The group was part of the "Brooklyn sound" of the early 1970s, formed from three players of the group King Davis House Rockers. The House Rockers were a local dance band who had released a couple of obscure singles (1967's "We All Make Mistakes Sometimes" on Verve Records, 1972's "Rum Punch") The three players (guitarist Richard Thompson, tenor sax player Bill Risbrook, and alto sax player Carlos Ward) formed Madison Street Express along with bassist Louis Risbrook (later Muslim-monickered Jamal Rasool), percussionist Dennis Rowe, drummer Terrell Wood, and vocalist Barbara Wood. They along with producer Jeff Lane signed with production company Roadshow Records to record writer Billy Nichols "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)." The record was shopped around to major labels until it was accepted at Scepter Records. Scepter suggested the group change its name from Madison Street Express, hence the Brooklyn Transit Express. The single was released in August 1974, and reached the top 10. Lane took the group back into the studios at that point to record a second single and pitch a full album to the label. Scepter agreed to the LP and to Roadshow Records having its own label within Scepter Records.
The first two singles were hits, both number 1 R&B releases and both Top 5 pop singles in the US. The album hit number 1 on the R&B album chart and number 5 on the Pop album chart of the US. These recordings were also hits in the spreading disco culture, "Do It" peaking on club playlists before Billboard started a separate disco chart, but the follow-up single sat for five weeks at number 1. They were certified gold releases.
BT Express released an album per year through 1978. With the third album, Leslie Ming was brought in as drummer and keyboardist Michael Jones was added as keyboardist. Jamal, who had converted to the Muslim faith, gave Jones the name Kashif Saleem, which he used after departing the group, in 1979, to pursue producing ("Mighty M Productions" with Morrie Brown and Paul Laurence Jones) and solo recording ventures. That year songwriter Billy Nichols and drummer Leslie Ming also departed the group. In 1976 Scepter records was experiencing business difficulties that soon ended the company, and BT Express was given a distribution deal with Columbia Records, which, though it gave them greater exposure, resulted in less attention being paid to their production, since they had so many acts to concentrate on. The group did not achieve the level of radio or sales success on Columbia that they had on the more nurturing but by-then defunct Scepter. They stayed with Columbia for five years, with Lane producing through 1978, then Nichols producing their fifth album before he departed for solo work, and Morrie Brown producing the sixth LP and several follow-up tracks. The group switched labels to Coast To Coast Records for the 1982 LP, to Earthtone Records for a later 1982 single, and to manager King Davis' own label in 1985.
Give up the Funk
B.T. Express Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up
Up
Up
Up
Up
I don't want to give you up
Up
Up
Up
Up
I don't want to give you
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry
Okay, I fell in love with the bitch
Whenever we fight, she pack all her shit up and dip
That shit annoying as shit
Days go by and weeks go by, I stay
Now I'm all alone in the crib
Texting and calling, no answer, you petty as shit, deleting our instagram pics
You go on live and say how bad, I did you wrong
I lead you on
I got to go
I'm not the one
Saying that you can find better than me (Okay)
We just gone wait up and see (I pray)
You don't go back to streets (You can't)
Come right back after you leave, I'm up
Up
I'm up
Up (What the fuck)
Up
Up
I don't want to give you up
Up
Up
Up
Up
Up
I don't want to give you
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You told me that you wouldn't leave)
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You told me that you wouldn't leave)
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You told me that you wouldn't leave)
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You said, you said)
You told me you wouldn't leave and you left
You said that we would be better as friends
You was supposed to alleviate stress
Now I'm tryna figure out (I'm tryna figure out)
Why you would waste all the time that we spent
Break up to make up then break up again
Run and tell all of your family and friends
That we ain't together and we wasn't working out
But now you want to work it out
What is this all about?
They don't compare to me, I know
When you was leaving out, why ain't you think it out?
