If you love the music of the 1970s, you’ll want to discover NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s. This four-CD collection features 42 extended versions, 12-inch mixes and disco favourites from some of the biggest artists of the seventies.

Welcome to my review of NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s, a four-CD collection featuring 42 extended versions, 12-inch mixes and disco favourites from some of the biggest artists of the seventies.

I love listening to extended versions of favourite songs, although I have to admit that some can go on a little too long for me! However, there are some fantastic tracks on this collection, and it’s particularly interesting to hear how familiar songs were transformed for the dancefloor.

NOW That's What I Call 12" 70s four CD collection

 

Let’s take a look at what you get across the four CDs.

NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s – What’s Included?

Released on 2 September 2022, this collection brings together 42 tracks across four CDs.

The selection covers a wide range of musical styles, including disco, soul, pop, electronic music and new wave. There are familiar hits from artists such as Elton John, Wings, Blondie, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor and Chic.

But this isn’t simply a collection of the usual radio versions. The attraction is hearing the longer mixes and alternative versions that gave many of these songs a different feel.

For anyone who remembers buying 12-inch singles, or dancing to extended disco records in the seventies, this album should bring back some memories.

NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s – The Four CDs

NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s is particularly interesting because it brings together extended mixes that were originally popular with DJs and music fans who wanted to hear more of their favourite records.

CD 1 – Elton John, Wings, Blondie and New Wave

The first disc opens with Elton John’s Are You Ready For Love (Extended Version), followed by Wings’ Goodnight Tonight (Long Version).

There are some excellent tracks here, including Cliff Richard’s extended We Don’t Talk Anymore, Blondie’s Heart Of Glass and Roxy Music’s Angel Eyes.

The disc also explores the more experimental side of late-seventies music with Japan, M, The Flying Lizards and Public Image Limited.

One of the highlights is Ian Dury & The Blockheads’ Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, presented in its 12-inch version. The disc finishes with the full-length version of Rock Lobster by The B-52’s.

It’s a really interesting opening to the collection, particularly if you enjoy the new wave and electronic sounds that were emerging towards the end of the decade.

CD 2 – Electronic Disco and Dancefloor Favourites

CD 2 moves more towards disco and electronic dance music.

Sparks open the disc with Beat The Clock, followed by Cerrone’s classic Supernature and Voyage’s From East To West.

Sheila & B. Devotion’s Spacer appears in a Tom Moulton mix, while The Three Degrees, Leif Garrett, Boney M. and Eruption provide more familiar pop and disco sounds.

There are also two particularly unusual selections towards the end: Dee D. Jackson’s Automatic Lover and Meco’s Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band.

The Meco track is especially interesting because it is the long version originally released as a DJ promotional record.

CD 3 – Disco, Soul and Club Classics

The third disc is packed with disco and soul favourites.

Earth, Wind & Fire with The Emotions open with Boogie Wonderland, followed by McFadden & Whitehead’s Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now and Heatwave’s Boogie Nights.

Odyssey’s Native New Yorker and Yvonne Elliman’s If I Can’t Have You are also included.

Other highlights include Dan Hartman’s Relight My Fire, Grace Jones’ I Need A Man, Andrea True Connection’s More, More, More and Cher’s Take Me Home.

This is a great selection for anyone who enjoys the disco sound of the late seventies.

CD 4 – Donna Summer, Chic, Diana Ross and Gloria Gaynor

The final disc is a real treat for disco fans.

It opens with Donna Summer’s MacArthur Park Suite, which runs for more than 17 minutes. That’s certainly an extended version!

The disc also includes The Trammps’ Disco Inferno, Chic’s Everybody Dance and Amii Stewart’s Light My Fire / 137 Disco Heaven.

Frantique and Vicki Sue Robinson add more dancefloor favourites before Diana Ross appears with the 12-inch version of Love Hangover.

The collection finishes with three wonderful disco and soul songs: Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive and Thelma Houston’s Don’t Leave Me This Way, following Diana Ross.

It’s a strong finish to a collection that celebrates the longer versions of some memorable seventies records.

Complete Track Listing – NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s

If you want to check exactly which songs are included, here is the full track listing.

