On & On (Jesse Saunders song)

"On & On"
Song by Jesse Saunders
Released	1984
Recorded	1983
Genre	Chicago house
Composer(s)	Jesse Saunders
Producer(s)	Vince Lawrence

"On & On" is a 1984 Chicago house song performed by Jesse Saunders and written with record producer Vince Lawrence. Saunders recorded it using a Roland TR-808 in 1983, based on a mash up of rhythm tracks containing interpolations of "Space Invaders" by Player One, "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer, and a song by the Giorgio Moroder band Munich Machine.[1][2][3] The song was released as a single on Jes Say Records in early 1984. It's frequently cited as the first House song released on vinyl.[4][5][6][7][8]

Composition

Saunders composed the track with Lawrence in order to replace a record which had been stolen from Saunders's collection, the "On & On" bootleg disco megamix by Mach (1980). That megamix, a pastiche of loops from several disco records, particularly the bassline from Player One's "Space Invaders" (1979) and Lipps Inc's "Funkytown" (1980), had been Saunders's "signature" tune as a DJ; it was one that other DJs in the city didn't have or didn't play. Saunders & Lawrence added hypnotic lyrics and electronic instruments, utilizing a Roland TR-808 drum machine as electronic percussion as well as a Korg Poly-61 synthesizer and Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer.[9][10]

References

1. Johnston, Chris (3 April 2014). "The Crate: Jesse Saunders' On and On (1984)". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
2. Ryce, Andrew. "Rewind: Jesse Saunders - On And On · Single Review ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
3. "Jesse Saunders: On & On (Clear Vinyl) 12". TurntableLab.com. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
4. Beyond Heaven: Chicago House Party Flyers 1983-1989 (1st ed.). Evanston, Illinois: Almight & Insane Books. 2021. ISBN 978-0-692-13956-1. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
5. "House Music Guide: A Brief History of House Music by Beatport - 2022". www.beatportal.com.
6. Dutton, Jack (15 October 2020). "How Jesse Saunders made the first ever house record". The National. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
7. Harris, Arielle Castillo,Geeta Dayal,Keith; Castillo, Arielle; Dayal, Geeta; Harris, Keith (2 April 2014). "20 Best Chicago House Records". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
8. Whitehurst, Andrew (27 March 2014). "WHAT WAS THE VERY FIRST HOUSE RECORD?". DJ Mag. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
9. Church, Terry (February 9, 2010). "Black History Month: Jesse Saunders and house music". BeatPortal. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
10. "Jesse Saunders – On And On". Discogs. January 20, 1984. Retrieved May 23, 2012.