Showing posts with label parliament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parliament. Show all posts

Saturday, June 6, 2020

The Top 100 Funk Songs of All Time

First posted 6/6/2020.

Funk:

Top 100 Songs

Funk was an R&B sub-genre which emerged in African-American communities in the 1960s and became especially popular in the 1970s. The music was marked by an emphasis on strong, rhythmic grooves supported by bass and drum. It was instrumental in the development of the even more dance-oriented disco music of the 1970s.

19 lists were aggregated to create this list. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.

1. Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)
2. Parliament “Flashlight” (1977)
3. Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove” (1978)
4. Parliament “Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)” (1975)
5. Rick James “Super Freak” (1981)
6. Sly & the Family Stone “Thank You Falettin Me Be Mice Elf Again” (1969)
7. Zapp “More Bounce to the Ounce” (1980)
8. Kool & the Gang “Jungle Boogie” (1973)
9. Average White Band “Pick Up the Pieces” (1974)
10. George Clinton “Atomic Dog” (1982)

11. The Commodores “Brick House” (1977)
12. Earth, Wind & Fire “Shining Star” (1975)
13. Herbie Hancock “Chameleon” (1973)
14. Curtis Mayfield “Superfly” (1972)
15. Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music” (1976)
16. Marvin Gaye “Got to Give It Up” (1977)
17. Kool & the Gang “Get Down on It” (1982)
18. The Isley Brothers “It’s Your Thing” (1969)
19. War “Low Rider” (1975)
20. The Gap Band “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (1982)

21. James Brown “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine)” (1970)
22. Funkadelic “Not Just Knee Deep” (1979)
23. Ohio Players “Fire” (1974)
24. Cameo “Word Up!” (1986)
25. The Staple Singers “I’ll Take You There” (1972)
26. Stevie Wonder “Higher Ground” (1973)
27. James Brown “The Payback” (1974)
28. Aretha Franklin “Rock Steady” (1971)
29. Brick “Dazz” (1976)
30. Slave “Slide” (1977)

31. The Brothers Johnson “Get the Funk Out of Ma Face” (1976)
32. Dazz Band “Let It Whip” (1982)
33. James Brown “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (1965)
34. Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979)
35. Lipps Inc. “Funkytown” (1980)
36. The Meters “Cissy Strut” (1969)
37. Rufus with Chaka Khan “Tell Me Something Good” (1974)
38. Stevie Wonder “Living for the City” (1973)
39. Jean Knight “Mr. Big Stuff” (1971)
40. Rose Royce “Car Wash” (1976)

41. James Brown “Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” (1968)
42. Ohio Players “Love Rollercoaster” (1975)
43. Kool & the Gang “Funky Stuff” (1973)
44. The Temptations “Cloud Nine” (1968)
45. Rick James “Give It to Me Baby” (1981)
46. Isaac Hayes “Theme from Shaft” (1971)
47. Prince “When Doves Cry” (1984)
48. Prince “Kiss’ (1986)
49. James Brown “Get Up Offa That Thing” (1976)
50. James Brown “Cold Sweat” (1967)

51. Edwin Starr “War” (1970)
52. Sly & the Family Stone “Dance to the Music” (1968)
53. The Isley Brothers “That Lady’ (1973)
54. Mtume “Juicy Fruit” (1982)
55. Prince “Little Red Corvette” (1983)
56. Sly & the Family Stone “(Family Affair” (1971)
57. The Isley Brothers “Fight the Power” (1975)
58. Hot Chocolate “You Sexy Thing” (1975)
59. Carl Carlton “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s a Built, She’s Stacked)” (1981)
60. Tom Browne “Funkin’ for Jamaica (N.Y.)” (1980)

61. Carl Douglas “Kung Fu Fighting” (1974)
62. The O’Jays “For the Love of Money” (1974)
63. Prince “Sign ‘O’ the Times” (1987)
64. Ann Peebles “I Can’t Stand the Rain” (1973)
65. Instant Funk “I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)” (1978)
66. Kool & the Gang “Hollywood Swinging” (1973)
67. Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers “Bustin’ Loose” (1979)
68. The Gap Band “Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)” (1980)
69. The Temptations “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (1972)
70. Earth, Wind & Fire “Let’s Groove” (1981)

