Originally named Project Soul, the group became a backup band for the Stax Records artists The Soul Children in the early 1970s Renaming themselves Confunkshun, the group moved to Memphis, Tennessee and became one of the label's most sought-after studio bands. They supported themselves by performing throughout the mid-South and Japan at clubs and colleges, along with such bands as, Brief Encounter, Chocolate Funk, Brick, The Dazz Band, and The Mighty Majors. They came to the attention of Estelle Axton and recorded an album and several singles on her Fretone Records label.
By 1976, Con Funk Shun, was one of the most popular groups in the South but still had not secured a major recording deal. That all changed in July 1976 when Mercury Records A&R man Jud Phillips finally signed the group to a major recording contract. By that time, drummer Louis McCall's wife, publicist/songwriter Linda Lou McCall, had "tweaked" the spelling of the band's name (originally "Confunkshun"), and their first album, "Con Funk Shun", was released later that year.
The band's second album Secrets was released in 1977 to critical and commercial success. Their first hit single was "Ffun", written by Michael Cooper rose swiftly up the charts and landed at "#1 With A Bullet" on Billboard magazine's Top Soul Singles chart in July 1977. Over the course of 10 years, Con Funk Shun recorded 11 albums with Mercury, with five of them achieving "Gold album" status (selling in excess of 500,000 units). The band performed to sold-out coliseums all over the country. They had numerous Top 40 hits including "Chase Me", "Love's Train", "Straight From The Heart", and "Shake & Dance With Me". They recorded their milestone album, "7" in 1981, the seventh album for seven bandmembers who had been together since their teens. It included "California 1", "Straight From The Heart", "Body Lovers" and the Billboard Top 20 Soul Single, "Bad Lady".
In the early 1980s, sagging sales and poor support from their record company was beginning to cause tension between the boyhood friends. In addition, lead singer/songwriters Michael V. Cooper and Felton Pilate began to try to assert more control over the band. Co-founders McCall and Cooper were often at odds with each other. Cooper, an excellent musician and writer, had always resented McCall's business acumen and negotiating skills (McCall and his wife, Linda Lou McCall, were responsible for booking the band's first major tour in 1977, which resulted in the group's national success and the first of their numerous gold albums). While McCall usually deferred to Cooper on artistic issues, he did not get the same support from Cooper on business decisions. McCall had frequently been voted group leader by the other members, each time causing the chasm between Cooper and the other members to grow wider. Pilate often sided with Cooper but since the band operated on the quorum principle of "participatory democracy", their suggestions were often out-voted by the other members.
"Burning Love", Con Funk Shun's last album with Mercury, was recorded without lead singer/songwriter, Felton Pilate, who left the group in 1986 after a physical altercation with McCall. Melvin Carter, a frequent collaborator of Con Funk Shun, replaced Felton for their final album, "Burning Love". The same year, the original group was essentially disbanded with Michael V. Cooper leaving for a solo career. Louis McCall also left to become a consultant and event producer with clients such as M.C. Hammer, Danny Glover and Harry Belafonte, and to join his wife in marketing such contemporary artists as Eminem, Puff Daddy (now "Diddy"), Mya, and the Black Eyed Peas. Con Funk Shun officially disbanded after their last album with Mercury in late 1986. Cooper went on to release a few solo albums with Warner Bros. Sales were disappointing but he did manage to have a few hits with "Prove My Love" and "Shoop Shoop". One of the first musicians ever to have a home studio, Felton Pilate went on to become a successful producer and musical director for rap phenom, M.C. Hammer. He was later nominated in 1991 for a Grammy for co-producing Hammer's hit record "U Can't Touch This" and an Oscar in 1992 for "Addams Groove" on the ""Addams Family"" soundtrack. He, too, made several attempts at solo projects which went nowhere. However, he is still sought out as a producer and consultant.
In the 1990s, lead singers Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate began performing under the group's name with sidemen in place of their former bandmates. They often include original members on brass, Paul Harrell (sax and flute) and Karl Fuller (trumpet). Although missing the tightness of its legendary rhythm section of McCall (drums), Thomas (keyboards), and Martin (bass), the reconstituted group still performs at "old school" concerts and festivals throughout the country under the moniker "Con Funk Shun, featuring Michael Cooper & Felton Pilate", making no mention of long-time bandmates Harrell and Fuller. The original band's music can still be heard in such recent films as "Gone In 60 Seconds", "Next Friday", and "American Pimp", which was featured at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. Ironically, one of the memorable characters in "American Pimp" was John "Rosebudd" Dickson, a childhood friend of drummer, Louis A. McCall. They played in the Vallejo High School band together and remained friends for life.
