in jackson heights queens lol
Skate guard here lmao"
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28. victoria brown, 2018
"Silvio Dante omg I live in Queens now. I used to take my kids there (twins)now 35"
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29. Wonder Adair, 2018
"Empire has been closed for years .. they now meet at hot skates in Long Island !
I used to hang out at Empire back in the day too"
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30. Wonder Adair, 2018
"MissPickyJudgemental Roxy is closed ..Empire ..skate key ..Lola star ..
But the Empire crew meet up at hot skates in Long Island now..
There was also a skating rink on Utica ave that closed before all of them..I last went there at the age of 5.. and it was for teens and older wayyy back then lol"
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31. Malik Alexander, 2018
"M.C. Lyte"The Roller disco where we all used to go, just to have some fun back in 1981, You know the place Empire Blvd!"
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32. Nathaniel Aiken, 2018
"This is gonna get buried but: Empire, Sweet Ruby's, High Rollers, City Roller, United Skates of America, Parkside, Skating Palace, Busby's, Utica, Roller Dan's, SKATE KEY,
Central Park (near Frisbee Hill) and others too numerous to mention! Yep, That's right, I am a Bronx, NYC Skating Baby!"
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33. Nathaniel Aiken, 2018
"Where are the skating rinks in NYC now?"
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34. Nathaniel Aiken, 2018
"How could I forget the Roxy/ Club 1018? Or the Red Parrot? Laces" (L I), Commack, LI?Wednesday's? Bentley's and the Silver Shadow?! Lots of clubs had roller skating or church/ "Gospel Skate" sessions on their slow weekdays!"
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35. Lavon .A, 2018
"Empire 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽💯 killing it on the skates"
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36. Richard Blackwell, 2018
"victoria brown., i definitely enjoyed going to empire roller skating ring in Brooklyn"
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37. Krystin Grant, 2018
"Yesssssssssssssss only one I know that's open is lynbrook ny and they do late night parties. Funk master flex will be their In December 22 or Jan 5th"
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38. Teka Hinson III, 2018
"victoria brown Was that Empire?-DAMN! '-It's been a LONG time.The80s for me.I'm from Philly.I remember,United Skates of America.The Great Skate at69th and Market.And don't forget71st and Elmwood.We had FUN back n the DAY!!!!!!-TOO bad our young people JUST don't know.SAD!!!-"
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39. Frank Mcleod, 2018
"It's been a long time. Thanks for the memories of my Brooklyn days. Peace and Love."
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40. SupermanNYC2006, 2018
"Wow, Talking about memories. I remember at 15yrs old . going to the Skating rink every Saturday at Park Slope , at Utica Skating rink and Empire. They need to bring this back."
**
41. Geenahgee04, 2018
"What year was this video? It's doesn't appear to be in the late 70s or early 80s."
**
42. Ayesha Harris, 2018
"N P Yes!!! Let's not forget, The Mercury Theater, Norwest Theater, & Americana Theater"
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43. Steve Bromberger, 2018
"Rainbow on Clark. The only white boy on the floor. Take the toe stops off and earn mad respect from all. No static EVER. Just love:
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44. Ceo founder, 2018
"Empire Roller skating Rink in the 1980's, 1990's and early 2000's on Empire Blvd Flatbush/Crown heights Brooklyn, before it was condemned! From I was 10 years old till my mid twenties! The music, the women, the crews, the vibe and energy was amazing!"
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45. Mere Leonard, 2018
"Grown folks!!!!
You know it’s real when you A. Got a sweat rag B. Got a glove C. Have high top skates with the tongue down D. Have at least one person in the crew over 45"
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46. gregory J, 2018
"the cameraman can skate too. Great footage and classic jam."
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47. Puddin' Pie, 2018
"The sisters in white are killing it."
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48. John Saunders, 2019
"Urban class"
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49. Rob styles, 2019
"Too cold"
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50. Jennifer Smith, 2019
"Looked pink to me but probably the lights. Yes, I wanna be friends with them!!"
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51. robert wagner, 2019
"Cracker Barrel up in here."
