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
Icka Prick
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ahh-ahhh, ahhh
Oh, you ain't seen obscene yet
We gonna be nasty this here time
Check it out, huh
Can you imagine this?
Put on some protection for your ears
Pussy serving land?
Like John Henry the steel drivin' man
Who with a hammer and spike in his hand
Said it's what's up front that cunt
Lifting weights with his tits (icka prick and iron pussy)
Doing push-ups with his clit (yucka fuck and muscle cunt)
Disgusting!
Icka prick and iron pussy
Yucka fuck and muscle cunt
There ain't no decent dick in Detroit
Ho, grossin out!
Icka prick and iron pussy (nasty can be)
Yucka fucka muscle cunt
If you think that's nasty
Follow me to the men's room
Watch me write on the wall (icka prick and iron pussy)
Graffilthy!
Suck my mind
Oh!
This is equal-opportunity nasty
Here, that helps?
Take it off, take it all off, hey!
Icka prick and iron pussy (pumpin' to please!)
Yucka fuck and muscle cunt (without humps there will be no gettin' over)
Icka prick and iron pussy
And still, there's no decent dick in Detroit
Icka prick and iron pussy (and that's a gross point of view)
Yucka fuck and muscle cunt (oh you don't?)
Icka prick and iron pussy
Oh, serving pussy from the shoulder
Oh, yeah, you'll get knocked up listening to this (ahhh-ahhh-ahhh)
You'd better put some protection on your ears
This is graffilthy! (ahhhh-ahhh-ahh!)
Can you imagine this?
Get that thing out of here, boy
Ahhh-ahh-ahhh
Icka prick
You're sick!
Who you gonna stick? (can you imagine this?)
That's a counterfeit dick
The shape of things to come
Can you dig it
Can you imagine this?
Icka prick and iron pussy
Yucka fuck and muscle cunt
I can't...
This ain't about penetration
It's about tenderness and concentration
Friction what gets you off
Oh, you ain't seen obscene yet
Oh!
Follow me to the men's room
Watch me write on the wall
I'll tell it all
Flush you before I go
Wash out my mouth with soap
And shit-talk some mo'!
Let's discuss disgusting
You ain't seen obscene yet
You haven't seen this before
While he's serving pussy from the shoulder
She's serving dick from the head (You haven't seen this before)
Let's discuss disgusting
We gonna be nasty this year (mmm hmmm)
Elmo MacNasty, mental masturbation
Psychological perversion (hey, hey)
Can you imagine this
Let's go do a quickie
Don't take your clothes off
Follow the ho-ho lines
Freakin' behind the naval blockade
Lookin' through your belly-button window
Let's discuss disgusting
Whooa-ooo
Her pussy is on the steel-wool rag
Penetration is a drag
It seems like there's no decent cunt in Detroit
Of course, I like to watch
Ahh
Hey!
Ahhhhhh, ahhhhh [Repeat x 3]
She lifts weights with her tits
He does pushups with his clit
Ahhhh
Can you imagine
I lift weights with my tits, owww
Can you imagine this?
The lyrics to Funkadelic's "Icka Prick" are filled with crude and obscene language, employing explicit sexual imagery to create a sense of shock and disgust. The chorus features the repetition of the phrase "icka prick and iron pussy" and "yucka fuck and muscle cunt," which are presumably intended to convey a sense of visceral revulsion. The song seems to be addressing the topic of sexual potency and prowess, with lines like "there ain't no decent dick in Detroit" implying a certain desperation or lack of satisfaction. The lyrics also make frequent use of wordplay and double entendres, such as "friction what gets you off," which turns an innocuous term into a sexual one.
At its core, "Icka Prick" appears to be a critique of conventional notions of masculinity and femininity, suggesting that ideas around gender and sexual identity are inherently limiting and repressive. The image of John Henry lifting weights with his tits provides a powerful metaphor for this idea, suggesting that traditional gender roles are just as absurd and arbitrary as a man using his breasts to pump iron. Overall, the song serves as a biting satire of societal expectations around sex and gender, skewering these norms with humor and irreverence.
Line by Line Meaning
(Let's get the cue track, OK right, what?)
