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
DR Funkenstein
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say the bigger the headache, the bigger the pill, baby
Call me the big pill
Dr Funkenstein
The disco fiend with the monster sound
The cool ghoul with the bump transplant
Hip bone connected to my thigh bone
My leg bone connected to my ankle bone
I get so hung up on bones
Dr Funkenstein here
Preoccupied and dedicated
To the preservation of the motion of hips
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
Your funk is the best (talk!)
Take my body, give it the mind
To funk with the rest (kiss me on my ego)
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love to Funk-a-stein (ohhh, over!)
Dr. Funkenstein, King of the Funk, yeah!
Swift lippin', ego trippin' and body snatchin'
I'll blow your mind
Comin' to you directly from the Mothership
Pulling up the last leg (ah, ah, ah)
Of the P.Funk
Well, alright
Dr. Funkenstein, yeah
He'll funk with your mind (ooover)
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
Your funk is the best (let me hear it for me)
Take my body, give it the mind
To funk with the rest (ha!)
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love to Funk-a-stein (alright!)
Microbiologically speaking,
When I start churnin', burnin' and turnin'
I'll make your atoms move so fast
Expandin' your molecules
Causing a friction fire
Burnin' you on your neutron
Causing you to scream
"Hit me in the proton, BABY!"
(I don't know what I'm talking about)
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love you, Funkenstein (oh yeah, let's do it one more time)
Ohhhh, over!
Hoo-wee!
(you're really out of sight)
I hope you all got your sunglass on out there
Ho!
It's really gonna blow your mind
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
Your funk is the best (talk!)
Take my body, give it the mind
To funk with the rest (kiss me on my ego)
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love to Funk-a-stein
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
Your funk is the best (over!)
Take my body, give it the mind
To funk with the rest
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love to Funk-a-stein
Ain't nothing but a party, baby!
Swift lippin', and ego trippin' and body snatchin'
Dr. Funkenstein, you are really out of sight
The bigger the headache, the bigger the pill
They call me the big pill
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love to, Funk-a-stein
(Yeah, hit me one time, one time!)
(Hey man, you make me feel so bad)
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
Your funk is the best (it is so funky around here)
Take my body, give it the mind
To funk with the rest (I'm just funkin' and jumpin')
Hit me with the one and then (ooooover!)
If you like, hit me again
We love to Funk-a-stein (Yeah, we love you Dr. Funkenstein)
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
Your funk is the best
Take my body, give it the mind (yeah, take it!)
To funk with the rest (take it!)
Hit me with the one and then
If you like, hit me again
We love to Funk-a-stein
The lyrics to Funkadelic's "Dr. Funkenstein" are a celebration of funk, and the titular character represents the embodiment of the genre. The song opens with the line, "They say the bigger the headache, the bigger the pill, baby/Call me the big pill" which highlights the importance and potency of funk music. Dr. Funkenstein is then introduced as the "disco fiend with the monster sound" who is "preoccupied and dedicated/To the preservation of the motion of hips." These lines emphasize the physicality of funk and how it is meant to be enjoyed through dancing.
The verses also contain references to the human body, particularly the bones, and how they are essential to the movement required for funk. The chorus is an invitation to listeners to embrace and enjoy the funky sound of Dr. Funkenstein, as well as the physical and personal liberation that comes with it. The song concludes with a call-and-response chant of "We love to funk you, Funkenstein/Your funk is the best/Take my body, give it the mind/To funk with the rest."
Overall, "Dr. Funkenstein" is a celebration of funk music as a visceral, liberating force that connects people through the shared experience of movement.
Line by Line Meaning
They say the bigger the headache, the bigger the pill, baby
The larger the problem, the larger the solution required to fix the problem, sugar
Call me the big pill
You can refer to me as the ultimate cure for troubles
Dr Funkenstein
I am the master of funk music and superior to all others in this field
The disco fiend with the monster sound
I am the lover of disco and an expert in producing and performing extremely great sound
The cool ghoul with the bump transplant
I am a relaxed, groovy guy whose ability to move and shake has completely been regenerated
Hip bone connected to my thigh bone
The muscles in my hip bone help to connect it to the bones that make up my thigh
My thigh bone connected to my leg bone
The muscles in my thigh bone help to connect it to the bones that make up my leg
My leg bone connected to my ankle bone
The muscles in my leg help to connect it to the bones that make up my ankle
I get so hung up on bones
I am so engrossed in the mechanics of the human body that I tend to forget about everything else
Dr Funkenstein here
I am here, baby, the lord and ruler of all things funky
Preoccupied and dedicated
My time and energy are devoted solely to the task of producing quality funk music
To the preservation of the motion of hips
I focus intently on ensuring that the movement of hips is maintained in the music I produce
We love to funk you, Funkenstein
We enjoy listening to and participating in the funk music that you produce, Dr Funkenstein
Your funk is the best (talk!)