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52. keepondjw, 2019
"love the woman with the short hair for some reason"
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53. Brie Brog, 2019
"@robert wagner I said the same thing, Do she have on a Cracker Barrel Jacket On ? I Love This Video"
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54. Flower Child, 2019
"Yes they are Bad "mama Jammers" !!!! Too cool 🔥🔥🔥🔥"
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55. Hiii Power, 2019
"Puddin' Pie facts"
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56. Marie Jeter, 2019
"Yesssssss!"
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57. Shelia G, 2018
"This is how I was going down in .
1978,1988,1998.........
Who's here in the end of 2018 December going into 2019 wishing that it was like this in 2019 having pure fun !!! Without you going skating and someone saying I'm not a boy or I'm not a girl or shooting and killing everyone being politically correct about their gender. And not just having fun just having fun"
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58. PB King, 2019
"Shelia G I’m here with you Ms. Sheila"
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59. SD90MAC2, 2019
"I feel you on that , everyone got along some kind of way. I miss those days and the people !"
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60. Terry Broussard, 2019
"And it wasn't that long ago.....What happened?
Anyway, glad I was able to be a part of the REAL things of life where people just had fun....no criticism, no violence, just Bounce, roll, skate, and some funk to make it all happen! Mmm. Mmmm...
Oh. And JESUS was always real in our lives. Can't leave HIM outta this.
It's HIS absence that's causing the problems. People need to put HIM in the Center of their lives and watch the Peace just roll on in."
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61. Ben Rayonez, 2019
"You forgot 1958 & 1968 that's where it all started????"
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62. Rosa Evangelista, 2019
"Shelia G had my blue jelly jacket with the skates on the back. Back in the day is fun to remember."
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63. Shelia G, 2018
"These are old school dancers the millennium's don't know nothing about this this is how it was when I was growing up and we were able to go skating to have fun without all this killing is sad it's so sad that people can out of joint have fun like this anymore"
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64. Shirley Black, 2018
"Yay yay yay good times"
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65. Bunnn Babyy, 2019
"You realize the death rate was higher back then kids just don't go outside because everything we do is criticize I love skating but the older folks won't teach us they just tell us if you can't do it get out the rink"
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66. isthis myrealname, 2019
"90s the skating rink was lit tryna holler at girls eating the snacks the arcade"
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67. Cynthia Ragan, 2019
"I used to have so much fun skating at the rink every Saturday night (back in the ‘60’s). I just bought my 5 yr old a pair of skates. This is gonna be fun. Please bring this back. I loved loved loved this video. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼"
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68. Captain Hernandez, 2019
"Shelia G yes it was great let’s go back to this great comment Stay Safe 👮🏻♂️🚔🚨"
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70. Katherine Williams, 2018
"to everyone that commented on this. everyone is on point. love peace and soul. I hope one day our younger generation will be able to get the chance to have what we old school generation did."
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71. Narvia Williams, 2018
"🌷This employee I use to work with at Woodhull Hospital in Brooklyn, NY told me he was one of the roll bounce skaters at Empire Skating Ring in Brooklyn, NY🍁🌹🎈"
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72. FreeWorldAllDay, 2018
"Sister Sledge, Le chic, The O'Jays, Rick James. Best music that I loved hearing at the roller skating rink."
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73. Betsy Abreu, 2018
"Any 8 Ball Blue Gorillas out there representing Empire Skating ring from back in the days Brooklyn n.y."
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74. Vant, 2019
"Yessssss!! Brooklyn in the house!!! I went there many times"
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75. flower321 channel, February 2019
Brooklyn in the house Impire Roller skating ring
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76. Marsha Washington, May 2019
“Shout Out To "BKLYN EMPIRE ROLLER SKATING RINK!!! FOR ALL THE GREAT MEMORIES!!!" My Family Still Skating 3 Generations Strong!!!”
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77. Seeking Pathways, 2019
"I miss skate key and empire roller skating rink...."
