Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” Impact on EDM
There’s an enormous number of songs that are considered classic House and Drum-N-Bass songs that use the vocal sample that says, “Music’s hypnotizing.” I knew they all had to come from the same sample. I greatly suspected it was from a Disco song. After a little research, I found the original song the sample came from. That song is “Do It To The Music” by Raw Silk on Westend Records. The Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” impact is enormous. It has leeched into nearly a hundred songs.
Westend Records is one of my favorite Disco labels and has a bunch of real gems on it. Even our very first episode was another Westend Records song! You can always expect to hear samplable songs on the label. Personally, I love learning where famous House songs take their catchy samples. There’s something very satisfying about finding the roots of a song or sample! Then buying it so you can do a megamix of the original and the newer song to the amazement of dancers! It’s pretty great.
Westend Records
Westend Records began in 1976 in New York City. It has an odd claim to fame in that it is directly responsible for the move from 7-inch singles to the larger 12-inch singles with longer play . Thanks, Westend! The label was founded by Mel Cheren and Ed Kushins. The label went on to define the sound of New York City in the heyday of disco.
West End released disco hits like Time’s “Girl I Like The Way You Move”, Taana Gardner’s “Heartbeat,” Karen Young’s “Hot Shot,” Loose Joints’ “Is It All Over My Face,” Barbara Mason’s “Another Man,” The NYC Peech Boys’ “Don’t Make Me Waitâ€, and of course Raw Silk’s “Do It To The Music”. These titles, along with many others in the West End Records catalog, went on to become some of the most sampled songs in music history. They created a Disco movement that was only matched by a few other labels, such as Prelude and Casablanca. They occupy a rarified place in music history!
Westend Records is credited with pushing the sound made popular at New York’s famouse club, the Paradise Garage. The DJ there was one of the most famous DJs of all time, Larry Levan. The existence of the club is where the name “Garage House” comes from. Westend Records is the label that championed that sound. Surprisingly, there’s even a documentary about it. The Godfather of Disco is a 2006 feature-length documentary based on Mel Cheren’s autobiography, My Life and the Paradise Garage: Keep On Dancin directed by Gene Graham and produced by Determined Pictures.
Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” Impact
Raw Silk’s “Do It To The Music” impact as an amazing proto-House tune from the late Disco era is unmissable. It is from 1982. As I mentioned earlier, Westend was instrumental in creating the popularity of the 12-inch single. Therefore, “Do It To The Music” is available as a 12-inch single. There is the original mix and a Dub mix on the record. Both sides are pretty amazing! Both sides have been extensively sampled! The intro of the Dub mix is a sampler’s dream with soloed vocals that have been used in many songs! Here we are using the Original Mix. Take a listen to this Disco (House) gem!
You can pick up a copy of the 12-inch single on vinyl from Discogs:
https://www.discogs.com/release/67019-Raw-Silk-Do-It-To-The-Music
Also, there are CD compilations of all the Westend Records hits available on Amazon Music. Use the link below!
Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” Impact in Drum-N-Bass Songs
“Do It To The Music” has samples in 84 songs. The most common element sampled is the vocal snippet that says, “Music’s hypnotizing.” In fact, about one-third of the songs that sample it are titled with the words “Hypnotizing” or “Music’s hypnotizing”. Obviously, It’s a natural reference. Many sections of the vocals in the song are begging for sample use! The samples appear generously in House as well as Drum-N-Bass, but even is found in Downtempo and Experimental Music.
The song we are showing as an example is one of the songs that uses the sample and title of “Music’s hypnotizing”. As I said, that is pretty common. This particular song is from 1996. It is a Drum-N-Bass song by one of the most prolific artists in the genre, Aphrodite. So, the song is Amazon II & Aphrodite, “Music’s Hypnotizing”. It uses the vocal starting around 1:12 and then continues to use it throughout the rest of the song. Here, take a listen!
You can buy a copy of the 12-inch single on Discogs:
https://www.discogs.com/release/49016-Amazon-II-King-Of-The-Beats-Musics-Hypnotizing
Additionally, you can also get it digitally on an Aphrodite Recordings compilation on Amazon Music using the link below:
Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” Impact in House Songs
At the beginning of this episode I mentioned it is a sample that finds use in a host of DnB and House songs. Now we have heard a DnB song that samples it. I feel it’s only fair to share what the iconic sample sounds like in House, as that’s where I have most heard it. It is a beautiful, haunting vocal snippet. “Music’s hypnotizing” is a vocal we can all connect with. However, it is not the only sample taken from the song that is used in Electronic Dance Music. Multiple vocal samples and other elements from the song appear in EDM songs!
With that being said, it is the “music’s hypnotizing” vocal sample we have been talking about, so that’s what we’re going to provide a example of. This song uses the classic sample in its entirety so it’s a little longer, but straight out of “Do It To The Music”. The song is by Kid Creme and is “Hypnotizing”. It is a release on the classic House label, Positiva. It is a 2002 release. It’s a pretty solid House tune and it exemplifies how the famous sample is used! The sample begins in the song at 1:22 in. Feel free to listen to the whole song or scan in if you want. Take a listen!
Fortunately, The 12-inch single is available with this link on Discogs.
https://www.discogs.com/release/207476-Kid-Creme-Hypnotizing
Additionally, you can pick up a digital copy or on a Positiva compilation using the link below for Amazon Music.
Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” Impact in Songs That Remix It
Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” impact is also in remixes of the song. By far the most famous remix of the famous song is a 2006 release. It is done by House heavyweights Blaze. The actual title of their remix is “Do It To The Music (Roots Vocal Mix)”. A “Proto-House” song like the original on Westend Records kind of screams for a quality remix. Honestly, that is true of most of the releases on the label!
Blaze keep true to the vibe of the original. It is a moodier and soulful rendition. Wonderfully, it uses a thick kettle style drum to richen the sound. Thankfully, the vocals are used in their entirety. The remix of the song is from 2006. Personally, I think they did an amazing job reimagining the classic! Take a listen to Blaze “Do It To The Music (Roots Vocal Mix)”.
Fortunately, the vinyl 12-inch single is available on Discogs.
https://www.discogs.com/release/865076-Raw-Silk-Do-It-To-The-Music-The-Blaze-Mixes
Additionally, the song is available on digital on the Blaze mix compilation called “Found Love” by using the link below for Amazon Music:
Conclusion
In conclusion, I think we have shown how much of an impact Raw Silk’s “Do It To The Music” and its samples have had on EDM music! House and DnB have used the samples from the song to great effect, in particular, “music’s hypnotizing”! Next time you hear that sample in a song while you’re tearing up the dancefloor, you’ll know where it comes from! How fun!
The classic “Proto-House” Disco song set alight Deep House and DnB classics to the delight of dancefloors around the world! The Raw Silk “Do It To The Music” impact has been huge. I love the sample and it speaks to the soul.
I hope you have enjoyed this episode and you have learned something new that increases your love and appreciation for EDM! Knowing more about the music you love only increases your love for it! Don’t miss out on new content, so subscribe!
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