1977 Disco No. 1, Which Outperformed The John Williams Original, Topped The Charts 49 Years Ago Today

The dance floor is truly a place for everyone, and sci-fi fans had their own disco moment when Meco Monardo's rendition of the "'Star Wars' Theme/ Cantina Band" was the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 6, 1977, even surpassing John Williams' original "Star Wars" theme song.

Although it's considered one of the worst hits of the '70s, the track tapped into the cultural zeitgeist in a way few artists had ever yet attempted. Monardo's first venture in the disco scene was the foundation of the Disco Corporation of America (DCA) in 1973, but it was one fateful day in 1977, at the premiere of George Lucas' "Star Wars," that set his imagination on fire.

Monardo was a classically trained musician who'd made a living arranging bubblegum pop songs and advertising jingles, and was deeply inspired by the original "Star Wars" score by composer John Williams. After repeated viewings of the movie, Monardo was convinced he could make a commercially successful rendition, and the resulting "'Star Wars' Theme/ Cantina Band" would become one of the most consequential pieces of his career.

Meco Monardo's 1977 "'Star Wars' Theme/Cantina Band" disco remix not only combined two of the most iconic tracks off of George Lucas' film soundtrack, it also explicitly leaned into incorporating sound effects. This was more an issue of circumstances, as Monardo recalled in an interview with Disco-Disco, explaining, "So, how could I re-create the movie aside from putting the voices of people, which I could not do. I could not get that permission of course to do so." While Lucas would be more open to allowing Weird Al Yankovic to parody the series, Monardo had to get thrifty.

Enlisting the help of Jon Bon Jovi's cousin, Tony Bongiovi — the rock legend's real last name – they used rudimentary synthesizers to piece together R2-D2's iconic sound. Menardo hired 75 musicians, including the original horn players from "Saturday Night Live," to record the piece, releasing it as part of the LP "Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk" album, as well as a single. "'Star Wars' Theme/Cantina Band" reached No. 1 by October 1st, 1977, and stayed there for two consecutive weeks, while John Williams' original score only managed to peak at No. 10.

Monardo had clearly found his niche, recording similar remixes for "The Wizard of Oz," "Star Trek," and "Superman." However, "Star Wars" would remain a key pillar of his work up until his retirement from music in 1985, after releasing "Christmas in the Stars" and "Ewok Celebration" in the '80s. Although it's deliciously kitsch, "'Star Wars' Theme/Cantina Band" is still an interesting cross-section of pop culture's interdisciplinary nature.