9 votes

My current favourite song: 'Rhapsody in Blue' arranged by Walter Murphy

I discovered (or "discocovered") this song after reading a comment in the April Fool's thread about Spotify changing its "discover weekly" feature into "discocover weekly". The commenter mentioned "a disco cover of 'Rhapsody In Blue'", which checks two of my boxes:

  • 'Rhapsody in Blue' is in my all-time Top Three instrumental/orchestral pieces of music.

  • Disco (real disco, from back in the '70s) is one of my favourite genres.

Mashing these two things together just has to be good. And, sure enough, it is! This track is, in equal parts, inspired and cheesy. I can't listen to it without finding myself bopping along. It makes me happy.

I bought the track within 15 minutes of reading that comment, have added it to my "Orchestral" and my "Disco" playlists, and am making excuses to listen to it as often as I can.

Actually, there were a few disco versions of classical songs made in the 1970s. It seems to have been a minor fad back then - and I realised, when buying this track, that I also have Murphy's track 'A Fifth of Beethoven', plus 'Night on Disco Mountain' by David Shire. I really enjoy this combination of funky disco and classical music.

And I love this song! :)

18 comments

  1. [10]
    cfabbro
    Link
    I loathe disco. It's my second least favorite genre after pop country (not to be confused with bluegrass, americana and folk, which I adore). However, I absolutely love Gershwin and Broadway show...

    I loathe disco. It's my second least favorite genre after pop country (not to be confused with bluegrass, americana and folk, which I adore). However, I absolutely love Gershwin and Broadway show tunes, so my heart is torn. That Rhapsody in Blue cover is an abomination and shouldn't exist... but... it's surprisingly catchy and kind of hilarious. Damn you, Algernon!

    p.s. The YouTube autoplay song immediately after it is also pretty dumb, but great too:
    Water Murphy - Mostly Mozart (1979)

    3 votes
    1. [5]
      Algernon_Asimov
      Link Parent
      Don't blame me, blame Walter Murphy. I'm not the one who thought up this catchy and fun abomination. I'm not even the one who first brought it to Tildes! I'm just the one who's enjoying it -...

      That Rhapsody in Blue cover is an abomination and shouldn't exist... but... it's surprisingly catchy and kind of hilarious. Damn you, Algernon!

      Don't blame me, blame Walter Murphy. I'm not the one who thought up this catchy and fun abomination. I'm not even the one who first brought it to Tildes! I'm just the one who's enjoying it - possibly a little too much. This one isn't my fault. :)

      The YouTube autoplay song immediately after it is also pretty dumb, but great too:

      Yeah. When I was first tracking down this song, I learned that Murphy had done a whole album of these disco/classical tracks. There's more where this came from!

      2 votes
      1. [4]
        cfabbro
        Link Parent
        In a similar vein, have you ever listened to Richard Cheese? He turns everything into crooner style lounge music... It's sooooo stupid, and somehow great at the same time! You may get a kick out...

        There's more where this came from!

        In a similar vein, have you ever listened to Richard Cheese? He turns everything into crooner style lounge music... It's sooooo stupid, and somehow great at the same time! You may get a kick out of him.

        My fav album of his is Apertif for Destruction... his cover of Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle from it is amazing.

        2 votes
        1. [3]
          Algernon_Asimov
          Link Parent
          I've never heard of Richard Cheese until now. I do like a bit of crooner-style lounge music, though. That song is horrible... but I'm still bopping along and tapping my feet. Hmph.

          I've never heard of Richard Cheese until now. I do like a bit of crooner-style lounge music, though.

          That song is horrible... but I'm still bopping along and tapping my feet. Hmph.

          1 vote
          1. cfabbro
            Link Parent
            Richard Cheese songs in a nutshell. They're so bad they somehow transcend into being good. LOL

            That song is horrible... but I'm still bopping along and tapping my feet.