Tragically, co-founder/drummer McCall was murdered on June 25, 1997 in Stone Mountain, Georgia in a home invasion robbery. The case is still unsolved. With the exception of Felton, all of the other members of Con Funk Shun still reside in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Love's Train
Con Funk Shun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too hurt, too weak
Gotta call her up
Dial that, number, no one, answers
Till it's two o'clock
And if by chance, you let me come over
Out on the street, I want to see ya baby
I'm down on my knee, I wanna please ya baby, I
I'll be your righteous lover
She said 'sugar, honey, darlin'
I really wanna see ya too
It's just that someone's, over, and baby
I really wanna be with chu'
But if by chance you let me just hold ya
I'm calling I'm free, I wanna see ya baby
When in need you said you would be here
And you hold the key
To my very being baby and I
I love you, baby
If you are that special lover
And love keeps you tied to another
That's the way it goes on love's train
Sometimes heart strings can be broken
But you've just have to keep on goin'
That's the way it goes on love's train
On a warm night, lady, wants her, baby
So she calls him up
Dial that, number, no one, answers
Till it's two o'clock
If by chance, you just come over
'Cause darlin' please, I've got to see ya baby
And when in need you said you would be here
And now I'm in need and please believe me baby
I love you darlin' (listen babe)
If you are that special lover
Love keeps you tied to another
That's the way it goes on love's train
You don't need no, you don't need no ticket to ride
Sometimes heart strings can be broken
But you've just got to keep on goin'
That's the way it goes on love's train
Listen babe, listen baby
If deep sorrow you've been soakin'
But you've just have to keep on strokin'
That's the way it goes on love's train
Loves a hurting thang ya'll that makes you want to (cry, come on)
If you are that special lover
And love keeps you tied to another
That's the way it goes on love's train
Find yourself alone
Sometimes heart strings can be broken
But you've just have to keep on flowin'
That's the way it goes on love's train
In time everything's gonna be alright
If deep sorrow you've been soakin'
But you've just got to keep on strokin'
That's the way it goes on love's train
The lyrics of Con Funk Shun's song Love's Train are about the ups and downs of a romantic relationship that is being tested by distance and circumstances. The singer is unable to sleep and feels hurt and weak, so he decides to call his lover, but there is no answer. Eventually, he reaches her and asks to see her, promising to be her righteous lover. She also wants to be with him, but someone is over at her place, so she cannot. They express their love and hopes for the future, but acknowledge that love's train can be a bumpy ride with broken heartstrings and deep sorrows. However, they encourage each other to keep going and flowing, reassuring that everything will be alright in time.
Line by Line Meaning
Warm night, can't sleep
It's hot and I can't sleep.
Too hurt, too weak
I am emotionally drained and full of pain.
Gotta call her up
I need to call her on the phone.
Dial that, number, no one, answers
I dialed her phone number but she's not picking up.
Till it's two o'clock
I kept trying to call her until it's already 2 AM.
And if by chance, you let me come over
If you ever allow me to visit you at your home,
Out on the street, I want to see ya baby
I want to see you badly and I don't care if I have to be on the streets.
And if by chance you let me just hold ya
If you ever permit me to embrace you warmly,
I'm down on my knee, I wanna please ya baby, I
I am willing to humbly do anything just to satisfy and please you.
I'll be your righteous lover
I promise to be an honorable, honest, and upright partner.
She said 'sugar, honey, darlin'
She addressed me with sweet and affectionate endearments.
I really wanna see ya too
I also want to see you equally so bad.
It's just that someone's, over, and baby
It's just that I currently have a companion or visitor with me.
I really wanna be with chu'
I still desire to be with you despite my current company.
I'm calling I'm free, I wanna see ya baby
I'll call you again when I am available and free to see you.
When in need you said you would be here
You promised that you'll be there for me when I need you.
And you hold the key
You have the solution and remedy for my problems and distress.
To my very being baby and I
You are essential to my existence and I,
I love you, baby
I genuinely and affectionately love you.
If you are that special lover
If you are that unique and amazing lover,
And love keeps you tied to another
But if you're currently committed to someone else,
That's the way it goes on love's train
That is how love works and operates in life.
Sometimes heart strings can be broken
Sometimes, our emotions can be shattered.
But you've just have to keep on goin'
But we must continue and persevere forward despite the pain.
You don't need no, you don't need no ticket to ride
You don't need any special permission or requirements to participate in love.
Find yourself alone
If you end up being by yourself and lonely,
But you've just got to keep on flowin'
Keep on going with the flow of life and the journey of love.
In time everything's gonna be alright
Everything will eventually fall into place and be okay.
If deep sorrow you've been soakin'
If you're currently drenched in profound sadness and emotions,
But you've just got to keep on strokin'
You still must keep on enduring and overcoming the challenges.
That's the way it goes on love's train
This is the nature of how love operates and functions.
Loves a hurting thang ya'll that makes you want to (cry, come on)
Love is a painful and challenging thing that can make you emotional and wanna cry.
Listen babe, listen baby
Pay attention to me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Felton C. II Pilate, Michael V. Cooper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mycolortv1
Nobody I mean nobody makes music like Black Americans...Ragtime,The Blues, Jazz, R&B, Rock&Roll, Disco, House Music, Rap.. that's a resume that will never be matched
@brucemurphy2055
That's because we are the true Hebrew Israelites
@Dave507
mycolortv1 had to go racial huh? 😔
@mycolortv1
Dave507 it's just acknowledging the truth
@Dave507
mycolortv1 anyone listening knows the TRUTH! Yet YOU went there! Sad! Nothing is Sacred! Get over your RACIST views!! Music knows NO COLOR!!! 🙄
@mycolortv1
Dave507 you don't know how stupid you sound music knows no color, I guess Sports knows no color, black musicians couldn't get in on certain music labels, black athletes couldn't play in the major leagues, shut your dumb-ass up
@daniellepleasesavethehuman3958
I feel sorry for the people that don't listen to this original version it is one of my favorite old head songs
@thedaynos
me too. Was just talking about silk sonic a few months ago with a friend of mine and she said they got that delfonics vibe. I never listened to them, at all, so I went on a binge. So happy I did, they're great too.
@sandratyson3589
I certainly agree Danielle! Ain't nothing like the real thang!!
@blackNproud365
Same I’m 28 and my grandma aunts and uncles exposed me to this kind of music when I was real young so I’ve grown to appreciate it