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
09- America eats its young
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
{spoken}
A luscious bitch she is, true
But it's not nice to fool mother nature
The proud mother of god like all ho's
Is jealous of her own shadow
So who is this young Vic Tanny bitch
Who wish to be queen for a day?
Of her jealous mother
By sucking their brain
Until their ability to think was amputated
By pimping their instincts
Until they were fat, horny and strung-out
In her neurotic attempt to be queen of the universe
Who is this bitch?
The lyrics of "America Eats Its Young" by Funkadelic are a scathing critique of the American society, particularly its treatment of the youth. The opening lines, "A luscious bitch she is, true / But it's not nice to fool mother nature" suggest that America, represented by the "bitch," is a beautiful but dangerous force that must be approached with caution. The song then delves into an indictment of the American culture, where the "proud mother of god," or society itself, is "jealous of her own shadow." In this way, the song highlights the self-destructive tendencies of American culture, where success and power come at the expense of others, even the future generations.
The lyrics go on to describe a young woman, Vic Tanny, who is eager to ascend to the throne of power at any cost. The song suggests that she would sacrifice the youth by "sucking their brain / Until their ability to think was amputated / By pimping their instincts / Until they were fat, horny and strung-out" in her neurotic quest for power. In this way, the song connects the American culture's obsession with success and self-promotion to the exploitation of the youth who are pushed to the margins and consumed by a system that values them only as economic units.
Overall, the song offers a scathing critique of American society, its culture, and its treatment of the youth.
Line by Line Meaning
{assorted groans, whispers, wails & moans}
Background sounds that create a chaotic and unsettling mood.
{spoken}
Introduction to the main message of the song.
A luscious bitch she is, true
Referring to America as a beautiful, attractive and desirable entity.
But it's not nice to fool mother nature
Trying to take control of something as powerful as Mother Nature can have negative consequences.
The proud mother of god like all ho's
Mother Nature is seen as a proud and powerful entity like all prostitutes.
Is jealous of her own shadow
Mother Nature is competing against herself, as she is so powerful that no one can beat her.
So who is this young Vic Tanny bitch
Referring to a young and ambitious woman who wants to become successful.
Who wish to be queen for a day?
The woman wants to be successful and powerful even if it's temporary.
Who would sacrifice the great grandsons and daughters
The woman is willing to sacrifice her descendants for her own benefit.
Of her jealous mother
Mother Nature is again seen as a mother figure who is jealous of her own creation.
By sucking their brain
The woman would manipulate and deceive her offspring to serve her purpose.
Until their ability to think was amputated
The woman would rob her descendants of their intelligence and ability to reason.
By pimping their instincts
The woman would manipulate and exploit the natural instincts of her descendants.
Until they were fat, horny and strung-out
The woman would lead her descendants to become indulgent, obsessed with sex and addicted to drugs.
In her neurotic attempt to be queen of the universe
The woman's ambition and greed drive her to want ultimate power and control over the entire universe.
Who is this bitch?
Questioning the identity and actions of the woman who is willing to sacrifice her offspring for her own gain.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: George Bernard Worrell, George Jr. Clinton, Harold D Beane
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
chris edwards
@B. SMILEY III GC gave ginger Baker credit on the song but it was tiki fulwood playing drums on that tune with Eddie, Bernie and billy and possibly tawl
Billy wasn't listed on the album.at all
America eats it's young is a complicated album.in teens of personal I heard rumor if three different alternative versions of it since new members came in
Og funkadelic quit in 71 at some point they recorded Ruth Copeland second album sometime before or after maggot brain was released
Eddie and tiki and Bernie went back to George at some point I think Bernie wasn't gonna leave at that point he stayed loyal but tiki plays on a lot of the album with other players
I think miss Lucifer's love was recorded before the og funks left a d GC added strings later
Harold was given guitar credit on loose booty with boogie, tiki, and Bernie with Eddie singing backing vocals at the end
I even heard GC deleted and overdubbed parts and riffs from different artists
Doku KG
This lyric is the greatest and most accurate metaphor ever written describing the character of America. Absolutely brilliant.
Stephan Larsen
Well express Jah rastafari praises blessings respectfully Tucson Arizona Sonoran desert 🏜️🏜️
Miles Knight Estrada
50 years later, and it's never sounded better.
Ston
If they had left out the lyrics, I would NOT have been disappointed. I just love this little dirge.
Humb1_e
It stings knowing that dilla and everyone else around him knew the end was near rip jay dee
B. SMILEY III
That clean, yet slightly gritty Les Paul tone is juicy af. Perfect phrasing, too. RIP Harold Beane
Bob Walker
One of threst Funkadelic songs ever played. Eddie was the Man.
chris edwards
don't think Eddie played on this one
Lord Jugga
chris edwards It's Harold Beane. He used to play with Isaac Hayes a lot too.
B. SMILEY III
@Lord Jugga rip Harold Beane.