Spirit of the Boogie (song)

"Spirit of the Boogie"
Side one of US single
Single by Kool and the Gang
from the album Spirit of the Boogie
B-side	"Summer Madness" (Nor. Am.) "Get Down with the Boogie" (intl.)
Released	1975 (1975)
Recorded	1975
Genre	Funk
Length	3:15
Label	De-Lite Records
Songwriters	Ronald Bell, Don Boyce & Kool and the Gang
Producers	Kool and the Gang & Ronald Bell
Kool and the Gang singles chronology
"Rhyme Tyme People" (1974) "Spirit of the Boogie" (1975) "Caribbean Festival" (1975)

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

Critical reception

Daryl Easlea of the BBC said the song "showcases Claydes Smith’s tight, crunchy guitar grit and occasional member Donald 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." ^[1] 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." ^[2] Record World said that the band's "jazz/rock expertise produces their mightiest outing since 'Hollywood Swingin'.'" ^[3]

Personnel

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

Track listing

De-Lite Records – DE-1567: ^[4]

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

Chart history

"Spirit of the Boogie" was the group's 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. ^[5]

Chart (1975)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	35
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	1

Samples

• "Spirit of the Boogie" has been sampled by Doug E. Fresh and The Notorious B.I.G. ^[6]
• It was interpolated in The Killers' 2017 song "The Man".
• 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.

References

1. Easlea, Daryl (2012). "Kool & The Gang Spirit of the Boogie Review". bbc.co.uk. BBC.
2. Hanson, Amy. "Kool & the Gang: Spirit of the Boogie > Review" at AllMusic . Retrieved 2011-10-28.
3. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. April 5, 1975. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
4. "Spirit of the Boogie/Summer Madness". Discogs . Retrieved November 4, 2016.
5. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 333.
6. "Kool and the Gang: Spirit of the Boogie". the-breaks.com.