Thanks to funk ambassador Donald Cleveland for this tip: a Japanese Web site called Disk Union has published what looks like a preliminary track list for Warner France's upcoming CHIC box set.
Though it's not final - and the other text, being loosely translated from Japanese to English, isn't quite coherent or more descriptive than anything else we've read, it looks like some genuine rarities are going to be in this set, including excerpts from one particularly tantalizing unreleased CHIC-produced album (not the one with Johnny Mathis, sadly...).
Hit the jump to get the goods.
Various Artists, Nile Rodgers Presents The CHIC Organization Vol. 1: Savoir Faire (Rhino France, 2010)
- CHIC - Everybody Dance (12" Mix)
- Norma Jean - Saturday (Dimitri from Paris Remix) *
- CHIC - Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)
- Chic - Est-ce que c'est chic?
- Norma Jean - Sorcerer (12" Mix)
- CHIC - Chic Cheer
- CHIC - Le Freak
- CHIC - Savoir Faire
- CHIC - Happy Man
- CHIC - At Last I Am Free
- CHIC - I Want Your Love (Dimitri from Paris Remix) *
- Sister Sledge - He's the Greatest Dancer
- Sister Sledge - We Are Family
- Sister Sledge - Lost in Music (Dimitri from Paris Remix) *
- Sister Sledge - Thinking of You (Dimitri from Paris Remix) *
- CHIC - Good Times
- CHIC - My Feet Keep Dancing
- CHIC - My Forbidden Lover (12" Mix)
- Sheila & B. Devotion - Spacer
- Sheila & B. Devotion - Your Love is Good
- Norma Jean - Hold Me Lonely Boy (Long Version) *
- Norma Jean - High Society (12" Version)
- Sister Sledge - Got to Love Somebody
- CHIC - Rebels Are We
- CHIC - Chip Off the Old Block
- Diana Ross - Upside Down (Original CHIC Mix)
- Diana Ross - I'm Coming Out (Original CHIC Mix)
- CHIC - Stage Fright
- CHIC - Burn Hard
- Debbie Harry - Backfired (12" Version)
- Fonzi Thornton - I Work for a Living (Long Version) *
- Carly Simon - Why (12" Mix)
- Teddy Pendergrass - Dream Girl
- CHIC - Soup for One (12" Mix)
- Fonzi Thornton - (unreleased track) *
- CHIC - Hangin'
- CHIC - I Feel Your Love Comin 'On (Dimitri from Paris Remix)
- CHIC - You Are Beautiful
- CHIC - (Unreleased track) *
Track 1 from Atlantic 12" single DK 4621, 1978. Original version from CHIC (Atlantic, 1977)
Original version of Track 2 from Norma Jean (Bearsville, 1978)
Tracks 3-4 from CHIC (Atlantic, 1977)
Track 5 from Bearsville single BSSD 0339, 1978. Original version from Norma Jean (Bearsville, 1978)
Tracks 6-10 and original version of Track 11 from C'est CHIC (Atlantic, 1978)
Tracks 12-13 and original versions of Tracks 14-15 from We Are Family (Cotillion, 1979)
Tracks 16-17 from Risqué (Atlantic, 1979)
Track 18 from Atlantic 12" promo single DSKO 207, 1979. Original version from Risqué (Atlantic, 1979)
Track 19-20 King of the World (Mirage, 198o)
Original version of Track 21 and Track 22 from Bearsville single BBSS 8898, 1979
Track 23 from Love Somebody Today (Cotillion, 1980)
Tracks 24-25 from Real People (Atlantic, 1980)
Original versions of Tracks 26-27 from Diana (Motown, 1980). These tracks previously released on the 2003 deluxe edition of the album (Motown/UMe).
Tracks 28-29 from Take It Off (Atlantic, 1981)
Track 30 from Chrysalis single CDS 2547, 1981
Track 32 from Mirage single DM 4831, 1982
Track 33 from Soup for One: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Atlantic, 1982)
Track 34 from Mirage single DM 4827, 1982
Track 36 and original version of Track 37 from Tongue in CHIC (Atlantic, 1982)
Track 38 from Believer (Atlantic, 1983)
* denotes previously unreleased track
Looks nice...one can only hope Mathis makes it to the next round.
