Which American trio recorded the 1974 disco single "Rock the Boat"?

The American trio that recorded the 1974 disco single “Rock the Boat” was The Hues Corporation.

The group formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1969 and recorded the song for RCA. Written by Wally Holmes and produced by John Florez, “Rock the Boat” first appeared on the trio’s 1973 album Freedom for the Stallion before becoming a single in 1974.

The song initially looked like a potential flop, but New York dance clubs embraced it. Its club success helped radio stations discover the track, and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1974. The record also became a gold-selling hit and is widely regarded as one of disco’s early mainstream breakthroughs.

A common mix-up is calling it the first disco song to top the Hot 100. Some historians give that distinction to “Love’s Theme” by the Love Unlimited Orchestra or “TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia),” both earlier 1974 chart-toppers. “Rock the Boat” remains especially associated with its participatory wedding and party dance, in which guests mimic rowing a boat.