71. The Gap Band “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops, Up Side Your Head)” (1980)
72. B.T. Express “Do It ‘Til You’re Satisfied” (1974)
73. James Brown “Out of Sight” (1964)
74. Con Funk Shun “Ffun” (1977)
75. Lynn Collins “Think About It” (1972)
76. James Brown “Get on the Good Foot” (1972)
77. Eddie Kendricks “Keep on Truckin’” (1973)
78. Rufus with Chaka Khan “Ain’t Nobody” (1983)
79. The Meters “Just Kissed My Baby” (1974)
80. Betty Wright “Clean Up Woman” (1971)

81. The Temptations “Shakey Ground” (1975)
82. Diana Ross “Upside Down” (1980)
83. King Floyd “Groove Me” (1970)
84. The Temptations “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” (1970)
85. Tower of Power “What Is Hip?” (1973)
86. Lakeside “Fantastic Voyage” (1980)
87. Bill Withers “Use Me” (1972)
88. Dr. John “Right Time, Wrong Place” (1973)
89. Taana Gardner “Heartbeat” (1981)
90. Bill Withers “Lovely Day” (1977)

91. KC & the Sunshine Band “Get Down Tonight” (1975)
92. Chic “Good Times” (1979)
93. Mandrill “Fencewalk” (1973)
94. The Commodores “Machine Gun” (1974)
95. Dyke & the Blazers “Funky Broadway” (1967)
96. The Brothers Johnson “Stomp!” (1980)
97. Graham Central Station “The Jam” (1976)
98. Prince “Controversy” (1981)
99. Herbie Hancock “Rock-It” (1983)
100. L.T.D. “Back in Love Again” (1977)

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Tuesday, December 31, 2002

Joe S. Harrington/Blastitude: Top 100 Albums

Joe S. Harrington/Blastitude:

A Loaded Proposition: Joe S. Harrington Picks the All-Time Top 100 Or…Who Pulled the Trigger?

Blastitude was created by Larry “Fuzz-O” Dolman. In its first issue in October 2000, it is described as “a web zine, focusing on but not limited to underground music.” In issue 10 (Oct/Nov 2001), writer Joe S. Harrington began a countdown of the top 100 albums of all time, finishing up the list in issue 14 (winter 2002/2003). He explained the genesis of the list in issue 10. In a nutshell, however, his criteria were that the albums were released before 1992, were restricted to singular works (in other words, no various artists compilations), and no greatest hits collections. Also, he offers up the weird rationalization that he didn’t include any works by the Beatles or Bob Dylan because he believes they’ve been surpassed by others. Huh???

Check out other best-of album lists by individuals/critics here.

1. Steely Dan Katy Lied (1975)
2. Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the... (1977)
3. Dictators Go Girl Crazy! (1975)
4. Game Theory Lolita Nation (1987)
5. Minor Threat Minor Threat (EP) (1980)
6. Parliament Mothership Connection (1975)
7. AC/DC Highway to Hell (1979)
8. Buzzcocks A Different Kind of Tension (1980)
9. Ramones Leave Home (1977)
10. Charles Mingus Oh Yeah (1961)

11. John Coltrane Live at the Village Vanguard (1961)
12. Game Theory Two Steps from the Middle Ages (1988)
13. Half Japanese Charmed Life (1988)
14. The Velvet Underground White Light/White Heat (1967)
15. The Rolling Stones Beggars Banquet (1968)
16. The Who My Generation (1965)
17. Patti Smith Horses (1975)
18. Alice Cooper Killer (1971)
19. The Saints I'm Stranded (1977)
20. The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced? (1967)

21. The Angry Samoans Back from Samoa (1982)
22. Motörhead Ace of Spades (1980)
23. John Coltrane Impressions (1963)
24. Ornette Coleman Something Else (1958)
25. Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967)
26. Frank Lowe Black Beings (1973)
27. Public Enemy It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
28. The Clash The Clash (1977)
29. Stiff Little Fingers Inflammable Material (1979)
30. The Saints Eternally Yours (1978)

31. Black Sabbath Master of Reality (1971)
32. Richard Hell & the Voidoids Blank Generation (1977)
33. Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane Theloniuous Monk and John Coltrane (1957)
34. Ornette Coleman Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation (1960)
35. Eric Colphy At the Five Spot (1961)
36. The Geto Boys The Geto Boys (1990)
37. The Dead Boys Young, Loud & Snotty (1977)
38. Pharaoh Sanders Black Unity (1971)
39. Miles Davis Collector's Items (1955)
40. Gangsta NIP South Park Psycho (1992)

