"Disco Clone" is a song by American singer Cristina and written by Ronald Melrose. It was released as a single on ZE Records in 1978.

"Disco Clone"
Single by Cristina
Released	1978 (1978)
Recorded	May–June 1978
Studio	Blank Tape Studios
Genre	Disco
Length	4:07
Label	ZE
Songwriter(s)	Ronald Melrose
Producer(s)	John Cale
Cristina singles chronology
"Disco Clone" (1978) "Is That All There Is?" (1980)

Background

"Disco Clone" was written by Ronald Melrose, a classmate of Cristina's from Harvard University.[1] Her boyfriend Michael Zilkha wanted to take advantage of the disco boom and record the song.[2] She called it "the worst song I have ever heard" and decided to perform it as a "Brechtian pastiche".[3]

Tony de Portago, a friend of Cristina's, was the first to record the male vocals for "Disco Clone", but his were thrown out as sounding "too foreign" and "insufficiently jaded". Anthony Haden-Guest recorded the part in both English and French, which appear on song's first release. Kevin Kline, a little known actor at the time, appears on the re-release.[4][5] Tom Moulton was approached to mix the track, but he did not want to be involved with something that mocked disco. Island Records founder Chris Blackwell mixed it instead.[6]

The song's writer, Ronald Melrose, later became an arranger and musical director on Broadway shows, including Jersey Boys.[7][8]

Composition

"Disco Clone"

The recording uses a disco rhythm with a large string section.

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"Disco Clone" uses a common disco rhythm, with a four-on-the-floor bass drum pattern and prominent hi-hat. It features a large string section, with 24 violinists double tracked.[6] The song's lyrics poke fun at the idea of men wanting to hook up with attractive women who look alike.[9]

Release

The original version of "Disco Clone" had a limited release of 1,500 twelve-inch singles, the first release by Zilkha's fledgling label ZE Records.[10] It received a re-release shortly after. The re-release includes a remix that was later retitled "The Ballad of Immoral Manufacture", in reference to "The Ballad of Immoral Earnings" from Brecht's The Threepenny Opera.[11] The single was not commercially successful.[12]

Track listings

• Original 12" release

1. "Disco Clone" (English Version) – 4:13
2. "Disco Clone" (French Version) – 4:03

• 12" re-release

1. "Disco Clone" (Disco Mix) – 7:43
2. "Disco Clone" (Single Version) – 4:07
3. "Disco Clone" (Clone Instrumental) – 8:14

References

External links

• "Disco Clone" at ZE Records