Setting the tone for a raunchy track to be played
Ahh-ahhh, ahhh
Making suggestive sounds to add to the sex appeal of the song
Oh, you ain't seen obscene yet
Telling the audience that the song is about to get very sexually explicit
We gonna be nasty this here time
Promising to deliver a nasty and explicit song
Check it out, huh
Challenging listeners to see how far they can handle the explicit content
Can you imagine this?
Asking listeners to imagine the raunchy sexual acts being described in the song
Put on some protection for your ears
Advising listeners to be cautious and protect their ears from the explicit content of the song
Pussy serving land?
Referring to a sexual amusement park or fantasy land where a woman's genitals are the main attraction
Like John Henry the steel drivin' man
Drawing a parallel to the mythical figure of John Henry, who was a symbol of strength and endurance
Who with a hammer and spike in his hand
Describing John Henry's tools that he used to complete a difficult task
Said it's what's up front that cunt
Making a pun on the word 'front' to refer to a woman's genital area
Lifting weights with his tits (icka prick and iron pussy)
Describing a man who is incredibly strong and muscular, doing push-ups with his chest and even lifting weights with his pectoral muscles
Doing push-ups with his clit (yucka fuck and muscle cunt)
Using vulgar language to describe the strength of a woman's genital muscles and how it can be used to perform push-ups
Disgusting!
Expressing disgust and shock at the explicit sexual act being described in this song
There ain't no decent dick in Detroit
Making a humorous observation about the lack of good male partners in Detroit
Ho, grossin out!
Expressing disgust at the dirty sexual acts being described
If you think that's nasty
Challenging the listener to imagine more obscene sexual acts
Follow me to the men's room
Inviting the listener to come along and witness an even more explicit sexual act
Watch me write on the wall (icka prick and iron pussy)
Describing an obscene act of writing sexual words on the bathroom wall
Graffilthy!
Describing the obscene writing as a combination of graffiti and filth
Suck my mind
Asking the listener to absorb the unique and explicit content of the song to experience something new
This is equal-opportunity nasty
Ensuring that the explicit content is not directed towards any particular gender, sexual orientation or group
Here, that helps?
Asking the listener if they understand and are ready for the explicit content
Take it off, take it all off, hey!
Encouraging the listener to let loose and be free to experience the sexually explicit content
Pumpin' to please!
Describing sexual acts designed to please and arouse
Without humps there will be no gettin' over
Making a humorous reference to how, in order to get over something or move past it, you need to hump over it
And still, there's no decent dick in Detroit
Continuing the observation that there is a lack of good male partners in Detroit
And that's a gross point of view
Acknowledging that the explicit content of the song is not for everyone and some may find it disgusting
Oh you don't?
Asking the listener if they are surprised that such an explicit song exists
Oh, serving pussy from the shoulder
Describing a woman who is so sexually attractive and capable that she can serve her genital area like it's coming from her shoulder
Oh, yeah, you'll get knocked up listening to this (ahhh-ahhh-ahhh)
Using vulgar language to describe how the explicit content of the song can arouse and excite the listener to the point where they want to have sex
This is graffilthy! (ahhhh-ahhh-ahh!)
Reinforcing the obscene writing and describing it as a combination of graffiti and filth
Get that thing out of here, boy
Asking someone to leave the immediate surrounding because they are not ready for the explicit content
Icka prick You're sick!
Using vulgar language to describe a man's penis and expressing disgust at the sexual act it is used for
Who you gonna stick? (can you imagine this?)
Using sexual puns to describe the act of sexual penetration and asking the listener if they can imagine such an explicit act
That's a counterfeit dick
Describing a fake and unsatisfactory penis
The shape of things to come
Giving the impression of futuristic sexual acts that are even more explicit and shocking than those in this song
Can you dig it
Asking the listener if they can handle the explicit content of the song
This ain't about penetration
Clarifying that the song is not just about explicit sexual acts
It's about tenderness and concentration
Explaining that the song is also about the concentrated efforts and emotional connection between partners
Friction what gets you off
Describing how the physical act of rubbing and stimulating the genitals is what causes sexual pleasure and orgasm
Flush you before I go
Using humor to describe flushing the toilet before leaving the men's room after the obscene acts have been committed
Wash out my mouth with soap
Using a humorous phrase to describe a desire to wash away the obscenity of the song
And shit-talk some mo'!
