Due to legal difficulties between Clinton and Revilot, The Parliaments' label, the name was abandoned in favor of Funkadelic, which consisted of the same group of people (that is, both the former Parliaments and their back-up band, now both combined in the name "Funkadelic"). The group signed to Westbound in 1968.
The group's self-titled debut album, Funkadelic, was released in 1970. The credits listed organist Mickey Atkins plus Clinton, Fulwood, Hazel, Nelson and Ross, though the actual recording also included several uncredited sessionmen then employed by Motown, as well as Ray Monette (of Rare Earth) and Bernie Worrell.
Bernie Worrell was officially credited starting with Funkadelic's second album, 1970's Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow, thus beginning a long collaboration between Worrell and Clinton (who had been friends for quite a while). Worrell would go on to produce many Parliament and Funkadelic albums, as well as play keyboard on albums by other members of P Funk.
After the release of Maggot Brain in 1971, Bootsy Collins and Catfish Collins joined the group. The brothers would go on to become major contributors to the P Funk sound. In 1972, this new line-up released America Eats Its Young, but many members left the group after that, due to internal squabbles, plus Hazel spending a year in jail for drug possession and assault and Tawl Ross experiencing a bad LSD trip and/or speed overdose, while Billy Bass quit due to financial concerns. Michael Hampton, a seventeen-year-old guitar prodigy, replaced Hazel.
1975 brought Funkadelic to Warner Brothers, and saw the release of Hardcore Jollies in 1976. The same year, Westbound released a compilation of archived tracks titled Tales of Kidd Funkadelic, which did significantly better than Hardcore Jollies and included "Undisco Kidd", a R&B Top 30 single. In 1977, Westbound capitalized on the success of Tales of Kidd Funkadelic by releasing The Best of the Early Years. Funkadelic recorded and released its magnum opus, One Nation Under a Groove in 1978. The title track spent six weeks at #1 on the R&B charts, while Parliament was enjoying success with "Flash Light" and "Aqua Boogie."
As the 1980s wore on, legal difficulties arising from the multiple names used by multiple groups, as well as a shakeup among Parliament's record label, Parliament and Funkadelic disintegrated. George Clinton recorded several solo albums (sometimes under the name George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars).
Filmmaker Yvonne Smith of Berkeley, California-based Firelight Media produced Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove, a full-length documentary about the groundbreaking group, which aired on PBS in 2005.
ALSO......
Though it often took a back chair to its sister group Parliament, Funkadelic furthered the notions of black rock begun by Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, blending elements of '60s psychedelia and blues plus the deep groove of soul and funk. The band pursued album statements of social/political commentary while Parliament stayed in the funk singles format, but Funkadelic nevertheless paralleled the more commercial artist's success, especially in the late '70s when the interplay between bands moved the Funkadelic sound closer to a unified P-Funk style.
In the grand soul tradition of a backing band playing support before the star takes the stage, Funkadelic began life supporting George Clinton's doo wop group, the Parliaments. After having performed for almost ten years, the Parliaments had added a rhythm section in 1964 -- for tours and background work -- consisting of guitarist Frankie Boyce, his brother Richard on bass, and drummer Langston Booth; two years later, the trio enlisted in the Army. By mid-1967, Clinton had recruited a new backing band, including his old friend Billy "Bass" Nelson (born January 28, 1951, Plainfield, NJ) and guitarist Eddie Hazel (born April 10, 1950, Brooklyn, NY). After several temporary replacements on drums and keyboards, the addition of rhythm guitarist Lucius "Tawl" Ross (born October 5, 1948, Wagram, NC) and drummer Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (born May 23, 1944, Philadelphia, PA) completed the lineup.
The Parliaments recorded several hits during 1967, but trouble with the Revilot label backed Clinton into a corner. He hit upon the idea of deserting the Parliaments' name and instead recording their backing group, with the added vocal "contributions" of the former Parliaments -- same band, different name. Billy Nelson suggested the title Funkadelic, to reflect the members' increased inspiration from LSD and psychedelic culture. Clinton formed the Funkadelic label in mid-1968 but then signed the group to Detroit's Westbound label several months later.
Released in 1970, Funkadelic's self-titled debut album listed only producer Clinton and the five members of Funkadelic -- Hazel, Nelson, Fulwood, and Ross plus organist Mickey Atkins -- but also included all the former Parliaments plus several Motown sessionmen and Rare Earth's Ray Monette. Keyboard player Bernie Worrell also appeared on the album uncredited, even though his picture was included on the inner sleeve with the rest of the band.