            Richard Cheese songs in a nutshell. They're so bad they somehow transcend into being good. LOL

            1 vote
          2. NaraVara
            Link Parent
            You should listen to his cover of System of a Down's "Chop Suey." The "Why did you leave the keys upon the table" line had me in stitches.

            You should listen to his cover of System of a Down's "Chop Suey."

            The "Why did you leave the keys upon the table" line had me in stitches.

            1 vote
    2. [4]
      Cosmos
      Link Parent
      Hope you're not a star wars fan, because if so, this will tear you apart as well.

      Hope you're not a star wars fan, because if so, this will tear you apart as well.

      2 votes
      1. [3]
        cfabbro
        Link Parent
        Star Trek > Star Wars... so I don't mind the sacrilege in this case. ;) It was surprisingly well done though, so even if I was a huge Star Wars fan I think I still would have enjoyed it. Damnit......

        Star Trek > Star Wars... so I don't mind the sacrilege in this case. ;) It was surprisingly well done though, so even if I was a huge Star Wars fan I think I still would have enjoyed it.

        Damnit... you all are making me reconsider my hate for Disco... stop it! :P

        1 vote
        1. [2]
          Cosmos
          Link Parent
          Is there a rule 34 for Disco? If not, there needs to be.

          Is there a rule 34 for Disco? If not, there needs to be.

          1 vote
          1. cfabbro
            Link Parent
            Sigh... I should be offended by that... but I actually really dig it. :/ Thanks?

            Sigh... I should be offended by that... but I actually really dig it. :/ Thanks?

  2. [4]
    acdw
    Link
    Man I love A Fifth of Beethoven, and now this track is enjoyable as well. Thanks for the find! There's also the funk version of the Star Wars theme; have you heard that?

    Man I love A Fifth of Beethoven, and now this track is enjoyable as well. Thanks for the find! There's also the funk version of the Star Wars theme; have you heard that?

    3 votes
    1. [3]
      Algernon_Asimov
      Link Parent
      Is that this track which someone else posted here? Yes, I listened to it. It's good.

      There's also the funk version of the Star Wars theme; have you heard that?

      Is that this track which someone else posted here? Yes, I listened to it. It's good.

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        acdw
        Link Parent
        YES! Funk arrangements of symphonic music are maybe the best things.

        YES! Funk arrangements of symphonic music are maybe the best things.

        2 votes
        1. Algernon_Asimov
          Link Parent
          I'm not sure they're the best things, but they're definitely among my favourite things.

          I'm not sure they're the best things, but they're definitely among my favourite things.

          2 votes
  3. knocklessmonster
    (edited )
    Link
    The same guy who does the music for Family Guy, the Ted movies, and one of my favorites, A Fifth of Beethoven. I just learned this, thought I'd share. I've never heard, that I remember, this...

    The same guy who does the music for Family Guy, the Ted movies, and one of my favorites, A Fifth of Beethoven. I just learned this, thought I'd share.

    I've never heard, that I remember, this version of Rhapsody in Blue, but it's really well done.

    2 votes
  4. [2]
    Lazarus
    Link
    Listening to this while waiting to take off on a United flight made this moment priceless

    Listening to this while waiting to take off on a United flight made this moment priceless

    1 vote
    1. NaraVara
      Link Parent
      I will not forgive United for appropriating among the greatest of American cultural achievements. Who told them this was okay? Sting refused to license "Don't Stand so Close to Me" to a deodorant...

      I will not forgive United for appropriating among the greatest of American cultural achievements. Who told them this was okay?

      Sting refused to license "Don't Stand so Close to Me" to a deodorant company because he didn't want people thinking of stinky pits every time they heard his song. Now I have to associate Gershwin with every stupid thing United does because the same way.

  5. DonQuixote
    Link
    Have pity on those of us who can't dance. We avoid disco and take solace in other forms of music. Glad you like it.

    Have pity on those of us who can't dance. We avoid disco and take solace in other forms of music. Glad you like it.

    1 vote