Take It to the top

When Kool & the Gang set out to record Celebrate! in 1980, they weren’t just looking to create a new album; they were also laying the groundwork for one of their most enduring tracks. The song Take It to the Top, clocking in at 4 minutes and 19 seconds, became a cornerstone of that work. While the album itself topped the R&B charts and reached number ten on the Billboard 200, spawning the massive hit Celebration, Take It to the Top stands out as a defining moment in the band’s evolving sound.

The recording context of Celebrate!, released on September 29, 1980, reveals Kool & the Gang at an intriguing juncture in their career. Though celebrated as funk pioneers, this album—produced by Deodato—showcased their ability to adapt to contemporary trends like disco without losing their core identity. Contemporary critics, such as Dennis Hunt in the Los Angeles Times, called the album “the band’s new mostly excellent disco,” while Robert Christgau in The Village Voice noted how smoothly they had transitioned into the disco sound, landing a single at number one and the album in the top ten.