Mathis is gonna be here. Trust. With all due regards to song lengths, 39 tracks listed shakes out to roughly 3 discs. But...it's a 4-CD set. So remain upbeat. Know that Nile himself tweeted that THREE Mathis songs are on-board and realize that STILL leaves room for 10 more tracks of varying lengths on that 4th disc~!! When Rhino France or Nile or Bob Lefsetz or more probably Mike Duquette, knows the final tracklisting I think we will all be happy. Even that partial list looks like a GREAT box-set. Imagine when it's FINAL- final? **whew**
Nile Rodgers was in Paris yesterday for a meeting with Warner France / Rhino France. I was there as member of the French CHIC fan Club. He's the coolest man on earth !
The CHIC org. Boxset will include :
- 4 Johnny Mathis tracks
- 1 amazing unreleased track of Fonzi Thornton
- 1 formidable unreleased CHIC track "Just call me" with Luci Martin as lead vocals wich should have been a hit as said Nile himself.
Dimitri from Paris (he was present) remixes are very CHIC spirit respectfull.
Well...the (I believe) official 4 disc track list is out now...and you're almost right. THREE Mathis tracks, no "I Love My Lady", which makes no sense since that was the widely leaked track on UK radio.
There's my first (and hopefully last) gripe on this set.
CD 1
1. Chic Everybody Dance (12" Mix)
2.Norma Jean Saturday (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
3. Chic Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) (12" Mix)
4. Chic Est-ce que c'est chic
5. Norma Jean Sorcerer (12" Mix)
6. Chic Chic Cheer
7. Chic Le Freak
8. Chic Savoir Faire
9. Chic Happy Man
10. Chic At last I am free
11. Chic Funny Bone Outtake (Previously Unreleased)
CD 2
1. Chic I want your love (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
2. Sister Sledge He's the greatest dancer
3. Sister Sledge We are family
4. Sister Sledge Lost In Music (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
5.Sister Sledge Thinking of you (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
6.Chic Good Times
7. Chic My feet keep dancing
8. Chic My Forbidden Lover (12" mix)
9. Sheila & B. Devotion Spacer
10. Norma Jean Hold Me Lonely Boy (Previously Unreleased Long Version)
11. Sheila & B. Devotion Your Love Is Good Outtake (Previously Unreleased)
CD 3
1. Norma Jean High Society (12" version)
2. Sister Sledge Got To Love Somebody
3. Sister Sledge Reach Your Peak (12" Mix)
4. Chic Rebels Are We
5. Chic Chip Off The Old Block
6. Diana Ross Upside Down (Original Chic Mix)
7. Diana Ross I'm Coming Out (Original Chic Mix)
8. Chic Stage fright
9. Chic Burn Hard
10. Debbie Harry Backfired (12" version)
11. Fonzi Thorton I Work For a Living (Nile Rodgers Long Version)
12. Chic What About Me Outtake (Previously Unreleased)
CD 4
1. Carly Simon Why (12" mix)
2. Teddy Pendergrass Dream Girl (Previously Unreleased Nile Rodgers Remix)
3.Chic Soup For One (12" Mix)
4. Fonzi Thorton I'll Change My Game (Previously Unreleased)
5. Chic Hangin'
6. Chic I Feel Your Love Comin' On (Dimitri From Paris Remix)
7.Chic You are beautiful
8. Johnny Mathis I Want To Fall In Love (Previously Unreleased)
9. Johnny Mathis It's Alright To Love Me (Previously Unreleased)
10. Johnny Mathis Something To Sing About (Previously Unreleased)
11.chic Just Call Me (Previously Unreleased)
12. Chic Will You Cry Outtake (Previously released)
Thanks for posting. It's still a good set list. Of course, we all have differing opinions on what should be included. I agree I Love My Lady should be included. I also wish they used another Debbie Harry song - I think The Jam Was Moving is far better. But still can't wait!
What's the deal with Warner France getting these fine box sets but the US branch of Warner not releasing them stateside? Same thing happened with the recent Donny Hathaway box set. When I spoke to someone at the label, they told me Warner (US) has no forthcoming plans for Hathaway. Frustrating to say the least.
It's because Rhino US is basically dead. They just dumped 700 employees.
Actually, no box set in the US since there really is no interest there for CHIC. Just look at where they have been performing consistently over the years - Europe. That's where the market is so that's where the release goes. The US market basically sucks since there is no interest there for great music like this - all they buy up is HIP HOP/RAP, etc.
Well, everyone has different opinions on certain songs but still I have to say that I am glad this is finally happening. Being a huge CHIC fan from the beginning I still cannot believe that there are no remastered versions of Risqué or C'est Chic these days. And I think it's great to have quite a few and unreleased tracks on this box set. The CHIC sound is still unique and exceptional. So guess we will all be listening to this in all its remastered glory and marvel at the CHIC works once more