Your funk music is of the highest quality and it speaks for itself, baby
Take my body, give it the mind
I am offering up my physical form so that it can be used to produce even more funky music in sync with my consciousness
To funk with the rest (kiss me on my ego)
I am challenging and inviting others who make funk music to come and perform alongside me, and my ego just loves the attention
Hit me with the one and then
Give me the rhythm and let's start making more music together
If you like, hit me again
Let's keep the music going until we get it just right
We love to Funk-a-stein (ohhh, over!)
We thoroughly enjoy the music you create, Dr Funkenstein, and we can't wait to see what you come up with next
Dr. Funkenstein, King of the Funk, yeah!
I am the master and ruler of all things funk music, baby!
Swift lippin', ego trippin' and body snatchin'
I am fast talking, and full of myself, and have the ability to take over the bodies of others who create lesser forms of funk music
I'll blow your mind
My funky music will completely take over your senses and overwhelm your mind
Comin' to you directly from the Mothership
I am bringing my superior funk music straight to you from a place where it is created the most, the Mothership
Pulling up the last leg (ah, ah, ah)
I am making my final approach to my musical performance, and all is happening right before your eyes
Of the P.Funk
I represent the peak of funk music as it is meant to be perceived by a discerning individual
Well, alright
Expressing approval of the way things are going
He'll funk with your mind (ooover)
He can throw down some mean funky beats that will get you in a funky trance
Microbiologically speaking,
From a microscopic view of things,
When I start churnin', burnin' and turnin'
When I start to really get into it and create some fresh beats,
I'll make your atoms move so fast
The sound of my music will cause molecules to vibrate at high speeds
Expandin' your molecules
I am expanding the molecule structures of your entire body with my superior funk music
Causing a friction fire
I am creating a level of heat that's hot and warming
Burnin' you on your neutron
I am giving you some positive vibes on your neutron
Causing you to scream
The resulting heat and cool beats is going to make you yell as you dance
"Hit me in the proton, BABY!"
I want you to keep rocking out hard and enjoying the music
(I don't know what I'm talking about)
Maybe I don't have it all together but the music is tight
Yeah, hit me one time, one time!
Play another one of those funky beats, I want to hear it again, even if it's just for a bit
Hey man, you make me feel so bad
You are so funky that I am envious and simultaneously feeling down because I know I can't measure up to your level of coolness
It's really gonna blow your mind
This performance is going to be amazing and will blow your mind, so be ready for it
Ain't nothing but a party, baby!
This is just a funky party and we're all here to enjoy it
It is so funky around here
The atmosphere is thick with funkiness, and we love it
I'm just funkin' and jumpin'
I am simply dancing around and having a funky time with this music
Yeah, we love you Dr. Funkenstein
You are our favorite funk master and we adore you, Dr Funkenstein
Yeah, take it!
Go on and jam to this music, it's meant to be enjoyed
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., A SIDE MUSIC LLC D/B/A MODERN WORKS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: GREGORY E. JACOBS, EDWARD EARL COOK, WILLIAM EARL COLLINS, GEORGE JR. CLINTON, BERNARD WORRELL, RONALD FORD, GARRY MARSHALL SHIDER, J.S. THERACON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sarleywinkle
I bought this album when I was in the 9th grade or so. I would stare at the album cover on both sides while listening to this and my mind would take me to other dimensions. I was a 15 year old white boy in Mississippi.
@gregmcgee1388
My dad actually played the drums for parliament in concert for Dr Funkestein R.I.P dad he told me he loved playing the drums for parliament funkadelic
@thomasbellamy6960
Hot as fish grease
@thenowchurch6419
Greg. He must have been a wicked drummer.
Big Respects.
@jhadziamfume6802
@C H went to school with them. did our first performance at hubbard jr high ...loved it and it made me want to perform since then. (Dwight)
@jamesgraham3116
Who's your dad?
@anthonyjohnson9758
What an Experience
@ziggysmalls9329
You know that James Brown soul,and Alumini is all over this.Bootsy,Fred,and George.much Respect
@gregharris5278
That bass line timeless...... Damn walk that bass Bootsie !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@johnwalker7179
Courtesy of Bootsy Collins