Worrell (born April 19, 1944, Long Beach, NJ) was finally credited on the second Funkadelic album (1970's Free Your Mind...and Your A** Will Follow). He and Clinton had known each other since the early '60s, and Worrell soon became the most crucial cog in the P-Funk machine, working on arrangements and production for most later Parliament/Funkadelic releases. His strict upbringing and classical training (at the New England Conservatory and Juilliard), as well as the boom in synthesizer technology during the early '70s, gave him the tools to create the horn arrangements and jazz fusion-inspired synth runs that later trademarked the P-Funk sound. Just after the release of their third album, Maggot Brain, P-Funk added yet another big contributor, Bootsy Collins. The throbbing bass line of Collins (born October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH) had previously been featured in James Brown's backing band, the J.B.'s (along with his brother, guitarist Catfish Collins). Bootsy and Catfish were playing in a Detroit band in 1972 when George Clinton saw and hired them.
The Clinton/Worrell/Collins lineup premiered on 1972's America Eats Its Young, but soon after its release several original members left the camp. Eddie Hazel spent a year in jail after a combination drug possession/assault conviction, Tawl Ross left the band for medical reasons relating to an overdose of LSD and speed, and Bill Nelson quit after more financial quarrels with Clinton. Funkadelic hired teenaged guitar sensation Michael Hampton as a replacement, but both Hazel and Nelson would return for several later P-Funk releases.
Funkadelic moved to Warner Bros. in 1975 and delivered its major-label debut, Hardcore Jollies, one year later to lackluster sales and reviews. The same year, Westbound raided its vaults and countered with Tales of Kidd Funkadelic. Ironically, the album did better than Hardcore Jollies and included an R&B Top 30 single, "Undisco Kidd." In 1977, Westbound released The Best of the Early Years while Funkadelic recorded what became its masterpiece (and arguably the best P-Funk release ever), 1978's One Nation Under a Groove.
During the most successful year in Parliament/Funkadelic history, Parliament hit the charts first with "Flash Light," P-Funk's first R&B number one. "Aqua Boogie" would hit number one as well late in the year, but Funkadelic's title track to One Nation Under a Groove spent six weeks at the top spot on the R&B charts during the summer. The album, which reflected a growing consistency in styles between Parliament and Funkadelic, became the first Funkadelic LP to reach platinum (the same year that Parliament's Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome did the same). In 1979, Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep" hit number one as well, and its album (Uncle Jam Wants You) reached gold status.
At just the point that Funkadelic appeared to be at the top of its powers, the band began to unravel. As is sometimes the case, commercial success began to dissolve several old friendships. In 1977, original Parliaments members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas had left the P-Funk organization to record on their own. In early 1981, they hit the R&B charts with a single called "Connections and Disconnections," recorded as Funkadelic. To confuse matters more, the original Funkadelic appeared on the charts at the same time, with the title track to The Electric Spanking of War Babies.
During 1980, Clinton began to be weighed down by legal difficulties arising from Polygram's acquisition of Parliament's label, Casablanca. Jettisoning both the Parliament and Funkadelic names (but not the musicians), Clinton began his solo career with 1982's Computer Games. He and many former Parliament/Funkadelic members continued to tour and record throughout the '80s as the P-Funk All Stars, but the decade's disdain of everything to do with the '70s resulted in critical and commercial neglect for the world's biggest funk band, especially one which in part had spawned the sound of disco. During the early '90s, the rise of funk-inspired rap (courtesy of Digital Underground, Dr. Dre, and Warren G.) and funk rock (Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers) re-established the status of Clinton & co., one of the most important forces in the recent history of black music. ~ John Bush, Rovi
06-Eulogy And Light
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Which art on Wall Street
Honored be thy buck
Thy kingdom came
This be thy year
From sea to shining sea
Thou givest me false pride
From every head and ass, may dollars flow
Give us this pay
Our daily bread
Forgive us our goofs
As we rob from each other
He maketh me to sell dope to small children
For thou art evil
And we adore thee
Thy destruction and thy power
They comfort me
My Cadillac and my pinky ring
They restoreth me in thee
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of poverty
I must feel their envy
For I am loaded, high and all those other goodies
That go along with the good god big buck
To your horse
A ? grows there
Ahead in time, the unexpected soul-searching beam of the strobe
But now, the stairway looms
And as I rise
The cries of kittens, gray, make way
For there, now near
Here now, gone, alone
I feel my wrist, it flicks the switch
No lights reveal the room or me
She sees, then panics, grabs a light
I scream, silent comforts that are not heard
I panic, for I have not said a word
Hysteria hold the room in sway
I run, I back away, to hide
From what?
From fear?
The truth, the light?
Is truth the light?
The lyrics of "Eulogy and Light" are a scathing critique of capitalist society and its obsession with wealth and power. The opening lines draw a parallel between the Christian God and the god of Wall Street, indicating how money has become the new religion, and worshipped with the same fervor. The reference to "false pride" and "robbing from each other" highlights the destructive nature of this obsession, while the line "He maketh me to sell dope to small children" points to the corrupting influence of money on morality.
