1981 Frankie Smith – Double Dutch Bus
While it may be difficult to identify the actual beginning of Disco, it’s a lot easier to identify the beginning of the end: July 12, 1979.
A Chicago White Sox double header on that date featured a half-time show that included exploding disco records out in centerfield. That apparently wasn’t enough for many of the fans, who ran out on the field and caused a great deal of damage during a small riot. The Sox even had to forfeit the second game.
The top six records on the Hot 100 were still all disco records two weeks later, but that changed quickly. A lot of abuse got heaped on disco after that night, and by September 22, there were no pure disco records left in the top ten.
For me, the last successful disco record was The Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith. The single came out in 1981 and quickly topped the R&B chart. It did not, however, do that well on the disco chart where it peaked at only #51. It did briefly reach the Hot 100, but only got up to #30.
Somehow the record sounded a lot like the end of Disco. The Disco chart was eventually split up and renamed The Hot Dance chart.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Dutch_Bus
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