Baby look at you now
They don't compare to me, I know
So we break up
Up
That's why I'm up
Up
You fucking up
Up
Now I got to give you up (I'm not ready)
Up
Up (I'm not ready)
Up
Up
Up
Now I got to give you
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You told me that you wouldn't leave)
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You told me that you wouldn't leave)
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You told me that you wouldn't leave)
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry (You said, you said)
Now I got to give you up
Now I got to give you up, girl no
Now I got to give you up
Now I got to give you up, girl no
These lyrics seem to come from two different songs that have been spliced together: "Give up the Funk" by B.T. Express and "Lil Baby" by Dababy. "Give up the Funk" is a funk classic that was released by B.T. Express in 1980. The song is a call to get up and dance, with its catchy chorus and driving rhythm. The lyrics encourage the listener to let go of their worries and just enjoy the music. The lines "I don't want to give you up" and "Up, up, up" are actually from this song, expressing the desire to keep dancing and having a good time.
On the other hand, "Lil Baby" is a love song that deals with the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. The verses in this mashup are all from this song, with Dababy rapping about his struggles with his girlfriend. He is frustrated with her tendency to pack up and leave whenever they have an argument, and he wishes she would stay with him. He also feels hurt by her actions, such as deleting their Instagram pictures and going on live to talk about their issues.
Overall, the mashup seems to be a commentary on the tension between having fun and dealing with the challenges of relationships. The upbeat funk music encourages the listener to let go of their worries and just dance, while the lyrics of "Lil Baby" deal with the difficulties of love and commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
Up
The singer is feeling energized and motivated.
I don't want to give you up
The singer is resistant to breaking off a relationship.
You told me you wouldn't keep leaving lil baby you sorry
The singer is frustrated at their partner for repeatedly leaving them.
Okay, I fell in love with the bitch
The artist is admitting to having fallen in love with their partner (using derogatory language).
Whenever we fight, she pack all her shit up and dip
The artist's partner tends to leave whenever they fight.
That shit annoying as shit
The singer finds their partner's habit of leaving after fights extremely frustrating.
Days go by and weeks go by, I stay
The singer has stayed loyal to the relationship even as their partner keeps leaving.
Now I'm all alone in the crib
The artist is currently alone at home.
Texting and calling, no answer, you petty as shit, deleting our instagram pics
The artist's partner is being unresponsive and spiteful, deleting photos on social media.
You go on live and say how bad, I did you wrong
The artist's partner has gone online to publicly criticize them.
I lead you on
The singer admits to having led their partner on in some way.
I'm not the one
The artist denies responsibility for the relationship's problems.
Saying that you can find better than me (Okay)
The singer's partner has suggested they can do better than them.
We just gone wait up and see (I pray)
The singer is uncertain about the future of the relationship, but hopes it can be salvaged.
You don't go back to streets (You can't)
The singer is urging their partner not to return to their old ways.
Come right back after you leave, I'm up
The artist's partner should return to them when they leave.
That's why I'm up
The artist is energized and motivated by the situation.
You fucking up
The singer's partner is causing problems in the relationship.
Now I got to give you up (I'm not ready)
Despite the problems, the singer is still resistant to ending the relationship.
Now I got to give you up, girl no
The artist is resisting the idea of ending things with their partner.
Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, DistroKid
Written by: Brenton Freeman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@josephrda4841
Morceau en or massif : brillant, inusable, inoxydable !
Cette chanson est un petit trésor et, à la fin des années 1970 et au début des années 1980, la soul et le funk nous en ont offert suffisamment pour illuminer le reste de notre vie...
merci à toi MsCharlie.
Solid gold track: shiny, wear-free, stainless!
This song is a little treasure and, in the late 1970's and early 1980's, soul and funk offered us enough of it to light up the rest of our lives...
thank you MsCharlie.
@nicobeat2
Incredible track....you can dance after more than 4 decades like was today....so keep the funk alive guys!
@virgiliorodriguez9858
I repeat 1980 was a great year for funk 1580 KDAY am.baby baby.
@tilaunc
In my Funk all time top 10... 1980, what a great year for soul and funk...
@davidlane8028
Mine to
@harrowmike
The Royalty, The 100 Club & many more venues I remember where I Funked to this back in the day!!! Loved those Fabulous days.
@b.rodclark7349
40yrs ago i was 12 when this was funkin' on the radio... LUVIT!
@jonathanankrah8434
OMG. nostalgia galore. Pure Funk. Boosty, Guitar Watson BT Express. And the rest
@garym7490
Thank you MsCharlie, for always keeping me grounded in the Funk with incredible Funk tracks like this!!!😄
@mikejones6805
Haven't heard this in so long!