41. Circle Jerks Group Sex (1980)
42. Charles Mingus Blues and Roots (1959)
43. Black Flag Damaged (1981)
44. The Red Crayola The Parable of Arable Land (1967)
45. Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band Trout Mask Replica (1969)
46. The Germs GI (1979)
47. Joy Division Closer (1980)
48. Andrew Hill Point of Departure (1964)
49. Albert Ayler Spiritual Unity (1964)
50. Miles Davis Milestones (1958)

51. Elvis Presley Elvis Presley (aka "Rock 'N' Roll" in the UK) (1956)
52. The Thirteenth Floor Elevators Easter Everywhere (1967)
53. Barbara Manning Lately I Keep Scissors (1988)
54. Sonny Rollins Way Out West (1957)
55. Big Star Radio City (1974)
56. Miles Davis Get Up with It (1970-1974) (1974)
57. Isaac Hayes Hot Buttered Soul (1969)
58. Booker Ervin The Trance (1967)
59. The MC5 Back in the USA (1970)
60. Bad Religion How Could Hell Be Any Worse? (1981)

61. Archie Shepp The Magic of Juju (1968)
62. The Stooges Fun House (1970)
63. Ramones Ramones (1976)
64. Moby Grape Moby Grape (1967)
65. Deep Purple Machine Head (1972)
66. Aerosmith Get Your Wings (1974)
67. Sparks Kimono My House (1974)
68. John Coltrane Interstellar Space (1967)
69. Love Forever Changes (1967)
70. The Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers (1973)

71. X Wild Gift (1981)
72. Elvis Costello This Year's Model (1978)
73. Babtunde Olatunji Drums of Passion (1960)
74. Stiv Bators Disconnected (1980)
75. Tim Buckley Greetings from L.A. (1972)
76. Grateful Dead Workingman's Dead (1970)
77. Lightnin' Hopkins The Great Electric Show and Dance (1965)
78. Wire Pink Flag (1977)
79. Sweet Desolation Boulevard (1975)
80. Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman (1981)

81. Neil Young Zuma (1975)
82. The Byrds The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968)
83. Television Marquee Moon (1977)
84. The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (1966)
85. Can Ege Bamyasi (1972)
86. The Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)
87. Esra Mohawk Primordial Lovers (1970)
88. Incredible String Band The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (1968)
89. The Flamin' Groovies Teenage Head (1971)
90. New York Dolls New York Dolls (1973)

91. Hawkwind Quark, Strangeness and Charm (1977)
92. Sun Ra Atlantis (1969)
93. Sonic Youth Daydream Nation (1988)
94. Blue Öyster Cult Tyranny & Mutation (1973)
95. David Bowie Scary Monsters and Super Creeps (1980)
96. Roxy Music Roxy Music (1972)
97. Nirvana Bleach (1989)
98. Mott the Hoople Brain Capers (1971)
99. Frank Zappa One Size Fits All (1975)
100. The Heartbreakers L.A.M.F. (1977)

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First posted 6/8/2024

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Thursday, February 28, 2002

Spin – 50 Greatest Bands of All Time

image from ebay.com

Like so many “all time” lists, American music magazine Spin makes a ludicrious claim to creating a list that celebrates the greatest bands of “all time” when the description already betrays their real intent of looking at 50 great bands from the 1960s forward. Spin’s editors determined the groups had to have “a roof-changing, history-changing, sound, presence or hairstyle,” had to “cearly influence today’s music,” and “they had to be bands that spawned a special emotional attachment to their fans.” 1. The Beatles
2. Ramones
3. Led Zeppelin
4. Bob Marley & The Wailers
5. Nirvana
6. Parliament/Funkadelic
7. The Clash
8. Public Enemy
9. The Rolling Stones
10. Beastie Boys

11. The Velvet Underground
12. Sly & the Family Stone
13. U2
14. Run-D.M.C.
15. Radiohead
16. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
17. Sonic Youth
18. AC/DC
19. The Stooges
20. Metallica

21. The Smiths
22. Patti Smith Group
23. N.W.A.
24. Kraftwerk
25. The Sex Pistols
26. Pearl Jam
27. Grateful Dead
28. R.E.M.
29. Black Sabbath
30. Pavement

31. Fugazi
32. Kiss
33. Pretenders
34. Rage Against The Machine
35. Fela Kuti & Afrika 70/Egypt 80
36. David Bowie And The Spiders From Mars
37. Blondie
38. Bad Brains
39. The Who
40. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

41. New Order
42. Husker Du
43. Guns N' Roses
44. Outkast
45. The Beach Boys
46. Massive Attack
47. Lynyrd Skynyrd
48. Korn
49. Pink Floyd
50. Red Hot Chili Peppers

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Monday, December 15, 1975

Parliament Mothership Connection released

Mothership Connection

Parliament

Released: December 15, 1975

Charted: February 21, 1976

Peak: 13 US, 4 RB

Sales (in millions): 1.0 US

Genre: funk

Tracks:

Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts.

