Frankie Knuckles Playlists

Frankie Knuckles inspired the Chicago house scene when he moved from New York City to spin at the Warehouse in 1977. Frustrated by the lack of new releases suitable for his dancefloor, Knuckles began creating his own tape edits of underground disco classics. When the Warehouse doubled its entrance fee in 1983, Knuckles left to open the Power Plant. He and Jamie Principle began experimenting with a drum machine which Derrick May brought from Detroit, and before long, the house sound spread worldwide.

Below are tracklists I compiled from early Frankie Knuckles mixes found at deephousepage.com. They show Knuckles played plenty of imports alongside contemporary New York and Chicago productions. Additions and corrections are welcome.

5. frankie1.rm

1986-1987

1. Nightlife Unlimited: Peaches & Prunes (edit)
2. Chip E.: It’s House
3. House People: Godfather of House
4. Farley Jackmaster Funk: Farley Knows House
5. The It: Donnie
6. Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Relax (Sex Mix)
7. Craig Loftis: Yes It’s Right (unreleased)
8. David Joseph: You Can’t Hide (Your Love From Me)
9. Mr. Fingers: Mystery Of Love

8. frankie2.rm

Warehouse, 1979?

1. Steve Harvey: Tonight
2. Rodney Franklin: The Groove
3. Roy Ayers Ubiquity: Running Away
4. Chaka Khan: I’m Every Woman
5. Stevie Wonder: Do Like You
6. The Trammps: Body Contact Contract
7. The Trammps: Love Epidemic
8. Two Tons of Fun: I Got the Feeling

41. frankiew.rm

Live at the Warehouse, 1982

1. Yello: Bostich
2. Forrrce: Keep on Dancin’ [bassline]
3. Taana Gardner: When You Touch Me
4. Billy Nichols: Give Your Body Up to the Music
5. Peech Boys: Don’t Make Me Wait
6. Sparque: Let’s Go Dancin’
7. Loose Joints: Is It All Over My Face
8. People’s Choice: Hey Everybody (Party Hearty)
9. Forrrce: Keep On Dancin’
10. Hi Voltage: Somewhere Beyond
11. Skatt Bros.: Walk The Night
12. D-Train: Keep On

59. frankie10.mp3

Power Plant, 1984-1985

1. ?
2. ?
3. ADC Band: More & More Disco
4. Wood, Brass & Steel: Funkanova
5. Crown Heights Affair: Far Out
6. The Originals: Down To Love Town (break)
7. Johnny Hammond: Los Conquistadores Chocolates
8. The Trammps: Disco Party (edit)
9. The Trammps: Disco Inferno
10. Bo Kool: (Money) No Lov
11. ?
12. Giorgio Moroder: Harmony
13. Kebekelektrik: War Dance
14. Tata Vega: I Just Keep Thinking About You Baby

85. frankie13.rm

Warehouse, 1977

1. Ecstasy, Passion & Pain: Touch and Go
2. Pam Todd and Love Exchange: Let’s Get Together
3. Two Tons of Fun: Just Us
4. Billy Frazier & Friends: Billy Who?
5. Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band: Cherchez La Femme
6. Loleatta Holloway: Hit and Run

128. frankie84.mp3

~1983-1984

1. Thelma Houston: I’m Here Again (edit)
2. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Bad for Me (edit)
3. The Originals: Down To Love Town (break)
4. ? (edit)
5. Persia: Inch by Inch (edit)

182. frankie105.rm

Live at the Power Plant, 1985

1. Jamie Principle: Your Love (Dub)
2. Chip E.: MB Dance
3. Jackmaster Dick’s Revenge: Sensuous Man Goes Disco (unreleased version)
4. Double Exposure: My Love Is Free (Disco Madness Remix)
5. The Dells: No Way Back (edit)
6. Lenny Williams: Midnight Girl (edit)
7. Convertion: Let’s Do It
8. The Whatnauts: Help Is on the Way (break)
9. Cheryl Lynn: You Saved My Day

194. frankie120.rm

Live at the Warehouse, 1979?