Ending the song on a humorous note, by saying that even after all the obscene talk, there is still more to be said and joked about
Elmo MacNasty, mental masturbation, Psychological perversion (hey, hey)
Rattling off more obscene phrases to end the song with a shock factor
Let's go do a quickie
Inviting the listener to engage in a quick sexual encounter
Don't take your clothes off, Follow the ho-ho lines
Humorously instructing the listener on how to engage in a quickie without removing their clothes
Freakin' behind the naval blockade
Using a humorous military phrase to describe having sex in a hidden or discreet location
Lookin' through your belly-button window
Using a metaphor to describe the intimate act of having sex and seeing into someone's soul
Her pussy is on the steel-wool rag
Using vulgar language to describe a woman's menstrual cycle and its effects on hygiene
Penetration is a drag
Humorously expressing that the act of sexual penetration can sometimes be tiring or a drag
Of course, I like to watch
Humorously indicating that even though the song describes several explicit sexual acts, the singer is only an observer and does not engage in such acts
I lift weights with my tits, owww
Using humorous language to describe a woman with incredibly strong chest muscles who can lift weights with her breasts
Lyrics Β© Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Garry Marshall Shider, George Jr. Clinton, GARRY SHIDER, GEORGE JR CLINTON, ROBERT CHETCUTI, STEVEN MCGUINESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@021881mt
@@DJGary0910 I heard people in the message column on Amazon many years ago say that song was about George teaching Prince a nasty lesson in response to "Dirty Mind" George doesn't mention Prince in reference to that in his book but he does say that around that time people were in so many words coming weak due to what he called "prudish" times. He felt like people were using "nasty" for shock value and controversy (sex sells) but were representing a little kid or just weak cultural approach to nastiness in general. The album artwork explains how that's used in /TV/advertisements perfectly ("Charlie's Dangles"π€£)
Besides that the song references what I believe is the gay cultural scene that was on the rise and to come later, also from both gender sides including the fanatical gym gay cultural scene specific to that. It's also about inadequate sex organs as a consequence, but that's just my opinion based on this...
"Iron pussy serving land, like John Henry (real legend/story) the steel driving man, who with a hammer and spike in his hand, says what's up.. FRONT THAT CUNT (gross) lifting weights with his tits, doing push-ups with his clit..Disgusting!..it seems like there's no decent dick in Detroit"
"Icka Prick and iron pussy...yucka fuck and muscle Cunt"
"Nasty can't be bored"
"ICKA PRICK... YOUR SICK! who you gonna stick... with your Counterfeit Dick"
"Let's "discuss" "DISGUSTING!"
"Oh she says it's not about penetration, but tenderness and concentration...friction is what gets you off"
"Iron pussy's on a steel wool rag, yucka fuck penetration is a drag..it seems like there's no desent Cunt in Detroit.. but of course I like to watch"
He even compares it to a "hump" which they explain on GLORYHALLASTOOPID to mean Sir Nose Devoid of Funk/satan as a unwanted pest that serves to improve us once we learn to get over the "hump" "a positive nuseance"
Their deep meaning lyrics always sounded like preaching in disguise or veiled parables to me. Takes work to be truly PFUNK worthy.
@Bodemus
Nastiest song of all time! And super funky with maxacious vocals!
@Clamchucker
Ultimate Funk!Β Never give up the Funk!!!Β George is nothing less than a genius.
@z-9693
Word!
@pgaven9396
This song was ahead of its TIME. Keep funkin! 2021
@louiswashington2122
when it came to funkadelic, there was no commercial pressure, so they just got high and jammed
@orlanduce
THE ENDING IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HYPNOTIC!!!!!!!!
@DocFunk
Ending is redic, is ridick...is outstanding!!!
@TonyExumJr
I'm saying . I have rewound that over and over again...like why did they have to fade there...
@meemyselfni8533
Sum sort of crazzy gospel! π
@TheNapoleon357
Facts