Which 1976 song made Walter Murphy a US one-hit wonder with a disco arrangement of classical music?

Walter Murphy’s 1976 song “A Fifth of Beethoven” made him a US one-hit wonder with a disco arrangement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

Murphy adapted the opening motif of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 into an orchestral disco track. The recording combines strings, percussion and a steady dance beat, presenting a famous classical theme in the sound of the 1970s dance era.

The single reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Canadian chart. It appeared on Murphy’s album A Fifth of Beethoven and gained additional recognition after being included on the soundtrack of the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever.

The title is a pun: it refers both to Beethoven’s Fifth and to a “fifth,” a bottle measurement associated with alcohol. The track is not a new Beethoven composition; it is a modern arrangement using his melody.