1. intro
2. The Whatnauts: Help Is on the Way (break)
3. Le Pamplemousse: Le Spank
4. Rose Royce: Do Your Dance (edit)
5. Skyy: First Time Around

253. frankie702.mp3

Live at the Warehouse, 1982

1. ?
2. Elektrik Funk: On a Journey (I Sing The Funk Electric)
3. Sharon Redd: Beat the Street
4. Jocko: Rhythm Talk

272. frankie847.rm

Live at the Power Plant, 1980s

1. Giorgio Moroder: E=MC²
2. Giorgio Moroder: I Wanna Rock You
3. Jungle Wonz: The Jungle
4. Frankie Knuckles: You Can’t Hide from Yourself
5. Carolyn Harding: Memories
6. Robert Owens: Bring Down the Walls
7. Farley “Jackmaster” Funk: Love Can’t Turn Around
8. Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes: The Love I Lost
9. Jamaica Girls: Need Somebody New

330. frankie1015.mp3, 360. pplant2.rm

Live at the Power Plant, 1984

1. ? [Night’s all right]
2. The Players Association: Love Hangover
3. Double Exposure: My Love Is Free
4. Loleatta Holloway: Runaway
5. Herbie Hancock: Stars In Your Eyes
6. Enchantment: Settin’ It Out
7. ? (dub)
8. ?

373. frankie108.mp3

Live at the Power Plant, 1983

1. Tia Monae: Don’t Keep Me Waiting
2. The Maniacs: Sweet Ladies (Instrumental)
3. ?
4. Pushe: Don’t Take Your Love Away
5. Sinnamon: Thanks To You
6. Fresh Band: Come Back Lover (Dub Mix)
7. Persia: Inch by Inch (reversed)
8. Powerline: Double Journey
9. Bruce Johnston: Pipeline
10. ?
11. Logg: Dancing in the Stars
12. Logg: You’ve Got That Something

394. gallery21a.rm

Live at Gallery 21, 1987

1. K.I.D.: Hupendi Muziki Wangu?! (You Don’t Like My Music)
2. James Wells: True Love Is My Destiny
3. Exodus: Together Foreverr (Dub)
4. Change: Glow of Love
5. Ian Dury: Spasticus Autisticus
6. Mike T: Do It Any Way You Wanna
7. Don Ray: Standing In The Rain
8. General Johnson: Can’t Nobody Love Me Like You Do
9. Trussel: Love Injection

481. frankie86.mp3

Live at Sauers, Chicago, 1986

1. ?/Chip E.: Time to Jack
2. Adonis: No Way Back (Instrumental)
3. Fingers Inc.: It’s Over
4. Princess: After the Love Has Gone
5. Tullio De Piscopo: Stop Bajon
6. Janet Jackson: Let’s Wait Awhile
7. Janet Jackson: Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)
8. Womack and Womack: Baby I’m Scared of You

561. frankiepp1984b.rm

Live at the Power Plant, 1984

1. First Choice: Let No Man Put Asunder [echo effects at beginning]
2. Lefturno: Out of Sight
3. Convertion: Sweet Thing
4. One Way: Shine on Me (edit)
5. Jamie Principle: I’m Gonna Make You Scream
6. The Salsoul Orchestra: Ooh I Love It (Love Break)
7. MFSB: Love Is the Message/Martin Luther King Jr. acapella
8. Loleatta Holloway: Love Sensation

565. frankieknuckles1985rc.mp3 (frankieknuckles1985-)

Power Plant, 1985

1. MFSB: Love Is the Message
2. Love Committee: Law and Order
3. Love Committee: Just as Long as I Got You
4. The O’Jays: I Love Music (edit)
5. Goody Goody: It Looks Like Love
6. The Three Degrees: Dirty Ol’ Man
7. ? [I Love You, Yes I Do]
8. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Bad for Me (edit)
9. Kleeer: Keep Your Body Workin’
10. ?
11. Tia Monae: Don’t Keep Me Waiting

591. frankieanniv.rm

Power Plant 2nd anniversary, Dec. 1984 [same West End records mega-mix as in mix 41]

1. Inner Life: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
2. Kikrokos: Life Is A Jungle (edit)
3. Fantastic Aleems: Get Down Friday Night
4. Jackie Moore: This Time, Baby
5. Serious Intention: You Don’t Know
6. Jackson Five: Forever Came Today
7. David Joseph: You Can’t Hide (Your Love From Me)
8. Billy Nichols: Give Your Body Up to the Music
9. Peech Boys: Don’t Make Me Wait
10. Sparque: Let’s Go Dancin’
11. Loose Joints: Is It All Over My Face
12. People’s Choice: Hey Everybody (Party Hearty)
13. Forrrce: Keep On Dancin’

955. frankieknucklespowerplantb.mp3,
234. frankie129.rm [partial]

Live at the Power Plant, mid-1980s

1. Marshall Jefferson and On The House: Move Your Body
2. First Choice: Doctor Love
3. Billy Paul: Only the Strong Survive (edit)
4. Nick Straker Band: A Little Bit of Jazz
5. Master C & J: Dub It
6. Diana Ross: No One Gets the Prize (edit)
7. Ashford and Simpson: Found A Cure
8. Cleavage: Barah
9. The Trammps: Disco Party (edit)
10. Farley “Jackmaster” Funk: Love Can’t Turn Around (Remix)

955. frankieknucklespowerplanta.mp3

Live at the Power Plant, mid-1980s

1. Farley “Jackmaster” Funk: Love Can’t Turn Around (Remix)
2. Jimmy “Bo” Horne: Spank/The Whispers: And the Beat Goes On [edited together]
3. First Choice: Let No Man Put Asunder (edit)
4. Visual: Somehow, Someway
5. South Shore Commission: Free Man (edit)
6. Phreek: Weekend
7. Phyllis Hyman: Old Friend
8. Fingers Inc.: A Path
9. Billie: Nobody’s Business

1005. FrankieKnucklesBelmontBeach1985a.mp3

Live at Belmont Ave. Beach Gay Pride Day (live mic), 1985

1. Serious Intention: You Don’t Know
2. Made In USA: Melodies (break)
3. Jamie Principle: Your Love
4. J.M. Silk: Music Is The Key
5. Visual: The Music Got Me
6. ? [same as frankie84.mp3 track 4]
7. Klein & M.B.O.: Dirty Talk
8. Alexander Robotnick: Problèmes D’Amour
9. Chip E.: Time to Jack
10. Cymande: Bra (break)

1005. FrankieKnucklesBelmontBeach1985b.mp3,
105. frankie20.rm [partial]

Live at Belmont Ave. Beach Gay Pride Day (live mic), 1985

1. ?
2. Frankie Knuckles: Baby Wants to Ride
3. Black Ivory: Mainline (break)
4. Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes: The Love I Lost
5. Teddy Pendergrass: You Can’t Hide From Yourself
6. beats
7. J.M. Silk: I Can’t Turn Around (unreleased version)
8. First Choice: Let No Man Put Asunder

1040. frankieknucklespowerplant1983a.mp3
(Frankie Knuckles @ The PowerPlant 1983)

Live at the Power Plant, 1983

1. The Stranger: Shining Star
2. Montana Sextet: Who Needs Enemies (With a Friend Like You)
3. Klein & M.B.O.: Dirty Talk
4. Rare Essence: Disco Fever (edit) [samples over top]
5. Dee Dee Bridgewater: Bad for Me (edit)
6. Thelma Houston: I’m Here Again (edit)
7. Two Tons of Fun: I Got the Feeling
8. Yello: Bostich
9. Persia: Inch by Inch (edit)
10. First Choice: Let No Man Put Asunder (edit)

1040. frankieknucklespowerplant1983b.mp3
(Frankie Knuckles @ The PowerPlant 1983 side 2)

Live at the Power Plant, 1983

1. First Choice: Let No Man Put Asunder (edit) [samples over top]
2. Phreek: Weekend
3. NYC Peech Boys: Life Is Something Special (acapella)
4. Donna McGhee: It Ain’t No Big Thing [echo effects]
5. The Whatnauts: Help Is on the Way (break)
6. Loleatta Holloway: Hit and Run (1988 Remix)
7. Liquid Liquid: Optimo
8. Tommy B: Electronic Drums
9. Gichy Dan: Cowboys and Gangsters

1071. Frankieknucklessummer1984.mp3
(Frankie 'goes to hollywood' knuckles summer 1984)

1984

1. Tamiko Jones: Can’t Live Without Your Love
2. Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Two Tribes
3. Thelma Houston: You Used To Hold Me So Tight (Dub Version)
4. Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Welcome to the Pleasuredome
5. Candi Staton: Victim
6. Phyllis Hyman: You Know How To Love Me

1355. Knuckles@Gallery21-1987deephousepage.mp3

Live at Gallery 21, 1987

1. Ralphi Rosario: You Used To Hold Me
2. First Choice: Let No Man Put Asunder (Frankie Knuckles Mix)
3. Thompson & Lenoir: Can’t Stop the House (Instrumental)
4. Rhythim Is Rhythim: Move It
5. Risque III: Don’t You Know
6. Rhythim Is Rhythim: Nude Photo
7. House Gang: Workin My Body
8. Caroline Crawford: Coming On Strong
9. A Taste Of Honey: Boogie Oogie Oogie
10. Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes: The Love I Lost
11. Love Committee: Just as Long as I Got You

Jacob Arnold, May 11, 2008 in Features: Chicago House

tags: chicago frankieknuckles history house

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