Silly poll: Which one is "better": Disco Duck or Convoy?

Convoy.....by a mile....or two

 

Ah, but Shaddap You Face was an early 80's hit!

 

I went through a period where I always got Chip Davis confused with MFQ/Monkees/Turtles producer Chip Douglas.

 

"Disco Duck" is embarrassing, from Dees' lame set-up, through to the quacking chorus, all the way to the bad Elvis impersonation and the chants of "More Duck!" No self-respecting '70s nostalgite like me can hear it and fail to shudder. It's no "Telephone Man" or "Run Joey Run," but lameness is the lasting feeling here.

"Convoy" is a fun story song, performed with panache and cleverness. It has a surging quality to it, and the call-out of various road denizens like "suicide jockeys" and "bear in the air" makes me smile more today, even if I don't play with Matchbox cars while listening to it anymore. Besides, how many songs manage to seemlessly incorporate the word "chartreuse"? Well, maybe not seemless, but it doesn't jar nearly as much as it could have. I still like it, even as I bitterly recall being ejected from a fourth-grade club named after the song after I tried to interest them in another song worthy of their interest, "Fly Robin Fly."

 

I think though, as one of the absolute worst records of the 70's, you really have to give Disco Duck it's props. Worst is almost as impressive as best!

 

You're right ... bottom of the barrel of whatever decade it came out!

 

Picked Convoy but although Disco Duck was considered stupid by many I still enjoyed it's instrumental parts within the song.

Trust me back in super 70's
I wore these two vinyl 45s out.

Considered stupid tunes but I enjoyed them for the fun of both tunes during that time.

 

The only thing I liked about "Disco Duck" was the band name Dees used, Rick Dees and His Cast Of Idiots.

 

Actually, musically speaking, DD is okay -- after all, it is a Memphis record, so I'm sure there's some real talented session guys playing on it.

 

Disco Duck !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Today I learned that "Convoy" was co-written by the founder of Mannheim Steamroller, who later released their own interpretation of the song:

 

Worst #1, maybe. But "Telephone Man" is even more wince inducing and charted nearly as high. I think "Run Joey Run" is the "so-bad-it's-good" champ for the decade.

 

"Idiots" is right. They had a chance to be featured on a movie soundtrack, and Dees turned it down. It was the soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever.

 

"Run Joey Run" was really just an updated death song, drawing on a long tradition going back to stuff as old as "Knoxville Girl" to "Teen Angel", "Last Kiss", etc. Of course, it was a pretty bad record. "Telephone Man" was just a silly double-entendre record that could have been done by Ruth Wallis or one of those types. But, I agree, not a good record. "Disco Duck" is a completely different animal -- to me it's much worse than RJR or TM. But of course, as the kids say, YMMV!

 

I am still a fan of both (YES I AM!) but I chose "Convoy" in this poll because it has a "Smokey & The Bandit" type story to it that builds to a great ending.

 

This is giantleech in Cab 1019 in the AVI lane of COS (Colorado Springs airport) stepping on the mic to chime in on this thread and let you know that "Convoy" is the clear winner of this here contest.

 

Convoy isn't very good, but it's Beethoven's 10th compared to Disco Duck.

 

That Duck is getting fried in this here poll...

 

Yes, the Disco Duck is getting the down kicked off of it....

 

I've always felt that I am one of the few true music lovers on this forum as I have no prejudices when it comes to music. These two songs are good examples as both of them are musically solid. Songs rarely make it to #1 and sell millions of copies on novelty alone. So here's yet another music lesson for you haters:

"Convoy" - The sinister and dark atmosphere in the verses are similar to prior story-telling hits like "Ode To Billie Jo" and "Swamp Witch". And later hits like "The Legend Of Wooley Swamp". Ingenious use of strings to set an ominous setting to a disturbing story. Yet, "Convoy" was a bit unique with the choruses being in a major key, except for the ending of the choruses to segue into the verses. It's this contrast between chorus and verse that was unique to "Convoy" (along with the topical storyline) that gave this song massive appeal and a #1 single in three major countries.

"Disco Duck" - To understand the true appeal of this song, you need to flip the single over to listen the the B side, the instrumental. Underlying the silliness is a phenomenal rhythm track and production that was as good, if not better, then all dance songs charting that year. Simply brilliant use of strings in the chorus. The B side is one of the best dance records of the 70's and is why I love this single.

 

Beautifully put

 

The instrumentation of Duck is really interesting.

 

Check the instrumental Duck..