Disc 1

  1. Elton John – Are You Ready For Love (Extended Version)
  2. Wings – Goodnight Tonight (Long Version)
  3. Cliff Richard – We Don’t Talk Anymore (12″ Version)
  4. Blondie – Heart Of Glass (12″ Version)
  5. Roxy Music – Angel Eyes (Extended Version)
  6. Japan – Life In Tokyo (12″ Extended Version)
  7. M – Pop Muzik (Nik Launay ’79 12″)
  8. The Flying Lizards – Money (12″ Version)
  9. Lene Lovich – Lucky Number (Slavic Dance Version)
  10. Public Image Limited – Death Disco (12″ Remix)
  11. Ian Dury & The Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (12″ Version)
  12. The B-52’s – Rock Lobster

Disc 2

  1. Sparks – Beat The Clock (Long Version)
  2. Cerrone – Supernature (Extended)
  3. Voyage – From East To West (Extended Version)
  4. Sheila & B. Devotion – Spacer (A Tom Moulton Mix)
  5. The Three Degrees – The Runner (Long Version)
  6. Leif Garrett – I Was Made For Dancin’ (12″ Version)
  7. Boney M. – Rivers Of Babylon (12″ Version)
  8. Eruption – I Can’t Stand The Rain (Extended Version)
  9. Dee D. Jackson – Automatic Lover (Extended Version)
  10. Meco – Star Wars Theme / Cantina Band (DJ Promo-only Version)

Disc 3

  1. Earth, Wind & Fire With The Emotions – Boogie Wonderland (12″ Version)
  2. McFadden & Whitehead – Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now (12″ Version)
  3. Heatwave – Boogie Nights (Special Disco Version)
  4. Odyssey – Native New Yorker (12″ Disco Mix)
  5. Yvonne Elliman – If I Can’t Have You (Extended Version)
  6. A Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie (Album Version)
  7. Dan Hartman – Relight My Fire (12″ Disco Remix)
  8. Grace Jones – I Need A Man (12″ Version)
  9. Dennis Parker – Like An Eagle (12″ Version)
  10. Andrea True Connection – More, More, More (12″ Version)
  11. Cher – Take Me Home (12″ Version)

Disc 4

  1. Donna Summer – MacArthur Park Suite: MacArthur Park / One Of A Kind / Heaven Knows / MacArthur Park Reprise (DJ Promo 12″ Version)
  2. The Trammps – Disco Inferno (Extended Version)
  3. Chic – Everybody Dance (12″ Mix)
  4. Amii Stewart – Light My Fire / 137 Disco Heaven (Long Version)
  5. Frantique – Strut Your Funky Stuff (12″ Version)
  6. Vicki Sue Robinson – Turn The Beat Around (Extended Version)
  7. Diana Ross – Love Hangover (12″ Version)
  8. Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive (Original 12″ Version)
  9. Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way (12″ Version)

Is NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s Worth Buying?

If you’re a fan of disco, soul and the longer versions of seventies songs, I think this collection is well worth investigating.

There are some excellent artists and tracks included, and I particularly like the mixture of familiar hits and less obvious selections.

It’s also interesting to hear how different some of these extended versions can be from the radio edits many of us grew up with.

Of course, you need to enjoy longer tracks to get the most from this album. Donna Summer’s MacArthur Park Suite, for example, runs for over 17 minutes. That’s a lot longer than the versions many people will remember hearing on the radio!

For anyone who remembers the 12-inch singles from the late seventies, this four-CD collection is a chance to revisit that sound.

Is NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s Still Available?

NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s was released in 2022, and finding a reasonably priced copy may not be easy now.

Prices can vary considerably depending on availability, so it’s worth comparing different sellers if you’re looking to add this four-CD collection to your music library.

In the meantime, you can explore some of my other reviews of NOW collections featuring classic music from the seventies.

 

NOW That's What I Call 12" 70s four CD collection

 

More NOW 70s Music Reviews

If you enjoy these collections, you might also like my other reviews of NOW albums featuring music from the seventies:

Overall, NOW That’s What I Call 12″ 70s is an interesting collection for anyone who enjoys the extended disco and pop sounds of the seventies.

What Are Your Favourite 12-Inch Versions?

Do you remember buying 12-inch singles in the seventies? Perhaps you remember hearing these extended versions in the clubs or discos.

I’d love to know which songs are your favourites, and whether you prefer the original radio versions or the longer mixes.

Leave a comment below and share your memories of 70s music.

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Frank