  1. P-Funk Wants to Get Funked Up (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell) [7:41] (2/21/76, 33 RB)
  2. Mothership Connection (Star Child) (Clinton, Collins, Worrell) [6:13] (9/4/76, 26 RB)
  3. Unfunky UFO (Clinton, Collins, Garry Shider) [4:23]
  4. Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (Clinton, Collins, Shider, Worrell) [5:03]
  5. Handcuffs (Clinton, Glenn Goins, Janet McLaughlin) [4:02]
  6. Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker) (Jerome Brailey, Clinton, Collins) [5:46] (4/24/76, 15 BB, 5 RB, sales: ½ million)
  7. Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples (Clinton, Collins, Shider) [5:10]

Total Running Time: 38:06

The Players:

  • George Clinton (vocals)
  • Bootsy Collins (vocals, bass, guitar, drums)
  • Bernie Worrell (keyboards/synthesizers)
  • Garry Shider (guitar, vocals on “Handcuffs”)
  • Gary Cooper (drums, backing vocals & handclaps)
  • Calvin Simon, Fuzzy Haskins, Ray Davis, Grady Thomas (vocals on “Handcuffs”)
  • Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Boom, Joe Farrell (horns)
  • Cordell Mosson (bass)
  • Michael Hampton, Glenn Goins (guitar)
  • Tiki Fulwood, Jerome Brailey (drums)
  • Debbie Edwards, Taka Kahn, Archie Ivy, Bryna Chimenti, Rasputin Boutte, Pam Vincent, Debra Wright, Sidney Barnes (backing vocals and handclaps)

Rating:

4.698 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

Quotable:

“The greatest R&B album ever made” – Joe S. Harrington, Blastitude.com

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Album:

George Clinton launched not one, but two of funk music’s most important bands – Parliament and Funkadelic (often referred to collectively as P-Funk) – in the 1960s. They experienced their greatest commercial and critical success in the 1970s and perhaps never more so than with Mothership Connection. His “ranks were [already] stocked with the very best of his collaborators,” CS including “Bootsy Collins’ grooving bass, Bernie Worrell’s cosmic piano, a hot horn section and nearly two dozen others adding to the funkification of America.” RV This album marked the additions of Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker. The two horn players had previously worked with James Brown and now “elevated an already mind-blowing band into the best funk band of the ‘70s, arguably the best funk band ever.” AMG

Joe S. Harrington went so far as to call it “the greatest R&B album ever made” BT saying it is even more “ingenious conceptually” BT than Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. While Gaye “expressed urban blight” BT “Clinton’s otherworldly persona and outrageous lyrics” RV combined for the ultimate concept album. BT He loads the P-Funk gang into “a spaceship and blasts off to other galaxies, where it musically interacts with societies that surely found the collective as whacked-out as we did back here on Earth.” CS

It “became a definitive statement for the genre and a template that was subsequently sourced by jazz, hip-hop, and EDM artists.” CS Certainly “there’s no questioning this album’s impact, one that is still being felt via rap-induced aftershocks.” AMG

Mothership Connection picks up where previous album Chocolate City left off, perfecting P-Funk’s formula of “galaxy-bound cosmic slop.” BT Clinton mixed horns “and more dance-friendly rhythms in a definite JB-influenced direction.” BT

The opening song, P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up), harkened back to the opening title track from Parliament’s previous album, Chocolate City, laying down a languid synth aura for a spoken-word intro.” AMG The song “steps into second gear though, bringing in Bootsy’s bass, Wesley’s horn, Worrell’s piano, and a chorus of vocalists, it’s fairly evident just how large a step forward Mothership Connection is.” AMG

“The second song, Mothership Connection (Star Child), makes the differentiation glaringly evident, most noticeably when the song enters the cosmic, proto-hip-hop ‘swing down sweet chariot’ bridge with its accompanying melody from beyond.” AMG

“The funk doesn’t stop there though, with the remaining five songs keeping the tempo laden with dense interweaving rhythms, peaking on Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker).” AMG That song alon “makes the album classic.” CS

In addition, if “Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication doesn’t get you moving, we advise urgent medical attention.” CS

Notes:

The 2003 reissue adds the promo radio version of “Star Child (Mothership Connection).”

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First posted 7/23/2008; last updated 9/24/2023.

 
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