Celebrating, Cherishing and Getting Fresh with Kool and the Gang

The Edmonton Eskimos had just won one of their five straight Grey Cups, and it was playing. It was a catchy tune that really captured the joy and jubilation of winning.

Fittingly, the song was “Celebration” and it became an anthem for, well, celebrating a big win.

That was the first time I ever heard Kool and the Gang, but it would not be the last.

They were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and it brought back a lot of memories of their songs which, often, had one-word titles.

In the beginning
Kool and the Gang has a long history, dating back to their founding in New Jersey in 1964 by brothers Robert “Kool” Bell and Ronald Bell and others.

Wikipedia reveals the band has explored many musical styles throughout its 60-year history, such as jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco, rock and pop music.

Their first mainstream success came in 1973 with the singles “Jungle Boogie”, which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and “Hollywood Swinging”, which peaked at number six. They were both from the record “Wild and Peaceful”, their fourth album.

The band entered a period of decline before finding new success, starting in 1979, with the addition of singer James “J.T.” Taylor. He brought vocals that added more warmth to songs, ballads in particular. Before that, Kool and the Gang did not do ballads because they had no one who could sing them properly. They also entered a four-album partnership with producer Eumir Deodato, a Brazilian musician, songwriter, and arranger who helped move the band towards mainstream pop and dance-oriented music.

Kool and the Gang’s first album with the Brazilian was “Ladies’ Night”, released in 1979. It became their most successful album since their formation, aided by the hit singles “Too Hot”, which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and “Ladies’ Night”, which peaked at number eight.

It was a great end to one decade, and foreshadowed the success that would come in the ‘80s.

Celebrating success
Kool and the Gang released their next album, “Celebrate!”, in 1980. It would go on to peak at number 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and number one on the US Rhythm and Blues album chart.

The album only yielded one hit single, but it was one for the ages. “Celebration” was a monster hit that not only peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, but is the band’s most recognizable song.

It still used to celebrate victory.

Wikipedia reveals that started back when “Celebration” came out. It was used in national media coverage for the 1980 World Series, 1981 Super Bowl, 1981 NBA Finals, and the return of hostages from Iran in 1981.

The next ones
It seemed Kool and the Gang was putting out an album virtually every year. In 1981, they released “Something Special”. The singles “Take My Heart (You Can Have it if You Want it)” hit number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100; “Steppin’ Out” hit number 89; “Get Down on it” hit number 10; and “No Show” did not chart.

The album “As One” followed in 1982, with “Big Fun” peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart; “Let’s Go Dancin’ (Ooh La, La, La)” peaking at number 30; and “Hi De Hi, Hi De Ho” and “Street Kids” not charting.

Joanna
Pop music is full of songs named after women. One of the first I recall hearing was on Kool the Gang’s next album, “In the Heart”, which they released in 1983.

The first single released, “Straight Ahead”, seemed to continue Kool the Gang’s downward trend. It was the third straight song not to chart and the sixth straight single to miss the top 20.

That all changed with their next song, which was another big hit.

“Joanna” is the first ballad by Kool and the Gang that achieved chart success, going all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It also foreshadowed more ballads that would follow.

Two other songs were released from “In the Heart”. “Tonight” peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “(When You Say You Love Somebody) In the Heart” did not chart.

Band Aid
In 1984, British musicians led by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure were concerned about the famine gripping Ethiopia. They gathered together a groupof musicians known as the super group Band Aid and recorded the single “Do They Know it’s Christmas?”, with all proceeds going to relief efforts.

If you look at the music video for “Do They Know it’s Christmas?” it is a who’s who of British musicians. However, Kool and the Gang are also there, the only Americans who were part of Band Aid. Wikipedia reveals the band was in London, visiting the offices of record label Phonogram when Geldof showed up to pitch the idea of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”.

So they participated in the project.

They also participated in the concert event Live Aid via studio performance on July 13, 1985 with “Stand Up and Sing” and “Cherish”.

It’s an Emergency
Kool and the Gang released “Emergency”, their 16th studio album, in 1984, and this is where I really got into their music. The songs are all engaging and toe tapping. The mere mention of the following four songs with one-word titles, immediately starts them playing in my mind.

“Fresh” was the first single, going all the way to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, followed by “Misled” which peaked at number 10.

The title track “Emergency” was the final release from the album, hitting number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Cherish
There was one other single from “Emergency”, which is my favourite song by the band, and one of my favourite ballads ever.

“Cherish”, released in May of 1985, went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

It has a special place in my heart, because it came along during the first semester of Grade 11, the Fall of 1985, when I had developed this crush on a girl. At that point in time, ballads really got to me. They made me feel romantic and sentimental – as much as you can I suppose at the age of 15.

Our school bus had a radio, and the driver had it set to 1090 CHEC, a top 40 pop music station broadcasting from Lethbridge. It seemed that every day, riding the bus to school in the mornings, “Cherish” seemed to be playing.

I saw on Wikipedia “Cherish” is a romantic ballad that was extremely popular when released, and has since been a wedding song staple of sorts.

Victory
Kool and the Gang continued their string of upbeat songs with the release of their 17th album “Forever” in November of 1986.

The first single, “Victory”, peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

This is where my journey with Kool and the Gang ends. I did not hear anymore of their new releases.

They would have another hit. Their second release, “Stone Love”, also peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and would prove to be their last top 50 single to date.

The years after
Kool and the Gang keeps on going as they are in their 60th year together.

In 2015, they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. They were selected for induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April of 2024, and are set to be inducted on October 19, 2024.

Parting thoughts
I didn’t follow Kool and the Gang in their early years, nor have I pursued trying to listen to their pre-‘80s music. For me, the arrival of J.T. Taylor as lead vocalist coincides with the time I started hearing their music.

That period is filled with upbeat, catchy songs and romantic ballads that make my heart melt. They have provided a couple songs for the soundtrack of my life and, when I hear their name, songs of theirs immediately echo in my mind.

The only question I have is this.

When they found out they were going to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, did they sing “Celebration”?

Now that would be fitting.