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
P-Funk
Funkadelic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do not attempt to adjust your radio, there is nothing wrong
We have taken control as to bring you this special show
We will return it to you as soon as you are grooving
Welcome to station W E F you N K, better known as We-Funk
Or deeper still, the Mothership Connection
Home of the extraterrestrial brothers
Coming you directly from the Mothership
Top of the chocolate milky way, 500,000 kilowatts of P.Funk power
So kick back, dig, while we do it to you in your eardrums
And me? I'm known as Lollipop Man
Alias, The Long Haired Sucker, my motto is
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
Yeah, W E F you N K, y'all now this is what I want you all to do
If you got faults, defects or shortcomings you know
Like arthritis, rheumatism or migraines
Whatever part of your body it is, I want you to lay it on your radio
Let the vibes flow through, funk not only moves, it can remove, dig?
The desired effect is what you get
When you improve your Interplanetary Funksmanship
Sir Lollipop Man, chocolate coated, freaky and habit forming
Doin' it to you in 3-D, so groovy that I dig me
Once upon a time called, 'Now'
Somebody say, "Is there funk after the death?"
I say, "Is Seven Up?", yeah, P.Funk
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, don't want my funk stepped on
Make my funk the P.Funk before I take it home
Yeah, I dig, let me put my sunglasses on
That's the law around here, you got to wear your sunglasses
So you can feel cool, gangster lean, y'all should dig my sunroof top
Well, alright, hey I was diggin' on y'all funk for a while
Sounds like it got a three on it though to me
Then I was down South and I heard some funk
With some main ingredients like
Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic, David Bowie
It was cool, but can you imagine Doobie-in' your funk?
W E F you N K, We-Funk
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, don't want my funk stepped on
Make my funk the P.Funk before I take it home
Gettin' deep
Once upon a time called 'Right Now'
Ain't it funky now?
Far around
Hey, doin' it to you in the ear hole
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, don't want my funk stepped on
Make my funk the P.Funk before I take it home
Yeah
We're not leavin' y'all, I want you all to stay tuned for Starchild
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, don't want my funk stepped on
Make my funk the P.Funk before I take it home
Don't stop, get down
Talk, blow your horn
Pee you
Wants to get funked up
Well alright
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
Welcome to station W E F you N K, better known as
We-Funk or deeper still, the Mothership Connection
Home of the extra terrestrial brothers
Dealers of funky music, P.Funk, uncut funk, the bomb
Lollipop Man here, alias, the Long Haired Sucker
Chocolate coated, freaky and habit forming
Coming to you in 3-D, so groovy that I dig me
Yeah, yeah, P.Funk
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, don't want my funk stepped on
Make my funk the P.Funk before I take it home
The song "P-Funk" by Funkadelic/Parliament is a statement of intent, an invitation to the listener to immerse themselves in the world of funk. The opening lines set the scene as if taking over the radio waves to broadcast their sound. The references to extraterrestrial beings and the Mothership Connection are a nod to the band's Afrofuturist themes and their desire to create a musical experience that transcends conventional boundaries. The lyrics encourage the listener to let go of their inhibitions and to let the music flow through them, with the promise that funk "not only moves, it can remove".
The verses are punctuated by the mantra-like refrain, "Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut", which reinforces the idea that funk is not just music but a state of mind, a way of being. The song builds to a climax with the call and response section at the end, with the band exhorting the listener to get funky, blow their horns, and let the good times roll. The overall effect is to create a sense of unity and community, with the music acting as a unifying force that brings people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Good evening
Greetings
Do not attempt to adjust your radio, there is nothing wrong
Everything is under control, don't worry
We have taken control as to bring you this special show
We are in charge of this funky show
We will return it to you as soon as you are grooving
We will give back control once you are feeling the funk
Welcome to station W E F you N K, better known as We-Funk
Greetings to our radio station, known as We-Funk
Or deeper still, the Mothership Connection
Our funk is otherworldly and comes from the Mothership
Home of the extraterrestrial brothers
We are aliens in the world of funk
Dealers of funky music, P.Funk, uncut funk, the bomb
We specialize in providing pure, explosive and funky music
Coming you directly from the Mothership
Our music is delivered straight from the source
Top of the chocolate milky way, 500,000 kilowatts of P.Funk power
Our funk is a divine force that powers the universe and satisfies your soul
So kick back, dig, while we do it to you in your eardrums
Relax, enjoy, and let our funky tunes fill your ears
And me? I'm known as Lollipop Man
I am the one responsible for delivering the funk to you
Alias, The Long Haired Sucker, my motto is
Also known as The Long Haired Sucker, my mission is
Make my funk the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
I demand that my funk be pure and unadulterated
Make my funk the P.Funk, I wants to get funked up
I need the pure funk to satisfy my thirst for the groove
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, I want my funk uncut
I crave the explosive and divine energy that comes from pure funk
Yeah, W E F you N K, y'all now this is what I want you all to do
Listen up, folks at WE-Funk, here's what I need you to do
If you got faults, defects or shortcomings you know
If you have any health issues or problems
Like arthritis, rheumatism or migraines
Such as joint pain, inflammation or headaches
Whatever part of your body it is, I want you to lay it on your radio
Place the affected body part on your radio to absorb the healing funk energy
Let the vibes flow through, funk not only moves, it can remove, dig?