The lyrics then take a surreal turn, with references to a mysterious "?" that grows on a horse and a "soul-searching beam of the strobe", suggesting a journey towards self-discovery or enlightenment. However, this journey leads to confusion and panic, as the singer confronts uncomfortable truths that can't be hidden in the darkness. The song ends with a philosophical question about the nature of truth and the choice between facing it or hiding from it.
Overall, "Eulogy and Light" is a powerful critique of materialism and a call to confront uncomfortable truths, no matter how scary they may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Our father
Addressing the wealthy elites as an almighty god figure
Which art on Wall Street
Referring to the godlike status attributed to powerful entities in the finance industry
Honored be thy buck
Acknowledging the deep-rooted societal reverence for money and wealth as the ultimate goal
Thy kingdom came
Celebrating the dominance of capitalism and its ideological control over society
This be thy year
Proclaiming the current era as a time of excessive consumerism and materialism
From sea to shining sea
Implying the extent of the influence and impact of such capitalist ideology across the nation
Thou givest me false pride
Acknowledging the role of the society and the capitalist system in creating false sense of self-worth and egotism
Funked down by the riverside
Describing the disillusionment and disenfranchisement felt by those who fall outside the dominant societal norms of success and wealth
From every head and ass, may dollars flow
Exalting the power and influence of money over every aspect of life, including identity and bodily functions
Give us this pay
The ultimate prayer to the capitalist god for financial gain and prosperity
Our daily bread
Replacing religious sustenance with material sustenance as the primary source of life
Forgive us our goofs
Asking for forgiveness for minor errors of life and behavior from the almighty capitalist overlords
As we rob from each other
Acknowledging the inherent exploitation and inequality within the capitalist system, and the role individuals play in perpetuating it
He maketh me to sell dope to small children
Describing the corrupting influence of capitalism, leading individuals to partake in immoral and illegal behavior for financial gain
For thou art evil
Acknowledging the inherently immoral and corrupt nature of the capitalist system and those who benefit from it
And we adore thee
Despite recognizing the immorality of the capitalist system, still showing admiration and reverence for those who are successful within it
Thy destruction and thy power
Describing the destructive force wielded by the capitalist system, while also acknowledging its immense power and influence
They comfort me
Finding comfort and security in the power and influence of capitalism due to its pervasiveness in society
My Cadillac and my pinky ring
Symbols of status and success within the capitalist system, representing the material possessions desired by those who benefit from it
They restoreth me in thee
Finding comfort and identity within the capitalist system and the material possessions it affords
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of poverty
Evoking the Christian prayer and acknowledging the fear of falling outside the societal norms of success and wealth
I must feel their envy
Acknowledging the desire for recognition and admiration from others due to one's success within the capitalist system
To your horse
A sudden, nonsensical invocation of an object or entity, perhaps indicating a sudden change of subject or a hallucinatory episode
A ? grows there
A vague and unexplained statement that has no apparent meaning or context
Ahead in time, the unexpected soul-searching beam of the strobe
A cryptic and surreal phrase that could be interpreted in many ways, but which suggests a sudden and dramatic shift or moment of reflection
But now, the stairway looms
Suggesting a moment of anxiety or uncertainty, perhaps indicating a change or progression to an unknown state
And as I rise
Continuing the imagery of ascending to a new state or level of consciousness
The cries of kittens, gray, make way
A surreal and nonsensical phrase, which could be open to many interpretations
For there, now near
Suggesting imminent arrival or realization of something
Here now, gone, alone
A poetic phrase which could suggest the fleeting nature of existence, or a sense of loneliness and isolation
I feel my wrist, it flicks the switch
Suggesting a sudden shift in perspective or realization, perhaps through some action or decision
No lights reveal the room or me
Suggesting a moment of confusion, uncertainty, or obscurity
She sees, then panics, grabs a light
Introducing a character or an event, which could have different interpretations
I scream, silent comforts that are not heard
A phrase with unclear meaning, which could suggest either desperation or a sense of disconnection from others
I panic, for I have not said a word
Suggesting a sense of powerlessness or inability to act effectively
Hysteria hold the room in sway
Suggesting a moment of chaos or confusion, with everyone affected by the unknown situation
I run, I back away, to hide
Suggesting a moment of fear or avoidance, perhaps indicating an inability to face the unknown or uncomfortable
From what?
A rhetorical question, which could suggest a lack of understanding or awareness of the situation
From fear?
Another rhetorical question, which could suggest a moment of realization or insight
The truth, the light?
A final question, which could suggest a moment of reflection or contemplation about the nature of truth and enlightenment
Is truth the light?
A final statement which ends the song with a philosophical and open-ended question, which could be interpreted in many ways
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind