That's Where the Happy People Go

The Trammps' "That's Where the Happy People Go" was one of the true feel-good anthems of the disco era; although not quite as famous as "Disco Inferno," it still went down in history as one of the Philadelphia group's biggest hits. In 1987, that dancefloor gem was covered by Greg Stone, a little-known singer who recorded for the small, Dayton, OH-based Dice label. Distributed by Sutra, Dice was best-known for Hi-NRG, and this 12" single is exactly that. While the Trammps' original late-'70s version was a definitive example of Philadelphia disco soul, Stone's exuberant remake is very European-influenced. In the '80s and '90s, Hi-NRG was an extension of '70s Euro-disco, and Stone definitely had the European sound, even though he was very much an American. Stone, quite honestly, isn't a great singer; his vocals are undeniably thin. But one doesn't have to be blessed with a great voice to provide a decent dance record. Producer Bob Parr's arrangement of this Trammps classic is infectious, and Stone manages to get his point across despite his limitations as a vocalist. Also noteworthy is the single's B-side, "Here in the Darkness," a Parr original that is hardly a carbon copy of side A. While "That's Where the Happy People Go" is unapologetically happy, "Here in the Darkness" is moody and haunting. This 1987 single didn't make Stone a superstar, and he would probably be the first to admit that the members of the Trammps could sing circles around him. Nonetheless, this wasn't a bad record to have on a club DJ's turntable in the late '80s.