C'est Chic
C'est Chic is the second studio album by the American R&B, disco, and funk band Chic, released on August 11, 1978, by Atlantic Records.[1] Recorded at Power Station Studios in New York City, the album was produced by band founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards and features eight tracks showcasing the group's signature blend of sophisticated string arrangements, tight basslines, and danceable grooves.[2] It includes the band's breakthrough single "Le Freak", which became a defining anthem of the late 1970s disco era. The album achieved significant commercial success, peaking at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart and topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[3] It was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales exceeding one million copies in the United States.[4] In the United Kingdom, C'est Chic reached number two on the UK Albums Chart and spent 24 weeks in the top 100, earning a gold certification from the BPI.[5] The lead single "Le Freak" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks, while follow-up "I Want Your Love" peaked at number seven on the same chart and number four in the UK.[6] C'est Chic solidified Chic's reputation for crafting intelligent, mass-appeal dance music with lyrical themes centered on romance, nightlife, and escapism, influencing subsequent disco and funk productions.[7] Tracks like "Chic Cheer" and the title track "C'est Chic" highlight the album's instrumental prowess and party-ready energy, contributing to its enduring legacy as a cornerstone of 1970s popular music.[8]Background and Recording
Conception and Development
Chic was formed in 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards, who had first met in 1970 while working as session musicians in the New York City area. The duo initially collaborated in backing bands for various artists before deciding to pursue their own project, drawing on their experiences to create a distinctive sound. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1977 on Atlantic Records, introduced a stripped-down approach to disco that emphasized tight rhythms and organic interplay, bucking the era's trend toward glossy production and achieving commercial success that fueled anticipation for a sophomore release.[9][10] A pivotal moment in the album's development came with the inspiration for its lead single, "Le Freak." On New Year's Eve 1977, Rodgers and Edwards were denied entry to Studio 54—the epicenter of New York City's disco scene—despite an invitation from Grace Jones, as their attire was deemed insufficiently glamorous. Returning to Rodgers' nearby apartment in frustration, they purchased champagne and improvised a jam session that birthed the track's iconic chant: originally an expletive-laden outburst of "Fuck off!" softened to "Freak out! Le freak, c'est chic!" to suit recording. This raw energy captured the duo's vision for accessible yet edgy dance music.[11][12][13] C'est Chic evolved from the debut's foundation, aiming to refine Chic's sound into more sophisticated dance tracks that blended funk precision with disco's exuberance during the genre's late-1970s peak. Rodgers and Edwards sought an upscale aesthetic, elevating the stripped-back grooves into polished yet groove-oriented compositions that reflected their ambition to redefine disco beyond its stereotypes. To capitalize on their rising profile following the debut's impact, the pair simultaneously produced and recorded C'est Chic alongside Sister Sledge's We Are Family album in early 1978, allowing them to channel their creative momentum across projects.[14][11][15]Recording Sessions
The recording sessions for C'est Chic took place in January 1978 at Power Station Studios in New York City.[11][16] These sessions overlapped with the production of Sister Sledge's We Are Family album, enabling shared studio resources and creative exchanges between the projects.[11] The album was produced entirely by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards under The Chic Organization Ltd., prioritizing the live interplay of the core band—captured in single takes without click tracks—to emphasize raw rhythmic energy over layered overdubs.[11][16] A pivotal jam session for the track "Le Freak" originated on New Year's Eve 1977 at Rodgers' apartment, channeling the frustration from being denied entry to Studio 54 into an improvisational groove that infused the album with spontaneous vitality.[11] Mixing and finalization, handled by engineer Bob Clearmountain on a Neve 8078 console, were completed prior to the album's August 1978 release.[11] The album has since undergone digital remastering, first in 2011 by Warner Music Japan and again in 2018 at Abbey Road Studios from the original Atlantic tapes.[17] To enhance the disco rhythms, live strings and horns were overdubbed and arranged by Edwards and Rodgers, adding orchestral depth during efficient sessions across Power Station's studios.[11][18]Musical Composition
Genre and Style
C'est Chic is primarily classified as a disco album, incorporating strong elements of funk and R&B, with subtle jazz infusions that distinguish it from more formulaic dance records of the era. The album's sound is defined by Nile Rodgers' signature "chucking" guitar riffs—hyper-syncopated, percussive strums that create a flickering, rhythmic drive—paired with Bernard Edwards' prominent, melodic basslines that provide a pulsating foundation. This interplay, supported by Tony Thompson's precise drumming, forms an organic rhythm section emphasizing tight synchronization over ornate production, resulting in polished grooves that blend danceable four-on-the-floor beats with sophisticated arrangements.[1][19][20] Influenced by pioneers like James Brown and Sly Stone's groundbreaking funk from the 1960s and early 1970s, as well as Rodgers' jazz training, C'est Chic refines disco into a sleek, elegant variation that prioritizes rhythmic complexity within seemingly simple structures. Lush string sections and subtle horn accents, drawing from the Philadelphia soul sound, add layers of sophistication without overwhelming the core groove, fostering a timeless appeal through its avoidance of glossy, overproduced excess. The album's 41:23 runtime showcases tracks built around this interplay, where the rhythm section's organic feel elevates the music beyond typical disco fare.[21] Lyrically, the album centers on themes of romance, dancing, and escapism, delivered via layered female vocals that harmonize smoothly over the instrumentation, enhancing the escapist allure. Songs like "Le Freak" exemplify this rhythmic style, capturing the joy of the dancefloor with infectious energy. Retrospectively, C'est Chic represents a peak of late-1970s disco sophistication, bridging organic funk rhythms to the electronic dance shifts of the 1980s and influencing subsequent genres like hip-hop through its foundational grooves.[21][22]Track Listing
