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
Oh I
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, ha
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Hey
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
I like to do that
Starting to dream
Yeah a glossy 8x10
She had such gorgeous hair
I always miss my kisses there
But lately I just sing
I pretend
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
I ....something
Reminds me of the time on the love we spent
Making love after dark
Heyyyy
And I'm
Everything remains the same thanks to
Down memory lane
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Give a little bit
The picture gets clearer
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
I like to do that
I like to dee-dee dah-dah
Give a little bit
The picture gets clearer
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
Oh, I Oh, I (girl said, picture frame, girl didn't sign her name)
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I (you had such gorgeous hair)
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I (I placed my kisses there)
Give a little bit the picture seems to get clearer
Memory lane
Whoaa
Ahhh-ahhh-ahh ahh-ahh
Ooooooo
(x7)
Me chasing you
Oh, and making love in the park after dark
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
The picture gets clearer
Down memory lane
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
???? chasing down memory lane
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
(x2)
The Funkadelic's song "Oh I" presents elements of reminiscence and romanticism, with a longing for a past love. The song's lines "Give a little peek, the picture gets clearer/ Time well spent, brings you nearer my love" and "Everything remains the same thanks to/ Down memory lane" express this desire to hold onto memories, as time progresses. The lyrics "I always miss my kisses there/ But lately I just sing/ I pretend" suggest that the memories are no longer a tangible thing to hold onto, but rather a fantasized recollection. "Oh I" also acknowledges the discomforting nature of change and loss as it pertains to the uncertainty of the future compared to the certainty of past memories.
The repetition of the song's title, "Oh I," throughout the song, along with the refrain "whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho" create an atmospheric melody. The lines "Yeah, ha/ Me chasing you/ Oh, and making love in the park after dark" provide an intimate snapshot of a moment in the past, giving listeners a sense of the emotions that come with the recollection.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
The singer utters a cry of pleasure and excitement.
Yeah, ha
The singer affirms emphatically.
Oh, I Oh, I
The singer reaffirms their identity.
Hey
The singer draws attention to their words.
Get a little peek, the picture gets clearer
With a little insight, one can understand something better.
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
Investing time yields intimacy.
I like to do that
The singer enjoys indulging in something.
Starting to dream
The singer begins exploring an idea.
Yeah a glossy 8x10
The singer imagines an idealized image.
She had such gorgeous hair
The singer remembers a particular feature.
I always miss my kisses there
The singer longs for that moment of intimacy.
But lately I just sing
The singer has been alone and resorts to singing instead of physical intimacy.
I pretend
The singer imagines scenarios to satisfy their longing.
I ....something
The singer trails off mid-thought.
Reminds me of the time on the love we spent
A memory evokes feelings of past love and intimacy.
Making love after dark
The singer recalls a specific time of day.
And I'm
The singer emphasizes their current state.
Everything remains the same thanks to
Despite the passage of time, some things stay constant due to the singer's longings.
Down memory lane
The singer is going through a sequence of memories.
Give a little bit
The singer is ready to invest something.
I like to dee-dee dah-dah
The singer interjects with a playful song.
(girl said, picture frame, girl didn't sign her name)
The singer recalls a message on a frame with incomplete details.
(you had such gorgeous hair)
The singer recalls another person's features.
(I placed my kisses there)
The singer fondly remembers moments of intimacy.
The picture seems to get clearer
With additional insight, understanding improves.
Whoaa
The singer is overwhelmed with emotion.
(x7)
The singer repeats a vocalization.
Me chasing you
The singer recalls a moment of pursuit and desire.
Oh, and making love in the park after dark
The singer recreates a scene of intimacy.
???? chasing down memory lane
The singer's thoughts are unclear or incomplete.
(x2)
Repetition to emphasize meaning.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DEBRA KILLINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Musicstuffff
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Yeah, ha
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Hey
Get a little peek, the picture gets clearer
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
I like to do that
Starting to dream
Yeah a glossy 8x10
She had such gorgeous hair
I always miss my kisses there
But lately I just sing
I pretend
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
I ....something
Reminds me of the time on the love we spent
Making love after dark
Heyyyy
And I'm
Everything remains the same thanks to
Down memory lane
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Give a little bit
The picture gets clearer
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
I like to do that
I like to dee-dee dah-dah
Give a little bit
The picture gets clearer
Time well spent, brings you nearer my love
Oh, I Oh, I (girl said, picture frame, girl didn't sign her name)
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I (you had such gorgeous hair)
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I (I placed my kisses there)
Give a little bit the picture seems to get clearer
Memory lane
Whoaa
Ahhh-ahhh-ahh ahh-ahh
Ooooooo
(x7)
Me chasing you
Oh, and making love in the park after dark
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
The picture gets clearer
Down memory lane
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
???? chasing down memory lane
Oh, I Oh, I
Whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-oo whoa-ho-ho-ho oh, I
(x2)
@bobbylinning2348
What makes P Funk so great is that these are some of the greatest musicians in the world
@jameshhenderson8243
Could not make it with Pfunk being a cut and paste musician. You had to be the real deal. Take a lesson cut and paste short cut artists. Your music will not be classic in the future like this.
@williamperri3437
@@jameshhenderson8243I’m with you to a degree BUT some hip hop artist were considered “cut and paste” and they will go down in history. Perfect example: a tribe called quest. I imagine what you mean though is musicians that were not the real deal top to bottom.
@marvin-en6cu
One of the most underrated jams
@melvinjackson954
been humming that chorus since i was a kid oh..i..oh ..i funk forever!!!
@mathijndeloor849
I'm 53 years old and trying to bring my Kids to learn to listen to this sublime grooves by George Clinton....they listen to rap music which is invested with Georges music....I love George Clinton!
@curtishayes5247
This is my favorite hit off the album.
@PFunk-mo5kc
Mine too.....🤟🏾
@zscottdavis9567
Mines too.
@SONJASAVEDBYGRACE
Mines too