Odyssey ~ Native New Yorker 1977 Disco Purrfection Version

hey niecy, this one is for you! a shout out to my sistah who is indeed a Native New Yorker

This song fills my heart with such joy I can only express it by sharing this one for you to enjoy too! It sounds as fresh today as it was back in 1977, my junior year of high school. When I was seventeen, it was a very good year.....the wistful voices of Odyssey over the joyous disco beat made this one instantly memorable in December of 1977 into the spring of 1978 peaking at #21 on the Hot100 and a #3 disco hit. The odyssey of Odyssey starts with a trio of sisters named Lillian, Louise and Carmen Lopez from the Virgin Islands who started a vocal group. Once moved to New York, Carmen decided that the music industry was not for her and quit the band. The girls then decided to take on the name Odyssey. RCA had some ideas for an album, and they did a cover of a Frankie Valli song called "Native New Yorker" that was on his "Lady Put The Light Out" LP from earlier in 1977. Veteran producer Sandy Linzer did the arrangement here and its spectacular energy keeps building and building until the end when those horns blow in, absolute Nirvana disco style! A truly amazing song that will make you forget everything else for a bit. Listen close to the backgrounds, I tried to pull them up as much as I could, but there are echoes of Lillian's voice at times with special effects and instruments I never heard before. Headphones baby, get good ones they are totally worth it. I'm glad I did this one, its a classic that reminds me how great disco was, an enduring classic that gently moves you to sing along while your foot starts tapping along with the beat, totally irresistible. A few weeks ago I did a remix of the equally lovely "Inside Out" by taking out the drum track and it got me thinking about finishing "Native New Yorker" and here it is. Happy Friday!

[oraivan]

The New York City Disco national anthem 😎👍👍👍👍👍

[alexandrawalsh]

Wow. Still an awesome song in 2023! Thank You.

[shortstorywriter]

Dancing in my daughter’s kitchen in Harlem. Sweet memories! Thanks Cat.

[SuperEarthwindfire]

A classic disco track that will live on forever in our hearts

[sgp]

Of all the disco songs of those days...this is still my absolute favorite.

[sunshine]

Every time I listen to this song, I imagine that I’m walking in Times Square, waiting to hail a cab to take me down to Studio 54 so I could dance my ass off. I’m a pianist, so the piano always brings the warmest smile across my face. I just wish I were alive when it first was spun for everyone to hear. You can take the boy out of the City, but you can never take the City out of the boy - you should know the score by now!

[fotografere]

This lifts my heart every time.

I could fly on those strings.

Beautiful.

[eddiemiles]

Never get tired of this... Soul, harmony, dance, easy, free, and just spot on! Shoulda been in Saturday Night All good! Great job!

[artieb.]

I remember being in a NY pizza joint and this was jammin on the jukebox . I kept putting in quarters back to back plays of this INCREDIBLE NYC ANTHEM !!!Much LOVE!

[antonigeli]

The absolute NYC anthem cruisin, sweet talkin & partyin through the big apple. The pop culture epicenter in the 70's

[bebebebe]

Story of my life..thanks for a great remix of this classic, with much love from a native New Yorker.🗽🍎🗽

[Alene-vigj]

I'm 68 and still love it. Classic like Saturday fever.

[dragomight]

When I first heard this song, I fell in love with it immediately. I only lived in Long Island, New York for 5 years, our family moved out when I was 5, yet this song brought out that inner part of me. This song reminds me where I was born, and it makes me want to come back and live there. I will be honest, I am writing the first book of an anthology series and this song inspired me of what the sequel's location should be inspired by. I may not have lived there for long, but I yearn to be a native new yorker.

[fayeforbes]

This song brings alot of memories of my mother dancing around the living room to this song but this was one of her favorite's and her singing it I really miss her alot

[steveellis]

a true classic in the heydays of disco and R & B

[justsaying]

I LOVE this song!! The singer's voice is so smooth!!! Thank you for this great upload!!!

[dallastexxasss]

Thelma from the tv shoe GOODTIMES brought me here. she was dancing to this song.. what a great song.. I just wish we all could go back to this time in life

[justaylor]

I remember watching Good Times(season 4) an the Evans family put on a benefit show to raise money, Thelma was dancing to this song..!! (I loved it every since)!

[adadc]

Can feel the steamy summers and the smells of our gritty city (circa 70s and 80s). Classic!!!

[maciejstalmach]

hope this doesn't get taken down. There was no good quality version of this song on YT till today. Thank you.