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78. Darryl Mckellar, 2019
"empire BKLYN roller rink had it going on skate guards MELL and another short guard and don't forget the two twins red bones they were awesome on those dam skates and fine as hell I was 14 yrs at that time but still remember empire roller rink BRASS out"
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79. Allen C., 2019
"Damn this takes me back to the late 60's early 70's...Empire skating rink in Brooklyn was the spot on the weekends. This song was huge in NYC"
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80. Layla20, 2019
"Baby! I’m here for it!!!!! Boy, Empire skating rink in Brooklyn was one of my old skating joints! I was pretty good at it and anyone who knows about Empire KNOWS you better know what you’re doing out there! Yes! A real treat and a blast from the past!!!! Where my Empire skaters at? 💯💯💯"
**
81. Cynthia Lopez, 2019
"God, how much skill and finesse these skaters had!! A bunch of us would go skating at United Skates of America in Brooklyn and sometimes everyone would just have to willingly clear the space to let the masters do their thing! What a damn good show it was. How much fun we had!😂 So so glad I grew up in those times instead of today's pathetic sit and text all day long and be entertained following all kinds of fools on social media...:-("
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82. Paris K Armani, 2019
"The ones with the sweat rags are always the best"
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83. dolphinbuc, 2019
"Life doesn't have to be complicated. A simple night of skating can change your entire outlook on life. No drama, no beefin', no hate. It's all love when we skate."
**
84. Steve Morelli, 2019
"This brings up memories of the 1980s I was the only Italian kid in my neighborhood in Detroit at the roller rink listening to the Dazz Band The Gap Band Time band Morris Day and The Time that was da scene those gorgeous ebony woman😊😉"
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85. Marsha Washington, 2019
"Shout Out To "BKLYN EMPIRE ROLLER SKATING RINK!!! FOR ALL THE GREAT MEMORIES!!!" My Family Still Skating 3 Generations Strong!!!"
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86. Leo Lioness, 2019
"Empire Roller Rink...💃🏽
‘Brooklyn Where You At’’🤔"
**
87. gotta go beach SUP, 2019
"Soooo cool!!! They make it look so easy! The floor looks crowded, but they all own their own space!!! Wish I remembered how to rollerskate!"
This pancocojams post showcases the 1978 hit Disco song "I Will Survive" performed by Gloria Gaynor.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, the composers of "I Will Survive". Thanks also to Gloria Gaynor who popularized this song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO & LYRICS:I Will Survive
Wesley Tai, Published on May 21, 2007
[Lyrics]
At first I was afraid I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side.
But then I spent so many nights
Thinking how you did me wrong.
And I grew strong!
And I learned how to get along!
So now you're back from out of space.
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face.
I should have changed that stupid lock!
I should have made you leave your key!
If I had known for just one second you'd be back to bother me.
Go on now, go, walk out that door!
Just turn around now‚
cause you're not welcome any more.
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt (crush) me with goodbye?
Did I crumble
Did I lay down and die
Oh no, not I! I will survive!
Oh and as long as I know how to love I know I stay alive.
I've got all my life to live, I've got all my love to give.
And I'll survive!
I will survive! Hey, hey.
It took all the strength I had not to fall apart.
Kept tryin' hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart!
And I spent oh so many nights
just feeling sorry for myself. I used to cry!
But now I hold my head up high.
And you see me somebody new!
I'm not that chained-up little person still in love with you.
And so you feel like droppin' in,
and just expect me to be free,
now I'm saving all my loving for someone who is loving me!
Go on now...
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "I WILL SURVIVE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Will_Survive
"I Will Survive" is a hit song first performed by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978. It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. A top-selling song after its initial release, it sold 14 million copies worldwide and has remained a popular disco anthem, as well as being certified platinum by the RIAA.[1]
The song's lyrics describe the narrator's discovery of personal strength following an initially devastating breakup. It received heavy airplay in 1979, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the UK Singles Chart on consecutive weeks. The song is also frequently recalled as a symbol of female strength and as a gay anthem.[2][3][4] In 2016, the Library of Congress deemed Gaynor's original recording to be "culturally, historically, or artistically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry."...
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INFORMATION ABOUT GLORIA GAYNOR
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Gaynor
"Gloria Gaynor (born September 7, 1949) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits "I Will Survive" (Hot 100 number 1, 1979), "Never Can Say Goodbye" (Hot 100 number 9, 1974), "Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (Hot 100 number 42, 1980) and "I Am What I Am" (R&B number 82, 1983.
[...]
