That's the Way (I Like It)
1975 disco-pop single by KC & the Sunshine Band, written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch. A dance-era staple known for its hook, suggestive lyrics, and wide influence through covers and samples.
Overview
"That's the Way (I Like It)" is a disco-pop song first issued in late 1975 by KC & the Sunshine Band. Written by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch, the record quickly became one of the group's signature tunes. Its repeated vocal hook and upbeat groove made it a favorite on dance floors and radio stations during the mid-1970s disco boom.
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Musical characteristics
The track blends a driving four-on-the-floor drum pattern with syncopated bass, rhythmic guitar chops, and brass punctuations typical of the era. A concise, repetitive chorus and call-and-response phrasing create an instantly recognizable hook. Some listeners at the time found certain lines suggestive; the directness of the lyrics contributed to both controversy and popularity.
History and reception
Recorded in Miami and released as a single toward the end of 1975, the song became a major commercial success, rising into the upper reaches of pop charts in the United States and internationally. Its popularity helped cement the commercial profile of its writers and performers and placed the group among the most visible acts of the disco period.
Legacy, covers and samples
Over subsequent decades the song has been covered, remixed and sampled across pop, dance and hip-hop styles. It remains a common choice at social events such as parties and sporting occasions and is frequently used in film, television and advertising to evoke the 1970s. Contemporary versions and club remixes periodically reintroduce the tune to new audiences.
Notable facts and distinctions
- Often cited as one of the emblematic singles of the disco era, its hook is widely recognizable even to listeners who did not experience the original release.
- Its suggestive phrasing caused some debate on radio standards at the time, highlighting shifting cultural attitudes toward pop lyrics.
- The song is commonly referenced in retrospectives about dance music history and remains central to the group's catalog; for more information see the original single.
Together, these elements explain why "That's the Way (I Like It)" endures as both a popular dance record and a touchstone of 1970s pop culture.
Background
That's the Way (I Like It) was written by Harry Wayne Casey (aka KC) and Richard Finch. The track was originally recorded in a version that was unmistakably a dialogue during a sexual act. This was primarily evident in the alternation in the chorus, where the male voice singing the title line (loosely translated as "that's the way I like it") alternated with the female vocal part; the loud and intense "un-huh" was akin to a moan. Although Casey was convinced of the hit potential of this version, a scandal seemed foreseeable to him because of this risqué interpretation, so he toned the song down considerably. The released version was far more exuberant, and the previously explicit passages in the chorus now sounded like screams of joy. However, many critics still saw sexual innuendo even in the altered version, as the lyrics were still ambiguous to them.
I had to cool it down. The "un-huhs" were more like a groaning and moaning and I had to clean that up considerably. It was 1975 and I just thought it was a little too risqué.
"I had to tone it down. The 'un-huhs' seemed like groans and moans, I had to clean that up a lot. I thought it was just a little too risqué for 1975."
- KC: about the changes to the title
The best way I can explain the song is a 'huge explosion of celebration'.
"To me, the song is best described as a big explosion of mood."
- Richard Finch: about the new version
That's the Way (I Like It) was in keeping with the band's typical Miami sound. Prominent features of the title were the arrangement of the horns and the female voices standing in the foreground. The title was characterized by a cheerful and exuberant mood, which was especially omnipresent at live performances.
Success
That's the Way (I Like It) was released as the second single from the band's namesake album KC and the Sunshine Band. The song reached the top position on the US charts in November 1975, marking the band's second number one hit after Get Down Tonight. After being knocked out of the top spot by Silver Convention's Fly, Robin, Fly after just one week, the song made it back to the top three weeks later - making That's the Way (I Like It) one of the few songs to top the US charts at two separate times. It also topped the charts in Canada and the Netherlands, and reached the Top 10 in many other countries. A remix version released by KC and the Sunshine Band in 1991, on the other hand, was far less successful; it didn't make it past #59 in the UK charts.
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AlegsaOnline.com That's the Way (I Like It) Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/97436