Italian Pino D'Angio's Ma Quale Idea occasionally gets credit as the first instance of Italo Disco Rap, and while that's an arguable point (Kano's I'm Ready also came out in 1980), the song, built atop McFadden & Whitehead's Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, is just frankly awesome. It's a baritone-voiced roller that fills dancefloors with people and minds' eyes with visions of sparkling lights, dart collars and louche ladies wearing Thierry Muegler gowns. And an old guy rapping about... a disco lady with snake eyes? Okay, so it's stretching it to call Italo Disco Rap a genre, with all of the conventions and trappings that ensure a section in a record store or a folder in someone's MP3 collection, but as Carmen's Throw Down and MC Miker G & DJ Sven's Holiday Rap would follow later, and I love all of these songs, it's enough of a genre for me.
It's hard to pinpoint the moment where Italo Disco turns over and becomes fully absorbed by Hi-NRG. Probably when it became all octave-bass lines, 130BPM, and that Mike guy put on the oversized sunglasses. Creative Connection prove that the cross-over wasn't entirely terrible, with their 1985 cover of the Dieter Boehlen penned and produced Modern Talking song You're My Heart, You're My Soul.
It's hard to pinpoint the moment where Italo Disco turns over and becomes fully absorbed by Hi-NRG. Probably when it became all octave-bass lines, 130BPM, and that Mike guy put on the oversized sunglasses. Creative Connection prove that the cross-over wasn't entirely terrible, with their 1985 cover of the Dieter Boehlen penned and produced Modern Talking song You're My Heart, You're My Soul.
For your edification and entertainment, here are the translated lyrics to Ma Quale Ideal...
I caught her in the disco with a snake look
I went close to her
She was already out of her mind
I looked at her
She looked back at me then I let myself go
In comparison Fred Astaire was static and clumsy
I shot a kiss in her mouth
A kiss with a bang
On the footloose dancing floor then I shook her up
sending her to the air
catching her back
leaving her breathless
She fell into my arms
She was madly in love
I held her fast by her hips
I turned her into jam
Oh yea Oh yea..Is that how you say it ?
And then...and then
What an idea ! But what idea ? Can't you see she is not easy ?
What an idea ! But what idea ? She's malicious but knows
How to take care of a big bully like you
And besides what makes you so special that another one hasn't got ?
What an idea ! But what idea ? Can't you see she is not easy ?
What an idea ! But what idea ? Beware, she is smart
She will lead you in circles but you will never get
The things you want and tell me, what are you going to give her ?
I had a great thought, I brought her in my den
I poured an orange juice and she burts into a laughter
She clung to my whiskey
She gulped down five litres
She seemed to be out of her wits
She kissed me
I kissed her
All of a sudden I held her tight but she slipped away
She looked at me
I looked at her
I stopped her
I caressed her fairy face
But she looked like a potato
I caught her, shook her up and down
Turned her into an omelette
Oh yea is this how you say it ?
And then
What an idea ! But what idea ? Can't you see
