Track by track 46 I need a bathroom

Archive number: 46

Title: I need a bathroom

Main Album: Mother Focus

Track number: 2

Genre: Rock Vocal

Studio: Morgan Studios, Brussels, Belgium

Length: 3' 03”

Composer: Bert Ruiter

Musicians: Jan Akkerman - Electric guitars; Thijs van Leer – Electric piano, Mellotron; Bert Ruiter – Bass, Vocals; Colin Allen - Drums

Producer: Hubert Terheggen/Focus Engineer: Eric Prestidge

Label: LP – Polydor, Atco, Philips, EMI

Date of recording/release: Recorded 1975, released October 1975. LP – 1975, 1977, CD - 1988

Notes: This appears to be a humorous parody of early disco - increasingly popular at the time. After a brief introduction featuring guitars, a voice, the piano and finally drums and bass (00:00-00:12) the vocal begins and takes up most of the time (00:13-02:55) with just a few very short breaks. The lyrics are (something like)

Oh I need the bathroom Oh I need the bathroom Oh keep on fighting Oh I need the bathroom And oh it's keeping on Oh keep on fighting Oh I need a bathroom We're 'bout keeping on Oh keep on fighting And you keep me on

Then call again to Alaro* Maybe things will change, things tomorrow, And call again - keeping on Oh I need a bathroom Oh I need a bathroom Oh keep on fighting Oh And yet it seems tomorrow may be'll change things - I don't know if you're right Oh keep on rocking Oh keep on fighting Oh

The piece finally stumbles out rather than fading or ending with a flourish (02:56-03:03).

*Alaro is in Majorca. Bert Ruiter's girl friend of the time was there, only available by 'phone.

A note on Disco (from Wikipedia)

Most people agree that the first disco songs were released in 1973, though some suggest earlier examples. The first article about disco appeared in Rolling Stone in September 1973. In 1974 New York City's WPIX-FM premiered the first disco radio show. Musical influences include funk, soul, salsa and the Latin or Hispanic musics which influenced salsa. The disco sound has a soaring, often reverberated vocals over a steady four on the floor beat, a quaver or semi-quaver hi-hat pattern with an open hi-hat on the off-beat, and prominent syncopated electric bass line. Strings, horns, electric pianos and electric guitars create a lush background sound. Orchestral instruments such as the flute are often used for solo melodies and, unlike in rock, lead guitar is rarely used. Many non-disco artists recorded disco songs at the height of disco's popularity, especially after 1977 and films such as Saturday Night Fever. Early disco hits - Jackson 5/Dancing machine (1973), Hues' Corporation/Rock the boat, Barry White/You're the first the last, my everything, Labelle/Lady Marmalade, George McCrae/Rock your baby (1974). Significant too in this early disco period was Gloria Gaynor and Miami's KC and the Sunshine Band.