Major mainstream breakthrough
... in late 1978, with the release of her album Love Tracks, she climbed the pop charts again with her smash hit single "I Will Survive". The lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a woman, recently dumped, telling her former lover that she can cope without him and does not want anything more to do with him. The song has become something of an anthem of female emancipation. Interestingly, the song "I Will Survive" was originally the B-side when Polydor Records released it in late 1978. The A-side, a song called "Substitute", then a recent worldwide hit for South African girl-group Clout, was considered more "radio friendly". Boston Disco Radio DJ Jack King, turned the record over and recalls being stunned by what he heard. "I couldn't believe they were burying this monster hit on the B-side", says King. "I played it and played it and my listeners went nuts!" This massive audience response forced the record company to flip the songs, so that subsequent copies of the single listed the more popular song on the A-side. King was honored at New York's "Disco Masters Awards Show" for 3 consecutive years (1979–1981) in recognition of his relentless push of the song. The song received the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980, the only year that award was given. It is ranked #492 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and ranked at #97 on Billboard magazine's "All-Time Hot 100". In 2000, the song was ranked #1 in VH1's list of the '100 greatest dance songs' of all time.
As a disco number, the song was unique for its time by virtue of Gaynor's having no background singers or lush production. And, unlike her first disco hits, the track was not pitched up to make it faster and to render Gaynor's recorded voice in a higher register than that in which she actually sang. Most disco hits at the time were heavily produced, with multiple voices, overdubs, and adjustments to pitch and speed. "I Will Survive" had a much more spare and "clean" sound. Had it been originally planned and released as an A-side, it would almost certainly have undergone a substantially more heavy-handed remix."...
This pancocojams post provides information about The 1970s-1980s Disco/Soul Group "The Tramps" and showcases three of that group's hit records: Hold Back The Night", ."Disco Inferno" & "That's Where The Happy People Go."
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to The Trammps for their musical legacy. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAMMPS
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trammps
"The Trammps were an American disco and soul band, who were based in Philadelphia and were one of the first disco bands.
The band's first major success was with their 1972 cover version of "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart". The first disco track they released was "Love Epidemic" in 1973. However, they are best known for their Grammy winning song, "Disco Inferno", originally released in 1976, becoming a UK pop hit and US R&B hit. After inclusion in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, the song was re-released in 1978 and became a US pop hit.
History
From early 1970s to the dissolution in the early 1990s
The history of the Trammps grew from the 1960s group The Volcanos, who later became The Moods.[1] With a number of line-up changes by the early 1970s, the band membership included gospel-influenced lead singer Jimmy Ellis, drummer and singer (bass voice) 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 1970s 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", featuring Young's bass voice, which became a Top 20 US R&B chart hit in 1972.[1][2]
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: The Original Movie Sound Track 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[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 13-14, 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 Pink Parker EP" in 1977, and reached #20 in the UK Singles Chart,[6] and Top 60 in the US."....
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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: The Trammps - Hold Back The Night • TopPop
TopPop, Published on Oct 22, 2015
The Trammps were an American disco and soul band, who were based in Philadelphia and were one of the first disco bands. They visited the Toppop studios in the Netherlands many times.
They are best known for their Grammy winning song, "Disco Inferno", originally released in 1976, becoming a UK pop hit and US R&B hit. After inclusion in the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, the song was re-released in 1978 and became an international pop hit worldwide.
This was the Trammps 5th performance on Toppop.
The lead vocals are from Jimmy Ellis and the bass vocals are by Earl Young.
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/The-trammps-hold-back-the-night-lyricsfor the lyrics to The Trammp's "Hold Back The Night".
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Example #2: The Trammps - Disco Inferno (1976) HD
STAT CHILE, Published on Mar 24, 2016
Artista: The Trammps
Álbum: Disco Inferno
Country: US
Released:1976
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Disco
"Disco Inferno" is a 1976 song by The Trammps from the album of the same name. With two other cuts by the group it reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in early 1977, but had limited mainstream success in the U.S. until 1978, after being included on the soundtrack to the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, when a re-release hit number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/The-trammps-disco-inferno-lyrics for the lyrics to The Trammp's song "Disco Inferno".
A note about this song on that website indicates that "it ["Disco Inferno"] was inspired by the scene of the burning discotheque in the 1974 movie The Towering Inferno.
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Example #3: The Trammps - That's Where The Happy People Go (1976)