Allow the funk energy to flow and heal you, it has the power to do so
The desired effect is what you get
The result you seek is what you will achieve
When you improve your Interplanetary Funksmanship
When you enhance your ability to groove to otherworldly funk
Sir Lollipop Man, chocolate coated, freaky and habit forming
I am Sir Lollipop Man, smooth, addictive and funky
Doin' it to you in 3-D, so groovy that I dig me
Providing you with a three-dimensional, super funky experience
Once upon a time called, 'Now'
Let's begin our funky journey in the present
Somebody say, 'Is there funk after the death?'
People ask if the funk transcends death
I say, 'Is Seven Up?', yeah, P.Funk
I say, 'Of course!', pure and explosive funk energy is eternal
I want the bomb, I want the P.Funk, don't want my funk stepped on
I crave pure and explosive funk energy, untouched by any external factors
Make my funk the P.Funk before I take it home
I demand pure funk energy before I leave the Mothership and return to Earth
Yeah, I dig, let me put my sunglasses on
I understand and agree, let me wear my shades
That's the law around here, you got to wear your sunglasses
Wearing shades is mandatory in the world of funky music
So you can feel cool, gangster lean, y'all should dig my sunroof top
Wearing shades helps you look and feel cool, just like my sunroof convertible
Well, alright, hey I was diggin' on y'all funk for a while
Alright, folks, I was enjoying your funk for some time
Sounds like it got a three on it though to me
It seems that your music lacks the maximum level of funk energy
Then I was down South and I heard some funk
I traveled to the South and discovered some new, groovy music
With some main ingredients like Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic, David Bowie
Combining elements from Doobie Brothers, Blue Magic, and David Bowie created a unique and funky sound
It was cool, but can you imagine Doobie-in' your funk?
It was interesting, but it lacked the pure and explosive funk energy I require
W E F you N K, We-Funk
WE-Funk is the source of pure, explosive funk energy
Gettin' deep
Getting lost in the groove
Ain't it funky now?
Isn't it groovy and funky right now?
Far around
Far out, otherworldly
Hey, doin' it to you in the ear hole
We are providing you with a funky musical experience
Yeah
Agreement and excitement
We're not leavin' y'all, I want you all to stay tuned for Starchild
We're not done yet, stay tuned for more funky tunes from Starchild
Don't stop, get down
Keep grooving and dancing
Talk, blow your horn
Express yourself, make some noise
Pee you
A playful expression of dismissal
Wants to get funked up
Yearning for pure and explosive funk energy
Well alright
Alright, then
Welcome to station W E F you N K, better known as
Greetings to our radio station, known as WE-Funk
We-Funk or deeper still, the Mothership Connection
Our funky music is the product of our extraterrestrial origins
Home of the extra terrestrial brothers
WE-Funk is the gathering place for all alien funk brothers
Lollipop Man here, alias, the Long Haired Sucker
This is Lollipop Man, aka the Long Haired Sucker
Chocolate coated, freaky and habit forming
I am smooth, funky, and addictive
Coming to you in 3-D, so groovy that I dig me
Providing you with a three-dimensional and deeply groovy musical experience
Yeah, yeah, P.Funk
Pure and explosive funk energy that satisfies the soul
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@metalrex1887
I'm whiter than bread, my parents are whiter than snow. But they grew up with a love for James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic. And my childhood nickname was "P-Funk", and my dad still calls me and starts his conversations with
"Make my funk the P-Funk"
So this song is meaningful in many ways.
@37kingspublishing80
👍👍👍👍👍😁😁😁one love
@chuckt4558
Raised in a wonderbread house but love my funk as well.
@aceshabazz1937
Nice
@e.adriannapatterson3900
Alright Now!!!! Greetings FunkATeer!!!!.
@purpledancerbmw5279
Music knows no color. Musicians should be our politicians. Rock on P Funk!
@karameldreem
This song is 45 years old and it still sounds stellar.
@joannmoxley9963
Song is totally still awesome.
@joannmoxley9963
Remind of the good old days.
@ggman002
I would say it sounds interstellar