Barry Blue graces the cover of the UK's 'Music Star' publication. Born Barry Ian Green on 4 December 1950, he is an English singer, producer, and songwriter renowned for his hit singles "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" and "Do You Wanna Dance," both released in 1973.
Blue has been a prolific songwriter and producer, contributing to over forty worldwide hits for artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Diana Ross, Celine Dion, The Saturdays, The Wanted, and Pixie Lott. Additionally, Blue has composed soundtracks and themes for various film and television productions, including "Eyes of Laura Mars," "The Long Good Friday," and "Escape to Athena."
His initial success on the UK charts as a performer was marked by a name change and a contract with Bell Records in 1973. He produced five hit singles: "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)" which reached number 2 in 1973, "Do You Wanna Dance?" at number 7 in the same year, "School Love" at number 11 in 1974, "Miss Hit and Run" at number 26 in 1974, and his last Top 40 hit in the UK Singles Chart, "Hot Shot," which peaked at number 23 in the UK in October 1974 and number 3 in Zimbabwe. In 1989, Blue made a comeback to the UK charts with a remixed version of "Dancin' (on a Saturday Night)." During 1973-74, Blue was featured on numerous major TV shows and tours, sharing the stage with icons like Queen, ABBA, and Status Quo.
In 1975, Blue scored a million-seller with "Kiss Me Kiss Your Baby," performed by Brotherhood of Man. He followed up in 1977 by co-writing "Devil's Gun" for C. J. & Company, featured on their album bearing the same title. The track topped the Billboard disco/dance chart for five weeks and reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the R&B chart. Blue, along with Ron Roker and Gerry Shury, penned the song, while Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey took on production duties. "Devil's Gun" holds the distinction of being the inaugural record played at Studio 54's grand opening on April 26, 1977, by DJ Richie Kaczor. The song's instrumental segments were used in the international cut of the movie "Crocodile," as well as in "The Real Bruce Lee." In 2016, "Devil's Gun" was included on the soundtrack for "The Get Down," and it was also featured in the 2017 film "Borg vs McEnroe."
One of his major production successes was the multi-racial, Anglo-US funk/soul band Heatwave, which enjoyed hits in both the UK and US with "Boogie Nights", "Always and Forever", "Mind Blowing Decisions", and "The Groove Line". Other funk songs produced by Blue include "Funk Theory" by Rokotto, reaching no. 49 in 1978, "Somebody Help Me Out" by Beggar and Co, which reached no. 15 in the UK in 1981, and "Say Yeah" by The Limit, peaking at no. 17 on the UK Singles Chart and no. 7 on the U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play chart in 1985. In 1989, under the artist name Cry Sisco!, Blue had another minor hit with "Afro Dizzi Act", reaching no. 42 on the UK Singles Chart.
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