The original U.S. edition of C'est Chic, released by Atlantic Records on August 11, 1978, consists of eight tracks, all written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers.[2] These songs feature prominent instrumental intros and extended grooves that define the album's sound. Lead vocals are handled by Alfa Anderson on "Le Freak," "I Want Your Love," "At Last I Am Free," and "Sometimes You Win," with Diva Gray sharing lead duties on "Le Freak," while other tracks incorporate shared ensemble vocals.| No. | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Chic Cheer" | 4:42 |
| 2 | "Le Freak" | 5:23 |
| 3 | "Savoir Faire" | 5:01 |
| 4 | "Happy Man" | 4:17 |
| 5 | "I Want Your Love" | 6:45 |
| 6 | "At Last I Am Free" | 7:08 |
| 7 | "Sometimes You Win" | 4:26 |
| 8 | "(Funny) Bone" | 3:41 |
| No. | Title | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Chic Cheer" | 4:42 |
| 2 | "Le Freak" | 5:23 |
| 3 | "I Want Your Love" | 6:45 |
| 4 | "Happy Man" | 4:17 |
| 5 | "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" | 8:30 |
| 6 | "Savoir Faire" | 5:01 |
| 7 | "At Last I Am Free" | 7:08 |
| 8 | "Sometimes You Win" | 4:26 |
| 9 | "(Funny) Bone" | 3:41 |
| 10 | "Everybody Dance" | 6:40 |
Release and Promotion
Album Release
_C'est Chic was released on August 11, 1978, by Atlantic Records in the United States and internationally through WEA.[1][25] The album emerged amid the vibrant New York disco scene, capturing the era's sophisticated funk and dance energy. Produced under The Chic Organization Ltd., the entity established by bandleaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, it built on the moderate success of their self-titled debut album from the previous year.[7] The original release appeared in vinyl LP format, featuring cover art that embodied the album's chic aesthetic through elegant, stylized imagery.[2] Subsequent reissues expanded availability, including a compact disc edition in 1991 by Atlantic Records and Warner Music, a 2011 box set compilation, and a 2018 remastered version overseen by Nile Rodgers.[26][27][28] In Europe, an initial variant titled Très Chic was issued on Atlantic, incorporating bonus tracks such as "Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)" from the debut album to enhance appeal in international markets; this edition was later withdrawn in favor of the standard U.S. version.[2][3]Singles and Promotion
The lead single from C'est Chic, "Le Freak", was released on September 21, 1978, by Atlantic Records, quickly becoming a cornerstone of the album's promotion with its infectious disco-funk groove that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, and Dance charts.[29][30] The track's origins traced back to a personal slight, as band co-founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were denied entry to New York City's Studio 54 nightclub on New Year's Eve 1977, inspiring the chant "Freak out! Le freak, c'est chic" as a playful retort that directly referenced the venue in its lyrics.[31] This connection propelled promotional efforts, with Studio 54 adopting "Le Freak" as an unofficial anthem and hosting live performances by Chic that amplified the song's buzz in elite disco circles.[32] Following the album's August 11, 1978, release, the follow-up single "I Want Your Love" arrived in December 1978, sustaining momentum with its lush string arrangements and peaking at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, number five on the R&B chart, and number four in the UK.[30] Atlantic Records capitalized on Chic's polished, upscale aesthetic—characterized by tailored suits and cosmopolitan flair showcased in high-fashion photoshoots—to position the band as disco's sophisticated vanguard, targeting urban nightclubs and elite venues through targeted DJ outreach and 12-inch promotional singles.[33] While major television appearances were absent, robust radio airplay on stations embracing the 1978 disco boom, particularly in New York, fueled widespread adoption, with "Le Freak" dominating playlists and cementing Chic's promotional synergy with the era's club culture.Commercial Performance
Chart Positions
C'est Chic peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[34] It also reached number 1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, where it held the top position for 11 weeks.[35] In the United Kingdom, the album achieved a peak position of number 2 on the UK Albums Chart.[5] For year-end performance, C'est Chic ranked number 30 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1979.[36] The album's lead single, "Le Freak," topped the Billboard Hot 100 for six non-consecutive weeks starting in December 1978. It also reached number 1 on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Dance Club Songs charts. In the UK, "Le Freak" peaked at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart.[37] On year-end charts, "Le Freak" placed number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978 and number 1 in 1979.[38][39] Follow-up single "I Want Your Love" peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.[40] It reached number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart.[41] In the UK, the track achieved a peak of number 4 on the Singles Chart.[42]| Chart (1978–1979) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Album: C'est Chic | |
| US Billboard 200 | 4[34] |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 1 (11 weeks)[35] |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 2[5] |
| Single: "Le Freak" | |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 1 (6 weeks, December 1978) |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
| US Dance Club Songs | 1 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 7[37] |
| Single: "I Want Your Love" | |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 7[40] |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 5 |
| US Dance Club Songs | 1[41] |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 4[42] |