The Ritchie Family: Arabian Nights [Full Album, Lyrics + Bonus] (1976)

Following the immense success of the Ritchie Family's debut single Brazil, a female trio was recruited for the follow-up album which would be released on Marlin Records, a subsidiary of Miami's TK Label. On the recommendation of music producer Patrick Adams, Morali & Belolo recruited Gwendolyn Oliver and Cassandra Wooten, and a third lady, Cheryl Mason Jacks. The three of them were brought into the studio to record the Arabian Nights album in the spring of 1976. It was released June 1976 to immense success. "The Best Disco In Town (is) a celebration of discos and disco music that masterfully blends in key phrases from some of the hottest records of the past few years," wrote Billboard, "including Bad Luck, Fly Robin Fly, Love To Love You, Baby, Express, Lady Marmalade, and of course, the Family's own Brazil. Brilliant. Arabian Nights seems to anticipate the mood of the summer and should be one of the season's major records." It was indeed - Best Disco hit the #1 spot on Billboard's Disco Chart and zoomed up the charts at both sides of the Atlantic and in Australia when released as a single in August. Cheryl, Cassandra & Gwendolyn, who graced the album cover in elaborate costumes, were rushed around the world to perform everywhere. No further singles were released from the album.
I have expanded the album with Gwendolyn Oliver's solo record Love Duo with Bruce Gray, an early 1976 single that came and went with no success, and the videos of the ladies' elegant performances of Best Disco and Istanbul on TV, and their full live performance from the Polish Sopot festival, 1977. With Special Thanks to DJ Cole for the Istanbul clip, and not least to Hans de Vries, the Ritchie Family's archivist who has gathered so much material on them on www.facebook.c...
00:00 The Best Disco In Town
06:38 I'm On Fire
11:43 Romantic Love
17:34 Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
22:06 Lawrence Of Arabia (More Than Yesterday, Less Than Tomorrow)
26:06 In A Persian Market (Show Me How You Dance)
Bonus Tracks:
31:59 Gwen & Bruce: Love Duo
38:21 The Best Disco In Town (TV Performance)
44:48 Istanbul (Not Constantinople) (TV Performance - With Thanks To DJ Cole For Restoring)
49:45 Brazil (Live At The Sopot Festival, Poland, 1977)
55:55 Arabian Nights (Live At The Sopot Festival, Poland 1977)
1:04:18 The Best Disco In Town (Live At The Sopot Festival, Poland 1977)